Star Wars: Episode VIII - 8 Things Fans Want (But Won't Get)

7. A Brief History Of The First Order

The First Order just kind of "exists" in The Force Awakens. Unless you read up on its history via the novelisation, there's nothing in the movie which suggests how the evil organisation came about. While it was okay to establish the Galactic Empire out of nowhere in Star Wars, with The Force Awakens an explanation felt genuinely warranted. After all, there's a huge gap separating Episodes VI and VII in which, somehow, The First Order came to power - having them there "just 'cause" and with no explanation felt somewhat like lazy screenwriting. Now, Episode VIII could certainly look back and offer up some history of the group (a group which somehow became powerful enough to construct Starkiller Base), but is that likely to happen in a movie where there are so many other things at stake? Rian Johnson is hardly going to waste time going back to explain things that should have been explained in Episode VII, which sadly means that The First Order will probably remain a sketchy outline. Pray for some exposition on this matter, then, but don't hold your breath.