Yesterday, J.J. Abrams and Co. revealed the names of the major characters seen in the Star Wars: The Force Awakes teaser trailer in a cool way: through a series of mock Topps trading cards modeled on those from '77.
In the big reveal, Abrams mentioned that there was a significance to the numbers on the cards. I did a little digging and I'm wondering if the numbers on the Force Awakens cards correlate to the original cards from 1977 in some way. While I'm sure the answer is probably a little more cryptic and clever, what if the answer is simple and there's a line to be drawn between the numbers?
It should be mentioned that all of my comments are purely speculation and not based in any knowledge, just me trying to draw the lines between 2014 and 1977. (And a special thanks to The Star Wars Trilogy for the quick reference on the Topps line).
Here are my findings:
2014: #11 - B.B. on the Move
1977: #11 - Artoo is imprisoned by the Jawas
This was the first thing that led me to believe there was a relationship between the old and the new numbers. It certainly can't be a coincidence that the BB-8 droid card has the same number as a card that featured R2 "on the move" from a certain point of view as well?
2014: #53 - Poe Dameron in His X-Wing
1977: #53 - Battle in outer space!
Poe in his X-Wing and the 1977 card showing the dramatic Battle of Yavin in an X-Wing can mean only one thing: we can expect some amazing dogfights most likely with Oscar Issac's "Poe" as a key component.
2014: #67 - Kylo Ren Ignites His Lightsaber
1977: #67 - See-Threepio and Luke
Okay here's where the theory might be a stretch... 3PO and Luke in a shot compared to the new "big bad guy" is a tough one. Is Kylo Ren Luke? A droid Jedi? Not sure theory holds up for this one. Dagnabbit.
2014: #74 - Rey on her Speeder
1977: #74 - Luke Skywalker on Tatooine
Check out Daisy Ridley and a speeder... and Mark Hamill and a speeder. Are all the rumors about "Rey" being a Solo untrue and she's actually a Skywalker living on Tatooine?
2014: #76 - Finn on the Run
1977: #76 - Artoo-Detoo on the rebel starship!
In a sense, this is the moment when R2 is on the run with information that is vital. Could it be that Finn is on the run because he's stolen something that is essential to the Rebellion?
2014: #81 - Stormtroopers Prepare for Battle
1977: #81 - Weapons of the Death Star
Here we see Stormtroopers in what appears to be a drop ship of some sort in the teaser trailer and then in the 1977 card, those loyal to the Empire manning a super-powered weapon. Is it possible that the scene from The Force Awakens trailer is from the climatic battle?
2014: #88 - X-Wings in Formation
1977: #88 - Stormtroopers guard Solo's ship
Not much here either. But while we're in speculation mode, what if we draw the line between the caption on the 1977 card and the action that we're seeing in 2014 and imagine that the X-Wings are guarding (or flanking) the Falcon in battle perhaps?
2014: #96 - The Millennium Falcon
1977: #96 - The droids on Tatooine
Argh. #97 of the Topps series is the first time we're introduced to the Millennium Falcon at the Mos Eisley Cantina. I don't suppose it was an error that the first time we're seeing the new Falcon was supposed to correlate to the first time it was mentioned on film (and they accidentally put a number one below)? Too much attention to detail for that to have happened. Do you think the droids are inside the Falcon and this battle is taking place about Tatooine, perhaps? #96 in the Empire Strikes Back set is a card relating to Solo being frozen in Carbonite - are we drawing lines to Han being in trouble?
Well, there are my findings. What do you think the numbers on the cards mean and do you think these lines were supposed to be drawn? Are you "seeing something in the cards" that I'm not?
Sound off in the comments!