Back to Tatooine

Disclaimer: If you're wisely attempting to avoid leaked footage from Episode 7, you may wanna skip this week. I should probably take your advise, but they got me right where I'm weakest – scummy Tatooine spaceports.

As an avid Star Wars fan, I'm exhilarated at the prospect of more films. As heart-rendingly terrible as the prequels proved, as universally despised as they are and as much as I agree with all those sentiments, they still expended the Star Wars universe an incredible amount, adding planets, species, organizations and ideas to the setting's rich tapestry.

Gungans? Can be interesting. Jango Fett? Parsecs more interesting than Boba. Kashyyyk? Where were you my whole life? Dugs, podracing, Geonosis – much as I love to rag on them, there's some solid stuff for the worldbuilder in me.

Therefore, I don't share many people's skepticism about Abrams. I'm frustrated that he effectively called out Lucas' name while in bed with Rodenberry, but that doesn't mean that, when reunited with his true love, he won't still make the film everyone wanted Episode One to be.

And everything I've seen suggests that's exactly what's gonna happen. Puppets, practical effects, real costumes. It's all there.

Naysayers, your opinions been noted, but you may wanna leave, 'cause this grown man's about to squee over some blurry leaked set photos.

Everybody else? Wanna check deez out with me?

The main action seems to be encircling this massive bowl-like structure.
Open-air bazaar? Pitfighting arena? Uncertain

Everything seems to be fenced into this one circular area, but the interior
is mostly empty. It's like a vacated junkyard or something. Weird.

It's wholly possible this says "Warning" in Aurebesh.
I may have translated that myself. Reports vary.

Surrounding the arena is a makeshift bazaar, complete with
flapping tents, animal cages and hooded locals.

Is that a fire?
My theory, at this time, is actually a demolition derby.*

Could the podracer engine support that theory?

 And, of course, the pièce de résistance:

 Reports indicate this giant alien pachyderm is a full-size puppet, featured in two scene and, that's right, crewed by five individual people, riding around inside its belly. There's literally never been a better sign that Episode VI will return to form than this goddamn puppet.

Well, maybe except for this.

*I suddenly hoping it's not a demolition derby because how have I never even thought of a demolition derby in Bad Space

Psst! You downloaded Galactic Meance yet? Go now, while everyone's distracted!