Star Wars: The Force Awakens had a lot great moments. From certain scenes, which we covered here, to our favorite characters throughout the film to the random aliens seen on Jakku, it was all a pretty memorable experience and one not to be missed on the big screen. So far I’ve seen the film 11 times and with each viewing, it seems to just get better and better. I’ve noticed most of the little things, caught all the cameos, memorized lines, and have recognized musical queues.
The Force Awakens soundtrack is probably my favorite soundtrack out of all 7 films. Yep. Confirming that here. It’s wonderful and I’ve been listening to it nonstop since December 17th. It’s such a great piece of work by John Williams. Some may have not liked it as much at first, but once you take it in, song by song, you start to see the genius behind the soundtrack and how truly beautiful it is. Everyone has their own favorites, most being ‘Rey’s Theme’. *raises hand* But the other tracks are just so amazing that I thought I would breakdown each and every one in one post. I thought if I shared my thoughts on each track, maybe someone hesitant would come around to know and cherish John William’s latest masterpiece. Also I just really love this album, so why not use it as an excuse to write?
WARNING: SPOILERS BELOW!
#1 – Main Title And The Attack On The Jakku Village
The familiar sound of the opening title was probably, hands down, one of the most exciting parts of the film. It’s the sound we all grew up to love and the song that the world would recognize as the iconic Star Wars theme. It soon transitions into ‘The Attack On The Jakku Village’ which is such a wonderful piece in itself. Between the First Order making their first appearance to when Kylo leaves the shuttle for the first time, it all blends together so perfectly. I love this track so much, mainly due to it feeling like Kylo’s theme in certain spots.
#2 – The Scavenger
Probably my second or third favorite track on The Force Awakens album, ‘The Scavenger’ is all about, you guessed it, Rey! It’s so soft and really gives you a feel for the environment that Rey is used to and also a sense for her longing of her parents. It’s put together so well and it blends in Rey’s theme (which we’ll get too in a moment) with a few other familiar Star Wars tunes, making this track even more memorable in my eyes.
#3 – I Can Fly Anything
This track will make any Poe and/or Finn fan happy. This is the track that leads the duo as they escape from the Star Destroyer and head for the planet of Jakku to grab Poe’s beloved droid, BB-8. It’s a huge, action packed scene! It’s full of suspense, humor, and fun. You never know what’s going to happen to them next and this track helps keep you on the edge of your seat. What’s show on screen mixed with this track is nothing short of amazing Star Wars. I just… I have a soft spot for this whole scene. The interactions between Poe and Finn… it hits me right in the feels!
#4 – Rey Meets BB-8
This is a really short but sweet track. It’s the first time Rey gets to know BB-8 after Teedo try to scavenge him for parts. It’s only 1:33, but it’s very light and really encapsulates Rey and her personality while giving off hints of a bigger adventure at hand.
#5 – Follow Me
This scene, this track, my heart! This is the moment when Rey starts to leave her life on Jakku behind. The moment she realizes that there may be worse to fear than Unkar and his hoarding of portions. It’s such a fast paced, funny, and climactic scene. Just listening to it gets my adrenaline rushing! We see Jakku across a wide plain, see how bad the First Order wants Finn, and now Rey, as they blow up anything near the two. Rey also leads Finn and BB-8 inside the Millennium Falcon to give it a go, which leads us into the track after the next.
#6 – Rey’s Theme
‘Rey’s Theme’ is such a special track and is easily my favorite out of them all. I remember hearing this on screen for the first time and thinking “It sounds nothing like Star Wars, yet it sounds everything like Star Wars.” It’s very different than our usual tracks and that’s a great thing! It breathes fresh air into the system and gives Rey one of the most memorable tracks in Star Wars history. It breathes adventure, kindness, the unknowing of it all, and love. I can’t say enough things about this specific track other than to listen to it and love it.
#7 – The Falcon
Follow Me leads right into this scene, so you can imagine the imagery depicted on screen. (Which I’m sure you have because everyone has seen this film so far.) It’s quite the treat to watch too! This is definitely one of the more action packed tracks on The Force Awakens list. It’s the track that leads Rey, Finn, and BB-8 to escape from the clutches of the First Order and take that piece of garbage Millennium Falcon for a spin. I’m sure you’ve seen the movie already, but the whole scene is so attention grabbing. It’s done so well and keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time. This track captures all of that so well and gets you so hyped to watch The Force Awakens again.
#8 – The Girl With The Staff
Another song that encompasses Rey perfectly. This is when the action has settled for the time being and Rey and Finn are able to properly introduce themselves. It’s a sweet moment that soon cuts away to First Order madness, but soon returns with our next track, which is another action packed on full of alien creatures. And Han Solo.
#9 – The Rathtars!
Upon our reunion with Han and Chewie, we learn that he is in fact hauling Rathtars. Don’t know what Rathtars are? Here you go:
Scary, right? Rey tries to help this situation by trapping two gangs that are aboard the First Order ship to kill Han Solo, but instead unleash the Rathtars and all their wrath upon everyone aboard. It’s a really fun scene and I’m so glad J.J. decided to keep the Rathtars in the film because they look really awesome and it’s nice to see another species in the Star Wars universe.
#10 – Finn’s Confession
This comes right into play as Finn confesses to Rey that he is not apart of the Resistance and is only a Stormtrooper, trying his best to run away from the First Order. It’s really soft track that fits in the setting of Maz Kanata’s castle so well. It sounds sweet, but also as if all hope is lost. This soon leads into…
#11 – Maz’s Counsel
This iconic scene. The track is a light one but has so much power within it. From Rey having the lightsaber call to her to herself leaving to the woods, never to touch the lightsaber again. It’s all powerful stuff and, character wise, very important decisions are made in the next few scenes. This is also the first time we’re all like “REY IS SO A JEDI AHHHHHHH! SHE’S TOTALLY FORCE SENSITIVE FOR REAL ALSO WAS THAT YODA AND OBI-WAN’S VOICE I HEAR??”
#12 – The Starkiller
Ugh, my heart! This track leads the (very awesome, if I do say so myself) speech by General Hux as he talks to a vast army of people about how the First Order will remain supreme by taking charge and using Starkiller Base to destroy multiple planets nearby, one of which houses the Republic. We’re never quite sure which planets are destroyed, but it flashes back to A New Hope and the dread that Leia felt… but 10x worse. The Starkiller is a very sad sounding track and you can just tell when the people of the Republic starts to worry. My heart still breaks at this scene every single time.![star-wars-force-awakens-first-order](https://thenerdyrebellion.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/star-wars-force-awakens-first-order.jpg?w=474&h=237)
#13 – Kylo Ren Arrives At The Battle
The battle at Maz’s castle is one of the most exciting scenes in the entire film. Between Rey learning more about using her blaster to Finn wielding a lightsaber to fight the riot trooper, it’s all very, very exciting. Also terrifying. Thanks to two people Maz had been housing, the First Order AND the Resistance were called their to gather BB-8. Kylo Ren actually arrives first with his badass shuttle, which leads us too…
#14 – The Abduction
Kylo capturing Rey. Kylo senses that Rey has seen the last missing piece of the map that BB-8 has been holding and decides to take her instead of keeping his search for the droid alive. This song is another feel puncher because of the sadness in Finn as he sees Rey being carried by Kylo into his shuttle. I can’t bear to watch this scene cause of the pain on Finn’s face. Mix that with this track and you’ve got one emotional scene.
#15 – Han And Leia
Probably the most talked about track since the track list was leaked before the film ever came out, Han and Leia manages to capture the feeling of a long past between Han and Leia, one that may have been rocky, but manages to still feel real to this day. It’s a sweet track mixed with a little bit of a Resistance theme as the helpers exit the Resistance transporter. It also has a bit of a “Kylo isn’t evil, blame Snoke” feel to it.
#16 – March Of The Resistance
This track is definitely one of my favorites out of the bunch and seems to be one of everyone else’s too. It’s very iconic, inspiring, brave, all those things that the Resistance is. Also during this time, Finn and Poe are reunited and have the most adorable exchange. That and the fact that the Resistance are finally starting to get their endgame together and are soon ready to fight the First Order and destroy Starkiller Base.
#17 – Snoke
This is definitely my least favorite track on the album. It wasn’t because it outright horrible, just wasn’t one I felt I could listen too on repeat, like Rey’s Theme for example. It’s definitely a song meant for that specific scene and nothing more. It sets the tone that Snoke is a God of sorts, if you will. It sounds ancient, thousands of years old, like the sounds Snoke’s servants would probably hum to his request. It’s interesting and worked perfect for his few scenes. (If it even played for all of Snoke’s scene. Honestly, at eleven times, I still can’t remember.) Like I said, I didn’t hate it, just wasn’t as rememberable as the other 22. But still quite good in my opinion.
#18 – On The Inside
The title is semi-self explanatory. This track is what follows Han, Finn, and Chewie as they make their way into Starkiller Base, throw Phasma into a trash compactor and try to save the already saved Rey. It’s a fun track with suspense thrown in here and there. Also Kylo comes through a lot in this track. You can just hear his personality in certain sections. It’s unique little things like that that make you really appreciate the soundtracks even more
#19 – Torn Apart
By far the most heartbreaking song on the entire album. It’s the worst scene in the film, one I wish would’ve never happened, one I loved, but hated. Yeah. All those things. But with that being said, ‘Torn Apart’ is also one of my favorites on this soundtrack. It’s so hopeful, yet tragic. Beautiful in all kinds of ways and certainly memorable. Yes, it kills me to think back to this scene and experiencing it for the first time. ‘Torn Apart’ added so much depth this heartbreaking scene between Kylo and Ben, it just goes to show that that scene wouldn’t have been the same without it.
#20 – The Ways Of The Force
Ready for a kick ass track that’ll make you feel as if you could conquer the world? Here you go. ‘The Ways Of The Force’ is the track that leads us into the beautiful and awe-inspiring lightsaber battle between Finn and Kylo and then Rey and Kylo. It’s so well done. I don’t have the time to write why this scene was done SO well. Between the lightsabers themselves to the lighting to the pacing, everything really, was so beautiful. I couldn’t take my eyes away and I still get chills every single time, especially as the lightsaber flies to Rey’s hands. It’s one of those scenes where you know it’ll go down in history as that Star Wars scene. No matter what you thought of the rest of the film, you have to admit that this particular scene was super amazing and great and and- let me stop myself before I hyperventilate. Just know, this song is ace!
#21 – Scherzo For X-Wings
I like to call this Poe’s X-Wing theme because all hope seems lost during this scene till an opening in Starkiller Base allows for Poe to help dismantle the planet and bring it down for good. It’s a really exciting scene full of beautiful X-Wings and space battles. It’s exactly the kind of scene I was hoping for in The Force Awakens and I was far from let down. I just love the whole damn thing, okay?
#22 – Farewell And The Trip
Okay, now we’re getting to my favorite scene. It’s a little after this track and I’m sure you all know what it is by now, but lets just try to focus on this for now. Farewell plays perfectly as Rey goes to the Resistance Base and says her goodbyes to Finn and General Organa as she embarks on another life changing journey. The Trip portion comes in as she’s aboard the Millennium Falcon with Chewie, making their way onto the island that inhabits… LUKE! This track builds up to this so perfectly. It gives you all the feels and makes you feel super excited for what’s to come.
#23 – The Jedi Steps And Finale
THIS TRACK IS SO GOOD, YOU GUYS! I love The Jedi Steps so much as this was my all time favorite scene in The Force Awakens. It’s Rey on her journey to the top of this mountain on the island of a planet where Luke’s whereabouts are shown to be. The music is so magical as Rey climbs the literal Jedi steps and comes across Luke at the top. I get so emotional listening to this track but it brings me nothing but happiness and excitement. Luke is my all time favorite Star Wars characters and definitely the one I was looking forward too most in this new film. Seeing him again cause me so much happiness. I was a crying mess and this track perfectly fits the scene. I just want to watch this scene over and over again. Yes, it ends on a cliff hanger which goes into the Finale. But it’s so perfect. So, so perfect.
What’s your favorite song off The Force Awakens soundtrack?