The Washington Post reports that “the first movie trailer for the heavily anticipated ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens ‘ premiered online Friday, bringing with it immediate buzz about a new kind of lightsaber, a potential deserter stormtrooper and a revamped Millennium Falcon spaceship.”  

“’Star Wars’ has captivated millions of viewers over the last few decades with its good-versus-evil themes, colorful alien characters (Jabba the Hutt, anyone? Anyone?) and futuristic technology. But it isn’t just science fiction fans who gravitate to the franchise. There’s a long history of scholars, media outlets, defense contractors and active-duty troops connecting the U.S. military with the franchise.”