Bringing a mix of new characters and familiar faces, the seventh episode of Star Wars, ‘The Force Awakens,’ is everything the franchise and fans needed for its much anticipated comeback. The movie introduces a generation of characters: Finn, the reformed stormtrooper, Poe, a resistance pilot, and Rey, a scavenger with an impressive control of the force. For the die hard fans, the new installment also featured the classic characters Han Solo, Chewbacca, Princess Leia, C3-PO and R2-D2.

While the movie has been criticized for similarities, there was a 32-year span between the releases of episode six and episode seven and a change of directors, so the parallels are helpful in that they bridge the movies together and make one cohesive story.

The movie is also creating buzz about something way bigger than sci-fi. The main character, Rey, is the first potential female jedi master. While she wouldn’t be the first strong female character, she would be the first one to have the power to bring balance to the force, a role previously reserved for men. The other two protagonists, Finn and Poe, are both minorities, which provides the movie with representation fit for modern times.

‘The Force Awakens’ is just the first out the three sequels; but so far, it’s making as big as an impact as the episodes that came before.