This is the sixth in a series of caches dedicated to my life-long love of Star Wars. Unlike the previous caches, however, this one is focused on the first post-George Lucas era film -- Star Wars: The Force Awakens -- which is now the highest-grossing film in the U.S. in history. The questions can be answered by carefully watching the movie (or looking it up on the Internet).
If you haven't seen the movie yet, shame on you! Seriously though, there are spoilers ahead, so beware. May the Force Be With You!
Coordinates are in the form:
N AB CD.EFG
W HIJ KL.MNO
1. A scavenger who grew up on the wastes of the desert planet of Jakku, this Force-sensitive girl was abandoned by her family at a young age. She holds out hope that her family will return for her, but as she has grown older, she has begun to have doubts. Letter A is the number of letters in her first name.
2. This former Jedi-in-training turned to the dark side of the Force and destroyed the new generation of Jedi that were once his fellow students. Although he never knew his grandfather, he idolizes him and seeks to complete the work that his grandfather started. Letter B is the number of letters in his given first name.
3. The most daring and skilled of the Resistance pilots, Poe Dameron's appetite for risk is indulged by even his most serious minded commanders. He is given a secret mission to seek out vital information on Jakku, which may be able to save the galaxy from the might of the First Order. Letter C is the numeric designation of Poe's customized black X-Wing fighter.
4. These two inseparable comrades have been both outlaws and heroes over the course of their lives, and while they have thus far steered clear of the mounting conflict between the Resistance and the First Order, their sudden recovery of the Millennium Falcon once again places them at the center of a race to save the galaxy. Letter D is the number of letters in the name of the Wookiee half of this pair, minus the number of letters in the last name of the Corellian scoundrel.
5. A small military force intended to combat the rising threat of the First Order, the origins of this group date back to the Military Disarmament Act, passed by the New Republic in the wake of the signing of a peace agreement with the Galactic Empire. The leader of this group argued that the Empire, which retreated into the Unknown Regions of the galaxy, could not be trusted to abide by the treaty. Letter E is the number of letters in the name of the group, minus the number of letters in the first name of its founder.
6. A product of the First Order's methodical, systemized military training programs, this individual proves to be a highly skilled stormtrooper - at least during simulations. But his spotless profile does not survive a brutal night assault on a sacred village on Jakku. Letter F is the first numeric digit of this trooper's operating number.
7. An intensely loyal astromech droid, this rolling automaton is never far from his pilot companion's heels. Like older, larger astromechs, this droid is equipped to control the flight and power distribution systems of a starfighter like the Incom-FreiTek T-70 X-Wing. Letter G is the numeral in this droid's designation.
8. At its heart, The Force Awakens is about the quest to locate the missing Jedi Master Luke Skywalker. After his Jedi Academy was destroyed and his Padawans killed, Skywalker withdrew into seclusion and went on a personal quest to find the first Jedi Temple. Letter H is the number of words Skywalker speaks in the movie.
9. To demonstrate that the New Republic was not doomed to repeat the errors of the past, one of Chancellor Mon Mothma's first edicts was the restoration of the Galactic Senate. It was decided that all worlds would have an equal say in the shaping of government, resulting in the capital of galactic politics moving from Coruscant to different member worlds on a rotating basis. Letter I is the number of letters in the system where the New Republic's capital currently resides, plus one.
10. This individual is charged with commanding the stormtrooper forces of the First Order. Although her position could easily afford her a well-appointed war room far from the battle, she insists on leading from the front. She wears distinctive chromed armor that broadcasts her authority and makes it clear that she is a woman of action. Letter J is the number of letters in her miltary rank.
11. A human male who served as a General in the First Order, this young, ruthless officer had complete confidence in his troops, training methods and weapons. One of the highest-ranking members of the First Order, he is the commander of the superweapon known as the Starkiller. Letter K is the number of letters in his name.
12. These slimy beasts are responsible for the Trillia Massacre, and are highly sought after by the pompous and conceited King Prana. Once they escape captivity on the Baleen-class heavy freighter, the Eravana, they begin rampaging throughout the ship, consuming one person after another. Letter L is the number of Rathtars being transported on the ship, plus one.
13. An Outer Rim gang of ruffians that often comes into conflict with the Guavian Death Gang, this organization has found common ground with their rivals in the form of a mutual hatred of a certain Corellian smuggler. Twice leaving the gang empty-handed after failing to deliver their promised cargo, they have no intention of letting him escape again. Letter M is the number of letters in the name of their gang, divided by three.
14. A Force-sensitive being who served as Supreme Leader of the First Order, this powerful figure is skilled with the dark side of the Force. He is the lord and commander of the secretive Knights of Ren. Letter N is the number of letters in his name.
15. This diminutive force-sensitive pirate has lived for over one thousand years, carving herself a safe haven on the fringe of the galaxy on the world of Takodana. She has gotten many a young brigand started in the freebooting trade, and has a preternatural gift for sensing the shifting tides of fortune in the galaxy. Letter O can be found by subtracting the number of letters in her first name from the number of letters in her last name.
You can check your answers for this puzzle on GeoChecker.com.
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