Potential Spoiler Details Kinda Stuff.

I just posted this in my own silly thread, but it fits much better here
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Wild and uninformed speculation coming up:

In the concept art spoiler dump from last year, there was a picture of a place called “pirates’ cove”, a set based on the “massassi temple” in ANH. It think it was confirmed as a “Rebel” location, although that might have been a rumor. Perhaps this “pirates’ cove” is somehow connected to this Maz Katana character? Perhaps, with the new political situation in TFA, the Resistance includes contingents of pirates and other riff-raff, making Maz Katana in effect a Resistance privateer. If so, that might be why Maz Katana knows Han Solo, (i.e. they’re fighting on the same side, although not necessarily in the same way/place/team), and also why in one pic Abrams is seen instructing Stormtroopers on a set similar to the pirate gang background (i.e. the First Order finds the pirate base and sacks it). If Maz Katana is a Resistance privateer, and assuming Leia belongs to that faction too, it also explains why Maz (supposedly) hands Leia (supposedly) the lightsaber in the 2nd teaser, having come across it in her pirating business somehow (or alternatively, on some adventure with her buddy Han, who might end up dead in said adventure). A privateer Resistance fighter could also, conceivably know of the space ship graveyard planet that is Jakku, and of any scavenging community and/or interstellar fence operation going on there, which could be how Han and/or Poe is put on the track of Rey/Finn/the lightsaber.

Thoughts?

 

Purely my opinion at this moment in time...

I can see the links between these three things:


And yet those things don't match up with other things, and, more importantly, things we know were actually filmedt:


"Pirate's Cove" seems to be a codename specifically related to the Resistance hangar (and remember it is just a codename - it may or may not be representative of something relating to the actual nature of this set). But, to me, the castle concept art seems to also fit elements that were attributed to the "Exotic City" location, which we are told is where the bulk of the concepts also placed Maz.

I can't help thinking a lot of those elements were consolidated out as the concepts and plot were refined.
I used to think the Resistance hangar and Maz's location were linked.
But now I'm leaning towards thinking this:

The concept of there being a castle was kept, but it's function may have changed. It is now in a jungle location, and it is where Maz and her cronies hang out - kind of like Jabba's Palace.
The concept of a hangar evoking the Massassi Temple from ANH was dropped in favour of the bunker set up seen at Greenham Common.
I can't help thinking that they are simply two separate locations now.
Our heroes go and visit Maz and her crew. And then from there travel to Leia and the Resistance base. There may be connections between Maz and the Resistance, but they are not literally physically connected through their locations, IMHO.

I suppose it all hinges on a couple of things.
When exactly does Leia enter this movie? When our heroes initially meet Maz, or later? Later just seems more logical to me.
And what was filmed on stages E and H? The leaked blueprints have those stages earmarked for the hangar, the passage, the antechamber and the map room sets.
I wonder if King3000 can find out what stage his source was on, it may or may not give an indication as to some crossover between these locations?

Also, another way it may possibly work that the Resistance base and the pirate castle are literally linked could be if this is a complete surprise to Han (and the audience). But something about that just doesn't quite sit right with me - I can't quite put my finger on it - but it just seems more likely to me they meet up with Maz, learn a thing or too, and then head off to liason with Leia and the Resistance, taking Maz with them.
It would also mean the First Order scores a big hit on the Resistance's very nervecentre - rather than just striking "the location our heroes happen to be in with a few allies", which also would seem a bit odd to me.

Like I say, that's just the way I am leaning at the moment - Maz's pirate castle is one thing in one location (realised via the Puzzlewood location, Pinewood's Paddock Lock, and an unknown sound stage) and the Resistance base is another thing altogether (realised via the Greenham Common location and another unknown sound stage at Pinewood.)

 

I with the picture from VF and the info from @King3000 it seems like the scene where we meet Maz is going to be really cool. I can't wait to see it play out. Thanks @King3000 for all the info.

 

Hey @King3000 you were right again. Here is the furry creature:

 

Do we know what it says on the back about the character?

 

I didn't know that there are now Werewolves in Star Wars ...

 

The Wampa's little brother?

 

That's purty funny .

 

Shouldn't he be white, then ?

 

Your scopes are so scratched up from those asteroid fields, you couldn't see me even if you had 20/10 vision .

 

There is a little of everything in Star Wars. I mean...there was a Jar Jar.

 

Chewie and Zeb had a baby.

Star Wars has
Bat men
werewolves
1960s/70's astronauts

 

Can you "confirm" that there is a Slave 1 Painting in the Jakku "Trade Point"?