Speaking to Entertainment Weekly director J.J. Abrams and cast members Domhnall Gleeson gave the first official details regarding the Starkiller Base, Gleeson's General Hux and the dark Force user Kylo Ren (Adam Driver).
As previously reported, "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" will feature one element very reminiscent to the original trilogy: the First Order, which is the formed remnant of the Galactic Empire, will have their own version of the Death Star, which will be far more powerful, known as Starkiller Base.
Abrams was able to further elaborate the similarity and differences of the Death Star to Starkiller Base, explaining that it should be considered as the next technological step forward. While the Death Star was capable of destroying planets, the Starkiller Base will be able to destroy entire solar systems.
In "Star Wars: Attack of the Clones," it was revealed that the initial design plans for the Death Star were made by Geonosian scientists. Abrams did not elaborate who or what may have been responsible for designing and building the Starkiller Base for the First Empire.
Entertainment Weekly also managed to interview actor Gleeson, who will be playing a high ranking First Order officer, General Hux. The actor gave a little insight into his character's demeanor and view in life.
"There's an air of superiority, and being better than those people around you," Gleeson explained. "He's pretty ruthless. A strong disciplinarian would be a mild way of putting it. You don't get that high up in your life that quickly unless you're pretty ruthless. You have to put a few people down on the way to get there."
Gleeson also stated that while Hux and Kylo Ren were both working for the First Order, they weren't exactly getting along. Gleeson explains that they have their own set of ideals and are "strong in different ways" and that both are figures vying for power.
"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" will open in theaters on Dec. 18.
