The Hostage Theory
Is Luke being held hostage by the Knights Of Ren, who have a weapon of galactic destruction, which would be triggered if he engaged his epic Jedi powers? Put simply, probably not – at least not at this stage. It is certainly more of a Star Wars tale than the Security Guard Theory, but this idea is not a reboot-opener. This idea is a mid-franchise instalment plot.
It’s right there in the title: The Force Awakens. A significant element of this ancient, mythical power has been effectively dormant, but now someone, or something, is engaging in a little cage-rattling. It’s a little much for the kidnapping of Luke Skywalker to cause this ‘awakening.’ Perhaps Kylo Ren and his crew are beginning to develop such a weapon, but it would make no sense to have the plot of Star Wars: The Force Awakens hinge on the accomplishment of such a conspiracy.
Perhaps the ‘awakening’ draws the Dark Side to Luke and ends in his capture, with the super-weapon being planned for the next movie – but surely that’s too derivative of the original trilogy? This is a reboot, not a remake. It also doesn’t answer the question as to the whereabouts of Luke Skywalker.