William N. Law Blog: The Force Awakens Bits: BB-8 Visits NASA, Harrison Ford Addresses Han Solo’s Death Scene, and New Blu-Ray Details Revealed

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

The Force Awakens Bits: BB-8 Visits NASA, Harrison Ford Addresses Han Solo’s Death Scene, and New Blu-Ray Details Revealed

You’ll soon be able to own Star Wars: The Force Awakens on Blu-ray. In the meantime, enjoy this edition of The Force Awakens Bits, which features:

Reggie Watts serenades BB-8.
BB-8 pays a visit to NASA.
Harrison Ford chats about Han Solo’s fate.
Daisy Ridley chats about Han Solo’s fate.
Daisy Ridley defends Rey against some bizarre accusations.
Anthony Daniels reveals the one thing he didn’t like about The Force Awakens.
Marvel reveals a gorgeous Star Wars comic cover with one big problem.
Kylo Ren pays a visit to Disneyland.
Go behind the scenes to see how Maz Kanata was created.
New Blu-ray and DVD details have been revealed.
And more!

Here’s how you know that BB-8 has carved out his own little niche in popular culture. The adorable droid popped by The Late Late Show With James Corden, where he was serenaded by Reggie Watts, who claimed that BB-8 was his lifelong inspiration. It’s a truly bizarre sketch before BB-8 joins in on the musical number and it only becomes more memorable from there.

Earlier today in a galaxy right here at home: #BB8 met our real robots and learned about @NASA's #JourneytoMars http://pic.twitter.com/IMBPeK9hmS

— NASA JPL (@NASAJPL) March 10, 2016

Speaking of BB-8 popping up whenever and wherever he wants, the lovable droid paid a visit to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, where he mingled with real robots and got to pose for all kinds of amazing pictures. What a weird world, huh?

Entertainment Weekly recently hosted a Tumblr Q&A with Harrison Ford, giving fans a chance to ask questions of the legendary actor. Eventually, someone asked about his feelings on getting killed in The Force Awakens and he responded:

I think it’s a fitting use of the character. I’ve been arguing for Han Solo to die for about 30 years, not because I was tired of him or because he’s boring, but his sacrifice for the other characters would lend gravitas and emotional weight.

Ford is referring to his insistence that Han die in the climax of Return of the Jedi, a request that was obviously denied.

What’s it like to be a newcomer to the most popular movie franchise of all time and be on set when a living legend, a man who helped define modern popular culture, films his death scene? Entertainment Tonight caught up with Daisy Ridley, who described the mood of the set when Harrison Ford filmed Han Solo’s big death scene.