6) Finally! A Female Jedi
Being a Jedi looks awesome. Whether you choose the light side or the dark side, the plethora of incredible abilities that you gain make this the coolest job in the galaxy. However, previous films have painted the Jedi out to be a boys-only club, relegating women to the roles of mother or princess.
The Force Awakens finally addresses this imbalance by pushing the scavenger Rey front and centre of the new movie. Rey’s affinity for the force isn’t immediately apparent, but once she discovers Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber, her powers begin to flourish.
Admittedly, Abrams does rush the development of Rey’s abilities, which progress rapidly despite a lack of training, but the very fact that we finally have a strong, female character leading the world’s most popular franchise is huge cause for celebration. That’s not to say that Leia isn’t empowered either, but Rey’s character proves that women are more than capable of holding their own one-on-one against the likes of male villains such as Kylo Ren.