Well she was already good with a staff as shown on Jakku, so it's not like she didn't know how to fight. Even the awakening really wasn't that bad since she only knew how to weild a lightsaber and grab it with the force from long distances. The only real problem I had with her awakening was that she could use the Jedi Mindtrick. I'm not sure how well known the Jedi Mindtrick is (however there is a general idea of what it is because on multiple occasions people who arent force senstive bring it up) -but just knowing about it shouldn't be enough to use it. Because in that moment, she had really only just become aware of her power. Her ability to fight I can get, her being able to grab things with the force, I don't mind. But how she casually uses the mind trick was weird. 

Yeah, I agree. Prequels definitely have more of the feel than the look. That could be in part due to George Lucas' involvement though. And yeah, the new one definitely looks more like the OT for sure. 

I'm not sure who I thought would make the thread XD I usually avoid movie discussions. The last one I paid attention to was Jurassic World. I just knew I'd see a thread title like this

It's pretty obvious why Luke didn't have "an awakening" His saber came from Vader, who was in full "dark side" mode. Plus he didn't know he had any children. Rey, (if she is Luke's daughter) had one because Luke is aware of her presence and was trying to contact her using the force.

I feel that Rey was one of the younglings Luke was training when Ben went nuts. She was hidden to protect her from him, much like Luke and Leia were hidden. Luke probably had a wife and Ben killed her. It also seems like when one embraces the dark side they seem to lose all connections with loved ones and family, friends etc.
I really think Rey had previous training but I could be wrong.

All we know about Alderaan is that it was said it was her home planet (which we found out later it wasn't) and it was peaceful. I was 12 when I first saw it explode. I had no connection to it at all.

Jedi mind trick? Watto knew what it was, Jabba new what it was. Probably a legendary, myth type thing that people heard about, but never saw. If Rey had training from Luke, he could have mentioned it or something, not really a stretch. We don't know her background, but hopefully it will be explained.

Also A New Hope was full of fucking plot holes, stop acting like it wasn't
I have seen it over 120 times in my life time. I stopped counting around that mark and that was probably 20 years ago. My little brother and I wore out 2 VHS tapes completely. I am not an expert, but I don't need everything spoon fed to me to enjoy a film, any film.

Somebody said she's Obi Wan's daughter.

I can buy that.  Kinda young, though....

Maybe his force ghost created her with the force.

The people who wrote the Bible may sue.

One thing I'd like to point out given where the discussion is headed: Remember how Luke struggled to pick up his lightsaber telekinetically in the beginning of Empire Strikes Back, even after Obi-Wan's training sessions? Rey's sudden mastery of this technique (seemingly surpassing Ren) by the end of Episode 7 was very convenient, to say the least.

Another thing that bothers me is how the First Order, despite being based on the remnants of the Galactic Empire, seems to have appointed primarily youths, rather than old veterans, as high ranking officers within their fleet. They also seem to have suddenly taken a more open-minded approach regarding gender diversity in their recruiting campaigns.

You are right, he did struggle to get the saber. But did Obi Wan tell him he could move objects with his mind? How did he know to do that?

Phantom Menace not in last place? You need your medication.

Why does everyone have to be related to someone in films? (and comics)

Why can't she just be a force sensitive person Luke was at one point training? You know like they used to do by taking orphen's or something. 

Obi-Wan may have told him at some point during their travels, or Luke may have figured it out himself given Obi-Wan's description of the Force: "It's an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us; it binds the galaxy together."

Still, what difference does it make? Even if she was aware of this technique, the fact that she mastered it so quickly and drew the lightsaber past Ren, a character showing complete mastery of the technique in the beginning of the movie as he stops and holds a blaster shot in place, is ridiculous.

I would say that either the will of the force is having a stronger impact on events than ever before, or what we are seeing is the result of people having little knowledge or respect for how the force actually works.