[WARNING: There will be SPOILERS for Star Wars: The Force Awakens ahead.]

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After what felt like years of waiting - because that's exactly how long it took - the time has come: Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens has arrived. And while there are several massive reveals that fans will be discussing for the coming weeks and months, and even more unanswered questions to occupy the minds of every moviegoer, there's one thing that can't be overlooked: the easter eggs, hidden jokes and insider references to the original Star Wars saga.

J. J. Abrams' love for the original Star Wars trilogy was obvious from the time he landed the job, meaning the director has had more than enough time to concoct brilliant secrets for The Force Awakens, and whether it's a cameo from James Bond himself or seeing a dangling plot from the original trilogy finally closed, fans won't want to miss any of these hidden gems on repeat viewings.

Be warned: there are a lot of MASSIVE SPOILERS in our list of Star Wars 7: The Force Awakens Easter Eggs, Cameos & References.

43. The Voice(s) Behind BB-8

Nobody takes time to think that the personality behind a droid in the Star Wars universe is really due to the nameless people controlling it from off-screen. That may have been what caused audiences to instantly fall in love with BB-8, the new ball droid with a spunky demeanor R2-D2 could only dream of - but his actual performance in the movie owes its comedic timing to two... well, comedians.

It's hard to say just when or how J.J. Abrams decided that he needed an actor to actually breathe life into the droid, but speaking with HitFixSaturday Night Live alum Bill Hader confirmed that his listing as a "voice consultant" for BB-8 was no joke (even if it wasn't exactly serious, either):

"JJ f**king around with this sound effects app on his iPad that was attached to a talk box operated by me. It looked ridiculous but it made BB-8's voice. At first I tried doing a voice, but we all agreed it sounded too human."

He wasn't the only one to offer his tutelage to the team, with Parks & Recreation fan-favorite Ben Schwartz also listed as a vocal consultant for the role.

42. A Familiar Arch

Casual fans of the series may think that it was George Lucas who first dreamed up the space opera's world and the architecture in it, but much of the credit lies with concept painter Ralph McQuarrie (even Lucas has confirmed that his work helped sell the film to the studio). McQuarrie produced far too much art to ever be adapted as a whole, but when it came time to inject something new into Episode VII, the team returned to those original designs.

The above arch was originally planned to be part of Jabba's palace on Tatooine (the black robed figure is shown to be Luke in Return of the Jedi). Jabba's finished palace was a bit less sophisticated, but the arch now appears on Jakku, clearly visible against the horizon as Rey (Daisy Ridley) brings her salvaged goods into the settlement.

41. BB-8's Origins

While we're at it, the "ball droid" BB-8 may not be as original a concept as some might think - according to McQaurrie. In interviews since the movie series became an all-time hit, the artist's insights into creating R2-D2 revealed that Lucas was less than specific when it came to actually designing the droid. He was described only as "a small robot," leaving it up to the artist to decide what that meant.

One of his early designs, as McQuarrie claimed, was nothing more than a robot perched on top of a constantly spinning ball bearing, with the ability to travel in any direction based on the free-spinning movement. The sketch above is clearly a bit of a difference from BB-8's final design, but it's nice to know that such an ingenious take on a droid was actually conceived of before the original film. Only today could it be pulled off technically.

40. Rey's Goggles

It's far from a hidden easter egg or reference, but certainly a small enough detail for fans to miss. Although the remnants of the Empire are highlighted explicitly on Jakku - the crashed Star Destroyer Rey is scavenging from, the collapsed AT-AT she's living in - Rey's improvised goggles aren't called out as clearly.

The shape and tint of the eye pieces show that they have been pulled from an Imperial Stormtrooper helmet and re-purposed for her own uses. A subtle touch that will go unnoticed by most viewers, but just as clever and inspired an homage to the previous films as any other.

39. A Rebel Helmet

Rey is quite literally living in the aftermath of the Empire's war with the Rebellion, as her home of Jakku shows not just crashed Star Destroyers being stripped for parts, but actually making her home inside of a fallen AT-AT walker. When the walker is first revealed, Rey entertains herself by watching the distant ships heading to the stars, and donning an antique helmet, resembling those worn by Rebel pilots during the original trilogy.

It's impossible to say who that particular helmet belonged to, but its former owner may not be the point. According to the alien writing on the helmet itself, the markings literally translate to "RHAE," another form of spelling her own name. Fans can deduce what they will from that, but if the helmet was marked for her in particular before her unknown family left her behind, then its history in the Star Wars universe could hold the answers to her true identity...

38. A Telltale Toy?

If the Rebel helmet wasn't enough to clue audiences in that Rey's interest in the elite pilots is something to remember, then they only need to look for the splash of orange fabric seen in the girl's makeshift home. The object appears to be a doll modeled after the Rebel fighters' signature orange flight suits and white vest, cobbled together from fabric at hand (so Rogue Squadron can't be that famous in the movie universe).

Some have taken this, and the helmet, as smoking guns, strongly pointing to her eventual reveal as the daughter of Luke Skywalker. For now, the easter eggs work just as well to show that Rey envies the Resistance and the Rebels before them. It's not the only thing she has in common with Luke Skywalker, but who knows what the future could hold.

37. Keeping It In The Family

J.J. Abrams is clearly one to give those closest to him a chance to share in his blockbuster spotlight, offering a cameo to his father and father-in-law in the big screen Star Trek reboot. But it's his grandfather who may sound far more familiar to his fans: Harry Kelvin. As in the U.S.S. Kelvin, the spaceship captained by Jim Kirk's father in the opening sequence of Star Trek, and for whom the Kelvin Archives of Star Trek Into Darkness are also named.

In The Force Awakens, the same reference comes when BB-8 is first discovered by Rey, and freed to continue roaming about the surface of Jakku. She gives him some advice, pointing him to Niima Outpost in one direction, and warning he should "stay off Kelvin Ridge."

36. Simon Pegg Cameo

He may be more focused on the upcoming Star Trek Beyond at the moment, but how could Simon Pegg turn down a cameo role from his former Mission: Impossible director? Even if the role in question has Pegg concealed beneath a massive alien head. When the first set photos of Pegg appeared, it didn't take long to narrow down the list of possible roles, considering the character's size and presence on Jakku. The cameo is actually a substantial role in Rey's overall story, with Pegg playing Unkar Plutt, the fat, ugly curmudgeon to whom she turns in her daily scavenged goods in exchange for food.

35. The GNK Power Droid

It's the underdogs of the Star Wars universe that tend to capture the hearts, and the imagination of fans. And there's no example that demonstrates the point better than the humble GNK Power Droid. The walking battery stations - commonly referred to as "Gonk" Droids - made its first appearance in A New Hope, appearing as (quite clearly) a human being wearing something similar to a futuristic garbage can.

Nevertheless, the Gonk was a hit with fans and the production crew, and is reportedly visible in every single instalment of the franchise. That includes The Force Awakens, since one of the droids can be seen pacing around Unkar Plutt's shop while Rey is looking to sell her scavenged goods, then later beneath Poe Dameron's ship.

34. The Falcon's New Dish

Once fans have let the idea of the Millennium Falcon being referred to as "garbage" wear off (along with the thrills of seeing exclamatory moments of blaster fire lifted from the original trilogy), there's one noticable change to the ship's design which should stick out like a sore thumb. The Falcon was never a particularly beautiful design, but its odd ends gave it some charm - like the large, round satellite dish mounted on its top side.

You can now notice that the satellite dish has been replaced with a smaller rectangular one. Why? Simply watch the final act of Return of the Jedi, and see the previous dish sheered off during Lando's run in the second Death Star. The update may be a necessary one, but it's still a literal link between these films and the original trilogy that die-hard fans will want to catch.

33. Hidden Batmobile

It seems like years ago, but during the height of production on both Star Wars: Episode VII and Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, directors J.J. Abrams and Zack Snyder had a friendly back-and-forth competition focused on insider easter eggs and crossover gags. There was Superman in a Sith robe complete with lightsaber, and even Batman and R2-D2 sharing a desert hike.

But Abrams took the day, revealing a lengthy video that showed a model of the Tumbler - the version of the Batmobile introduced in Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy - spraypainted to match the off-white hull of the Millennium Falcon, and mounted to its underside. It may be difficult to spot in the action of the dogfighting, but it's definitely there.

32. Captain Phantasm?

The stormtroopers of the Galactic Empire never really enjoyed a single leader, or a face to admire in the original series. But with Episode VII, that comes in the form of Captain Phasma (Gwendoline Christie). The towering trooper is something to behold, mainly due to the polished chrome armor she sports in her few scenes in the story. Even though Christie's face isn't seen, her name comes with an origin story worth hearing.

Apparently, the idea of a chrome trooper standing at the side of Kylo Ren and General Hux came to Abrams even before a proper name did. It was only when he saw the first designs of the armor that he noticed a resemblance (literally and figuratively) between the soldier and the floating, metallic spheres of death from the horror movie Phantasm (1973). Phantasm became Phasma, and the rest is history.

31. FN-2187

Before the movie was released, Star Wars fans knew John Boyega's character as simply 'Finn,' but the finished movie gives a surprising explanation for the name. Under the First Order, soldiers and stormtroopers are no longer recruited or cloned, but kidnapped as children from their families. As a result, the life of a stormtrooper seems to be the only one Finn has known - and "FN-2187" the only 'name' he's ever been given.

It's Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) who decides that's no name at all, and combines the two letters to form the 'Finn' nickname, but the numbers should catch the attention of any fan of the original Star Wars. 2187 was the cell number in which Leia was being held aboard the Death Star when Luke and Han come to rescue her. As an added twist, that use of the number was actually a nod to a Canadian short film by Arthur Lipsett that he first encountered in film school.

30. The Wilhelm Scream

By now, even somewhat passionate fans of movie-making in general know 'The Wilhelm Scream.' For those who don't, it's a simple enough explanation. When a shouting man's shriek was first recorded for Distant Drums (1951), then reused in The Charge at Feather River (1953), before disappearing completely. When sound designer Ben Burtt needed a similar shout for Star Wars, he remembered the sample, and used it instead of a new recording.

When he did the same for Raiders of the Lost Ark, sound designers everywhere started to take not, using the scream in too many blockbuster action movies to count. It's been heard by every movie fan dozens of times, and it appears once again in The Force Awakens, uttered by one of the several First Order soldiers blasted by Finn while he and Poe are attempting their escape in a stolen TIE fighter.

29. Luke's Combat Remote

Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) would one day become the last hope of the Jedi, but he started small: trying to deflect blaster shots from a floating combat remote on board the Millennium Falcon. He eventually got the hang of it, slapping away shots without even using his eyes, "taking a first step into a larger world." Han Solo wasn't a fan of that idea, but he clearly thought that the remote was worth keeping around.

After Finn and Rey have boarded the Falcon and are rummaging through its contents, Finn can be seen pulling the remote from a bag of supplies, giving it a confused look, and tossing it aside. It doesn't spend much time on screen, but for those who remember the scene from A New Hope, the memory should be triggered immediately.

28. The Raiding Smugglers

Fans of martial arts had high hopes for the action scenes of The Force Awakens when it was announced that The Raid 2 actors Iko Uwais, Yayan Ruhian, and Cecep Arif Rahman were all going to be playing roles in the film. Unfortunately, it seems like their presence in the finished film may have more to do with J.J. Abrams being a fan of their work, as opposed to work that only martial artists could handle.

The trio can be seen playing members of the Kanjijlub gang, one half of the criminal showdown that takes place when Han Solo first takes back the Millennium Falcon. But before they're able to do any real fighting, the rathtars on board Han's ship are set loose. It's a shame, but a great cameo for other fans of the impressively-choreographed action series.

27. Millennium Falcon Chess

Once they're done rummaging and actually get to talking about the mission at hand with Han Solo (Harrison Ford), another smaller nod to the original movie arrives. The game of Holo Chess (or Dejarik) springing to life should probably be caught by even casual fans, since the first film showed Chewbacca taking in a game with C-3PO and R2-D2 - before the latter learned that in that game, like all others, it's probably best to let the wookiee win.

As an added bonus, the brief animation that begins when Finn triggers the game shows the creature who was originally thrown to the ground and defeated turning the table, taking a club to the head of his former tormenter so many years earlier (animated by the original team under Phil Tippett, no less!).

26. 12* Parsecs

How could George Lucas hand off the Star Wars brand without expecting the new director to take a playful shot at one of the original trilogy's only real physics gaffs. Han Solo initially told Obi-Wan Kenobi that his ship was famous for having completed the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs. Since a parsec was a distance measurement, not time, an elaborate mythology sprung up, claiming the Kessel Run required skilful jumps between black holes, meaning distance, not time, really was the factor.

Rey doesn't challenge that idea, apparently confirming that the Kessel Run is now canonical. But when she claims to have heard the Falcon did it in fourteen parsecs, Han is quick to correct her. To him, two added parsecs is worth a chuckle.

25. Ben Solo

It's the beginning of The Force Awakens' most shocking storyline when the evil Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) is revealed to actually be the son of Han Solo and Leia Organa, having been corrupted and drawn to a twisted idea of finishing the mission started by his grandfather, Anakin Skywalker. It is only later when Han confronts him on board Starkiller Base that he calls him by his birth name: 'Ben.'

Aside from being a nod to 'Old Ben' Kenobi, the name taken by Obi-Wan during his time spent in exile on Tatooine, the name may also be a direct bow to the Expanded Universe novels (which have now been rendered as "Legends," not canonical stories). In the EU, it was Luke who named his son after Ben, and strangely enough, served as an apprentice to Han and Leia's son... before he turned to the Dark Side.

24. Starkiller Base

While we're on the subject, it's clear that the flare for the dramatic has not been lost in the years since Return of the Jedi, if the naming of the villain's super-weapon is anything to go by. Where it was the 'Death Star' wielded by the Emperor and Vader in the first trilogy, The Force Awakens sees an even larger structure completed, capable of draining all the energy of a single star, before releasing it on a target.

The star is, of course, killed, making its moniker 'Starkiller Base' a fairly direct one. But the name is no coincidence, since it was actually Luke's last name in George Lucas' original script. The name would also go on to be used in The Force Unleashed video game series.