ST The ST: What Would You Change/Revise?

Yes. My VIII revision actually incorporates many of RJ's themes but rearranges some of the motivations and actions by specific characters. One of the things I am doing is Rey will fail worse than Luke failed in TESB. There are really tragic consequences to her failure in this one. I'm also doing training between Ren and the Supreme Acolyte(call him Snoke whatever) and Rey and Luke.

This will position Rey as seeking redemption and eventual triumph in IX.
The problem I have with the actual Rey is they haven't really tested her yet. Not in a way that will make any triumph or success really exceptional or terrific. Think of Luke's failure in TESB confronting Vader prematurely because of the love of his friends and how ROTJ made his eventual success more powerful as a result.
Rey's potential success just hasn't had a similar terrible setup. It's just cheapened the entire hero's journey for her. That's sad because Daisy is a terrific actor and her character has great potential. They've just squandered it because they lack the ability to understand that failure leads to greater success. It is almost as if they are afraid to show a woman character in a failing light. Well, if you want a greater payoff you have to test the characters. They simply don't get it.

 

Wow, this is great!! Needs some shaving (and I see you already did that in another post, but I don't necessarily like that version more than this.) I'm not too sure about the "Imperium of Coruscant", because wouldn't a New Republic make sure that this planet, with a huge symbolic value, would be one of its central worlds? I very much like the idea of Max von Sydow as a 'good', non-force using emperor though! Anyway, if you leave it out of the crawl text entirely. it saves space.

This (a shortened version of your text) is still somewhat larger than the crawls in other SW movies, but we're on a salvage mission now. I think it could be done.

 

This is too funny not to share about Jedi clothing. Read Twitter thread.

 

Well....yeah this has been around forever. What was once thought to be simple Tatooine farmer robes was changed by the PT into official Jedi-garb. In fact, in the early development of Episode I Lucas had Doug Chiang and Ian McCaig design black robed Jedi. It was later changed.

 

It IS somewhat dumb that they ended up dressing all the Jedi like Obi-Wan in ANH. Especially after Luke had his much more useful all-black outfit in ROTJ. I mean, why would all the Jedi have exactly the same robes? It isn't IMPOSSIBLE, but it seems dumb.

I feel like they spent way too little time thinking about "things" when they made the PT. Prequels are hard for this exact reason. I actually think Solo did a really good job in this department, as did Rogue One.

 

Thanks! Yes I actually almost want to make this movie now haha! Could you share how you made that picture of the crawl? I'd really want to do that!

In fact, I might amend the title to "Shadow of the Force" (versus the plural Shadows), perhaps the villain being revealed as Darth Plageuis being the final "shadow" of the dark side left over to finish off (thus the reason for continuing the saga beyond Episode 6 to conclude the fight).

Yes see the reasoning I went for Imperium of Coruscant, was to have an orderly remnant of the Empire more akin to the original Empire. I had heard that Lucas' scripts involved remnants, potential warlords, criminals as well as the main group of the Alliance. And that the sequels was to be about the spiritual rebuilding of a Jedi Order, and eventually a New Republic/united galaxy.

So in my suggested version, I was saying you would have a situation at the start where the galaxy is as Lucas intended, divided. The Empire as it was is gone. But there is no official New Republic that is galaxy wide. So you have:

1. The Imperial Remnant (the largest), which by treaty is on Coruscant. Suggested name is "The Imperium." It seeks Luke/Leia to lead them as Vader's heir. It is aghast at the suggestions of going completely back to the ways of the Old Republic. There are some open to the Return of the Jedi Order.

2. The New Republic, much smaller than the Empire, or the Old Republic. Perhaps in the Mid Rim. It is split between:
a) The Principled Alliance - the core of the Alliance to Restore the Rebellion such as Princess Leia, Admiral Ackbar and a few other key worlds.
b) Apathetic/corrupt Senators - Mothma who initiated the whole "free for all" planetary style governance without a central governing authority. They are completely against an Imperial style Navy, central figure etc. Owing to corruption they are also against the Return of the Jedi (labelling Vader as the reason for the Empire and using the Skywalker heritage to attack Leia). They also use the remaining Imperial Remnant//Imperium as a scapegoat to blame all the galaxy's problems on. Totally apathetic to the plight of the Outer Rim.
c) Manipulated Senators who work for the warlords of the Outer Rim.

3. The Outer Rim gangsters/criminal elements who take advantage of the absence of the Empire policing worlds effectively to restart their business like in the days of the Old Republic.

4. Warlords. Ex-Imperials who tried to mount unsuccessful take over attempts post Endor and who run regional fiefdoms in the Outer Rim.

5. The mysterious First Order. Labelled by the Republic as just another local warlord of no concern, but in fact an organisation that has been taken over by the "Shadow of the Force." It seeks to take over the galaxy and defeat the Light Side of the Force. Led by its Supreme Leader (who is eventually revealed to be Plageuis) he manipulates events from afar:
a) Secretly (like Palpatine) funds and manipulates criminals and warlords to cause havoc on planets. The Republic fails to act. Instead the First Order acts and wins the support of the populace by fighting crime.
b) Sends his dark hand to convert a Skywalker, a powerful Force bloodline.
c) The Supreme Leader is working on discovering some "ultimate power of the Force." This will lead to Yoda sending Luke on a mission to discover the origins of the Jedi to combat and defeat Plagueis once and for all.

6. The Jedi Order, led by Luke Skywalker. Based on Jedha for now (though the finale of Episode 9 shall have the Temple on Coruscant reopened). Multiple young Jedi Knights. Luke has a wife (played by say Gal Gadot, Kristen Kreuk etc). A young daughter. Ben Solo is a promising student, but lacks patience. Among the Jedi, they are somewhat divided about their role in galactic affairs. Luke wants to get the Jedi right, before they step into the breach. But events unfolding (the First Order) force Leia and Han to seek his help fast since the Republic is as ineffectual as the Old Republic. The Jedi must return.
a) Supreme Leader will manipulate the Jedi who want to act (versus those who want to be patient till their training is complete) and Ben Solo. He sends his hand to seduce Ben to the dark. Ben ultimately falls for this Hand. Ben and other Jedi (the Knights of Ren) will go to a planet to try and stop criminal raiders from attacking the populace whilst Luke is at the capital. Supreme Leader has set this up so that Ben will succeed, but the Hand gets killed along with several Jedi who fall to superior numbers. By tapping into the dark Ben eventually wins. Supreme Leader reveals himself to Ben and heals injured Jedi students. He offers Ben a place with him, then leaves, knowing Ben will find him.
b) The Republic force led by Alliance General Han Solo who disobeyed direct Republic orders to ignore the problem, arrives, but too late. Ben is angry at both the Republic and the Jedi for their inaction.
c) The Republic attacks Luke for allowing students to run amok without oversight and the call for the Jedi to step in as peacekeepers loses a vote in the Senate as corrupt Senators vote against Leia.
d) Before Luke returns, Ben now goes to the Jedi Temple. He tells the students that they must use their skills with the Force for more. No longer constrain themselves. An argument ensues. Ben's Knights of Ren versus other Jedi. Ben at first hesitates to attack Jedi, though Phasma, a female ally kills Luke's wife in anger, by using a blaster instead of a lightsaber. But in the fight, a column falls upon his baby cousin (Luke's daughter). Ben is enraged, and blaming the Jedi for resisting, he kills every Jedi in his path.
e) Thinking that the Jedi have turned on him, Ben and the surviving Knights of Ren exit the Temple at Jedha to find the Supreme Leader waiting for them.
f) Luke arrives to find the Temple burning. But surviving students including his daughter who have used individual Force skills to survive and hide. Luke wipes their memories temporarily and hides them across the galaxy for a future day.

Luke will be the ultimate hero by the saga's end, establishing a new Jedi Order, and defeating the dark lord, perhaps with the help of his daughter. The torch shall be passed on by the saga's end. OT cast reunite.

We will see Luke do several Force moves:
a) Freeze frame (like Ren did in TFA)
b) Absorb blast bolts like Vader did.
c) Absorb lightning, which terrifies Ben and even Plageuis (taught to Luke by Yoda)
d) Luke will also be able to project 10 versions of himself to surround an enemy.

Other surviving Jedi (played by people like say Anna Akana) will have other powers. One can conceal herself in a Force Bubble, effectively rendering herself invisible, thus how she hid from the attack on the Temple. She will overcome her fear and fight head on later.
Rey, incredibly gifted at lifting objects - as a child she held the column above her until Luke arrived. Luke will in part be saddened by the loss of his wife who bought time for the younglings.
Poe, who flew a straighter off the cliff to survive. Thus he is a Jedi and it explains his abilities.
Finn (change his name), a deadshot he isn't good with a lightsaber, but good with a blaster and has good reflexes, thus he evaded his attackers. He would be left on a warlord world and eventually unknowingly be conscripted by the FO. He begins to remember who he is, and thus explains his inexplicable turn.
Many other younglings who survive - Twilek Jedi, etc.
Maybe one or two who question themselves now. E.g. when asked they say "I'm not a Jedi." having been dejected at how the Republic abandoned them. They will rediscover themselves and return to the fight when Luke reappears. Think of these Jedi still questioning whether they should be so noble, or be more like a League of Shadows. Have this group of Jedi be like a set of bounty hunters, but who attack criminals like vigilantes. Calling themselves SKY KNIGHTS (in honour of Luke Skywalker).

Something like this haha. But ultimately you will see Luke using incredible Force powers. You will have a diverse cast of multiple young Jedi Knights (of say about 20 or so could survive).

At the end of this, we want a situation where the "Imperium" and "principled part" of the Alliance unite to form a NEW Republic, which doesn't repeat the mistakes of the past. At the end the Jedi will be the peacekeepers and overseers of justice. And Coruscant becomes the capital. But a presence is established galaxy wide no longer relegating the Outer Rim to gangsters.

Episode 8 could be either A New Alliance, or Children of the Force (i.e. the hidden Force sensitives return), or even Knights of Ren

Episode 9 can be Rise of the Jedi.

I wasn't planning on necessarily having a super weapon. But ultimately, you want a situation where it is the Imperium with their Empire era Star Destroyers and weaponry that come to aid Leia.

I would have:
a) Multiple new vehicles including Jedi star fighters
b) Multiple worlds (including Jedha) with PT like costumes etc
c) Multiple Jedi including alien species. Use as diverse and large a cast as possible. Use species like Twileks etc.
d) Many more aliens and exotic locations shown.
e) PLENTY of backstory and exposition of the galactic setup, including a conversation of the state of affairs, Senate scenes, and flashbacks to show the Temple, Supreme Leader origins etc.

Have Rey be Luke's daughter also. Perhaps she is put under the guardianship of Senator For Sekka, a Senator of an Imperium world.

 

TFA revisions:

27. Short scene with Chewie trying to talk Finn into playing holochess with him. Include two new holo chess pieces. Han mentions to Finn that Chewie loves the latest update.

28. When Han, Rey,Finn,Chewie and BB8 arrive on Ach-To to find Luke Han suggests to Chewie he go knock on a few doors to the huts. Chewie knocks on one lightly. No answer. Han tells Chewie he didnt knock loud enough. Knock louder! Next shot cuts to inside the hut as the door flies in off its hinges and falls to the ground. Chewie looks sheepish. The natives(not Nuns) started yapping quickly at Chewie as they walk towards the hut. Han tells Chewie he and BB8 better fix the door.

 

The Last Jedi list of revisions:

1.This film takes place two years after TFA. Leia has formed The Resistance, a combination of non-New Republic worlds and non-aligned worlds as well as former members of the NR and Old Alliance. The Resistance has organized a fleet near the Whatever system as they prepare to launch an offensive against what they believe is the First Order's base planet.

2.Rey and Luke have returned to Ach-To so Rey can begin her Force training. Ren returns to home base. There he is confronted by a voice emanating from the shadows. This is the Supreme Acolyte/Commander. He tells Ren to prove he is a rightful heir to Lord Vader and attack the Resistance fleet while it is still organizing.

3.The FO attacks the Resistance fleet and catches them unawares. The Resistance fights bravely but is outmatched by the renovated Imperial ships secretly procured by the FO over the years of Imperial demilitarization. The battle turns into a rout. Admiral Ackbar is killed during the fighting.

4. No Leia Poppins scene.

5.The remnants of the Resistance fleet agree to rendezvous at a certain spot and barely escape. Han, Chewie, Leia, Poe, Finn and 3PO among them.

6. With Ackbar dead, his second in command, Holdo, steps up to replace him.

7. When the Resistance fleet meets at the rendezvous spot, the FO fleet immediately jumps out of hyperspace to meet them. Somehow they are tracking them. Leia, Han, Poe and Holdo discuss the possibility of a mole inside the ship and to keep it amongst themselves. Han, Finn and Poe agree to try and locate or discover the identity of this mole. They jump again to hyperspace. But each time they jump out they know the FO will be there right behind them. And they are losing ships one by one each time.

8. Some of the Jedi Temple ruins on Ach-To can only be reached by underwater passage. Luke also introduces Rey to the ancient Force tree with the original Whill texts.

9. Poe's counter is Han. Han sees a younger version of himself in Poe, somewhat reckless and impulsive. This leads to some dramatic conflict between them.

10. Leia's counter is Holdo, who is by the book.

11. Han Poe and Finn meet Rose Tico, who is one of the main electrical systems persons aboard the command ship. They all split up into two groups: Poe and Han and Rose and Finn to find the mole. The fleet has no choice but to keep jumping else they will be chased down by the faster FO ships and destroyed entirely. Yet, each time they do jump the FO is right behind and firing away, causing the resistance fleet to lose one or two ships at a time. But they have no choice. They are also running out of time.

12. As Luke continues to train Rey, Supreme Commander continues to train Ren.

13.Rey's conflict and tension is between Luke and Ren.

14. Kylo Ren's conflict is between Rey and Supreme Commander.

15. Luke warns Rey about the dark hole on Ach-To while they train. Thinking she can hear a woman's voice coming from that area, she sneaks out one night and goes down into the hole. She swims to an underground grotto. She hears what sounds like her mother's voice. In the cave is what appears to be a large mirrored surface. She approaches the mirror and sees what appears to be a woman looking back at her. As she reaches out to touch the mirror it starts to freeze and she is very cold, freezing. She looks into the mirror again and sees the woman has disappeared to be replaced by an older version of herself. As she reaches out the reflection gets older and older until it turns into a skeleton and Rey recoils and steps away.

 

In photoshop. Make a text block, rasterize it (I think that this isn't even necessary but I find that easier to work with) and then do a perspective.

Great post again btw; my time is limited now though.

 

I thought he'd deliberately got all Jedi'd up in his meeting with Luke, knowing that he was about to embark on his final act as a master once again. He probably wore jeans and an 'ootini!' T-shirt with a dark stencil of a sandcrawler on it the rest of the time.

 

Haha, thanks, will check it out! When you have time, have a perusal through my post. Just some ideas.

 

Yeah but then Uncle Owen would be a Jedi too if that was his Jedi outfit. Owens just looks more ragged because he's a laborer.
What they should have done in Episode One is have them "procure" some farming outfits to wear instead of their Jedi ones and they end up wearing those outfits on Tatooine. Instead they even wear their lightsaber out so even a small farm boy on Tatooine notices it. And he immediately connects it to the Jedi. That's just a dumb move.

 

@AhsokaSolo This

Haha. Obi Wan's robes did seem somewhat more classy to the locals. A more elegant dress, for a more civilised planet. Or else he was masquerading in XL Jawa clothes.

Another suggestion for the ST, have the line,

Focus you fire on... on the Jedi! in Episode 7, Shadow of the Force. This scene would Reintroduce the audience to the Jedi order, as a Jedi appears mid fight to engage some bad guys/The Order who are fighting Imperials on Jedha, something like that.

 

Hey DarthTalonx, here are some reflections of your ideas. I do not suggest you to change your ideas, but of course replying sorta inevitably takes that format. It's mostly how I express my enthousiasm.

Cool. And you convinced me about Coruscant. (Maybe my reluctance came from me being a SWTOR player, and it has gradually become my main window on the Star Wars universe; set about 4 millennia before the movies, Coruscant is the capitol of the Republic, and also the first world a Rep player goes to after the initial phase)

Cool, but is there any ground for having Mothma belong to faction b? I must say I hardly know the character beyond her appearance in RotJ and Rogue One, but she impressed as the embodiment of 'principledness', so to speak...

I like that very much. I would indeed assume that there would be a multitude of imperial remnants. Not all of them even have to have unsuccessfully tried a 'takeover'; very distant remnants might not have even noticed much difference anyway after Palpatine's death. Allegedly there were (are?) communities deep in Siberia, where noone know — or didn't care — that the Soviet Union and communism were abandoned in the early 1990s.

(I once 'wrote' (in my head, and never beyond that stage) a sort of a spinoff about such a remote, morally mainly 'good' post-Palpatine imperial remnant; the idea was that the local Moff — the intended hero — would eventually assume the role of a monarch; I didn't intend to weave it into the saga except for the most general background lore — of which I knew way less back then; this was in the pre-internet days.)

Of course there is enough room (but no necessity, storywise) for other political/economical/social entities, like theocracies, companies with a totalitarish corporate culture, guilds, etc.

I'm totally for Plagueis!! I can't fathom why Disney reclassified Luceno's novel to 'Legends' and did not make use of it. Luceno is already onboard with the new Lucasfilm anyway (he wrote the Tarkin bio which *is* canon). For the 'new audience' there is no reason why this would have been too complicated or too 'inside crowd', whatever, and most of the 'old audience' would have loved it! I would btw not mind a 'merger' between Plagueis and Snoke. Snoke's proportions as shown in TFA and TLJ do not match the description of the Muun race — but of course he's disfigured.

I also like the 'law and order' appeal the FO has in your perception!

This sounds how it indeed must be, and how Disney-Lucasfilm should have done it (the general outline I mean).

But isn't Jedha a huge mess?? The Death Star vaporized the Holy City, isn't it?

And why should Luke have such a young wife? (I like Kristin Kreuk best btw; probably also because of the Dutch family name.)

Magnificent!

Great, but I am bit surprised by having Phasma in this scene...

First I didn't get where you were going here but now that I see it, I must say it is brilliant!

Many other younglings who survive - Twilek Jedi, etc.
Maybe one or two who question themselves now. E.g. when asked they say "I'm not a Jedi." having been dejected at how the Republic abandoned them. They will rediscover themselves and return to the fight when Luke reappears. Think of these Jedi still questioning whether they should be so noble, or be more like a League of Shadows. Have this group of Jedi be like a set of bounty hunters, but who attack criminals like vigilantes. Calling themselves SKY KNIGHTS (in honour of Luke Skywalker).

Something like this haha. But ultimately you will see Luke using incredible Force powers. You will have a diverse cast of multiple young Jedi Knights (of say about 20 or so could survive).

At the end of this, we want a situation where the "Imperium" and "principled part" of the Alliance unite to form a NEW Republic, which doesn't repeat the mistakes of the past. At the end the Jedi will be the peacekeepers and overseers of justice. And Coruscant becomes the capital. But a presence is established galaxy wide no longer relegating the Outer Rim to gangsters.

Episode 8 could be either A New Alliance, or Children of the Force (i.e. the hidden Force sensitives return), or even Knights of Ren

Episode 9 can be Rise of the Jedi.

I wasn't planning on necessarily having a super weapon. But ultimately, you want a situation where it is the Imperium with their Empire era Star Destroyers and weaponry that come to aid Leia.

I would have:
a) Multiple new vehicles including Jedi star fighters
b) Multiple worlds (including Jedha) with PT like costumes etc
c) Multiple Jedi including alien species. Use as diverse and large a cast as possible. Use species like Twileks etc.
d) Many more aliens and exotic locations shown.
e) PLENTY of backstory and exposition of the galactic setup, including a conversation of the state of affairs, Senate scenes, and flashbacks to show the Temple, Supreme Leader origins etc.[/QUOTE]

Hmm... Now that would actually be a bit disappointing, imho at least. One of the few things I like about Rey in TFA en TLJ is that she's a nobody, and her parents also. I think (but I'm not entirely sure) that Luceno in his Plagueis novel hints that Anakin's birth-from-a-virgin might have been the outcome of one of Plagueis' experiments... I would like that for Rey too (her ' parents' also just be a single woman), and also let her have a darker role, being attracted to the Dark Side not so much by temptation buy by a menacing inevitability... (being a Plagueis experiment) She eventually will not turn, of course.

But of course this is your story, I'm only commenting

Your story is more appealing, more exciting, more satisfying and more coherent than what we've got sofar with Episodes VII and VIII.

 

First: Make Finn a veteran stormtrooper with many atrocities and massacres worth of blood on his hands. This give's him a good place to start on his own heroes' journey, ending with a sacrifice play in the third film (that doesn't get c-blocked by an annoying Jar Jar level sidekick character).

The First Order is a resurgent Empire, led by an aged Grand Admiral Thrawn (either Chiss are long lived, or he's kept alive on life support/in a cyborg body). Snoke is a former Inquisitor who escaped the aftermath of Operation Cinder and went looking for him, having heard of his disappearance at the end of Rebels.

Rey and Ren are BOTH Solos (the LA version of Jania and Jacen). Stolen from their parents by Snoke, who is a former Inquisitor from the OT days. Ren knows who he is, but Rey doesn't (her memory has been tampered with), setting up a nice call-back moment in film 2: "I am your brother!!!"

Luke tries to kill Snoke but Snoke is too powerful for him or Luke is suffering from injuries in the fight to get to Snoke. Luke echos the death of Ben Kenobi by sacrificing himself to give the Resistance a chance to secape. His last message to Rey is "I have sensed another..." The second film ends with the FO ascendant and the Resistance scattered.

The third film opens with Rey searching for the "other" Luke mentioned while the remnants of the Resistance are constantly on the run from the FO, but are slowly being boxed in. The FO fleet is led by Snoke's flagship, an Eclipse class SD complete with super-laser element that can one-shot any other capital ship. To even have a chance, the Resistance must destroy the flagship.

Rey travels deep into the Unknown Regions to a planet steeped in the force. (Not the one Luke was on.) She feels drawn to a certain place there and finds a man in ragged clothing...he introduces himself as Ezra Bridger. Rey gives him a blank look and says "Who?", giving a comedy moment.

Rey pleads her case to Ezra and he agrees to come help "I know a thing or two about fighting Inquisitors..." They make it back in time for the final showdown with the FO fleet and take the fight to Snoke on his ship. Ezra takes on Snoke and Finn makes his sacrifice, to end the FO threat for good.

Rey and Poe are left wondering where they will go from here, with the galaxy in chaos from the loss of both governments. There is an etherial voice that says "Trust the Force, young Jedi. It will not lead you astray..." Rey turns and sees Luke's Force ghost, along with a number of others, including Ben Kenobi, Yoda, Anakin, Ahsoka Tano, Ezra, and an unknown dark haired man...Poe stares at the man in wonder...."Dad...?" (it turns out that Poe is really Jacen Syndula, who has been using a fake name).

 

Have Rey be a Skywalker and well trained in the Force. It makes no sense to treat the bloodline like a curse rather than a presentation for good.

 

I’m sure this got tossed around at some point in the past few months (maybe even by me!), but an Ep9 revision/retcon:

Ep7’s Luke is a clone, ala Luuke Skywalker from old EU. Snoke (in a Jorus C’baoth type role) tried to train him as an evil counter to the real Luke, but he was too unstable and too inclined toward the Light, even if he couldn’t quite get it right: he basically lives his whole life tryingn to emulate the real Luke, giving him all sorts of issues. Ultimately, Snoke gives up and invests his efforts in Ben, instead. This can also tie into the story behind the lightsaber.

This explains his personality in Ep7. This also explains why Yoda is still being goofy around him - Luuke hasn’t progressed as far as Luke has in terms of wisdom and understanding, even if he’s very powerful. He needs someone to occasionally troll him and knock him down a peg. Its also why he’s not a good or even eager teacher: he lacks self confidence because he has no real self. Now, his sacrifice at the end of Ep7 is him giving up on trying to be Luke.

Its a stretch, buts it could be a fun theory to craft.

 

TLJ revisions continued:

16. Have Han, Chewie and Poe take the Falcon on a diversionary flight in an attempt to draw some of the pursuing FO fleet away from the main Resistance fleet. Have them go into some strange parts of the unknown regions of space. Make it a bit of an adventure.

17. As Han does the diversionary tact, Finn and a Resistance hacker and computer expert named Rose try and track down the identity of the mole aboard the command ship.

 

Snoke would still be alive, there'd be something more compelling to his backstory (even if it's not Plagueis), Rey would be a Solo, Lor San Tekka would've had a MUCH bigger part, perhaps he used to help Luke at the Jedi academy or maybe he's Rey and Ben's Godfather or something. The Resistance would be from some external entity (not remnants of the Empire), originating from the Unknown Regions and Created by Snoke.

Imperial ships and troops etc. would look different, although the Resistance forces would be the same pretty much. Coruscant would be the headquarters of the New Republic, and THAT would've been destroyed instead of Hosnian Prime (much more emotionally devastating, IMO).

Luke would still be in exile and depressed, but not shut off from the Force and he was actually searching out Jedi lore and whatnot. Ultimately he discovers something there that lets him help Rey build a newer, transcendant, kind of "next level" Jedi Order.

 

I would not change much:

Ep. 7
- a more believable super weapon

Ep. 8
- tone down crazy Luke a little bit
- turn the casino scenes in more of a diplomatic mission
- let allies (recruited during the diplomatic mission) save the day
- don´t mess so much with the technology
- let Rey fall for Kylo and the dark side

Ep. 9
-The Resistance plans to take out the leadership of the FO. Finn, Poe and the gang take the job with the idea of turning Rey to the light side again because they know she is good at heart and the only one able to deal with Kylo.
-Some infiltration of the FO
- Rey turning to the light side again after being confronted by her friends
- Rey confronting and defeating Kylo
- The FO gets defeated in a final battle but keeps control over some outer parts of the galaxy under the leadership of Hux

 

LOL I just realized I posted that I'd have had the Resistance be an external entity (not Empire related) created by Snoke, but I mean the First Order actually. Sorry.



Incase it wasn't obvious.

 

I wouldn't have a "Resistance vs First Order" setting. Way back when, I hoped that the backdrop of the ST would be a fledgeling Jedi Order that was struggling to establish and expand itself, and establish a "new Republic" in a universe that, in the wake of the fall of the Empire, was crumbling a new "dark ages," if you will--somewhat comparable to what happened in Asimov's "Foundations" series.

Way more interesting than a rehashed Rebellion vs the Empire. Oh well.

 

Since I don't really care about the rest of the characters I'll just focus mostly on Finn.
TFA: The beginning of the first act plays out the same way except this time Finn has his "awakening", and because of this he hides away. Eventually, he's presumed dead by Phasma and left on Jakku where he runs into a student of Lor San Tekka who assuming he'll be killed if he doesn't gives him the piece of the map. He soon finds his way to a crashed ship, removes his armor and takes shelter for the rest of the night. The next day, in search of water, he makes his way to Tuanal village where Han Solo and Chewbacca arrive in the Falcon at the trading post. Soon, tie-fighters and stormtroopers show up in search of the missing map. Chewie appears to be nursing a previously sustained injury and he and Han retreat to the Falcon with Finn secretly joining them as a stowaway. Suddenly the Falcon is hit with an all too familiar rumbling and the two pilots notice that they're being chased by two tie fighters. Chewie gets up indicating that he's heading to the gunners seat.
Han: "You sure you can shoot like that Chewie!" Chewie growls.
As soon as he is out of sight, shots ring out downing one of the enemy ships.
Han: "Nice shot, Chewie!" Chewie: Growls. Han: "What do you mean it wasn't you, who else could it be?!"
More shots and the second ship is shot down. Han meets Chewie near the gunners station as he opens revealing Finn, still FN-2187 at this point and he and Han order him back up to the deck. Finn tells them who he is and about the map. He informs Han he can have the map if he can get him far away from the First Order. Han suggests the name Finn to him as a way to keep undercover, which he adopts. They arrive on Takodana and it takes place the same way except Rey has already arrived there with Maz who was also on Jakku when Han was. As it turns out, Rey had helped Maz escape the battle just as Finn had helped Han and Chewie and Maz, knowing she's starving insists that she take her to her cantina to feed her, agreeing to take her back to Jakku when the dust from the battle had cleared. At this point she has already had a discussion with Rey about the force aboard her ship which Rey is a little confused by. This is where Finn and Rey meet for the first time. Everything proceeds as it does in the movie, except when the First Order arrives Finn returns to the battle and kicks all kinds of butt which clearly impresses Han. He his however, eventually bested by Phasma and taken captive by the First Order before the Resistance arrives allowing them to eshat Finn is leaning toward taking him up on his offercape. This is where we meet Poe. Rey is kidnapped and Finn falling that conscience again, volunteers to save her. Han offers Finn the chance to join his crew after they help the Resistance take care of Starkiller. Finn says he'll give it some thought and we're given throughout their time together Again, this is where everything starts to play out like it did beforehand dies the same way, and Kylo still has the anger towards Finn. When we get to the battle on Starkiller, we see that Kylo is indeed injured and Finn holds his own for a while getting in a couple of shots, with Kylo expressing his surprise at Finn's skill with the lightsaber before Finn is cut down, but not killed. Afterwards, Rey gets the lightsaber and is able to hold her own for a little longer but proves no match for Kylo either and is thrown against a tree and knocked unconscious as well. Kylo, sensing Rey's potential, raises his saber to take his victory and as he swings down his saber is surprisingly met by familiar green lightsaber which we pan up to see is being held by an aged Luke Skywalker. They briefly duel with Luke before being interrupted by the bright lights of a ship. At this point, Luke seizes the opportunity and throws Kylo against a tree knocking him unconscious like Kylo did Rey. The ship comes down and we see that it is the Falcon. Chewie comes out, picks up Rey and brings her to the medic bay where we see an unconscious Finn is also lying. Luke follows Chewie back to the ship but not before turning around and stealing a brief and sad look at his once promising student and nephew, the former Ben Solo. As they arrive back at the Resistance base, Finn and Rey are taking for medical attention, and we touching but bittersweet reunion between Luke and Leia. Later, we see that Rey has awoken from her coma and is tearfully sitting next to Finn's bed with Leia and Luke looking on and having a conversation a fair distance behind her. At this point Leia tells Luke that it's time he tell Rey the truth. As Luke looks on the camera pans out from all of the in the shoot and out of a window into the sky. End credits.

 

Uhh that bums me out! I was thinking what a Sidious-type play here. Not necessarily that he creates the Resistance but that he funds and secretly supplies them to work against the wishes of the New Republic. Then when they are both divided and in chaos, he strikes.

 

Ok...well sure! There's your twist for Episode IX, ladies and gentlemen!