ST This (insert one thing) would have changed everything about TLJ

Whether you loved or hated the movie, what one thing would have changed your impressions of it?

For me, as soon as it started with the same "Empire chasing Rebels" tone of ESB it was going down hill and quickly going below sea level. If Rey would have joined forces with Ren after the Snoke killing scene it would have infinitely improved the movie and I might enjoy it. Even better: have Rey became the dominating evil force and it would be such a surprise, unexpected and interesting twist I might not continue to assert she's a Mary Sue. Then her abandonment on Jakuu could have been by Luke who felt the evil in her and didn't want to kill her. She could have been Jedi mind cleaned ala Knights of the Old Republic 2 and at least would explain her talents without remembered training.

But no, instead of taking a new Earth history story and telling it in the setting of a GFFA, we get another telling of the OT with some different stage curtains and more expensive popcorn. I paid for steak, I at least want a cheeseburger.

 

Finn having a well written arc

 

Rey being Luke's daughter.

 

If Luke had a different reaction to his family’s lightsaber. (maybe he’d ask Rey who she was, where she got it, etc) It would’ve set a better tone for the film and got Luke’s character off on a better foot, I think:

 

Had they nailed Luke's characterization, I know I would have been far more forgiving of the issues I found with this movie. Star Wars movies always have flaws, but it was a flaw that I find impossible to over look.

Also, less focus on Kylo and more on Rey. She is the lead, but really didn't feel like it. The climax was about Kylo far more then it was about her. Her development was lacking and her motivations were mostly missing or not strong enough.

 

There are so many things....but I'll give a simple one that would not require many reshoots at all. At the end of the film, have Luke realize he needs to help(maybe while talking to Yoda), but he realizes he cannot make it to Crait in time(he has a vision of everyone dying if he doesn't help). We then get the scene of him choosing to become a force ghost in order to help, and then cut to him arriving on Crait. Luke doesn't use "Force Projection;" instead he becomes a force ghost and sacrifices his life so he can travel there quickly to help.

The final scene in this context makes more sense and is much more satisfying. Also don't have Luke "give up" on Kylo before the battle. Give Luke a better action scene at the end, and you've just changed the whole context of the movie in a good way.

 

I really loved the movie. The only bit I'm no fan of is the one with Leia in outspace. I believe it would have been better to cut out the scene during the explosion, some black screen for a few seconds and then the image of her on the medical bed being transported to the infirmary.

 

director rian johnson.

 

Actual world building. The disgusting lack of world building in a SW movie is standing out to me more and more as RJ’s biggest SW sin. TFA wasn’t great in this regard, but it wasn’t so freaking terrible. We had Vegas with aliens and... snail chase involving ships we already knew. And Crait.

Crait had so much potential, but it was never used properly. We didn’t get to know the red caves as I hoped. They were just a backdrop for a quick irrelevant chase with the falcon. Even the battle of Crait ended up being a big tease so we never got to know any of Crait besides that one flat stretch in front of the wall. The Resistance rode toward the walkers in a suicide run, then aborted, then Luke showed up. The end. The most interesting Crait visuals by far were in the trailers, other than the Luke/Kylo showdown, but that wasn’t about world building. In contrast to Hoth, which it was clearly cribbed from and felt so real and lived in, it was just blah.

 

I don't know if it would have changed everything, but i'd have liked at least a throwaway line implying that Snoke had some kind of history. No more than they did with the Emperor in the OT.

 

I agree, with OP. I feel like Rey should have turned dark. That would have given a great twist, seeing as she really hasn't done any growth as a character really in the last two films. Had she taken Kylo's hand, man that would be badass. But that would mean Luke staying alive that's 100 percent sure. But with Luke going, they need to have someone fight Ren.

Also as far as throwing of the lightsaber, it was so unexpected but funny. Though it would have been nice to get some dialogue before having him throw the saber.

 

yes!! and if i can add to that, give finn a more substantial arc instead of repeating the one he had in tfa.

 

Not just TLJ, but the ST as a whole....I would've changed the following.....

If I was writing the ST I would've seriously made Kylo such a baddie that his role effectively was to kill off every single remaining OT character personally. Like Disneys own emissary. The one preaching "kill the past, let it all end" is the one who targeted that whole OT background because growing up that OT backdrop was constantly shoved down his throat. Han, Luke, Leia, Ackbar, even the droids and Wookie. Like a serial killer.

 

A beating heart and a love for Star Wars.

 

An explanation about how Snoke got to Ben in the first place. It's too important to stay a mystery. There won't be any prequels to explain this nor who Snoke is. Important story elements like this should not be left to other media. Watching Eps 1-8 will feel very odd as if an episode was skipped. Maybe it will be explained in IX but I'm doubtful.

 

Give Rey a character arc that explains why she is one of the most impressive force users in the history of the films and a reason to believe she can command a lightsaber and the force the way that she does.

 

There's a lot of things I'm willing to ignore in franchises I love. I'm willing to fanwank all sorts of plot holes as long as they basically get the characters right and don't sabotage one character for the sake of another. So if we had seen Ben Solo actually start the fight with Luke and defeat him, that would have solved a lot of my problems. Then Kylo would clearly be seen as the villain and many would understand why Luke didn't try to face him again: Kylo, or even Snoke, are too powerful. Add on to this that Luke should have been seriously injured, and this would be part of the reason he flees to Ahch-To -- to heal himself on a Force strong planet. So he doesn't cut himself off from the Force, but his connection to the Force is weak because of his injury. Ultimately, Rey would help Luke to realize that his physical injury isn't the problem, but his faith in himself was shaken by his defeat by Kylo and Snoke. This would make me love the movie instead of hate certain parts.

 

Some of it's fans.

 

I would change the way it handles the bad guys: the Evil Ones in GFFA are not comic relief, they are not incompetent laughable idiots. This alone turned the whole movie into a parody of itself.

 

I would change the nature of Luke's exile to something more positive - i.e. - he needed to retreat after the temple massacre to mourn but then re-discover his purpose. In doing so, his learnings shouldn't have been that 'the Jedi must end', but that he has discovered a way of balancing the force inside of people, potentially ending the possessive nature of the dark side. He could've passed that knowledge on to Rey so she could build the power to take down Snoke and Kylo - giving Disney the overpowered Jedi they want, while still preserving Luke Skywalker's legacy. It would also be more interesting because it advances the force.

 

This.

 

*downhill (FIFY)

Well, the movie had to end. So, I guess we can’t change that.

 

that would've been perfect. with that i possibly wouldn't have minded his brief thought of killing ben because at least he would be doing something during those six years to sort of make up for it. and it would've allowed for a stronger relationship between luke and rey rather than him trying to shoo her away half the time. advancing the force in the way you describe would also set the foundation for a new type of jedi order to rise.

 

I think people would be a lot happier if Luke survived the film