Nope, sorry, but we saw the Alliance win. We saw the Empire defeated. Showing us a strong and powerful Empire and a devestated Republic that relies on a Rebellion to fight said Empire yet again is just poor writing. Thematically it makes no sense to break the implicit promise of the OT that defeating the Empire will fix it all and return the galaxy to its status quo of 25,000 years of civilised peace.
There’s mention in supplemental materials about how the New Order is just a remnant in a little corner of the Unknown Regions and is basically not worth shit but we don’t see that in the film. And the film is what gives the impression of theuniverse it is set in. And that universe is Empire Supreme.
So? If the First Order is just a bunch if weaklings who lose all the time then there’s no tension. You wanna repeat the Trade Federation again? They’re all weak and can be disposed like butter. It’s one of the many reasons why Phantom Menace was a snooze fest. Now that would be poor writing. Yes, it does ruin the happy ending for the OT but does it for sake of a good story.
Yes, Vader and the Emperor are dead and the second Death Star was destroyed, but what about all the remaining Imperial stormtroopers and commanders spread across the galaxy? All it takes is for someone like the Supreme Leader Snoke to lead the brainwashed stormtroopers and create the First Order. The Empire had a lot of time to establish itself.
Let’s move beyond the Force Awakens. What about Episode 8? There’s still so much we don’t know. If we focus on the characters, how else could Finn and Rey mature? What’s up with Luke? They could do the theory that Luke turns evil, but it doesn’t seem the story is going in that direction.