NeverarGreat

It’s an improvement, but damn that scene gets worse each time I see it. Every moment feels either subtly or explicitly wrong.

Why is Rey going to the homestead?
Why is BB-8 acting like it belongs to Rey instead of Poe?
Why is Rey riding down the sand like it’s a treasured childhood memory instead of a reminder of her painful past?
Why does Rey go down into the empty house at all if she goes back outside to bury the sabers?
Why does Rey bury the sabers?
Why does she activate her own saber and look at it? Does she just like admiring her own work that much?
Why does a woman suddenly appear in a place where ‘there has been nobody for so long’, and ask about Rey’s last name? Were the Lars family her friends? If so how would Rey’s Skywalker pronouncement mean anything to her?
Why do Luke and Leia appear to her in this moment and not Ben?
Why does Rey turn away from the old woman, who clearly wants to talk to someone, to go stare at the binary sunrise?

Sorry if this comes off like a CinemaSins rant, in most films a lot of this would be nitpicky, but here every moment oozes fanservice instead of in-character or even in-universe motivation and I really wish there was a way to replace this scene altogether. I mean, even the Binary Sunset copycat closer from ROTS felt more compelling than this.

I think at minimum Rey should leave the question of ‘Rey who’ unanswered, but Hal, something drastic needs to be done with the end of this movie.

He did say it was for the Sith Cultists, but it was placed over the DS battle in the trailer and feels like a better place for it there, so that’s my theory.

stevepaynter said:

DominicCobb said:

Death Star Duel/Ben and Leia:
https://vimeo.com/414119429

Changes

• Swapped in the Force theme for Leia sensing Ben
• Added Duel of the Fates
• Cut out Finn’s last “REEEEEEYYY!”
• Added a few frames using shots from the trailers
• Drastically extended and re-scored Leia contacting Ben

As always keep in mind this is rough.

This is fantastic. The DotF theme fits so seamlessly with this fight scene I’m surprised it wasnt used in the cinematic release.

The Sideways video guy implied that it was originally intended for the film but removed because it was Prequel Music. Don’t know how accurate that is, but I would totally buy it.

If the New Republic were to survive, where are they during the events of TLJ and ROS? It’s a small bit of the plot but it’s still essential that it be somehow eliminated or rendered helpless. I don’t see a more effective way of doing that than just destroying it like TFA did. If there was some exposition explaining how it’s so compromised by First Order operatives that it’s functionally helpless to stop their invasion, it might actually undermine the Rebel victory even more.

So now that this summary is complete (is fifty pages a summary?) I now have a chance to go back through and really hone the story.

First up: Kylo being the vessel for the Sith was actually a later addition to the plot, so the first act would really need to give more substantial Sith haunting. I imagine that Kylo will continue to grow in power as the hold of the Sith becomes stronger, to the point where he feels like he can stop a Star Destroyer falling out of the sky. Rey will need to grow in power in Act 1 as well to match Kylo.

Second: The more I think about it, the more I feel that giving Rey any backstory of importance is fundamentally at odds with what makes her character compelling. So Maz’s lightsaber story will need to be cut or substantially changed.

Thrid: The final act is, I will admit, a bit of a mess. In attempting to give every character a meaningful conclusion the story jumps around too much and Rey is almost forgotten. I will need to give more thought to streamlining the final battle.

Those are my first thoughts at a second draft anyway.

https://imgur.com/gallery/rmjiLTG

This is it, the end. I hope it hasn’t been too long-winded. There has been one alteration: Denya, the Knight of the Twelve who had died, is now no longer dead but merely wounded. This means that Rey is not technically a Knight of the Twelve and so not a Jedi until the saber is remade. So, enjoy the rest of the story!

…

The Lady Luck lands near the destroyer, Lando and Chewie running down the exit ramp. Rey sees Chewie and can hardly believe her eyes. She races toward him and they collide in a pile of limbs and fur. Lando walks up to the pair from one side and Finn from the other. They shake hands, Finn introducing himself and Lando himself. Finn asks ‘Lando…the Rebellion General?’ Rey says ‘I thought you were a smuggler.’ Chewie throws his head back noncommittally. Lando laughs, saying that whatever they’ve heard about him is surely all a terrible lie. He looks at Rey, saying that they have some catching up to do.

A battle-scarred X-wing lands beside them, the canopy opening with a hiss. Poe leaps out and Finn disengages from the group to tackle the ace pilot. Poe says that it seems that Finn made captain while he was gone, pointing to the shiny armor. Finn seems to just now notice that it’s still on, and makes to remove it. Poe stops him, saying it looks good on him. Finn looks at him expectantly, Poe glances down. He says he has something he’s wanted to say to Finn for a long time, but he doesn’t know how it will go. Finn says he does too. ‘Yeah?’ Poe asks. ‘Yeah.’ Finn answers. What this information is they never discover since their mouths are suddenly otherwise occupied. Rose and Maz arrive, Rose supporting the young Technician with the wounded leg, and Rose spies the two. She starts to say how the galaxy is rising up against the remnants of the First Order but then sees how the two are otherwise engaged. The Tech asks if that’s Finn…THE Finn. Rose says that it is, and Finn started out just like him. She gives the Tech a meaningful look, and Maz whispers to the young man that he should run. Kalonia walks up to the group and together they head off to find a medical suite.

It begins to rain. All around the arena, people are celebrating and cheering and reuniting. Rey casts a line over the still steaming destroyer and climbs up to the bridge. Ben stands on the surface of the ship alone, drenched to the bone and looking out over the sea of people through the haze. She comes up to him and takes his hand. ‘It’s gone’ he says to her, through his tears. ‘The Sith are gone.’ He pulls her close and words fail them. Finally he speaks again. ‘I hope you don’t mind, I promised this ship to the pirates.’ Rey says she doesn’t mind at all, but says that scavengers will take it first.

Even as Kylo looks around, the machines of the Jawas are moving to the ship and unfastening sections of plating. He shrugs, saying that there are plenty more ships in the galaxy. Emerging out of a hatch some way back of Kylo R2 trundles toward them. Threepio emerges holding one of his own arms, shouting about R2 forgetting about him again.

Hux is escorted from the Temple complex, guarded by Rose and many Resistance troops. He shouts that he is still Supreme Leader and doesn’t deserve this kind of treatment when he sees Rey and Ben moving away from the Destroyer. He stares at Ben as if he’s seen a ghost as he’s unceremoniously dragged away.

Poe and Finn are discussing the battle under Poe’s X-wing. Finn asks about BB-8, saying that he and Connix must have a story to tell. Poe looks downcast, saying that BB-8 didn’t make it. Finn sits down heavily. A figure moves toward them out of the mist. It is Connix, battle-worn but unbeaten. The three of them stand together and Connix removes a string from around her neck. On the string is a simple data drive. She says it contains all of BB-8’s battle information. They thank her and she starts to move off. She turns and says that there might be something else on the drive that they may want to see.

…

A red BB unit sits immobile in the production bay. Poe inserts the data drive and the droid comes to life, lights flashing and audio channels testing. It focuses on Poe, dressed in Admiral finery, the iris of its mechanical eye opening wide. It explodes in a cascade of beeps and burbles, racing around Poe in a tight circle. It sees Finn, dressed in smart General attire with Luke’s green lightsaber at his belt, and does the same to him. The two comrades laugh and Poe says that they’d better hurry if they are going to make it to the ceremony.

The ancient temple lies in semi-ruin from Thrawn’s bombardment, but much of it still stands. Outside is the new flagship of the Republic, a vessel painted in bright colors and sporting the flags of many worlds. A Star Destroyer has landed beside it, heavily modified and covered with pirate insignia.

In the throne room the casket is lowered into the ground. The roof has been partially blown away, leaving the ancient structure open to the elements. Vines and flowers now grow between the flagstones and up the aged walls. The hall is filled with the members of the Resistance, Knights of the Twelve Systems, pirates, the Jawdi. Chewie lays a medal on top of the casket and covers it with an inscribed flagstone. The friends all gather around in a circle. Poe, Finn, Chewie, Rey, Rose, Maz, Threepio, R2, BB-8. They place their hands onto the flagstone one by one. Finally Ben places his hand upon the stone and the ceremony is complete.

…

The Jedi Temple remains, surrounded now by a large public park where the arena used to be. Gardens festoon the upper roofs of the temple and ships come and go from all corners of the galaxy.

Inside the Temple, a reconstructed ZE-7 shows a class of would-be Jedi the methods of Jedi dueling techniques with R2 providing helpful holographic instruction from Luke’s Jedi school. In the adjoining room, Threepio instructs other students on the history of the Jedi. He says that once the Jedi lived here in the temple but now they live as Jedi of old, as protectors of the planets throughout the galaxy. One student asks if it’s true that BB-8 became the first droid to be named a Jedi. Threepio says that indeed the little droid is now the official protector of Jakku. Another student laughs at the joke, but Threepio turns and says that nobody has contested this claim. Another student, one with a Resistance ring, asks where Rey is, if not Jakku. Threepio answers that she protects her home, of course.

…

Ben and Rey sit by the light of the dying fire, drowsing beside each other. Ben shakes himself, saying that he must get back to his ship. Rey asks if he really must and he replies that pirates can’t be trusted to not kill themselves. She tells him to liberate another world for her and he says he has a whole system in mind this time. They kiss goodbye with a ‘May the Force be with you’. He grins, replies ‘Always’. He leaps into his ship, the same rust bucket that they took from Gramelon, now modified to within an inch of its life. The ship rises through the trees and Rey takes off running. She leaps off a ledge and swings on a vine to a platform which takes her into the upper canopy. Racing along the branching paths above the ground she arrives at a large treehouse. Chewie emerges from inside, stretching and growling, followed by another Wookiee and two little ones. Rey hugs the furry beast and leaps onto the railing of the deck, igniting her saber as Ben’s ship flies off into Kashyyyk’s early morning sky. She gazes up to where the stars still shine as one takes off across the heavens and disappears into the endless sparkling sea.

FIN

To continue to be fair, people have tried to make the OT into a single film. My approach would be to start with ANH and just take the bit from the crawl to the end credits.

More likely a calculated decision since if they ever make a series set 1000 years ago in the Old Republic they won’t have everyone talk like Yoda.

Shin Godzilla is wonderful.

In this entry I chronicle the end of the battle. All that remains is the denouement. Enjoy!

…

Finn and Hux battle up the spiral staircase and onto the roof of the Temple, with just two Death Troopers remaining for Hux. They are on a narrow walkway along the front edge of the building, thirty stories from the ground. Below them Rey and the Knights hold off the ground assault. Although Hux has the edge in skill, Finn drives Hux back through raw fury. Hux manages to land a blow on Finn’s chest, burning through the armor and biting into flesh. Finn staggers back.

A swarm of TIE Interceptors converge on the temple, blasting apart the Jawa’s remaining machines. One Interceptor notices the Death Troopers on the wall who are calling for an evac for the Supreme leader, and it lands beside them. The pilot climbs out with blaster drawn and they all advance on Finn. Hux says that his escape route has arrived, and after he kills Finn he will rain death on this site from above. Hux drives Finn to the edge of the wall, their sabers locked. Suddenly the Interceptor explodes, throwing the pilot into Hux. Both sabers are knocked from the combatant’s hands. The pilot tumbles off the wall and Finn leaps free. Red leader rushes by in a scream of TIE fighter engines. Finn shouts with joy at the turnabout and the leader of Red squadron salutes Finn. The fighters fire at Hux and the Death Troopers, blasting the Troopers from the wall. Hux screams in rage and grabs Kylo’s saber, swinging it at the bolt aimed at him and sending it back at the fighter which detonates in a fiery explosion. Red squadron high tails it, pursued by over a dozen Interceptors, and Finn picks up Luke’s green saber. The combatants face each other again with the odds now even.

…

BB-8 sends his collected battle data to Connix. She notes that he’s sending over a huge amount of data, and BB-8 directs her to the relevant pieces. She forwards this to Poe and he immediately sees what needs to be done. He orders the fleets to congregate below the Destroyer rings and move into tight formation, hoping that this is the key to defeating Thrawn’s forces.

Thrawn notes their maneuver and orders his Destroyers into Vortex formation while his fighters go into Hunter formation. The two groups converge, Thrawn’s fighters staying in close formation while Poe’s confederacy of ships struggles to maintain any shape. The enemy fighters rip through Poe’s weak formation and circle around for another run. Connix’s ship is hit and she ejects toward the planet. BB-8 and the rest of the fighter disappears into a cloud of debris. Clearly outgunned, Poe orders their ships to regroup out of range.

In the halls of Thrawn’s destroyer, Ben and his crew are surrounded by Stormtroopers. The pirates drop their weapons and Ben is led up alone to the bridge. Thrawn welcomes Ben and asks how he survived his terrible accident, suggesting that perhaps the Force had some part to play. He says that the Force will not avail him this time. He asks if Ben would like to see the end of the Resistance.

From the comms Ben can hear Poe’s anguish as he attempts to form the fleets into formation against the overwhelming force of Thrawn’s attack group. This fails almost as quickly as it occurs and Poe orders all ships to break off and surround Thrawn’s vessel. Thrawn opens a channel to Poe and tells him in the interest of fair play that he has quelled the incursion. Poe says that he’s lying, but Ben speaks up saying it’s true. Poe is silent for a second or two, then orders the fleets to make their way to the Temple airspace for their last stand. Thrawn orders the ship to turn about to face the planet.

…

At the Temple entrance one of the Knights takes a blaster bolt to the chest, falling dead. Another bolt strikes the small Jawdi leader and he falls back into Rey as the troops advance. She cradles the dying creature. She asks why he would sacrifice so much for her. He pulls her lightsaber out of his cloak and returns it to her, saying that the Jawdi have never felt the Force…until this day. It is the first time he has ever believed in a thing rather than merely imitating the works of others. He believes that she truly can heal the crystal and create the Jedi anew.

…

In the compactor it’s getting unbearable. Threepio says that if only R2 were here he could save them.

In a corner near the compactor R2 extends his arm into a wall terminal. The walls stop moving and the door opens. With a cheer the Resistance fighters pile out and make their way to the bridge. Threepio meets the little droid and says that R2 cut this far too close, that he was almost smashed into who knows what.

There is fierce fighting in the halls. The Resistance troops fight their way to the bridge and order Thrawn’s men to drop their weapons. He tells them to comply. Ben orders Thrawn to call back his fighters and stand down his ships. He holds out his hands to take Thrawn’s datapad. The Grand Admiral turns to him, an impassive look on his face.

…

In the spire above the Temple, Rose and Maz stand uselessly by as the techs complete repairs to the shorted broadcast system. The techs look unsure of whether or not to re-establish the broadcast and Rose pleads with them not to do it, that millions of lives hang in the balance. The lead tech seems convinced, and the others in the room stand with him in solidarity against the mother of Xindo and her two troopers. She berates them for their treason and they inform her that the First Order is not what they were programmed to believe. ‘Fine’ spits the mother of Xindo, taking a blaster from one of the troops and shooting the tech in the leg. He stumbles and falls to the floor hard. Before anyone can stop her she leaps to the console and activates the system.

…

Thrawn notices that the datapad is working once more. He presses the fatal button on the datapad.

Across the galaxy, the hostage ships of Kylo’s fleet begin their descent towards the Rebel worlds.

Thrawn declares that he is a willing servant, both of the True Emperor and of any who will follow in his footsteps. He motions to his captain, two guns held to his head. Thrawn orders his fleet to wipe out the Resistance. The captain slams his fist onto the console before him, activating the engines in a predetermined burn. The acceleration knocks people to the deck. Thrawn pulls a blaster from his coat and shoots Ben in the chest. Ben falls to the ground. Thrawn escapes the bridge. Kalonia rushes to Ben’s side and turns him over, inspecting the blaster hole. Ben takes a sharp breath, asking what happened. Kalonia opens his shirt and sees that the blaster has only impacted on the metal stretching partway across his chest. She says that it’s a good thing he’s more machine now than man. Threepio walks unsteadily up and says that he always knew mechanicals were superior.

Thrawn’s fleet re-engages with Poe’s forces, grimly following the last orders of their Grand Admiral. The destroyers are now in a double ring where they can defend from all sides. Every attempt to attack the formation fails, and what is worse, many of Poe’s fighters are now trapped within the formation unable to escape. Poe asks for any suggestions as to how they will be able to break through, and a burble breaks the chatter. ‘BB-8!’ Poe shouts, ‘You’re alive!’ The little droid is still piloting the shell of the reconnaissance fighter despite heavy damage. A readout scrolls down Poe’s screen and Poe says that it’s suicide. A chirp later and Poe says that BB-8 is more than a droid. However, he agrees.

Poe orders the rest of their forces to concentrate fire on one of the destroyers, punching a hole through its armor just like Thrawn did with their destroyer. Poe stays with the droid as long as he can, saying that it’s too difficult even for his computer. BB-8 chirps that he must try, and Poe peels off at the last second. BB-8 flies into the hole, navigating the insane course through the interior of the damaged destroyer toward the volatile generators located aft in the engine rooms. The guns are ripped from the sides of the craft as he squeezes through a narrow corridor, finally emerging into the cavernous engine room. There’s nothing for it but to crash into the generator.

The ship erupts in a flash of brilliant light, knocking out the destroyers beside it in formation. Seeing the opening, the trapped fighters escape the formation. The acting Admiral calls for the ships to break formation and advance directly on Poe’s fleet. Poe realizes that they are still wildly outgunned.

From the console a Resistance fighter says that they can’t stop the ship’s engines, that it’s been pre-programmed to target the Temple area. Ben says that the same thing is happening across the galaxy and they will need to get that datapad. He moves in the direction of Thrawn’s escape, back to the small hangar behind the bridge.

…

At the Temple entrance, First Order troops have advanced almost to Rey’s position. Many of the Knights have fallen, and most of the Jawdi. Rey prepares for the end. Suddenly the blaster fire stops. She looks at the troops. They have received some communication and are rapidly pulling back. The remaining Knights ask what has happened, if they have won. There is an eerie silence across the arena as troops flee and the crowd looks around in confusion. One of the Knights finds a First Order headset and puts it on, then offers it to Rey. She stares up into the sky in horror.

…

In the hangar behind the bridge, all lighting has failed. Ben stumbles blindly around the space. Laughter emanates from elsewhere in space, filling his head. A voice says that he is paying the price for his lack of vision, and his help is available if he would use it. Ben shakes his head, finding the contours of a ship. He pulls himself into the cockpit and thumbs the startup sequence. Landing lights flash on, illuminating the space with ghostly shadows. He sees Thrawn in another fighter, also engaging the startup sequence. He revs the engine, the ship leaping from the deck and swerving drunkenly in the enclosed space. He fires weapons at the opening hatchway and it slams closed again. He detonates one ship after another and Thrawn swerves his own ship into firing position. He rakes Ben’s fighter with blaster shots and a wing falls off Ben’s ship. The contents of the hangar begin sliding toward the bridge as the destroyer enters the atmosphere. Ben fires as Thrawn’s ship slides towards him, blowing holes in the canopy and wings. Both ships smash into the wall and Ben struggles free, ripping the broken canopy off of Thrawn’s fighter. He lies unconscious in the seat with no trace of the datapad.

…

In space, Poe’s fleet is being torn apart by reckless attacks from Thrawn’s fleet. Suddenly his comm erupts with a roar. Poe asks what that was, and the roar comes again. A pilot says ‘Chewie!’ and Poe repeats it, unbelieving. An officer reports a massive group of old Rebellion fighters emerging from Hyperspace. The voice of Lando joins the roar of Chewie and says that the Lady Luck and her fleet offers their services to Admiral Poe Dameron of the Resistance. Cheers fill the comm traffic. Poe says that it’s most helpful, but they have another problem as well, a rogue Star Destroyer.

…

Ben returns to the bridge, a strange look in his eyes. He says that there is no way to stop the ship now. The Resistance fighters begin fleeing the bridge along with Thrawn’s men, seeking any escape pod still functional. R2 rolls toward the aft hangar where Ben emerged. Threepio asks if they are going to find an escape pod before they are blown to atoms, and R2 emits a flat negative. Threepio follows, saying that if Ben couldn’t find the datapad then surely R2 would have no better luck.

Kalonia shouts at Ben to follow them to an escape pod. He doesn’t answer. The voice in his head entreats him. ‘Use my power, it is the only way to save the ones you love.’ His eyes glow yellow and his fingertips crackle with eldritch power. The voice cackles with glee ‘The power of the Sith is yours, my son.’ A vast chorus of voices rises in his mind, a thousand generations of evil lending their power to him.

…

Rey gazes into the sky, feeling the presence of something she has not felt since…
‘Ben’ she whispers. Bits of gravel and waste shudder and rise around her. The dying Jawdi look to her in awe. ‘Ben, please don’t do this. Don’t go this way’ she whispers into the sky.

On the bridge, Ben rises to his feet even as everyone else slides down the tilting floor. Clouds rush past out the windows and heat starts to ripple on the surface of the ship.

Rey is with him, connected once again. ‘Ben, it’s time to let it go. The Jedi, the Sith, let it go.’

‘No. I won’t let you go. I can’t.’

Ben hears other voices join the throng. ‘Ben, it’s okay. You’ve done all you can. Let us help you.’ The voices of Luke and Leia are there, and echoes of other voices as well, other Jedi long dead. The voice of Anakin emerges. ‘Your love makes you stronger than the Sith. Defeat them.’

…

Poe orders the Lady Luck and many of the Rebellion bombers to follow Thrawn’s ship into the atmosphere. He says that almost everyone has evacuated and it needs to be destroyed before it crashes into the Temple and levels the whole district. Chewie barks a question and Lando echoes it, asking about Ben. Poe says he thinks Ben is still on board. Chewie roars with displeasure but Lando commits his vessels to the attack. Red squadron gets the message as well, and Red leader pulls away from their dogfight among the buildings to intercept the Destroyer. She says that the Temple will surely be destroyed even if the ship is in pieces, but Poe says that it’s better than the alternative.

…

In the aft hangar, R2 searches the pile of ruined ships for the datapad. Threepio follows him on the pile demanding that they get to an escape pod. R2 tells him to go himself and Threepio says he will not leave his friend. The ship shakes with their descent and Threepio loses his balance, falling into a dark corner of the pit. R2 rolls over to help. Threepio shouts that he sees the datapad. It is lying just out of reach further down in the rubble.

…

Finn strikes Hux down on the top of the wall, slicing through the hilt of Kylo’s saber. The pieces fall from Hux’s grasp over the wall. Even as he goes for the killing blow Finn pauses, something stirring within him. Hux tells him to finish it. ‘No’ He says. ‘This is the blade of Luke Skywalker.’ He deactivates it. ‘You’re not worth it.’ He walks to the staircase to be with Rey.

…

Rey says that it’s okay, she’s ready to let go. She offers Ben her hand, and finally Ben seems to come to himself again. He takes her hand and the Sith scream in anguish as the ghosts of the Jedi close in. A mystical wind fills the bridge, whipping everything into a maelstrom of energy. Light streams out of the windows of the bridge as if a star itself is being born inside, then as soon as it appears it is gone. A noise like a thousand tons of rock crashes through Ben’s consciousness, burying the Sith forever. Ben falls to his knees and is swept forward into a bulkhead.

Rey lowers her hand, their connection severed. Through a hole in the clouds above she can now see the small shape of the Destroyer as it falls toward the Temple.

From the top of the spire, Xindo’s mother stares at the doom now upon her. She tries to flee but Maz trips her, saying that perhaps she should stay since she was so insistent on these proceedings.

Rey stands alone on the steps of the temple, the Knights behind her in the entrance. A wind is blowing through the arena as the people try in vain to escape, but their cries are distant, the warning sirens blocked out by the wind and the distance of her mind.

Finn emerges from the entrance, runs to Rey, they embrace. They both turn to stare into the sky. Rey holds up her hand as if to block out the sun. It seems as if the destroyer could fit between her thumb and forefinger, it is so small. ‘The Force’ Finn says, feeling it in the air. ‘It’s always been there.’ Rey says, as if to herself. She turns her palm outward as if to push the ship away. Finn does the same. The surviving Jawdi walk up behind her, extending their hands as well. The Knights follow suit

The cameras broadcast their actions to the entire arena, and to planets across the galaxy. Those in the doomed crowd fall silent, one by one and then by the hundreds they raise their hands, palm outward, to stop the ship’s destined descent.

…

The Lady Luck and the bombers are alongside the destroyer, Lando saying they need to do this now if they are to succeed. Chewie roars in protest, but Lando overrules him. He orders the bombers to fire on the ship, and they line up their shot. They fire, but their missiles impact in front of the ship. Lando asks what’s wrong with their targeting computers and they say that the ship must be slowing down. Lando says that’s impossible, but sees for himself that it is true.

…

Threepio tries to reach the datapad, missing with each swipe of his arm. R2 burbles impatiently, finally rolling over the edge into the pit with Threepio. His weight crushes the golden droid further into the wreckage, breaking one of his arms and a leg. However, this works to bring Threepio close enough to grab the datapad.

The destroyer is visibly slowing as it descends toward the temple. Across the galaxy, the ships of Kylo’s fleet hurtle through the atmospheres of the Rebel worlds, slowing as those on the planets call upon the Force as their ally.

The panels of the destroyer buckle as if from an invisible hand, the ship now almost directly over the Temple complex. It slows to a crawl, bits of superheated metal rolling off its surface and bouncing on the pavement below. The bridge falls level with the spire of the Temple, and Rose can almost see through the cracked windows of the bridge itself.

Threepio raises the datapad with his remaining arm, and R2 extends his mandible and presses the shutoff for the engines. They flame out, as do the engines of Kylo’s fleet across the galaxy.

The destroyer comes to a stop. Rey and Finn stand with arms upraised. Rey can almost reach out and touch the surface of the destroyer, its steaming superheated metal is so close. Slowly, she lowers her arm. Finn, the Jawdi, the Knights, all follow, and the ship is lowered onto the cleared section of the arena, coming to rest slightly tilted on its side due to the geometry of its hull. Across the galaxy the result is the same – Star Destroyers resting peacefully amid cities and towns surrounded by the incredulous, the astonished, and the faithful.

There is silence. Rey holds out the pieces of her saber and they rise into the air, connecting to themselves and glowing with an inner light. With a clink of crystal the saber is healed. Rey reaches out and takes it from the air, grasping it with both hands. She ignites the blade and raises it above her head in a single fluid motion and across the galaxy the people roar and cheer in exuberance and vindication.

Ben is jolted awake at the sound of the roaring crowd and gazes around the shattered remains of the bridge. Thrawn is standing at a window, looking out in befuddlement. He turns to Ben. ‘How?’ he asks. Ben shrugs. ‘The Force’ he replies. Thrawn narrows his eyes at him. ‘The Force and its miserable legacy shall end here, Skywalker.’ In the blink of an eye he draws his blaster, this time aimed at Ben’s head. A single shot rings out in the enclosed space and Ben peers through the hole in Thrawn’s chest. He holsters his father’s blaster. ‘It’s Solo, actually’.

I think the Last Crusade is the best Jones film. It’s just a lot of fun and has a more emotionally satisfying end than either Temple or Raiders.

Plus, those Grail traps. Highlight of the series for me.

I have changed a minor point above so that Rey and Finn subdue the new First Order captain in his silver armor.

…

Inside the Temple, Hux and his troops face off against Finn and his soldiers. Only the Death Troopers and a few of Finn’s soldiers have regained working blasters, the rest taking any piece of metal they can find to hand. Riot shields, construction poles, banners. Hux and his Death Troopers fall back from the rest of their troops, heading up a spiral staircase to the higher levels. Finn follows doggedly, the silver armor he wears deflecting any blaster shots his sword doesn’t parry.

In the arena, Rey leads the Knights into a defensive formation around the entrance to the Temple. The Jawa’s machine smokes in ruin, blocking much of the massive archway and forming a bottleneck for any assault. The Jawdi form a ring around Rey and the Knights, swords and stun weapons helping keep the assault in check. Rey asks the leader why the Jawas decided to help them. He replies that Hux’s words convinced him that Rey was telling the truth, that the Jedi had truly lost their power, and this would spell the end of the Jawdi as well. They are interrupted by the arrival of First Order reinforcements on the ground. They leap out of the transports wielding fully functional weapons and advance in formation on the beleaguered defenders. Other troops corral the crowds of people trying to escape the arena down its narrow ramps, ordering them to remain in the arena under pain of death.

…

Thrawn is issuing orders rapid-fire as the situation degenerates before his eyes. An officer reports hull breaches along the port equator and the waste disposal area under the bridge. Thrawn orders the bulk of his troops to the port equator and a smaller contingent to the compactor. He orders the area magnetically sealed and the compactors across the ship to cycle.

Inside the garbage pit, Resistance troops pour out of the transports and get to work on breaking through the inner door. Their blasters ricochet uselessly off of it and they bring the heavy equipment to bear. Threepio stands at the back of the transport with Doctor Kalonia and tells her that he believes it should be noted that he went on this mission despite the low survival rate. Kalonia rolls her eyes, telling him that he must be very brave. She asks if he will be leaving the transport and he says he feels quite safe here, thank you very much. The walls begin to close in and he revises that statement, exiting the transport with Kalonia.

At the Pirate Ship incursion point, the pirates are doing poorly against Thrawn’s troops except where Ben stands his ground. He moves forward, skewering troops to his left and blasting them to his right. The pirates form up around him and they act as a wedge moving through the ship. R2 moves with Ben and they pass a trash compactor which has been ripped halfway apart due to the decompression of the destroyer. The walls are moving in and R2 points this out to Ben with his retractable arm. Ben is too focused on killing to answer.

The walls continue to close on Threepio and the troops. Threepio points out that their transports are of excellent First Order manufacture and will undoubtedly withstand the force of the walls. As the walls encounter the ships they immediately buckle and break. Threepio starts, wondering how such poor manufacture could withstand the vacuum of space.

The nebula is beginning to clear from around Thrawn’s ship and he can now see the state of the battle. The fleets of the Twelve Systems have managed to take out one of Thrawn’s destroyers, but the others have formed two defensive rings with guns facing outward. The fleets try to fly into the circular area of low weapon coverage to target the ships’ engines, but wave after wave of TIE fighters follow them in like lines of a magnetic field.

Thrawn receives an update on the situation on the ground, that the First Order are requesting air support due to a subterranean menace which has moved to the surface. He suggests giving Poe another battle to worry about, and sends the TIE Interceptors to the arena.

Poe sees the Interceptors breaking off and is torn between helping the fleets of the Twelve and intervening in the ground battle. Both desperately need his help. Red squadron says that they will follow Poe down to the planet surface to deal with the Interceptors, but Poe says to wait. He mutters under his breath an apology to Finn, then says that he trusts Red squadron to take care of the Interceptors without him. He takes his remaining Resistance fighters to join the battle with the fleets and Red squadron peels away toward the planet. Poe asks for Connix’s help in giving them some plan for this battle. She says that BB-8 is preparing a plan and wants to be part of the attack. Connix says that she’s relying on the little droid to do the piloting since she’s not exactly a combat pilot. BB-8 chirps fiercely as her X-wing heads into battle.

Thrawn watches as Red squadron flies past his bridge on their way to the planet, smiling at this turn. Poe has become a commander worthy of his respect.

Yep, not bad at all, just not the brilliant perfection a lot of people make it out to be.

I also find Firefly quite overrated.

Mocata said:

Yeah but we’re talking about JJ. He couldn’t even leave the gay subjext in Star Trek.

Sounds like he’s got some issues to work through. Wish it didn’t bleed into his work so much.

thebluefrog said:

An alternate ending to Episode 9:

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/DependableCompleteAdouri-mobile.mp4

BB-8 saber or no deal.

I wouldn’t put anything past this community in terms of realizing a crazy idea like this!

JEDIT: The super special awesome version of this idea is that the Sith fleet is part of the illusion as well, and it’s all a ploy to use the power of the dyad to destroy the Resistance.

Episode IX: Phantom of the Sith. That’s my final offer.

Hal 9000 said:

jarbear said:

Here’s a question (from the color blind guy)

As for Palps getting electrocuted (again) but this time explodes … I was thinking, what if the lighting going BACK to him is a different color, maybe purple? White?

Why?

Though it is still kinda lame, in a sense, that Palps AGAIN gets defeated by his own lighting. But what if it was more “special” … or maybe Jedi-powered. Using Jonh’s force ghosts being introduced, the view COULD assume it was being returned with more of a Jedi Ghost finisher. I don’t know if that sounds lame or anything … but it would be neat to try and add some more depth to this final battle then Palps getting zapped by his own lighting. Again.

I like it. Or the room could go dark and then reveal he was nonexistent the whole time!

Well… no.

Well, yes, actually. This is actually a really interesting idea!

Consider: We have via TLJ the fact that one can project an image with their mind, and the idea of the person as symbol which is more powerful than the person themselves. It follows rather naturally that a Sith cult with moderate ability would create an image of Palpatine to exist in opposition to the image of Luke, using some sort of focal point. Say the crane supporting Palpatine actually supports some blue crystal or something, a Sith artifact which looks a bit like the wayfinders and focuses the limited Force ability of each of the cultists into something stronger.

So what would the plan of such a cult be, exactly? Using the events of TROS, this plan could be to bring together the dyad of Rey and Kylo in order to turn them to the Dark Side or drain their power and destroy them.

How would this be implemented? There would need to be relatively few changes for such a large overall change, but in Kylo’s first visit to Palpatine he might see flashes of the crystal instead of Palpatine’s body, just single frames where the illusion starts to break down. Then there might be a few shots of the Cultists interacting in the final battle, such as the power of the dyad draining into the crystal and perhaps dispersing into the cultists. When ‘Palpatine’ shoots his lighting into the sky, there would be a shot where the crystal is absorbing the lighting of the Cultists, which might only be faint blue traces of light moving towards the center of the room.

Finally, when Rey is about to lose to the lightning barrage, her eyes are opened to the fact that it’s just a crystal and not Palpatine at all. She then redirects the lightning back using the Force for knowledge and defense. Perhaps the blue crystal is positioned slightly above Palpatine’s form so that if Rey were to ‘kill’ him as he wished it wouldn’t endanger the crystal.

The best part of this idea is that the Rey Palpatine angle actually works as a part of the illusion.

Episode IX: The Phantom Menace. Like poetry.

krausfadr said:

Anakin Starkiller said:

Tell that to the majority on this forum who for some reason insist on using Shaw.

Yeah it’s weird. Using Shaw or even weirder, a hybrid Christensen-Shaw is masturbatory fanboy fantasy that the average fan would be completely lost watching. As mediocre as the prequel trilogy was, if you want to include an Anakin force ghost it’s got to be Hayden. I want my edit to be for mainstream audiences, not people who took a Star Wars class in college (which I actually did).

Huh? Anyone over thirty probably remembers Shaw as Force Ghost Anakin, and there’s also the fact that Shaw is still Anakin in ROTJ’s unmasking scene so no fan of the series should have a hard time figuring it out anyway.

I’m not a fan of any Force Ghost appearing to someone that they didn’t know in life, but to suggest that an image of Anakin as he looked at his death (as all Force Ghosts appear) is a ‘masturbatory fanboy fantasy’ is a bit much.

We are very near the end now, as we dive headfirst into the final battle. Enjoy!

…

Hux stands in the Jedi council chamber on the tallest spire, surrounded by a mass of technicians and equipment monitoring the gathering below. He asks about the weather, a tech says that it might rain later but for now the sky is clear and conditions are good for the ceremony. The mother of Xindo arrives and whispers something in his ear. He perks up, looking pleased. ‘Just as Thrawn predicted’ he says. He announces that it’s time to begin, exiting into the turbolift followed by his flanking Death Troopers.

…

Rey and Finn sneak down the hallways, avoiding patrols. In the final hallway there is a captain in full silver armor on patrol. Rey grabs a tall metal pipe from an exposed access panel and knocks him unconscious. Finn asks Rey if she knew that he and Poe were a thing and she says everyone in the Resistance suspected it, adding that Finn seems to be the last to know.

At the end of the hall is the room with the cells holding the Knights of the Twelve Systems. They are guarded by half a dozen officers and troopers. Finn says they need a distraction. He says a mind trick would have been nice here, or any Force powers at all. Rey asks why, and he says that to the First Order, this Temple is basically one of the most sinister places in the galaxy, and the troopers constantly talk about how many Jedi ghosts must still haunt it. Rey looks back at the unconscious trooper, and Finn seems to get the same idea. They go over to the trooper and start to remove his armor. Finn takes a pouch from the trooper’s belt and pours the powder into a small thermos of liquid. Rey asks what he’s doing, and he says it’s a concentrated energy drink. He pours the liquid back into the pouch.

…

Hux and his entourage exits the turbolift on the way to the cells. Rose and Maz quickly hide themselves in a corner as the group passes. Rose points a blaster at Hux, but Maz shakes her head. It’s not in the mission. The troopers pass and the duo make for the turbolift.

…

Finn, dressed in the captain’s armor, stumbles into the room screaming and clutching at his throat. The other troopers leap to attention, weapons drawn. He shouts that the spirits of the Jedi are attacking him and tries to flee through the opposite doorway but collapses on the floor. The officers look around unsure of what to do. The lights start to flicker and Finn gasps, grabbing at his throat and rising back up to his feet as if being dragged by an invisible form. Horrible crunching sounds emanate from around his throat and a red liquid starts to trickle down his armor from his neck. His helmet twists 180 degrees with a resounding crack and he falls to the floor in a mangled heap. The troopers flee the scene, as well as one of the officers. The other officer shouts at them to come back or be executed for disobedience. Then the lights go off completely. There are several metallic thwacks and when the lights come on the knights see Rey standing over the officer, metal pole in hand. She congratulates Finn on that performance and he bows, throwing his backwards helmet to the floor. Several of the knights even clap quietly, and one says that they should probably get going.

…

Maz and Rose exit the turbolift using a small hatch and make their way through the ventilation tube above the main room. Maz sees that there are too many troops to take on her own. Rose asks if they can hack the broadcast from where they are and Maz sees the jumble of cables hanging down from the ceiling right before them. She says it might be possible, and they keep moving through the ducts. The furry creature looks up from its perch on the woman’s shoulder. She pets it absently.

…

Finn says nervously that this seems almost too easy. Rey says that she’s blind without the Force and doesn’t know whether or not to have a bad feeling about it. Just then they turn a corner on the way to the spire and run directly into Hux and his troops. Rey swings her pole at the Death Trooper in front of her and knocks him senseless. The others quickly surround her and cast away her weapon. Troops from all directions converge on their location, trapping the entire group.

Hux crows that this is all as Thrawn predicted. He scans the group, wondering where Rose has gone. He orders some of his men to search the temple until she is found. He says that regardless of her disappearance, he is more than happy to have Rey as a replacement. The group move through the main hallway of the Jedi Temple and its many columns into the light beyond.

The crowd roars as they emerge into the sunlight. Before them is the vast arena that Hux’s people have built, supported by colossal pillars resting on the administrative buildings below. The steps of the temple lead right to the start of this arena, and ranged around the perimeter are the siege weapons of the First Order. AT-AT’s, AT-ST’s, anti-personnel speeders, and thousands of troops in armor wielding blasters. A cage near the front of the arena holds Finn’s commando unit. There are what look like two stockades at the top of the stairs, and two troopers on either side wielding axes.

Hux strides out onto the platform at the top of the stairs, flanked by four of his Death Troopers. He greets the crowd, people from all across the city massed in the arena, and announces that this is a momentous day for the First Order, the galaxy, and the Force.

…

In the crawlspace above the comm center Maz taps a line from the main hub, saying that she’s almost through. They hear noises below them, the scraping of equipment and the whirring of motors. The floor collapses under them and they fall to the ground in the middle of the comm center. Two troopers advance on them with blasters while the Techs gather uncertainly in a circle. Xindo’s mother enters the circle with her pet and she orders the troopers to keep them alive. She wants them to watch as their friends are executed below, just as her son was killed for treason. Rose makes an impassioned plea, saying that the First Order isn’t just trying to rule the galaxy but to destroy the Force itself. One of the techs, a young man perhaps just out of training, looks particularly concerned. Rose directs her words directly at the young people in the room and Xindo’s mother, who says that this is impossible.

Hux proclaims the Force has disappeared from the galaxy with the end of the Jedi and the Sith. The cameras broadcast this message to a thousand astonished worlds. Hux brings forth the Knights of the Twelve systems, demanding that they swear fealty to him and the First Order, and that henceforth their worlds and people will work for the glory of this new order.

…

Poe’s destroyer emerges from Hyperspace, Red squadron emerging from underneath in practiced efficiency. Thrawn stands at the bridge of his command ship, flanked by a dozen Star Destroyers in formation. An officer informs the Grand Admiral that he is being hailed. He accepts the hail, opening conversation. “I don’t expect you are calling to surrender, Admiral.” Poe’s voice comes through, quipping that he will accept Thrawn’s surrender. Thrawn politely declines. Poe responds that he then has no choice. Thrawn reminds him that if Poe dares attack then he will have no choice but to sacrifice the hostage crews of Kylo’s fleet arrayed around him. He asks if Poe is willing to have that blood on his hands. As if in response Poe’s destroyer starts its approach, accelerating to full speed.

…

On the steps of the Jedi Temple, the knights of the Twelve Systems decline to swear to Hux. The Supreme Leader bristles with anger as they announce that their worlds follow Rey and the Force, and they will fight to the last against those who commit atrocities in the name of preserving order. Hux brings Finn and Rey out to the stockades, asking if these are the traitors whom the Knights serve. They assent, and he locks them in the stockades. The executioners activate their axes in preparation but Hux says for them to put their weapons away, he will do it himself, first killing Finn, then Rey. He activates Kylo’s saber and stands over Finn. Finn asks Rey that if she manages to escape, to tell Poe…She agrees, not needing to hear the rest.

…

Thrawn pulls the datapad out of his vest pocket, activating it. He informs Poe that this is his last chance before he commits the crews to their deaths. Poe says that this is a sacrifice he is willing to make for freedom.

…

In the comm center, Maz glances at the time and shakes her head at Rose. They have to act now if they are to save a million souls. But they are helpless to do anything now, and Rose’s plea doesn’t convince Xindo’s mother. Maz’s timer zeroes out.

…

Hux raises Kylo’s weapon, saying that here ends the original stain on the purity of the First Order.

…

Thrawn says that Poe has again defied his expectations. He presses the fatal button on his datapad.

…

Hux swings the saber at Finn’s neck with all his fury.

Nothing happens. Finn’s neck sizzles where the blade has shorted out a millimeter from his flesh and bone. Hux stares at the smoking hilt, then around at the gathering. All around the arena the electronic equipment has shorted out, including the weapons of his soldiers. AT-ST’s settle down onto their legs as the crews scramble to figure out what has just happened, and soldiers everywhere fuss uselessly with their blasters and their drained power cores.

In the comm center a tech shouts that there has been a massive ionic surge from below the complex which has knocked out their communications and in fact all equipment in the vicinity of the temple. Xindo’s mother rushes over to the window and looks down, eyes wide as she beholds what is emerging from all sides of the arena. Massive insectoid machines are clawing their way onto the platform, cobbled together from rusted machinery of bygone eras. Magnetic grips and mechanical claws clamp onto the legs of the First Order siege equipment, dragging it to the ground. The crews of the machines leap and struggle free as their vehicles are dragged inexorably off the side of the arena down into the bottomless alleys of the city below.

…

Thrawn eyes the nonfunctional datapad, asking for an update on the situation below. An officer says that all interplanetary communication has been knocked out and they are having trouble getting any information from the Temple area. Their scans reveal a massive EMP. The officer says that there is another hail from Poe, which Thrawn says to allow. Poe asks what has happened to Thrawn’s hostages, that surely interplanetary communication wasn’t necessary for his plan. Poe continues that he’s glad that the Grand Admiral has called his personal crews off of their stations into the forward sections of the destroyers, since this will give him at least two minutes of time with which to rip his fleet to shreds. Thrawn orders the crews to return to their posts immediately, but at that moment the fleets of the twelve systems fall out of Hyperspace around Poe’s destroyer. The comms crackle with activity as the fleets pick their targets.

…

The steps of the Jedi Temple are a scene of madness. Hux orders his men to bring fresh weapons to bear, but even as they struggle to regain order a massive jointed contraption lumbers up the steps, Jawas emerging from orifices in the behemoth with ion cannons to stun any troopers who come near. The Jawdi emerge from the contraption with their cobbled lightsaber replicas and offer them to the Knights of the Twelve Systems. They activate these weapons and a metal wand shoots from each which begins to spin and generate a strong energy field. They are improvised sabers, but functional. The knights thank the Jawdi for their help and move to Rey. She is already free however, the electronic restraints falling away.

Hux casts Kylo’s nonfunctional saber down the steps and activates Luke’s green saber. Finn scrambles down toward the enclosure holding the commando unit but Hux is in pursuit. Finn shouts for Rey’s help and she reaches into her pouch, throwing something at him. He catches it, wondering what it is. He sees Kylo’s saber on the ground and realizes that it must be a new power cell. Hux strikes at him again and again with Luke’s saber but Finn launches himself from the steps and rolls across the pavement, snatching up the saber as he rolls. Slamming the new power cell in place, he gets up and slashes the padlock on the gate, releasing his men and women. Roaring with newfound hope they charge Hux and his men. The First Order troops retreat up the steps and into the shaded safety of the Temple, Finn’s forces hot on their heels.

…

Poe’s destroyer moves at ramming speed toward the Grand Admiral’s ship as the fleets target the rest of his fleet. An officer reports on Poe’s destroyer, saying that life readings indicate that their crew is massed near the back of the ship. Thrawn narrows his eyes, saying that they must have planned a suicidal ramming maneuver while the fleets deal with his other ships. Foolish, he says. He launches TIE Interceptors from his main hangar, the full complement of his entire fleet. He orders them to concentrate their fire on a line down the center of Poe’s destroyer. Poe orders Red squadron not to engage as the barrage of missiles and blaster bolts eats through the metal of the destroyer. The fighters curve away to prepare for another run and Thrawn unleashes his ship’s full firepower on this same line. Poe’s destroyer begins to crack apart like an egg, explosions rippling along the surface of the tear.

Poe orders all ships to evacuate the doomed destroyer. Fighters and transports lift off of the engines and crevices where they have been hiding in the aft of the destroyer and fall back. Gasses begin to escape and engulf the ship in a giant fireball as it splits completely apart. The gas within the ship expands and Thrawn sees that it is gas from the nebula which has been stored within every cubic inch of the ship. It now covers a large area of space and approaches Thrawn’s ship due to momentum, filled with the twisted remnants of Poe’s destroyer. Thrawn finds it interesting that Poe has seen through his deception and wonders how he could have been this well prepared. The comm crackles to life. It is Ben, who asks if Thrawn remembers him. An officer says that there is a large pirate vessel on an intercept course from below.

Poe announces phase two. His ships disappear inside the ersatz nebula as it intersects Thrawn’s ship and they begin to rake his vessel, taking out weapons emplacements and shield generators. Poe’s X-wing blasts a hole in the garbage collection doors and the landing vessels make their way inside. Thrawn orders all vents open to clear the nebula’s gasses from around the ship. Poe leads Red squadron in their circuit of the destroyer, fighting off TIE fighters so that the invasion can continue. The vents start making clearings in the gas and Poe flies through them followed by several TIE Intercepters closing fast. Red leader follows the Intercepters, saying she can’t get a clean shot. Poe orders her to fire on him, and when she questions this he says ‘Just do it!’. She does it, the blasters igniting the oxygen-rich air exiting the destroyer and detonating the Interceptors as they fly through the superheated cloud of gas.

Ben orders his first mate to pull the pirate ship alongside Thrawn’s vessel and open the docking bay doors. The ship enters the nebula and finds the side of Thrawn’s ship, the doors opening directly into the side of the destroyer. Ben goes to the embarkation point and leads his crew through the opening torn in the side of Thrawn’s ship. The pirates roar a motley battle cry as they invade the ship. R2 follows, unfazed by the blaster fire. Outside the nebula, the fleets of the Twelve systems engage the rest of Thrawn’s fleet which is only now returning to battle-ready status.

I think there are good arguments for Shaw, but suffice to say that I actually wouldn’t feel right with either Hayden or Shaw (or even an aged up Hayden) since even at the time ROTJ came out many people were unimpressed with the Shaw Force ghost. It’s a no-win situation to include a visual representation of Anakin unless his face is somehow obscured.