Tell me, how badly would the main plot of TFA been affected if they’d established that the conflict with the First Order had started before the film?
Isn’t the whole point of the Resistance that the New Republic won’t go to outright war? If anything, TFA didn’t take that far enough. Honestly that whole situation was a favor to expanded material writers, who now have the chance to write more interesting stories than just another civil war. I love the whole cold war angle.
But how important was the Resistance to the plot? What difference would it have made if Leia was just in charge of the Republic Navy or at least that base/branch of it? Would that not have made more sense, after the majority of the fleet is destroyed and it’s just her band, to then label themselves the Resistance?
Nothing about the main plot, the introduction of Rey, the defection of Finn, the surprise superweapon. None of that would have been adversely affected had this film been set after this new Galactic Civil War had already begun. Same as Star Wars starts with the war already in progress.
I think the extent of the First Order’s power only really makes sense if the New Republic is ineffectual.
If anything, you should be blaming the expanded material writers for this perceived issue. Nothing in TFA states that the Resistance hasn’t already been fighting the First Order.
I personally think it’s a lot more interesting situation for expanded material than just Galactic Civil War v2.
Instead we have what we have, a 30 year period where nothing happens and then more nothing until after two whole films at least.
Define “nothing.”