Yeah, I don’t buy this. They defeat the big battle station and that’s it. Darth Vader’s still around. The Emperor is still around. They never try to paint it as more than a momentary victory in a galactic war. Both the Holiday Special and Splinter of the Mind’s Eye are released the following year and the Empire is alive and kicking in both.
I agree. Sure, Star Wars ends on a triumphant note. The Rebellion has earned a big victory & our main hero has entered a new chapter in his life.
BUT! The Rebellion has also been found out, thinned out & are now on the run. Our hero is left without a mentor or familiar surroundings & has a heap of responsibility on his shoulders. The main baddy is seen flying away safe n’ sound, the Empire’s hold on the galaxy is still intact & the Emperor himself alive n’ well and his location is still a mystery.
So, even with the happy ending (which is very much fitting), it’s clear that the war and the stories are far from over.
At the end of Return of the Jedi however, the Empire has lost and the victory of our heroes is definite. Lazily undoing that without explanation is sure to rub some the wrong way.