Now that we have the whole Sequel Trilogy, I wanted to re-outline how the Superweapon aspect of Starkiller Base could be removed. Starkiller Base is mentioned briefly one time in TROS, but it could easily be removed I believe. This was arguably one of the weaker, eye-rolling aspects of The Force Awakens, and if a major fan editing project is to be done to the Sequel Trilogy, why not remove this aspect if it can be done? In the past I was concerned with not diverging too much with canon, but I personally would like to see major changes from the canon in TROS, so removing Death Star III from TFA does not seem so bad anymore.
This change would require some new visual effects shots and some voice acting for new OS character lines to provide plot context. I’m going to lay out what I think needs to be done to accomplish this:
First, I think it would be beneficial to delete all of Snoke’s scenes, or at least the last scene where the room is collapsing.
Any establishing shots of the planet need to be replaced with a planet with no trench or laser cannon. (But something still visually distinct). Also add a sizable fleet to its orbit.
Use Restructured’s Act 2 where a Star Destroyer arrives at Takodana.
After Hux gives his speech (remove, “This fierce machine which you have built, upon which we stand.”), we see the First Order fleet jump to hyperspace.
During Act 3 there will be a new scene where the First Order fleet arrives at the Republic capital (perhaps Coruscant). Using cg models and other filmmaking tools, we’ll create a brief battle sequence, which ends with Dreadnoughts bombarding the Senate building and killing Kor Sella and the Chancellor. With this in mind, we could create a brief sequence where Republic fighters escort Kor Sella’s ship to the planet. These scene would be intercut with the battle on Starkiller Base.
When Kylo Ren interrogates Poe, he mentions that they have the rest of the map. (Dialogue taken from Rey’s interrogation).
During the Resistance Base scenes, when 3PO looks at the map, we’ll generate a new line mentioning that the First Order likely has the rest of the map. Something to that degree, at least.
We totally cut the Resistance briefing scene. At this point we will have heard that the First Order has the rest of the map three times (Poe’s interrogation, 3PO’s analysis, and Rey’s interrogation). There is enough information that the audience should pick up what the objective is.
Scenes on Starkiller Base should be regraded to appear as if it is nighttime or twilight.
Cut Finn’s line about the shields during the hyperspace approach, but keep Han’s line about “if we get any higher they’ll see us!”
Cut Han’s line, “Then how do you know how to disable the shields?”
Cut Han’s later line where he mentions the shields again after they enter the base.
Cut Finn’s line to Phasma, “lower the shields!” and change the screen graphics to show the other half of the map. Possibly generate a new shot of data chip popping out of a terminal. Have Phasma trigger an alarm.
Create new ADR for Resistance officers, pilots, and First Order officers mentioning the planetary tractor beam and referring to the oscillator as the tractor beam. Could change the sun draining computer graphic with one related to the tractor beam, something reminiscent to the graphic of Obi-Wan deactivating the Death Star’s tractor beam.
So after they trigger the alarm, the First Order activates the tractor beam, then the Resistance sends in pilots to destroy it so they can escape with the map. Would be nice to have a pilot ask, “Where is their fleet?”
Remove any shots of the sun being drained. The scene of Kylo killing Han, the draining sun will be replaced by a moon, and a Star Destroyer will pass infront of it, mirroring the opening scene of the movie.
Cut any shots of the planet falling apart. Possibly create a new shot of the Falcon and X-Wings leaving the planet.
When they put Finn on the gurney, replace the line “we got a heartbeat” with “He has the map!”
The shot of Leia mourning, have a rebel officer OS say, “We’re downloading the map, now, General.”
BB-8 wakes up R2 to tell him the good news, and 3PO says something along the lines of, “Come, R2 we must find Master Luke at once!” R2 then plugs in somewhere to download the map and then projects it.
If we could create new space battle sequences, I think it would be interesting if this could extended to TLJ and TROS. TLJ could open with Republic fleets being defeated by First Order surprise attacks. And even with TROS, we could open with more ragtag groups ambushing First Order fleets. We could even move one or two of the First Order Star Destroyer destruction shots to the beginning of the film, to emphasize the stakes for the First Order to find an upper hand to the growing opposition.
EC Henry explains in this video pretty well how he made a “space battle” video for Eckhart’s Ladder’s channel. Henry aka Aalenfae also has some great ship models that he shows off on his YouTube channel that would be fun to use. It could show off some more interesting ship designs people felt were lacking from the ST. Angelos Karderinis, also known as Angel, does a lot of the renders for his designs. But Henry has a lot of cool designs that would be fitting for some New Republic vs First Order action, like New Republic X-Wings, Y-Wings, B-Wings, a new Tri-Fighter ship, as well as the TIE-Vector and a First Order Bomber.