Adywan, in your full list of changes you’ve put:
“Have a small portion of the Ewok celebration which then leads to the funeral pyre scene. This is where the Force Ghosts will appear and the film will end with Luke being alone (which in turn foreshadows TFA).”

And I was just wondering where the stance is on that now. After TLJ/TROS, I know I’m not sure about how to feel when it comes to the sequel trilogy. I liked TFA, but it didn’t stand on its own and kind of hung on ANH/the promise of solid sequels but, given the disjointed nature of that trilogy… idk.
The real reason I ask is because, if that sort of open-ended ending was still part of you’re plan, then…

Spoilers for Rise of Skywalker

Could that new scene of Luke training Leia work as an alternative ending. It would still require trimming down the celebration and I’m not sure whether the pyre scene would work better where it is rn or just before the new scene, but I can imagine that scene fitting in there. I feel it would work well to act as a pay off to the whole “there is another” and give the whole siblings plot an actual conclusion, rather than just drama. It would also work for “haters” and fans of the Sequels alike, and would give credibility to certain controversial plot points that felt forced due to them having no setup.

Overall I believe it would add to the movie, and Star Wars saga, as (for some) the final movie in the saga, would end with Luke fulfilling his role of teaching the next generation of Jedi. The ‘Return Of The Jedi’.