Kind of a weird, possibly pointless note considering what you’ve set out as your goals, but considering you’re changing the lore anyway, I think leaving Kylo’s ultimate fate ambiguous, i.e. cutting away before he dies is kinda a good idea (thus avoiding repetitive “redeemed bad guy dies instantly after doing good thing” trope, and also not requiring fx to add him to Tatooine or anything like that).
I’m definitely considering alternatives to Ben’s fate, although personally I think cutting away after the kiss and never showing him again may be a step too far in terms of ambiguity.
And a question: are you planning to keep the way Rey defeats Palpatine the same as in the movie: by blocking force lightning with 2 lightsabers? (it’s super dumb)
I with you there, although I can’t really think of any alternative. I’m all ears though if someone comes up with something.
Thoughts, anyone? I understand it may be out of this edit’s scope, but on the other hand to me these elements are nearly as ew as rey palpatine and “Rey Skywalker”, speaking of which, is that final line staying? Changing that goes together with preserving “Rey the nobody”, does it not?
I don’t really see it as contradicting Rey Nobody, in fact I think it works well with it. In either scenario, she’s adopting the name because she’s fulfilling the Skywalker legacy, regardless of her upbringing.
That said, there is a chance, depending on what I do with the final scene, that the moment will be cut anyway.
About the alternatives for Bens fate, have you considered cutting him completely After the moment Rey heals him? Then Rey faces the Emperor by herself, and maybe even dies, or not. Then in the end we can go back to Ben, meeting the vision of His father etc, and closing the movie with reborn Ben Solo, throwing His lightsaber away, leaving is with ambigous bitter sweet ending. Ben Solo came back to light, survived the movie. But what next? He cant go back to the FO, Resistance and the New Republic wont forget nor forgive him His crimes either. Now he has to find a Way to redeem himself and spend the rest of His life trying somehow to repair the evil he has done. Maybe he ll run away on an exile? Maybe he ll rebuild the Jedi order? Maybe he ll fight the remnants of the FO? It would be a nice open ending i think.