It’s a bit dark, but if Chewie stayed dead and Rey actually spent time dealing with the demons…that would’ve made for a better movie overall. In fact I’m sure that was intended at some point but the executive hands rewrote it. Same with 3po…
I agree. I thought that was what was going to happen after Chewie’s “death scene” and I was excited for it. I remember thinking “holy shit, Rey kills Chewbacca, this is going to be good,” but then we learn he’s still alive a minute later and Rey doesn’t really have to deal with it. Would’ve loved to see more of her struggling with the darkness within her, and afraid to continue on, fearing that she’ll destroy the rest of her friends.
Maybe there’s a way to restructure all 3 films to have Chewie’s death matter and Rey goes into a form of exile on her own. Nothing in ROS had consequences…but maybe there’s a way to mix it and TLJ into one film where things actually stick. Maybe something like ending TLJ with her alone on Luke’s island, or maybe Luke being a ghost the whole time, or maybe turn all of ROS into “the war” and have TLJ be the actual ending with Luke sacrificing himself to force-Holdo maneuver the whole fleet.