I disagree, as do many others. Many more people also found Abrams’ film Star Trek Into Darkness to follow that same pattern of ripping off Star Trek: The Wrath of Kahn.

We’re getting off topic, I do feel like the new characters in The Force Awakens are rip offs, you don’t. I feel like the Plot copies A New Hope beat-for-beat. You don’t, and I’m glad you can enjoy that film without rolling your eyes. Criticising others for ideas they find more interesting than derivative and lazy choices isn’t really necessary. If someone preferred not to undo the ending of Return of the Jedi, even if that revealed a character that seemed only to be comic relief as a villainous mastermind, that is their opinion.