Throwing in another random comment after re-re-re-watching the latest workprint.
After our heroes leave Pasaana, there is a clip of some TIE fighters towing the Falcon onto the star destroyer. In this fanedit, you’ve removed the rest of the clip (revealing Chewie is still alive) and replaced it with the brief scene of Kylo Ren having a telepathic convo with Palpatine. This is a great change because it keeps the Chewbacca reveal a secret AND it shows us that the Falcon ends up on the star destroyer (important for our heroes to escape later).
That said, I’d like to suggest moving the Kylo Ren/Palpatine scene just a little later: to right after watching our heroes’ ship fly off to reveal they’re being followed by the Knights of Ren. Here’s what this does:
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Help slow down the pacing. Have the sequence go from Rey and Finn talking about her having accidentally killed Chewie and right into Poe asking what their plan is. This lengthens the scene and helps make it not feel so choppy.
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In the Kylo Ren/Palpatine sequence, Kylo Ren tells Palpatine that he knows where Rey is going. The problem is, with the scene positioned where it is currently, how does he know where she is going? In fact, in a later scene, General Pryde and Hux approach him and tell him they’ve found Rey, even though, by the current logic, he should have already known this.
So by moving the Kylo Ren/Palpatine scene right AFTER the shot of our heroes being tailed, it makes more sense that Kylo Ren can tell Palpatine he knows where they’re going because we now know they’re being followed.
Here’s my take of the entire sequence: https://vimeo.com/459833058/4afd0d3b9e
Notes:
- This was a very quick edit job, so it still needs some work.
- The audio also needs work, but that’s doable.
- The clip of Poe pressing buttons was taken from Pasaana as he prepares to fire up the ship. Added color correction to match the clips that follow.
Also, one thing that really bugs me is when our heroes say, “For Chewie,” they hold hands, and then C-3P0 comes over and says nothing.
So you’ll notice in my take I have him saying “oh Chewbacca,” from Return of the Jedi, and plugged it into his awkward silence when they hold hands. I think it feels SO much better with him acknowledging his friend that he’s known since A New Hope.