DominicCobb said:
Another thing to add to the “NO SOLUTION YET” category - trying to find a way to include more of Luke’s conversation with Rey. “She saw your spirit, your heart,” and “some things are stronger than blood” could work if given the right context through new lines, but I’m not sure what there is to work with. Any ideas?
You could still cut, “Because you’re a Palpatine”, but change Luke’s next line to, “Leia saw it, too”, meaning that Leia saw the vision of Rey on the dark throne, just like Rey did. Then you could keep the lines about Leia still training her because she saw her spirit and her heart. You could take “saw” from “Because she saw your spirit, your heart.”
The other line is a bit trickier. During that close-up of Rey, right before Luke says “Some things are stronger than blood”, you could give him a new line instead of just saying “Rey”. Maybe something to suggest Leia and Rey had a bond stronger than blood.
Leia knew you. Rey. Some things are stronger than blood.
Rey. Leia knew you, because some things are stronger than blood.
Leia knew it, because some things are stronger than blood.
Leia saw it, because some things are stronger than blood.
If you don’t mind, while we’re on the topic I would like to share a few more thoughts about this scene.
After this, Luke says, “Confronting fear is the destiny of a Jedi. Your destiny. If you don’t face Palpatine, it will mean the end of the Jedi. And the war will be lost.”
I really feel like the specificity of what Luke is saying here sort of weakens what he is trying to tell Rey. Also, him saying “If you don’t face Palpatine, it will be the end of the Jedi. And the war will be lost”, has a lot of similar vibes to this interaction:
Obi-Wan: You can’t escape your destiny. You must face Darth Vader again.
Luke: I can’t kill my own father.
Obi-Wan: Then the Emperor has already won. You were our last hope.
I think it would be nice to see Luke take a different approach with Rey, after receiving this lecture himself. Show how he is a different kind of Jedi than his own mentors. I don’t know if it would work, but it would be nice to see Luke keep the lesson more personal. Something like:
Luke: Confronting fear is the destiny of the Jedi. Your destiny. If you don’t face it, it will mean the end of the Jedi. And the war in your heart will be lost.
I’m sure that might sound a little cheesy, but when it comes down to it, Star Wars is less about these galactic-scale wars, and more about the war between good and evil in each of us. I think it would be nice if Luke himself, in the final film of the saga, summed up that message to Rey. We can’t just bury our fears like the Jedi in the prequels did, we have to confront them. Does he have to be so on the nose? Maybe not, but I feel like his message ends on a much more superficial note ending the way it currently does.
Anyway, just some thoughts. Might be worth trying at least.