I learned some time ago, with this movie, and all the sequel movies honestly, is to watch them with this viewpoint:
Makes sense when you don’t think about it.
They don’t care about what came before it or use logic, so why should we. Lol.
I feel TLJ is the opposite: doesn’t make sense unless you think about it. Setting aside their difference in tone and structure I think TFA & TLJ work pretty well as two chapters of the same story, two sides of the same coin. And with Hal’s Restructured & Legendary edits the gap is brought even closer. It’s really made me appreciate the strengths of each movie and the overarching story they tell.
For me TRoS really stands as the black sheep of the trilogy. Though I believe there’s still some good in it, it’s more machine than man, twisted and evil.