I mentioned on Hal’s thread at one point that this is absolutely what would have made Palpatine’s plan 100 percent better imo. Funnily enough, early in the film’s production it actually was I’m pretty sure. The reason they got rid of it I think is because otherwise it makes the character’s heroic actions all for nothing in the end. Personally, I’m fine with that. Sometimes, even though we give things our best, they don’t work out.

As for Rey not being a Palpatine, it also removes some of the complicatedness of her backstory. I’ll always prefer to adhere to canon in this regard, but I’m interested to see what you will cook up.

I think if I was editing the novel I would make all references to her as his granddaughter changed to just “daughter”. This would force the reader to understand that Rey’s father was a clone, so biologically she is just his daughter. It might muck up some of the mirroring in their dyad, but oh well.