One thing I’ve been thinking of is what Ben could do post-Kylo if an edit were to have him survive Exegol. I’ve seen ideas of him going off as a Caine-in-Kung-Fu-type nomad to try & atone for his actions, but that doesn’t seem like enough of a benefit for all the trouble of redeeming him. Even if he straight-up defected right after Exegol, yes he wouldn’t part of the First Order’s arsenal, but that still seems like missing an opportunity.
This is an interesting idea, GMatias! I’ve also thought about how redeemed-Ben could take advantage of his role as Supreme Leader, I don’t think I’ve heard this exact idea before. My idea was to replace Finn’s ADR line at the end of the film, “People are rising up all over the galaxy” with a random Resistance person saying, “Ren has commanded the First Order to surrender!”
Regardless of the debate over whether he should live or not, it is interesting to consider the practicality of some of potential endings where Ben lives.
I definitely think Ben meeting Rey on Tatooine would probably be the simplest option. I’ve actually made some concept images for how it could look, and determined which shots could be used to accomplish it. I guess the question would then be whether the movie ends with Rey and Ben on Tatooine together, or Ben staying on Tatooine while he watches Rey leave on the Falcon.
I know others have mentioned the idea of Ben exiling himself on Ahch-To at the end of the movie. I believe Pablo Hidalgo said he actually suggested this idea when TROS was being developed. I think the best way someone could construct this ending would be to use shots of Ben standing on the edge of the Death Star ruins, before he talks with Han’s memory, and make it so Ben standing on that rock outcrop where Luke becomes one with the Force.