I like the ending, feels very organic & has a big BttF Part three vibe to it (“Your future isn’t written yet, so make it a good one”).
From a technical standpoint, Rey vs. Palpatine is also well-done, but I’m curious about the context in the film itself. I appreciate wanting Rey to be a stronger character & not needing help from anyone, but against Palpatine, I worry that that goal would make her triumph feel unearned. If anything, the lack of Jedi just heightens the feeling of “how do we know Palpatine won’t just come back a third time” that was present in the theatrical cut.
I don’t know that the plot point about Palpatine really can be resolved, as it’s so half baked and the material isn’t there to fix it.
In this version, Rey doesn’t do all the “be with me” stuff. It’s about the power she has an how she will use it. She isn’t encouraged by the Jedi past, she’s encouraged to stand up because of the people she cares about.
By losing the Palpatine connection, I lose the justification of why she’s so strong in the Force, but I can live with that. I’m more interested in the emotions of it, the decision she makes to use her power to defeat Palps.