In a longstanding tradition I’ve just started this year I’ve decided to watch each ST films across Christmas Eve, Day, and Boxing Day (due to having seen the other 6 films millions of times since 1999).

For TFA I’ve not seen the original since getting the DVD or Starlight since the first draft. I decided to ignore the change list until after watching it which was definitely the right choice.

Starlight doesn’t feel like a fanedit at all, there were no points of having to ‘fill the plotholes in yourself’ that often occur with fanedits where material is missing that would be needed for the changes. Mentions of Illum, Starkiller Base being a oneshot weapon to destroy the Republics capital, the clear focus on the Resistance not being the Republic, everything that makes the film not feel so much like a soulless remake of ANH (we had that already, it was RotJ).
Oh, and Chewy not hesitating and immediately blasting Ren followed by activating the detonators whilst he’s still there was fantastic. I wish the ST had lent into him as a character more.

The best part however, is the added darkness to Rey in a way that allows for Starlight to fit into either a ‘Palpatine’ or ‘nobody’ ST. It does follow that somebody who raised themselves on the edges of society would turn to the ‘easier and more seductive’ side of the force and the Sith whispers that follow after she fails the mind trick (twice!) followed by the Sith eyes before cutting a slice out of Ren feel really natural and flow nicely into TLJ (you didn’t even hesitate, you went straight for the Dark).

I know you’re constantly working on adding more and more to your edits (looking through the radical ST ideas thread), but whether those come to fruition or not, you have a complete film here.