Ah, you had me with your list of rules until you stipulated TFA had to be better than the Prequels. There I beg to differ. I think you have to start with an awesome story and, as the edits and novelizations prove, the stories are good.
Or not.
I found TFA to be weak in that area. Abrams excels at character vinettes, but tends to fail at the greater story arc a movie or TV series needs. He is horrible with endings, which may be why instead of a real ending, we get a “to be continued” setup for the next film.
I know, right? The Empire Strikes Back is a horrible movie.
Did it end with a scene that was picked up and continued in the next film? No, it had a solid ending that led up to the next story without being the start of the next story.