The Rise of Skywalker: Ascendant (Released) — Page 698

DZ-330 said:

Anything beforehand ruins Luke entrance on Ahch-To.

It’s one of those “I wish Lucasfilm would have done it but we can assume it happened between movies” things.

MAYBE, some kind of throwaway line from Kylo to Rey, about ignoring Luke’s persistent attempts to bring him back to the light.

I think any solution would have to be visual, because there is already so much being resolved via dialogue only.

Rough idea: What if Lukes Ghost is visible in the background of these two shots:
https://ibb.co/K2H6ZCn
https://ibb.co/9s3dhQx
It would be 2 very brief, visual appearances (maybe even make him blurry), both in scenes where Kylo is going through a decision process on whether to follow the dark side. Also, it would (kinda) follow the rule of threes, with Luke making 2 silent appearances to Kylo and then a third one with dialogue to Rey. It also visually foreshadows the image of the Force Ghosts standing behind Rey in the end.

edit: the second shot specifically would be cool because Kylo would be literally standing between Vaders Mask and Luke, visually representing his struggle.

That would take me out of both of those respective scenes. I think it’s gotta be a voice for 2 reasons:

1. Dispell the notion that Palps is literally every voice in his head. It’s just him manipulating Kylo.
2. If he ever took a corporeal form then Kylo would certainly try to attack him, or at the very least try to shoo him away, even if that wouldn’t do anything. With just the voice, he’s more powerless.

I think the concept I’ve got in my thread works because it’s just after a devastating moment: Chewie’s “death”. We’ve just seen Rey’s reaction to that. It makes sense, structurally, to then watch Kylo battling with his conscience after such a thing (at least, that’s what the audience is meant to believe in that moment). I can think of no better candidate for him to have such a conversation with in that time than Luke.

Ultimately, this idea isn’t going to be in this edit. That’s fine. We can drop it. I’m gonna make sure it’s given proper attention in my thread.

Hal 9000 said:

• Undetermined about a potential line for Kylo to suggest that the dagger “revealed” to Rey her parents’ fate at the hands of Ochi, to support our change for the dagger to be a mystical revelatory device rather than Rey sensing “horrible things” it has done.

I’d love to take a look at this because it would coincide quite nicely with an idea I have going on in the other thread - the dagger being capable of revealing secrets to people.

Any ideas for what this line would look like and where it would be placed?

As an aside, were you able to take a look at reinstating that brief Poe and Rose scene, Hal? The one where it’s revealed that Leia chose Poe specifically to be the new general. I think that’s essential to reinstate seeing as how Leia probably knows about Poe’s spice smuggling days. It ties in with the whole compassion theme surrounding her character and investing in more unconventional people.

Yeah, but then you have to explain how the heck a single Final Order ship was able to leave Exegol without the rest of them.

Hal, I’m not an expert editor, but I’m pretty sure the scene could start with the shot which is on Poe and Rose says something along the lines of: “It’s on every channel!” In the background.

Yes, you’re correct. The only reason why I have a problem with the concept is that it would have made more sense to launch like 10+ of them at that time - there are literally hundreds of them there (perhaps in the thousands) and it’s not like all of them were fixed overnight. They could have launched a small batallion and threatened to destroy key worlds like Coruscant if people tried to stop the rest.

Jar Jar Bricks said:

Yes, you’re correct. The only reason why I have a problem with the concept is that it would have made more sense to launch like 10+ of them at that time - there are literally hundreds of them there (perhaps in the thousands) and it’s not like all of them were fixed overnight. They could have launched a small batallion and threatened to destroy key worlds like Coruscant if people tried to stop the rest.

And the fact you have Palpatine announcing his intentions to the entire galaxy prematurely when a single Star Destroyer is ready to go. He has been waiting 30 plus years to rebuild this armada and he jumps the gun when he could have just waited a few days, weeks or months to have the entire fleet ready. However, that is an issue with the story overall. It just makes the normally cunning tactician seem inept.

Yup. It’s just easier to head cannon that the atmosphere on Exegol was so complicated to navigate that if a ship gets too large it can’t rise up on its own or it would get disintegrated by lightning. But if there are ton of massive ships rising at once then they take the heat off each other.

That’s actually a very fair point about character-centric scenes.

The main reason why I thought it necessary to reinstate is because without it, it’s not entirely clear why Poe is suddenly in charge of the entire Resistance. D’Acy has seniority over him if you were to follow the chain of command. Connix was also technically a better pick over him since she wasn’t a spice smuggler. It ties in with the theme of the movie to have it directly stated that Leia specifically chose Poe to become general. It’s like her insistence on training Rey despite her lineage. Leia is able to look deeper within people to gauge their worth.

Let me put it like this: fundamentally, it toys with your suspension of disbelief to exclude this scene. As the audience, we of course expect Poe to be in charge of the Resistance because he’s our main character. But when you step back and think about it, it makes zero sense for a hotshot pilot to be given control of the last hope of the galaxy. Especially over more qualified candidates who have spent their lives being military tacticians.

But if you don’t think it necessary, that’s fine. Another thing I’ll add to the list on the other thread 😉

For one thing, the scene wouldn’t involve any mention of Kijimi in the way I envision it being cut. It would just be about how Palpatine is threatening the galaxy with a generic threat of destruction if they don’t stand down and Poe is acting general. But then the problem would be how it may be too short of a scene.

What makes you think the AI line wouldn’t work there? Just not enough space?

In TLJ we already saw Leia herself was preparing Poe to assume a role of leadership, that was his whole character arc in the movie and it ends with him assuming command of the remaining Resistance members, “What are you looking at me for? Follow him”. It’s true this movie regresses him into hotshot pilot mode, but from his irritable attitude and his convo with Zorii at least there’s a sense that he’s overwhelmed by the responsibility, and he’s been putting it off because he thinks he’s not ready. It’s only after Leia dies that he feels like he has to step up and assume the role she wanted for him.

At least that’s the way I look at it, and it’s stronger if it’s something Poe chooses to do, rather than being told he has to because it was Leia’s dying wish. It was the expected progression of his character coming from TLJ, yeah he probably should’ve started the movie as more of a leader, but like most characters in the sequel trilogy he falters before stepping up and doing the right thing.

Yeah, it would start with the shot of Poe looking concerned (just after he stops talking) and Rose saying in the background: “Listen, it’s on every channel.” Then Merry translates the message to everybody - “The Resistance is dead. The Sith flame will burn. All worlds, surrender or die. The Final Order begins.” Seeing as how the previous scene ends with a transmission between Palps and Pryde, it makes sense that this would be the next step he takes.

Fair points, Burbin. I do agree that there is an implication at the very least that Poe is meant to step up as some sort of leader in TLJ. But it’s unclear if that means he’d actually be THE general. Take a look at the DoTF script. It’s clear that if Carrie Fisher had been alive during the recording of Episode IX that she would have remained in charge of the Resistance. Sure, she might have given Poe some extra duties, but I doubt those would be significantly different than those somebody like D’Acy has. Which is why I’d say there’s still an argument to be made here for the sake of clarity.

After finally having some time to test it myself, I do agree that pacing-wise the movie works much better without that scene. It’s too short without all of the awful Kijimi stuff so it just feels disjointed. So the only option would be something like you suggested, Hal - an AI line which goes something like “Why pick me as general? I gotta tell you, I don’t really know how to do this…”

I know that asking this is a bit exaggerated and very difficult… But it would be cool if hal9000 made a version in which it restores the original idea that Rey is the daughter of Han and Leia and is called Kira Solo.

Not only were these the initial, secret plans for JJ Abrams’ Mystery box, but it also makes a lot of sense. Although unconscious, the bond and the dyad derives from this bond.

I would do all of this (if I had the ability) but keep Rey Skywalker’s ending because in the end it is what she is. Her entire life she went by the name of a rebel pilot (Rey got the name from the helmet she wore in Episode VII, suggesting it wasn’t her name) and considered Skywalker a legend. Choosing to call herself Rey Skywalker, even if she know her real name and surname, would in all respects represent her decision on who her really want to be.

Pardon the ignorance please but are you working on a version 5 right now of Ascendant?

Hal 9000 said:

Not happening here, is the practical answer.

It was dispassionate advice, especially because in my opinion it makes more sense than Rey Nobady.

In any case, some time ago I got the link to the fan edit file but I don’t know how to see it in the original language. I am Italian, and I am happy to have seen the good work done, but I would be curious to see it in the original, but every time I open the file it puts it in the Italian language. I have no idea how Google drive works,

Within the context of this story, having Rey actually be a part of the Skywalker bloodline would be handing her the conclusion of her character’s journey on a silver platter far too soon. As much as Rey Palpatine sucks in a lot of ways, you do have to admit that the concept of the Skywalker twins readily accepting the offspring of their arch-enemy as their own is quite emotional. It’s the only thing I can think of that feels Star Warsy without retreading old ground or overcomplicating things - and believe me, I’ve given a lot of thought to this!

Hal, I’m still a little confused on where exactly Kylo’s line about the dagger is supposed to go. Is it replacing: “Remember them. See them!”? If you could indicate what would be replaced, then I could see about generating some options as for what he could say.

Jar Jar Bricks said:

Within the context of this story, having Rey actually be a part of the Skywalker bloodline would be handing her the conclusion of her character’s journey on a silver platter far too soon. As much as Rey Palpatine sucks in a lot of ways, you do have to admit that the concept of the Skywalker twins readily accepting the offspring of their arch-enemy as their own is quite emotional. It’s the only thing I can think of that feels Star Warsy without retreading old ground or overcomplicating things - and believe me, I’ve given a lot of thought to this!

Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t mind Rey Palpatine’s plot, but one of the most common criticisms is that the trilogy feels disjointed. Rey was only supposed to be Solo, and this shows in TFU (considering that Rey isn’t even her name, as seen in the film).

Hal9000’s edits made a big improvement in connecting the 3 films, so I asked him if he could do it. Respecting the only real plan that JJ Abrams had for the trilogy (and previously also Lucas) would make a further leap in quality if managed well.

This would solve one of my biggest issues with the film. The other is a problem that cannot be solved unless you are PixelJoker [a lot of sequences are missing and the gaps between scenes are very noticeable (this is also improved in these versions but you can always see it, obviously miracles cannot be worked )]

As I said, I saw the Hal9000 version of the trilogy in Italian, I don’t know if the dubbing contained the updated versions of the fanedits and in any case I don’t know how to recover a version in the original language.