NeverarGreat

I don’t see why the rest of Star Wars can’t be his deathbed fever dream.

Agreed, the new release is definitely the way to go for 3.0

https://i.imgur.com/oAeC7Pv.mp4

Perhaps below we will find the real answer to the loss of Rey and Kylo’s power. Enjoy!

…

ACT III

The spires of the Jedi Temple still reach into the Coruscant night sky, illumined by the lights of workers far below in the city square. From the council chamber Hux, flanked by his royal guards and the eleven knights, surveys the work taking place thousands of feet below. The doors open and Thrawn steps into the chamber. A group of darkened figures moves behind him, and Thrawn bids them wait. Hux shows Thrawn the preparations for the ceremony where the Knights of Ren officially pledge loyalty to him, observed by all the planets in the galaxy.

Thrawn asks why he was summoned and Hux relates his odd experience on Gramelon. He says that he could have sworn that for a moment he saw the face of one Kylo Ren, but surely Thrawn made sure that the supreme leader was dead. Thrawn says that nobody could have survived the injuries sustained by his ‘accident’, but more than this he knows of a simple test to prove that Kylo Ren is no more. He suggests that the knights demonstrate their mastery of the Force in a simple act, say, raising up this fruit. He holds up a small piece of fruit before him, and stands at the very center of the council chamber floor. Surely the great Knights of Ren…Hux…could do such a thing. Hux sneers in derision, saying that Thrawn insults them. Thrawn then says for him to humor his hunch. Hux rolls his eyes and asks one of the knights to do this. The knight says that such party tricks are beneath them, but Hux’s suspicion is raised and he orders them on pain of death to obey and activates Luke’s green saber in warning. The knight raises his hand toward the fruit and closes his eyes, but after a full ten seconds he lowers his hand. Hux demands to know the meaning of this, and Thrawn goes to the window, eating the fruit.

He says that during his long exile in the unknown reaches, defeated by a boy trained as a Jedi, he was consumed by the question of how the Jedi and their powers came to be. He says that records exist from before the time of the Jedi and no such powers are there documented. He found it curious that, on a galactic timescale, the Jedi and the Sith arose in opposition to each other at exactly the same time on a mysterious island on a lonely planet in the unknown regions of space. When he retook Coruscant he searched the bowels of this temple as well as the palace of the Sith Emperor and found that the first Jedi was secretly a Sith, who was excommunicated along with one of his followers. He says that the powers of the Jedi arose in response to the Sith, who took this mystical power by force.

Hux responds that the last Sith was Palpatine, who died thirty years ago. Thrawn counters that if this were so, the Force would have returned to balance and the Jedi would be no more. That the power of the Jedi remained was proof that the Sith remained. He says that the Sith have gained immortality of a kind through transferring their collective spirit into a willing apprentice, and this has continued unbroken for a thousand generations. Some believe that the apprentice must strike down the master in hatred, but it is merely enough that the master has a willing apprentice filled with the dark side into which their spirit can enter.

‘Snoke, a secret apprentice?’, Hux says, understanding. Thrawn nods, adding that when Snoke was murdered the power of the Sith went into Kylo Ren. Snoke believed that by cultivating a number of apprentices for Ren that the legacy of the Sith would endure even in the event of Ren’s death, but it is clear that these knights are true students of the Jedi. Noble, even. A knight intones the name of Luke Skywalker and how his order has achieved victory merely by remaining passive, which is the true spirit of the Jedi.

Hux grimaces in disgust. He rounds on Thrawn, accusing him of orchestrating the Supreme Leader’s demise to further his own ends. Thrawn points out that it has given Hux control of the galaxy and the most noble Knights therein. Thrawn affirms that Kylo Ren cannot possibly have survived because after a thousand generations the Force has finally returned to balance. It exists again only as an impersonal energy field beyond the reach and manipulation of mortals.

Hux seems to age many years in a single moment. He turns back to the window, judging again the lights and activity below. He grips the saber tightly, as if he will fly into a rage like Kylo Ren, then relaxes his grip and stands straight, turning to the knights and Thrawn. He declares that there will still be a ceremony, but the knights will demonstrate their impotence in the Force for all to see and upon the steps of the Jedi temple they will bequeath to the First Order all control of their planets and people. Hux asks if Thrawn’s ships are in position, and Thrawn says that by the time of the ceremony tomorrow they will be. Hux then declares that tomorrow will be the first day of this new galaxy, more momentous than he could ever have hoped for. He asks if Thrawn has brought the traitor FN-2187 as requested and Thrawn nods. The doors open again and Finn is brought into the room. Hux turns the saber onto Finn, saying how long he has waited to do this. He lowers the saber almost unwillingly, musing that Finn’s public execution is his only fitting end.

StarkillerAG said:

Based on Anakin Starkiller’s suggestion in the sequel editing thread, here’s an EXTREMELY rough edit of Palpatine’s message added to the destruction of Kijimi:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qHcMW4tBjqptkFLAo86bjeb44R4vuZzi/view?usp=sharing

I think that it would be easier to extend the Emperor’s music across the entire scene rather than try to scrub the music from his speech.

A green look for Exegol would be easier to achieve since there’s at least some green in those backgrounds.

Yeah, I was pretty surprised that they actually went this route.

snooker said:

An orange tone might work better?

It certainly needs less red. Here’s something I came up with:

http://www.framecompare.com/image-compare/screenshotcomparison/9JB9MNNU

There is very little color information here, and almost no red in the backgrounds which required first using the channel mixer to add it back in. It’s easy to overdo, however, since things like the bloody bruise on Ben’s cheek should still read as separate from the skin tones, and those should be more red than the background.

If you couldn’t tell from the previous entry, we have well and truly entered the belly of the beast. Enjoy!

…

The rusted ship flies through hyperspace. Ben reports that they have just enough fuel left to make it to Tinis. Rey repeats this information to the green knight as she tends to her wound. She asks the knight’s name, she says it is Denya. Rey says that they will soon be able to get good help for her, but at that moment the ship falls out of hyperspace. Rey goes to the cockpit where she beholds that Tinis lies broken, the mantle of the planet seeping through great rents in the crust and out into space. They stare, and Ben asks what happened here. R2 burbles mournfully, and Rey says that this must be the doing of the First Order, or the Empire, or some evil war. It doesn’t really matter. R2’s maps of pirate space are decades out of date and the point is that they are out of fuel around a dead planet in pirate space.

Rey returns to the crew compartment and tries to apologize for leading Denya into such ruin, but she shakes her head and says that this was her choice. Her home of Higara is well worth dying for. Rey asks Denya what her home is like, and Denya responds that it is a lush, green planet of rolling hills and verdant fields where many things grow and seasons are mild. Rey says that she would like to see it someday. Denya says that if she doesn’t survive, its people will need a new protector. Rey admits that she has lost all her powers and can’t protect anyone, not even her. Denya says she knows, that this has been the fate of all the Knights of the Twelve Systems. She murmurs that the Force has prevailed even as she drifts into unconsciousness.

The ship drifts, life support failing, through the wastes of space.

But who on earth is going to figure that out from the film? Hrumph.

Perhaps all of their ships were captured by the Empire before the battle? Certainly the command ship was captured.

But I agree with you that a different group of aliens would have been preferable for the reason you state.

Mocata said:

You know what I really want? (Well besides Rey having no last name and being at peace with it) But they had the Han Solo scene, which is pretty good. But they scrapped the Chewbacca scene. When instead they should have combine both, and have Leia’s last act of magical power be a vision young Kylo with Luke, Han and herself, like one last look at a happier time or whatever. No need for too much digital trickery. I don’t know, a space cook-out or something. Why is it so hard for them to do what makes sense…

A scene kinda like this?

It would certainly be a very meta concept for a bunch of corporate suits to fetishize and build an empire out of a story of simple farmhands and freedom fighters, told on fringes and frontiers.

Put the Lars Homestead MegaCoaster in the background of the crumbling ruins of their home and call it a day.

Finn, Rose, and their team of commandos make their way down the final hall to the turbolifts, encountering only scattered blaster bolts from security hidden around corners. They gain the turbolifts and they divide into three companies to board the three lifts. Rose asks Finn where the rest of the security is, and Finn answers that it must be in the control tower above. He tells her to be ready for a firefight. The doors of Finn’s lift open and they rush out into an empty room. A voice, cold and imperious, fills the air. ‘Welcome to Arkanis, FN-2187’. They whirl around and see Thrawn on a balcony above the lifts. The other two lifts open and troopers pour out, surrounding the commando group. Finn’s communicator crackles as his other leaders report that their lifts are jammed. Thrawn tells them to throw down their weapons, and as if in encouragement two troopers arrive behind Thrawn with Xindo bound in cuffs. In the shadows behind Xindo is a woman petting a small furry creature. Finn throws down his blaster, a snarl on his face, and the rest of his group does likewise. Thrawn and Xindo walk down to the base level and Thrawn steps to the wide windows of the control center. He tells Finn that he would like the trooper to see this operation, as it will be instructive.

From his destroyer Poe monitors the approaching TIE defenders and barks orders at his squadrons. He recalls Red squadron to help mop up the threat, but just as he gives this order he sees that the TIEs are breaking off their attack and are circling around the Resistance fleet in a wide arc. Poe shouts that the TIEs are moving to block their escape and that this is a trap. He opens a channel to Finn and tells him to get back to the transports, but there is only static on the other end. The comm’s officer tells him that there is some sort of jamming signal coming from the control tower. At that moment Connix comes on the comm from her ship still on reconnaissance. She says that there’s a massive surge of activity from below the clouds of Arkanis, and Poe sees dozens of squadrons of TIE fighters, bombers, and interceptors emerge from the stormy planet to converge on his location, the full complement of fighters from Thrawn’s entire battle fleet. Poe orders his ships to attack the control tower to provide cover for Finn’s escape, and the fleet fires engines to engage.

…

The rickety ship continues following Hux’s shuttle towards the destroyers. Ben says that they will need perfect timing if they are to escape into hyperspace without being shot out of the stars, and tells R2 to plot a course to the nearest inhabited planet. R2 beeps tersely and begins his calculations. He signals that the course is laid in, and Ben counts down to hyperspace. As he punches the lever, the ship shudders and whines in protest, then all power fails. Ben shouts that they’re caught in a tractor beam. Rey asks where it could be coming from, and the bridge of a destroyer rises between them and Hux’s departing shuttle, hidden from their viewscreen and blind to them due to their nonresponsive sensors. Ben is frozen, defeated. They are caught.

Suddenly a flash of light leaps across the darkness before them to impact the shield array of the Destroyer. Then the space is filled with missiles striking their targets, mere gnats against the huge vessel but slowly wearing down the shields. A voice crackles on their radio. It’s the mayor of the city, announcing that they are trying to destroy the ship which was stolen from their sacred castle but that they are having difficulty with their targeting computers. Rey manages a pained smile.

Hux marches onto the bridge of his destroyer. One of Thrawn’s commanders asks if they should destroy the small ship which has followed them, but Hux is adamant that the crew be taken alive. He wants to be sure of what he saw on the tower. He does authorize use of force against the missile batteries assailing them, however.
The fleet opens fire on the planet below. The missile barrage ceases with only minimal damage to the destroyer.

The rickety ship is still being dragged towards the First Order vessel. Suddenly a growl explodes on the comm, and missiles from the Falcon impact on the bridge of the destroyer. Rey shouts ‘Chewie!’ as the Falcon flies past. The fleet redirects its fire to focus on the small freighter, and they land hit after expert hit. Ben tells Chewie to get out of there, life debt or not. Chewie roars a negative and continues his beeline to the bridge, blasting away with all he’s got.

…

Thrawn surveys Poe’s advancing fleet and says that this is a curious move. He has studied Poe’s military history and would have expected him to cut his losses in this situation. He looks to Finn, re-evaluating his importance.

Poe encounters the first wave of Thrawn’s ace pilots. The Interceptors engage Red and Black squadrons, breaking their formations and detonating ship after ship. Poe sees red marks splash across the viewscreen and clenches his fist. He orders the squadrons to pin the Interceptors between their capital ships in order to even the terms, but even as he orders it the battle changes as the basic TIEs enter the fray.

Thrawn shakes his head. He concedes that he expected better from Poe Dameron, but says that perhaps he makes a better pilot than a commander. He gives the comm to Finn, suggesting that perhaps he can get Poe to surrender before the entire Resistance fleet is gone. Finn takes it and opens the channel. He says that he is captured by Thrawn and the Grand Admiral wishes them to surrender. Poe shouts a negative, continuing his advance even as the TIE bombers begin their assault and begin to detonate the Resistance support ships.

…

The bridge crew looks to the captain as the Falcon approaches. They report shields are failing and say that the Falcon looks to be preparing to ram them. The captain orders an evacuation of the bridge.

Ben and Rey plead with Chewie to turn back, that their lives are not worth his sacrifice. But it is too late. The Falcon smashes into the bridge, blasting a gout of flame and debris out the back. The small ship breaks free of the tractor beam as the destroyer lists in a shattered pirouette. Through her tears, Rey sees the destruction. Twisted bits of metal, a quad-laser battery, the broken canopy of the Falcon cockpit floating in the burning space. Nothing could have survived. Ben fights the controls, bringing the ship into a space between two rapidly approaching destroyers, and slams the hyperdrive lever. The stars turn to starlines.

…

Finn stares helplessly as the Resistance fleet is ravaged by wave after wave of fighters. Poe recalls what’s left of his squadrons in preparation for surrender. Unnoticed by Thrawn or the troopers, Xindo works a slicer key into his cuffs and they click open. He slides a hidden blaster into his hand from his sleeve. Finn and Rose, standing on either side of Xindo, notice. Rose nods at Finn. Finn speaks quickly into the comm, relaying a series of coordinates to Poe. Poe sees that at these coordinates a hole has formed in the enemy formation, and orders the ship to jump to hyperspace through this gap.

Thrawn surveys the scene of devastation before him. Few of his ships are gone, while space is littered with the flaming hulks of the Resistance fleet. Thrawn turns to Finn. He commends Finn for his quick thinking and taking the best of a bad option. He says that in another life perhaps Finn could have risen far in the First Order, and it is a shame that it has to end this way. Finn says that it’s not over, and leaps away from Thrawn to make way for Xindo. The Master Codebreaker brings his weapon up in a blur of motion but Thrawn is quicker. His blaster cuts a smoking hole directly through the red Plom bloom before Xindo can open fire, and the man falls dead at the Grand Admiral’s feet.

Troopers come and take the body away. The woman approaches Finn and Rose, disgust on her face. She blames them for killing her son, and turning to leave, gives Rose an evil look. An officer reports to Thrawn that the devices he requested have been installed on all of Kylo’s ships, and hands him a small datapad. Thrawn considers this. He asks how many crews are in danger of a Code Thirteen, and the officer reports that none have yet cleared that benchmark. Thrawn nods as if expecting this, and says that the officer may commence the operation. Across the great arc of the shipyards, Kylo’s destroyers come to life. Engines fire in succession, and the ships loose their moorings. Thrawn views the operation, datapad in hand, as the ships go to hyperspace one by one, each in a different direction.

He tells Finn and Rose that they are lucky, as they will be alive to witness the final victory of the First Order and the end of the mystical Force. Finn and Rose stare at this pronouncement as Thrawn walks calmly to the turbolifts and the doors close behind him.

What follows is quite a long scene, but hopefully it has action, adventure, and enough really wild things to be a froody time. Enjoy!

From their vantage point near the top of the tower, Rey and Ben look down into the convocation chamber. Below them twelve robed figures sit around a table which curves in a semicircular arc around the room. Death Troopers flank the door as royal guards file into the room, finally making way for Supreme Leader Armitage Hux, resplendent in a gold robe similar to the one worn by Supreme Leader Snoke. Ben shifts a bit of the crystal window so that they can hear what is said below. One of the knights demands to see Supreme Leader Ren, for they have a matter of supreme urgency to discuss with him, not Ren’s rabid lapdog. Hux sweeps back his cloak and activates Kylo’s saber hidden within. He announces that Kylo Ren is dead, and any urgent matter should be taken up with him, if any of the knights deign to follow him. The knights are silent, and he demands to know of this matter. The one which spoke before amends his statement to say that he spoke rashly, and the matter can wait.

Hux demands the loyalty of the knights as their new leader. Ben raises his blaster, aiming it at Hux’s breast. Rey puts her hand on the blaster and lowers it, shaking her head. Ben shrugs. He will do this her way. She asks which one of the knights knows the answers she seeks. He points to one on the far side of the table, a tall alien with bright green skin. Rey slips away from Ben. He whispers a question about what the plan is, and she says that she’s working on it.

In the chamber below, the knights state that their goal is the safekeeping of the people of the twelve systems, a goal which the First Order has respected under Snoke and Ren. Ben notices the design on the floor of twelve planets, each worked in colored tile under the seats of the knights connected by rays of a triple sun where Hux now stands. Ben has never seen the artwork from this angle before. The knights ask if Hux will safeguard these people. Hux says that the knights are in no position to be making demands of the Supreme Leader, especially since he has a fleet of ships ready to rain death on them at a moment’s notice. The knights become stoic and say that they will accept death if it means forestalling their people’s fate. They warn Hux that if he takes action against them he will be taking action against all those who yet believe in the power of the Force. As if to punctuate this, another distant roar echoes in the distance, and again Ben turns and searches for the source of the sound.

Rey hears the roar as well, but she is too busy at the moment to be bothered. She is making her way down the face of the tower by small handholds in the rock and protrusions from the bones. One of the handholds crumbles under her foot and sends shards clattering down one of the windows. The Death Troopers are alerted and return through the doors, heading for the spiral stair with which to search the exterior of the tower. Ben decides that it’s time to make himself scarce. Rey finally reaches the level of the knights, and in a final leap manages to make it to the green-skinned knight’s location. Now only a stained-crystal window separates them. She remains low so as not to be seen by the others, and takes a metal implement out of her satchel. The green-skinned knight hears a scratching noise behind her and turns, but sees nothing at first. Then she sees a crudely drawn symbol etched on the crystal. The knight turns back to the others. The knight beside of her looks to her in question, but she shakes her head as if it was nothing.

The Death Troopers make it to the roof but find no trace of Rey or Ben. The leader tells them to be on the alert. In the chamber, negotiations between Hux and the Knights are wrapping up. The knights agree to follow the Supreme Leader, and he promises to give their planets fair protection under his new regime if they will declare their loyalty in a public ceremony on Coruscant. They clearly don’t trust his words, but having little other choice they rise to follow him.

Rey is in whispered conversation with R2 and ZE-7 in an alcove outside of the convocation chambers. She asks ZE-7 if there are any spaceworthy ships in the castle and he says that when he was first the butler here there was one ship kept in case of emergencies, but that it hasn’t been used for decades. She asks where it is, and he says that it is in a small tower off of the main hall. Ben joins the group and she orders ZE-7 to stay with the guests until they reach the great hall. The other three move to the ship. They split up and not a moment too soon. The royal guards move out of the convocation chamber followed by Hux and the knights. The green-skinned knight is last, and ZE-7 sidles up beside her. She glances at him and she sees scratched onto his dusty patina the symbol from the window.

Rey and Ben lie on their backs beneath the decrepit ship, hastily crosslinking rusted connections. Ben mutters that it would be a miracle if this ship were actually spaceworthy. Rey tells him to shut up and give her the bonding tape. R2 beeps worriedly from inside the ship as he welds bits onto other bits.

As the company of knights marches into the main hall, ZE-7 mutters something to the green-skinned knight, and she speaks up to Hux that the counterpart of ZE-7 has wandered away and if she could go gather it before they leave. Hux motions two Death Troopers to commence a search, and the alien blurts out that it’s really no trouble for her to go instead, that it will just take a moment. Hux dismisses her, but the duo of Death Troopers fall in behind her. They all follow ZE-7 toward the side hangar. The knight looks worriedly at the butler droid and he holds down a button on his carapace.

In the ship R2 suddenly straightens, ceasing his welding, and rolls down the ramp past Ben and Rey. They look at him in confusion, then Rey scrambles out after him, hissing at Ben to finish the crosslinking.

As the alien, droid, and troopers emerge from the main tower onto the thin bridge of bone connecting the main tower to the side hangar, R2 emerges from the darkness of the small tower. The knight asks the butler droid what to do now, and he says that when he gives the word, she should run. A panel slides open on R2’s carapace and he stops. The Death Troopers ask why the droid has stopped, and ZE-7 gives the word. The knight takes off across the bridge, faster than seems physically possible for such a species. The Troopers raise their weapons, but even as one fires a shot R2 shoots something out of his dome and over the knight’s head. It lands in the hand of ZE-7 and he whirls his upper body over 180 degrees to face the Troopers, activating Luke’s saber in a brilliant flash of green. Two blaster muzzles fall useless at the trooper’s feet and they stumble back in shock. Rey stares from the tower at the sight of Luke’s sparring droid deftly driving the two troopers back towards the tower. The knight stumbles on the far side of the bridge and into Rey’s arms. She is bleeding from a blaster wound to her side. Rey helps the knight around the corner and into the ship, R2 following. Rey yells at R2 to begin the startup procedure, and Ben says that they need more time. Rey nods tersely and goes back out to the bridge, where she comes up short.

ZE-7 still holds the bridge, his metal feet planted on the center of the span and holding his arms in fencing readiness. On the balcony of the main tower stands Hux, surrounded by his royal guards, Death Troopers, and the other eleven knights. The Death Troopers have raised their blasters to fire on the droid, but seeing Rey Hux belays the order. ‘The girl who murdered Snoke’ he sneers. Rey takes out her lightsaber and makes as if to ignite it. Hux ignites Kylo’s saber in response. He orders the droid to move aside, as he will destroy this scavenger who dares steal a knight from his order. ZE-7 responds that it is not permitted in his programming for any person under his care to come to harm. Hux responds that he will simply cut his way through the droid first. The Death Troopers look uncertain, one even asks ‘Sir?’ with weapon raised to the exposed droid. Hux waves them back, taking off his golden robe. He clearly relishes a chance to use his skills. He announces that he will prove himself before the knights so that there will be no question of who is their master, Force or not.

Hux whirls in an explosion of energy at the fencing droid. The droid responds with machine precision, matching each thrust with a parry. However, the droid is inexorably forced back, finally stopping at the far side of the bridge where he holds the line. Hux swings expertly, slicing the lightsaber out of the droid’s hand. The lightsaber falls, but as it does ZE-7 catches it with his other hand. He is off balance, and Hux presses in. They switch places on the bridge, with Hux between Rey and ZE-7. Hux executes a lightning fast flurry of attacks, slicing off the droid’s other hand. The lightsaber flies across the span and rattles onto the balcony on the other side. He kicks ZE-7 in a final act of fury and the droid falls from the bridge to the forest far below. He is now exposed to Rey, however, and in an instant she has her hand around his sword hand, forcing it to his throat. Through sheer strength Hux begins to push her arm back, the barbs of the unstable saber inching back from his throat, and she slams the end of her saber into his side.

Hux smiles slowly. The significance of the saber placement is not lost on him, and he taunts Rey, saying that he always had his doubts whether she really did kill Snoke or whether it was actually Kylo Ren. But perhaps, he says, he was wrong. He goads her, telling her to do it and gain the title of Supreme Leader as she could have claimed before. Rey closes her eyes, muttering ‘please’ as she inches her thumb to the activation on the broken saber. With her forehead beading with sweat she finally pushes the activation.

Nothing happens. Her head droops in failure. Hux laughs, vindicated. He forces his arm free of her and slashes cruelly at her exposed body, scarring her face. She falls to the ground, beaten. Hux walks back across the bridge, picking up the green saber and placing it on his belt. He motions his troops forward to take Rey and her compatriots.

At that moment the quiet of the forest is broken by the hum of the ship’s systems as they roar to life. This is followed almost immediately by a more distant yet much louder roar, and the tower shakes and trembles. The troops look around in alarm as a giant beast emerges over the hills in the distance, its great wings beating the air like a hurricane. Rey stumbles and tries to get up, but falters. Ben rushes to her aid, picking her up and moving to carry her to the ship. For a moment, however, Hux sees the face of Ben shadowed in the dark opening of the tower. He squints, unsure of what he has just beheld. Ben pulls out his blaster, aiming it at Hux’s chest. Then he looks down at Rey, remembering her refusal to let him kill, lowering his blaster as Hux spins on his heel. The gravity of the situation becomes very real. The wind has picked up so much that the tower is shaking itself apart. The small tower begins to pull away from the castle, and the bridge breaks asunder.

In the rickety ship, warning lights flash along every console and sparks fly. Ben drops Rey beside the green knight and leaps to the controls with R2. The ship tilts and Rey asks if it’s due to bad repulsors, but Ben shouts that they haven’t taken off yet, the tower is falling. Rey sees that it is true through the front viewscreen as the horizon of the forest falls away to reveal the sky. The ship starts to slide back into the hangar, the sky becoming a hole as the hangar walls blot it out. Ben works the controls but they are unresponsive. The ship’s power dies. With his metal arm he slams the controls in frustration and they come back to life, and the ship’s engines ignite against the back wall of the hangar. They are propelled out of the falling tower like a bullet from a gun. Rey and the green knight are pinned against the back wall of the cabin as the ship rockets into the sky. The tower falls in pieces into the lake below.

Everything is shaking. Controls, seats, bulkheads. Rivets dance and pop from their sockets, the noise is immense. But the noise of the beast rises above it all as it gains in pursuit of the ship. Ben says that he now knows why they didn’t allow ships to fly above this forest, and Rey grimaces. Ben sees something ahead of them, and points it out to Rey, saying that Hux and his escort are ahead of them and making for the fleet. Rey says that they should get clear of the fleet as fast as possible, and Ben says that if they break away from Hux’s shadow they will be sitting ducks for the fleet’s turbolasers. Rey counters that they’re just going to make a bigger meal for the beast which is still gaining on them. As if to settle the argument, a barrage of green death strikes down around them, burning holes in the beast’s wings. It breaks off pursuit and glides back into the forest to lick its wounds.

They break free of the atmosphere. Hux’s ship moves on a beeline for one of the destroyers with Ben piloting close behind. The destroyers hang in space before them, and Ben wonders why they haven’t launched any TIE squadrons yet.

paja said:

Avatar.

• The Extended Collector’s Edition Blu-Ray
• 3D Blu-Ray
• Original DVD

And I’m not even an Avatar fan XD

I have three versions too.

• The live action version from 1990
• Animated version from 1992
• Animated Disney version from 1995

And I’m not even an Avatar fan XD

The OT definitely could use a bump in contrast and brightness, which would go a long way to making it look more filmic. They also still look lacking in the yellow department.

All theories are wrong; some are useful.

The Force should be beyond the ability of people to fully comprehend. I think the best way of viewing the Snoke lines is that he is identifying a connection between Rey and Kylo, but the full truth is not apparent to him, whatever that truth ends up being.

In TLJ the Rey/Ben dynamic feels very much like Rey is being drawn towards trying to ‘fix’ Ben, which is definitely a thing that can happen in romantic fiction with ‘bad boy’ characters.

Poe’s fleet appears almost within the ring of the shipyards of Arkanis, the Resistance ships already in a protective formation around the central Destroyer and Resistance squadrons deployed. Poe orders the TIE squadrons to launch with the transports and protect them on their mission. Red squadron happily complies. An officer on the bridge reports that the station is at red alert and their TIE defenders are launching from all points. Examining their formation, Poe allows himself a small sigh of relief. Finn’s voice comes onto the comm, asking what Poe thinks, and Poe responds that the TIE’s are launching from their standard ports which are far from the Destroyer’s location, and from what he can tell they are largely uncoordinated, evidence that Hux is in charge and is scrambling a hasty defense.

Finn’s transport group reaches the hangar below the administrative tower and Red squadron lays down fire on the shield generators. As the shields fail the TIE barrage continues into the hangar, peppering the ships of the wealthy financiers of the First Order. The transports land amid the wreckage as the doors of the hangar automatically close behind them. Even as they shut the transports open and waves of soldiers pour out with Finn and Rose in the lead, headed for the lifts and the control center of Arkanis.

A roar echoes in the darkness of night. Rey starts awake. Their ship still sails on a cushion of air above the river, Ben sitting cross-legged in the bow and R2 at the stern. She asks what that roar was about, and Ben says that he doesn’t know. He is staring up at objects in the sky. As Rey follows his gaze she can see against the darkness the light of morning beginning to glow on the underside of a fleet of Star Destroyers hovering many miles above the forest. They have just arrived, Ben explains. She asks if they will obey the laws of the planet and Ben says that if they broke these laws there would probably be quite a light show, which he hasn’t seen. He says that they can only hope that the First Order will take their path, by which point they will be far away. Rey looks back, worried about Chewie on the Falcon alone.

They arrive at the end of the river where it opens into a large lake. On a hill abutting this lake is the castle, though it looks more like a tower with many spires made of stone and bone. The three suns strike the top of the tower even as they gaze upon it, and it glows starkly white. They move under one of the many buttresses supporting the cathedral-like structure of the lower tower, seeking the center of the structure. In the very center of the space is a looped chain affixed to a small platform. On one side of the space is a waterwheel. An axle connects the chain and wheel. The three assemble on the platform and release the catch, whereupon the power of the flowing water carries them slowly up the interior of the tower to the sound of a mechanical jingle and clank. Rey notes that these people sure are serious about their old-school solutions to problems.

…

Connix sits in the cockpit of the cloaked reconnaissance craft on the edge of the Arkanis system. Through her instruments she views the shipyards. They seem very quiet. BB-8 chirps worriedly from his socket, and Connix agrees that there doesn’t seem to be any presence from Thrawn’s fleet, only the remnants of Kylo’s fleet which show only flickers of activity from repair crews. The life signs on the ships correspond to the original crew size, most still in the forward section designated as reconditioning. She doesn’t trust it, but the sensors can’t be lying. She patches through to the Admiral.

On the bridge, Finn and Poe stand in full uniform ordering everything to be in readiness. The fleet is assembled in empty space close to the Arkanis system awaiting the reconnaissance. Connix’s image appears on the viewscreen and she reports the situation. Threepio translates BB-8 and says that by his estimate and based on the lack of military presence in the system, their plan has an eighty-seven percent chance of success. He cautions, however, that BB-8 has a bad feeling about it. Finn wasn’t aware that droids had feelings, and Threepio echoes BB-8’s sentiment, surprising everyone. Poe admits that this might be merely a ruse by Thrawn to draw them in, but states that they must act regardless, for the stakes are far too high.

He asks if Finn’s troops are assembled and Finn asks the question into a communicator. In the main hangar, a collection of troopers and officers stands ready to board the transports. He goes over the plan once more. Poe will go in with the fleet and take care of the light TIE defenders guarding the shipyards, then they will storm the operational center of the shipyards and lock down the destroyers from this central location. They shout in assent to Finn’s question and Finn gives the order for boarding. Poe suggests that Finn get to his transport if they are to capture an entire fleet, and Finn goes to the lift. Rose accompanies him. Finn asks why she would, and she responds that they have another chance to retrieve the Master Codebreaker, and this time they can get it right. Finn smiles at this half-jest and the doors close.

The Resistance Fleet jumps into Hyperspace.

…

As they reach midway up the tower, a large window coincides with the rising suns and almost blinds them in its brilliance. A stained-crystal artwork in the window splits the suns into a multitude of colors which wash over the three. They arrive finally in the underbelly of the castle keep. Moving through servant’s quarters and kitchens, they make their way to the convocation chamber at the highest level. As they walk through what looks to be a main hall, they hear the telltale whine of Kylo’s wide-winged shuttle. Death Troopers quickly file into the hall to secure the area, while armored royal guards file out in stately fashion. The three quickly rush into a side alcove which turns out to be little more than a disused closet. Inside they find a rusting droid long deactivated. R2 burbles in surprise, but Rey and Ben move to shush him as the Death Troopers approach their position. Ben readies his blaster and Rey grabs a broom handle as a makeshift quarterstaff. Ben looks askance at the weapon.

Suddenly the deactivated droid comes to life. R2 retracts his manipulation arm from the droid’s head, and the droid rises to its feet. R2 burbles excitedly and the Death Troopers converge on the closet, drawn by the noise. Ben and Rey are almost frantic, but just as the Death Troopers arrive R2 and the other droid exit the closet. The Troopers pull up their weapons and order the duo to identify themselves. The mystery droid pulls itself up to its full height, a lanky seven feet, and introduces itself as ZE-7, the sparring droid of Luke Skywalker’s New Jedi Order and more recently the misused and forgotten butler of the Knights of Ren. He also introduces R2 as his counterpart, essential in holographic demonstration of Jedi Masters and their training. The Troopers seem exasperated by this spiel and order the droids to lead them to the Knights of Ren. ZE-7 complies happily, saying that they will probably be waiting in the convocation chamber. The group moves away, allowing Rey and Ben a moment to find another way to the chamber. They locate a small spiral staircase that leads outside the tower and wrapping all the way to the chamber and beyond to the very spire of the tower.

snooker said:

he looks like a preorder bonus

Okay, that was an actual lol.

A yellow saber would also foreshadow his rising out of evil, and be especially cool considering Rey’s constructed saber color.

DominicCobb said:

DominicCobb said:

What if the silver on his mask was gold like in the TFA concept art?

Why not make it all gold?

http://www.framecompare.com/image-compare/screenshotcomparison/9BCBJNNU

It feels odd to go from Kylo on the destroyer to down on the planet with no establishing shots in between.

However, the crawl is a big improvement. The only thing that feels very strange to me is to mention that Leia is ‘ailing’ right before playing up the strength of the Resistance.