SPECULATION Alternate Sequel Trilogies

I would like to have an alternate ST which features mainly Luke and Ben during their time as master and apprentice. You could compare it with the PT, but without knowing that Ben will fall to the dark side by the end of the second or third movie.

 

I think it depends which me you're talking to.

Me right now, after TLJ, a big yes.

Before TFA, I think I would have been disappointed since the big 3 were all alive and I would have felt it a lost opportunity. I don't think it would have affected me going to the movies though, whether the big 3 were present or not.

I don't know if your deductions are entirely accurate on how fans would have reacted. At the very least, I hold a different opinion. A huge portion of haters is due to Luke, and many say they can accept "grumpy" Luke, it's making the leap (which many feel highly unlikely) of the flashbacks as the big issue with his characterization. Now, have a trilogy that explains all that, takes us through the process of the deconstruction of Luke and his fall over roughly 6 hours, and I think fans would have mostly gone along. It's the leap of RotJ and the OT to the TLJ that encounters most of the resistance I think.

Then again, that would have taken away the mystery form TFA. They'd likely have had to make a very different TFA, and by extension, TLJ, had they gone that route. They would have had a much more fleshed out background then I feel they have now for Luke and Kylo as well as Snoke. The prequel probably wouldn't have had as many huge moments (FG lightning, Holdo maneuver, Chosen One 2.0, Force download ec...) which probably would have given the dissenters like myself more confidence in their team and direction, and by extension, a greater likelihood to accept future stories and the introduction of new canon.

The reality is, had they made this alternate trilogy, the whole story would have been different. Losing Carrie Fisher in the second installment of a prequel would have totally changed the entire saga story. The would have had to write in her death at least before this trilogy began. Which means, as many fans believe, there would have never had been plans for Leia to be a major point in IX, which means they would have likely kept Luke alive and changed the entire narrative of the story.

Beyond that, with a prequel trilogy, Rey would no longer have been the focus. Her introduction into this modified ST probably would have been much different, probably heavier on romance, which would have probably meant some decisions made in TFA would have changed in her relationship with Kylo. In short, with a prequel, we wouldn't have the ST as we see it now. I would have totally transformed the trilogy into something entirely different.

It's a very interesting idea though, thanks for posting this, it was fun and will continue to be fun reading and writing at the possibilities.

 

I think that's the point. @Lock_S_Foils' thread is more or less focusing on the question "How would you make the ST".

My idea wouldn't have been a PT to the now known ST. The ST wouldn't even exist (maybe some years later down the line). So, there would have been no Rey in my ST story. And if it did, then Rey should also have been Luke's apprentice and maybe even Ben's love interest. Or I would re-use my idea of Rey's origin which I had before TLJ was released.
=> Luke and Ben hunted down dark side users. They (or just Luke) killed them. Then they noticed these dark side users had a child (Rey) and they didn't know what to do with her. First Luke "wanted to kill" young Rey too, but Ben convinced him not to do it.

 

I would have went a different route, assuming someone had pitched our current ST already.

I would have made Rey a stowaway, pre awakening. So she's basically just a normal little girl, but... and here's the hook, Luke being a master somehow senses something "special or different" about her. This would make sense since the Force is known to be able to predict, anticipate and even give visions of the future. I wouldn't make anything that dramatic though, keep it vague until the next trilogy, our current ST.

This way, much like yours, Kylo and Rey have a character arc that starts at a young age. They know each other, but there's tension because Kylo doesn't feel she gets him due to her lack of the force. Leia meets her, as does Han. So the familiarity makes sense all around. I'd make it that she's gifted with mechanics, and thus Luke keeps her around to help out at the academy. There she sees all the other kids being able to do all this cool force stuff, but she feels as though she's the outsider, not normal, not understood. Ben wonders why master Luke keeps her around, as do other students. Luke may wonder himself, having no hard answers beyond a vague feeling.

This trilogy ends with Kylo destroying the academy, but Kylo, in his final act as Ben, sends Rey away out of pity. Then lead into this current trilogy, and I think everything makes way more sense.

--- Double Post Merged, Sep 30, 2018, Original Post Date: Sep 30, 2018 ---

Just an extension to my last post. I would have made their ages closer, maybe 4-5 years difference. Enough that romance at that young age wouldn't be hinted at, but she'd have to be older to realistically take on a role of maintenance uh... girl. I'd focus the story on Luke and Ben and the other students (thus introducing the KoR), but I'd keep Rey with enough screen time so the audience knows there's something going on there.

Then, assuming the movies follow somewhat like the ST does now, Luke would be reunited with Rey, who he assumed was dead after Kylo's mutiny. He'd have the extra surprise to see her not only able to wield the force, but be strong in the force. Until this point, Luke, and even the JEdi had assumed people were born with an affinity to the force, now he'd learn that it can manifest itself spontaneously after years. I think that would open up all sorts of interesting avenues for new characters moving forward.

Technically some of these ideas can still be used in the ST, but nothing is specified. We don't know if Rey had force talent before TFA, maybe she did and they simply weren't exercised. I think the general assumption is that she didn't and TFA is meant to show that she goes from 0-100 in power, but that's all guess work, assumptions and head canon. I don't believe it's actually been addressed.

I just like the familiarity aspect of it. She's still be able to be a nobody, but we'd still be able to wonder who her parents are. We wouldn't have had the shock of Luke/Ben flashback, which would have shortened they movie, or the director could have focused more on other aspects of the story (Finn). She'd have more of a place in the story, but it would still be undefined enough to add to speculation.

 

It's not so much that I would do the completely differently, just that I'd have used the stand alone films to fill in the gaps. Something like this:

2015 Luke Skywalker, A Star Wars Story (details Luke and Ben in the years between ROTJ and TFA). Show Luke doing so cool Jedi stuff.

2016 Ben Skywalker, A Star Wars Story (shows Ben falling to the dark side and the rise of the First Order)

2017 VII The Force Awakens (I'd still kill of Solo as H. Ford didn't want to play him anymore)

2018 Rey, a Star Wars Story This could be a prequel so to speak, or it could deter her in the months after TFA. Maybe have her go to Ach-To and learn from Luke in this one and have them go do Jedi stuff together?

2018 Rogue One, a Star Wars story

2019 VIII The Last Jedi (get rid of Canto Bight, develop Holdo and Tico more, oh, and no Holdo maneuver). Keep grumpy Luke, if you want, but at least the explanation for why he is where he is mentally should make more sense now. I would have a time jump forward.

2020 Stand Alone detailing Rey’s continuing growth as a Jedi

2021 Stand Alone detailing the FO after the Last Jedi, focused on Kylo Ren’s leadership

2022 IX

It just seems like there was no rhyme nor reason as to how the films were decided upon. I'd have an overall story which each director would have to adhere to, whether that story was the treatments developed by JJ or someone else.

Also, all of these films would be released at Christmas time. I don't buy into the Star Wars fatigue BS but I think it's better if you do one film/year. It helps it to keep that special feeling.

 

I agree with most of this, though I think the 2020 Rey would be unnecessary. Most of the reasonable complaints about her has to do with her lack of training, and that's already been resolved in her first SW story. I like your 2021 idea. I'm not a big fan of Kylo/Ben, but I feel there's some unrealized potential there. Having that story with Luke and Ben, I think it would have added enough to get me on board. Having a movie centered around him and the FO would do two things. It would show us the inner workings and reasoning of the FO and make the galaxy feel bigger, SW like. That last bit is a complaint I've heard from more than one lover as well as most haters.

The best part of that Kylo focused movie, is that hopefully you have a really feared villain, or team of villains (developed KoR), for our heroes to face off against in IX.

 

The First Order should never have been a copy of the Empire. Abrams and Kasdan should have used something new like an invasion from the Unknown Regions, a split in the Rebel Alliance creating a situation based on the Cold War or the Mandolaorians.

I think Abrams was too focused on using familiar images for the marketing than on doing something fresh. Or perhaps he was too much of a fanboy.

When the news first broke that Disney were making sequels I said to myself they have to get JJ Abrams because he is the only one for the job - he'll not only be able to make it look like Star Wars but he'll but some bonkers spin on it that will make it brand new.

It turns out Rain Johnson was the one who had the fresh ideas. I honestly would love to see what Johnson would have done if he was creating the ST from scratch.

 

I can dig that.