SPECULATION MSW's city of hope and dreams

I think MSW has stated before that they MAY be on the same planet (given that the castle and base appear to be) but Luke may have just removed himself to that location. So, he's not missing per se (this is my analysis NOT MSW), but rather in isolation and his family gives him that space. Maybe they don't understand why and it may have caused a division, etc... Regardless, I would like this scene either way - Kira or Leia... I still think Kira is a solo and that droid may be like her pet dog or something. Always been with her. So it makes sense it would be with her family even if she's not around.

 

I agree. Putting all the pieces so far together, perhaps this is how things play out (just my confused guesses):

1) Driver plays both sides. Sometimes he dresses up like a Sith with the mask and runs the bad guys. Sometimes he dresses like himself and acts the good son of Solo. He's the new Palpatine, in other words. But Luke will see right through him when they meet. I don't think the audience will know for sure Driver is the one behind the Sith mask until near the end of the film, when either Luke reveals him or the mask comes off.

2) Driver hunts Boyega after Boyega "awakens" and crashes on the planet. Boyega meets Ridley.

3) Ridley is estranged from both of her parents (Han and Leia), who are on the rocks somewhat, probably over Luke's strange behavior as suggested by the OP. Ridley ran away/lives on her own away from the family drama. Luke refuses to train any of the young generation, maybe because of something that happened while trying to train Leia/Ridley/or Driver. Driver's not being trained properly leads him to the Dark Side, explains his obsession with Sith artifacts.

4) Han and Chewie help daughter and Boyega to escape the desert planet after Driver destroys the village. MF shot from teaser.

5) Driver re-adopts his normal persona and catches up with Ridley and Boyega on the water planet. They all meet Luke.

6) For some reason, probably because Luke finds him out, Driver kidnaps Ridley and takes her to the snow planet where the base is. I think this happens after Luke and Han have their confrontation over the fate of Driver. At the same time, Driver has his men attack the planet, which draws Isaac (in a love triangle with Boyege and Ridley away). In the confusion, Driver absconds with Ridley, revealing himself without question. Ridley feels defeated by her brother, doesn't know what to do.

7) Boyega, Luke, and the Falcon go to try to save Ridley. Boyega is the one who knows where they are (his Imperial past is now revealed--I think maybe he hid it from everyone until this point).

8) Ridley is rescued. Final duel on the snow planet, mainly between Luke/Boyega and Driver. Falcon burns.

9) Luke disarms Driver, Han dies heroically saving his daughter, realizes the evil in his son, asking Luke to save him. Driver escapes.

10) Driver stews, plots vengeance with master, while Luke begins to train Ridley, his niece, as well as Boyega. Last shot is Driver looking at the mask of Vader, as he contemplates his becoming like his grandfather.

 

I like your analysis. I might only add that there might be some resentment on Driver's part that he stayed with his parents and the Alliance while his little sister took off to do her "own thing" yet remains the apple of their eyes. Typical sibling rivalry, but, for force sensitive siblings, could be disastrous.

 

Overall sounds good. The only thing I'm not a fan of is that Ridley sounds to damsal in distress (which you may not have intended). I hope to see her not needing rescuing and being a strong lead female heroine

 

I think there's definitely some sibling rivalry. And actually, now that I think about it....

The thing that unites Ridley and Driver's characters is that they're both scavengers. It's just that Ridley scavenges ships (is more of the pilot), while Driver scavenges Sith/Jedi artifacts.

In other words, Ridley inherits the Skywalker piloting/fixing/mechanical skills of Anakin, Driver the more knightly side, at least at first.

Oh yes, I definitely didn't intend that. It's just that MSW said that Driver does capture her and she has that line about him not "becoming more powerful than Vader."

But what about this. Maybe he doesn't literally capture her. Maybe he, her, and Boyega go somewhere together, Driver fooling them into trusting him, and then suddenly turns on them. Or maybe Ridley tries to reason with her brother, and in a way lets herself be held by him.

But I'm just not sure. There's lots of pieces to this puzzle. I think the climax is the snow forest planet, though.

So basically:

1st Act - Desert Planet
2nd Act - Water Planet
3rd Act - Snow Forest Planet