What i want the Resistance to be like in VIII

They should always wear a beret. Introduce themselves in darkened places to their allies with the line, "Listen carefully, I shall say this only once...."

 

I think it's the time for them to dust off B-Wings, V-Wings and Headhunters. Make it happen already!

 

Can someone explain to me why the Resistance existed in the first place?
It would make sense if the Republic wasn't around or actually opposed Leia and co, but it had its own massive fleet and openly supported The Resistance.
Surely it would've made more sense to have the Republic destabilised during the movie and then have the Resistance formed at the end?

Anyway, I'd like to see something new. Not just the same old stuff that we saw in ROTJ.
I'd like to see Resistance spies (always intrigued by Bothan spies) and elite trained ground troops. Go for more of a cold war espionage approach rather than an out and out hot war.

 

"Resistance" is a ridiculous term for what they actually are, they are a militia of the New Republic. A real resistance is an organisation formed by oppressed people after an invading force occupies their territory.

 

Aren't the First Order those who invade and occupy their territories?

 

The Republic did sorta oppose leia and did not openly support the resistance. Whenever they did support the resistance it was more of a secret kinda thing, like the US backing rebels in pro communist countries way back when. While there were some members who supported her, many did not and Leia found it hard to gain the support of the republic. In the visual dictionary it says that the New Republic agreed with the resistance ideals but they did not want to go to war with the first order and jepordize the long needed peace the galaxy had. But smarter people like Leia knew the first order would come knocking anyway so she formed the more radical resistance.

 

They didn't really show us that in TFA though...shame.

 

I agree they didnt make the relationship clear in the movie but it helps move the pace along and most casual movie goers dont care and the hardcore fans read enough expanded universe stuff to get it anyway so it works out.

 

The pace needed slowing down IMO. And that scene would've made a difference. As it stands there isn't much of a reason to care that those planets (which aren't really identified - I thought it was Coruscant at first which gave it some gravitas) and thus their destruction falls flat. If we knew of people on them or saw a worthy emotive reaction from a character - say Leia, then it would've had much greater impact.

 

What I don't understand is why they're even called the Resistance to begin with.

The rebels defeated the Empire, they're now the establishment, and should have a more appropriate name like republic.

 

I want to see hardliner factions. You know, the ones that are pretty much just as bad as the Empire/First Order, but think they aren't simply because they're not the Empire/First Order.

 

I know what I don't want to see and that's a complete rehash of the Rebel Alliance. By that I mean, the Resistance should have some more power than the Rebels. Most of the times we're shown the Rebel Alliance they're a group of rag-tag freedom fighters armed with last generation technology and lesser numbers. You can't tell the same story twice of a small group overcoming a larger evil government. I want to see the Resistance more well equipped.

 

There's an easy way for this to make sense. The First Order must have control over some territory. The Resistance might have begun precisely in the way that, say, the French Resistance in WWII did: as a movement to end the First Order's occupation of this territory. Then, only later - once she's jaded with the Republic's unwillingness to combat the First Order - does Leia leave the Republic behind and join up with and aid the organization dedicated to doing just that: the Resistance.

 

This thread has been moved to The Last Jedi forum.

 

Hopefully they will scrap the concept of "Resistance" or "Rebels Rehash" altogether and brand the good guys as the Republic.

I'm guessing in TLJ the Republic fleet will still have enough to put on a good fight. Both the Republic and the FO have faced a huge setback and they are still on par at the end of the movie IMO.

 

From my understanding (I haven't read any books beside Aftermath yet) the resistance came into being because the republic underestimated the danger coming from the FO and was reluctant to military action. So the resistance formed to resist the FO. After FOs open attack on the republic, the remnant of the republic will probably be more engaged in fighting the FO.

 

This is the answer.

Furthermore, Leia easily recognized the danger of the rising First Order and naturally reverted to how she knew best to counter such concerns, drawing upon her plentiful experiences with the Rebellion.

Beyond the Jedi, which, as of Episode VII, are no longer there to bail out the Galaxy, the Rebellion and the Resistance function somewhat as an immune system to the pathological and cancerous forces of subjugation.

Since the First Order has Snoke and Kylo, the Knights of Ren, if not more, they also, as of Episode VII, have an added advantage over the Republic in terms of Force-imbalancing abilities through Dark Side disturbance.

This is why, for there to be any level playing field to counterbalance this situation, Luke must accompany Rey back into the lion's den (or Rancor's pit) of galactic conflict and exert a resistance there on behalf of the Light Side of the Force (as "Jedi" or whatever they shall be known as hence forth).

After Episode VII, it should be interesting to see what becomes of the Resistance. Will more systems directly invest and band together to form a New Rebel Alliance? A Galactic Alliance? Or will there be more indecision, vaciliation, and intimidation in the presence of a raging First Order after the loss of their Base?

Surely the Galaxy cannot begin to tolerate and wilt before Empire 2.0, certainly not after Empire's End.

I do expect many to be war-wary, and rightfully so, but, as Maz noted in so many words, this is the only battle, the struggle of ages between competing forces of evil against good. And, the stronger the darkness, the brighter a light might shine.

So, as long as evil returns, there must always be resistors and protectors, along with preservers and rememberers who can help others not to repeat the past in the worst possible ways.

 

Just the same as in TFA.