This is my take on what might go down in episode 8. I am writing this with the assumption that you have already seen the 7th episode. If you have not, then I would recommend you not read this, because there are definitely SPOILERS. I'll try to update as much as I can anyway, but support will certainly keep me going. There will be some Finn/Rey/Poe romance in this, but the Poe/Rey is mainly there to get Finn a little jealous.
I do not own Star Wars in any way.
Captain Phasma was disgraced. She stood in the vast cathedral-like room of Supreme Leader Snoke, a man she could not see in the dim lighting, though she made out the silhouette of a grand chair in the middle of the room. This room, she noticed, was just like the one on Starkiller Base, but larger. It had the same pillars and pedestal walkway that conjoined with the pedestal circle in the middle of the room. On it was the gigantic throne of Snoke. She had only gotten a glimpse of that smaller room in all its glory before, and had then thought it was magnificent, but this place was different. It was somehow more real, the darkness was almost material. She had never seen a building so large in her life.
She was trembling violently under her armor, an action she was sure Snoke could see. She could feel his gaze pierce through the darkness, even at more than forty meters away.
"Come closer," he whispered, but she heard him clearly. Her shaking legs slowly took her closer to the throne.
"What have you done?" his voice was soft, like he spoke to a disobedient child.
"Supreme Leader, I was taken captive. I had no choice-"
"BE QUIET!"
She wanted to run, but she knew better than to step back.
"Take off that helmet."
She flinched. The helmet was her protection from the staring eyes of humans and beasts alike. Faces showed weakness. Faces could be interpreted, but helmets stood adamant, unreadable and uncertain to staring and perceptive eyes. Like her soldier subordinates, she took it off only after she had locked herself in her room. But most of all right now it was protection from this creature, this being that she was scared of most. She switched off the clasps and pulled off her helmet. Her sweaty, short hair clung to her face. Tear marks streaked her cheeks. She felt naked.
"I question your loyalties, Captain."
"Supreme Leader, I assure you I am most loyal to you. Please let me prove myself." She begged him outright. She had nothing to hide, nothing to hold back. If he did not accept her back, she knew very well what it meant. She would die.
Snoke was silent for a long time. She knew he enjoyed her suffering, her begging, and her dependence on his words. It only fed his glory, and he basked in it a while before continuing.
"I will give you a last chance."
"Thank you, Supreme Leader, you are most gracious-"
"Do not think me forgiving, traitor. I am short on commanders and I need my most experienced leaders at this time. Kylo Ren's training is of utmost importance to me and while I am occupied with him I do not have time to train another captain. Your job is simple: destroy the Resistance. Find out where they are, send a spy into their midst, send search droids, I don't care how, but once you find them use any force necessary to utterly decimate them. Once they are dead we may have peace."
"Yes, Supreme Leader. Thank you, Supreme Leader. I will apply all my efforts to this task."
"You will. If you do not I will kill you myself. Leave me."
Phasma bowed. She would not be made a fool again.
~*.*~
Finn saw Kylo Ren standing erect on snowy ground, lightsaber blazing harshly against the dark backdrop of a sunless planet. Rey lied behind him near the tree she had been thrown against, possibly dead. Tears tampered with his vision; he could only make out segments of the scene before him. He knew he was soon to join Rey in death. He hoped it would be quick.
He lunged at Kylo Ren.
"REY! REY!" Finn woke screaming.
Poe Dameron, who was sitting beside him, leapt to his feet.
"It's alright, Finn! It's alright! She's fine!"
"Where is she? She was hurt!" Poe didn't understand. He didn't hold her lifeless head in his hands; he didn't see her fly forty meters in the air and hit the tree.
"She's fine, Finn. She's with Luke."
That gave Finn pause.
"Luke? Luke Skywalker?"
"Yes!" Poe's eyes lit up. "We've finally found him."
"Where is he?" Finn looked around as if he might be standing in the room. "Rey's with him? Can I see her?"
"Not yet. They're on the other side of the galaxy right now."
"Then let's go. We'll find a ship-"
"No Finn, the Resistance needs us here. Both of us."
"But Rey-"
"Rey is fine. She is being trained by Luke to become a Jedi as we speak. If you went you would only hinder her training. Finn, the Resistance needs you!"
"You don't understand, Poe. I'm not what the Resistance wants, I'm not a great warrior."
"Finn, fighting for the Resistance is fighting for Rey. Only she can bring down Kylo Ren. We have to do all we can to help her. You'll be no help to her anywhere else."
Finn had not thought of that. This is how he could keep Rey safe, by fighting her enemies. He paused for a time, thinking it over.
Poe grinned. "Are you in?"
Finn looked up at Poe. "I'm in."
"Alright!" Poe smiled broadly and smacked Finn on the back. "Let's go see General Leia. She wanted to see you as soon as you woke."
General Organa was at her usual spot in the Resistance Base, the Main Control Room. Resistance fighters scrambled around fulfilling tasks, some punched coordinates and info into computers, others stood around the hologram in the center of the room, forming strategies and planning attacks. It was near the hologram that General Organa stood. She was in deep discussion with the Admiral over matters that Finn guessed were way above his head. Poe didn't seem to think it mattered, because he walked right up to the General. "Guess who finally woke up?" he said, grinning broadly.
Leia looked at Finn and smiled. "Oh good, we can begin immediately. Finn, first off I want to thank you for your part in destroying Starkiller Base. We could not have done it without you. But we obviously still have much to accomplish." She turned to a hologram that showed a star system. All the planets glowed red. "The red planets are all under the control of the First Order. We have a base here on Kath, but we expect the First Order to find us very soon. Our main goal right now is to secure a new base. We have a few potential locations." She pressed a button and a few small planets zoomed into view then spun around and focused to specific locations, which glowed green. "We've sent scouts into these areas and have asked them to begin negotiations with settlements. These planets are aware of the evil of the First Order. We hope some may decide to join our cause. Furthermore, we can hope that once word spreads of our recent victory, people will be emboldened and begin to join. That is where you come in, Finn."
"Me?"
"Yes, you. You have been trained from birth how to fight by the First Order itself. That is why you would be the most effective weapon against it. We need you to train our troops and any incoming recruits. Teach them how to fight the Order by countering its own methods. I am appointing you Captain of the Resistance Ground Forces. If we're going to stop the First Order, we need more experienced troops."
"But-"
"No buts, Captain. The Resistance once again relies on you. Poe will take you to your first recruiting station on the planet of Tattooine. Good luck."
Finn thought they were making a huge mistake. "But General, I was just a sani-"
"Please Finn. I need you. Please don't let us down."
"I'll do my best."