Right, here we go again. Another installment of my What If scenario, if I was allowed to make my own version of a Star Wars movie. This time it is Episode 7 that gets rewritten. A couple of key things; no Mega-Death Star, because god damn that is a terrible idea, and I'll try and give Phasma a reason to actually exist in the movie. So if you enjoy it, or hate, why not leave a comment. Anyways, lets get on with the show!

A Force Awakens rewrite

Star Wars Episode 7

The Force Awakens

Luke Skywalker has vanished. In his absence, the sinister FIRST ORDER has risen from the ashes of the Empire and is only held back by the NEW REPUBLIC.

With the support of the Republic, General Leia Organa leads the brave RESISTANCE deep behind the borders of the First Order. Desperate to destroy the First Order, Leia is committed to finding Luke and gain his help in restoring peace and justice in the galaxy.

Leia has sent a trusted friend on a secret mission to Jakku, where an old ally is said to have a clue to Luke's whereabouts…

A large Star Destroyer enters orbit of Jakku. Several smaller troop-transports leaves the larger vessel and heads for the surface. Onboard, Storm Troopers stand ready enter the fray.

On the desert surface, BB-8 spots the incoming ships and hurries towards a small village. Inside one of the huts, sits Admiral Wedge Antilles, Captain Poe Dameron and Lor San Tekka ( heavily modified with cybernetics ).

San Tekka holds up a small computer-stick. "This contains all you need" he says and hands it to Wedge.

Wedge looks at the stick for a moment. "And you are sure he went there?"

San Tekka smiles. "After all the trouble we went through to complete this map, he had no other choice."

Wedge smiles. "The general will be pleased to hear about this. You've given us all hope."

"Hope" San Tekka chuckles. "You still need to convince Skywalker to come back with you."

BB-8 crashes in and beeps frantically.

"The First Order" Poe Dameron says and they all turn serious.

They get outside and Poe uses a pair of magnoculars and spots the incoming enemy ships.

Poe turns to San Tekka. "You gotta hide."

"You need to leave" San Tekka says. "Go, we will keep them busy."

"Be careful" Wedge tells San Tekka and then turns to Poe. "Come on, let's go!"

Poe, Wedge and BB-8 hurry towards their ship. That's when blaster-rounds starts raining in over the village, the troop-transports firing from afar as they close in. Poe and Wedge are forced to duck into cover. All around them the villagers prepare for battle. The troop-transports lands and unloads dozens and dozens of stormtroopers. Poe and Wedge makes a run for it, but Wedge gets shot and falls over dead. Poe finds the computer-stick and he and BB-8 runs for the shuttle. They get onboard and start up the ship, but stormtroopers open fire with heavy weapons and damage the engines.

"They took out the engines!" Poe says and he and BB-8 leaves the ship, Poe armed with a blaster. "Here, take this!" Poe says and gives BB-8 the computer-stick. "It's safer with you than with me. Go! Get as far away from here as you can." But BB-8 hesitates. "Go! I'll be fine. I'll catch up with you. Get out of here!"

BB-8 hurries to leave the village. Poe runs back to the fighting and starts shooting. One of the stormtroopers shot gets dragged into cover by a comrade; he's holding his hand over the bleeding wound, reaches out to his friend and smears blood on his helmet ( FN-2187 ). As the wounded stormtrooper dies, FN-2187 gets back on his feet and in shock looks around at the fighting; houses are torched with flamethrowers, civilians are shot dead when they are unarmed and have surrendered. Other civilians are rounded up and brought together as the fighting dies out.

San Tekka is held by two stormtroopers when a stormtrooper wearing chromed armor and a cloak walks up to him ( Phasma of course ). Poe sneaks into cover and watches.

"Lor San Tekka" Phasma says. "Notorious mercenary and bounty-hunter."

"That was long ago" San Tekka says. "Now I am only a humble merchant, selling minerals and ore."

Phasma takes a look around. "Your friends are very well armed for simple merchants."

"Can't be too careful" San Tekka says. "So many bandits and brigands running around the galaxy these days."

"Your insolence will only give you grief" Phasma says.

"I don't fear you" San Tekka replies.

"It's not me you should worry about" Phasma says.

San Tekka, and Poe, spots the incoming shuttle. Large, black and bat-like in appearance. As it lands, its wings fold up and a ramp extends. Kylo Ren, followed by two stormtroopers, exits the shuttle. Kylo walks up to San Tekka.

"Look how old you've become" Kylo says.

"Something far worse has happened to you" San Tekka replies.

"We've tracked a Republic shuttle to this planet" Kylo says.

At that point, two stormtroopers comes dragging Wedges body and places it next to Kylo Ren.

"Admiral Antilles" Kylo says, "of the Republic navy. Why did he come here?"

"I don't know" San Tekka says. "Never seen him before."

"I think you have" Kylo says.

"I do remember you in your youth" San Tekka tells Kylo. "Before you called yourself Kylo Ren. Before you turned to the Dark Side. You may try, but you can never run from the truth about your family."

"You're so right" Kylo says, ignites his cross-guard lightsaber and cuts down San Tekka in cold blood.

Poe can't sit idle any more and fires his gun at Kylo. Kylo instantly deflects the shot to the side with his lightsaber and reaches out with his hand, Force choking Poe, forcing him down on his knees, gasping for air. Two stormtroopers runs over and hits Poe with their guns and then drags him along on over to Kylo and Phasma. Here, they violently search him and then push him to the ground.

"Nothing, sir" the stormtroopers says.

Kylo kneels and looks at Poe.

Poe looks at Phasma and then at Kylo. "So who talks first? You talk first?"

"The old man gave you something" Kylo says.

"It's just very hard to understand you, with all the apparatus" Poe says.

Kylo stands up and turns to Phasma. "Put him onboard" and turns to head for his shuttle.

"Sir" Phasma says. "The villagers?"

Kylo barely stops to think. "Kill them all."

Kylo moves on. Poe can only watch as he is dragged along by stormtroopers as the rest of the First Order soldiers round up the civilians and surround them.

Phasma looks on. "On my command… Fire!"

The stormtroopers open fire and guns down all the civilians. Every stormtrooper except for FN2187 with the smeared helmet. He takes aim, but then lowers the weapon, just watching the unarmed civilians getting slaughtered.

"FN-2187, why aren't you firing?!" an officer, wearing stormtrooper armor and a red shoulder-pad, asks.

"I… uh… The gun… it's jammed, sir" FN-2187 says.

"Alright" the officer says. "Submit your gun for inspection once we get back to the ship."

"Yes, sir" FN-2187 says.

At Poes and Wedges shuttle, a stormtrooper runs out and joins others.

"It's clear. Nothing here, go ahead" the stormtrooper says.

Another stormtrooper throws in a grenade into the shuttle and the troopers runs away. Shortly afterwards, the shuttle is blown apart.

BB-8 turns around as the First Order ships takes to the skies. He rolls up on a sandy ridge and sees the burning village in the distance. Making sad noises, he continues to increase distance to the village.

Kylo Rens shuttle, followed by the troop-transports fly in towards the giant Star Destroyer in orbit. The troop-transports enter a huge hangar-bay and lands; as the troops disembark, Poe Dameron is escorted off as well, wearing shackles. Being pushed along, Poe gets a bit upset.

"All right, all right!"

FN-2187 watches as Poe is escorted away. He turns and heads back into the troop-transports where he removes his helmet; he is terrified and desperate, breathing heavily.

"FN-2187." FN-2187 turns around as Phasma enters the transport. "Who gave you permission to remove your helmet outside of barracks?"

"I'm sorry, captain" FN-2187 says and returns the helmet to its proper place.

"Return to your unit" Phasma says, "and submit a debrief on the mission."

"Yes, captain" FN-2187 says.

Phasma leaves the transports. FN-2187 leans up against the bulkhead and hangs his head.

To be continued…

So that is how I would open Episode 7. We get a bit more understanding of the politics of the galaxy. We get to know a bit more about Lor San Tekka and we get a sense of his importance. And Phasma gets a bit more fleshed out and is given a stronger introduction.