Welcome back to Part 2 of my Star Wars: Episode IX rewrite series. Last time we covered the entire first act. I'd recommend reading Part 1 before starting Part 2, but here's a quick summary in case you can't for some reason.
Okay. The opening of the movie is a lot like the original: It's been about two years since the events of The Last Jedi. Supreme Leader Kylo Ren is hunting down a voice he's been hearing in his head, and tracks that voice to Moraband, the ancient homeworld of the Sith. When he gets there and goes into the temple, he realizes that the voice was that of Darth Sidious, and that he's been manipulating Ben for his entire life through Snoke, and preparing him for the final part of his plan to retake the galaxy. Darth Sidious' spirit resides in the temple on Moraband as a sort of Sith revenant. He's trapped there but has been able to manipulate Snoke into training Ben Solo to become the next Supreme Leader. Sidious plans to possess Ben Solo and eventually take over his body, locking Ben's mind out and reclaiming his throne as Emperor/Supreme Leader. He does so, and now Ben has yellow eyes.
Finn and his guerilla fighters called Onyx Company are finishing a mission on Kijimi, where the First Order is waging war against an insurgency. After an attack on a battering ram (like the one from The Last Jedi) Finn meets more defecting stormtroopers. He doesn't trust them, but his second-in-command, Jannah, who is also a former stormtrooper, convinces him to let them join the Resistance. A dying officer throws a tracker on their ship before it takes off. Onyx Company goes back to Ajan Kloss. Rose and Poe introduce Finn to a new Resistance fighter named Ares. It's revealed that he is a former stormtrooper as well, and Finn takes a disliking to him. Jannah tells Ares that he has a place with Onyx Company, and should get ready for their next mission.
Poe and Chewy went to an outpost to get info from an old friend, who tells them that the programming in the initial generation of First Order stormtroopers is beginning to break down, and they are defecting to the Resistance. To combat this, the First Order is recruiting Imperial loyalists and working secretly on cybernetics projects to have fully programmable soldiers that can't disobey. We get the same lightspeed skipping chase and they make it back to Ajan Kloss safely.
Rey is training in the ways of the Jedi on Ajan Kloss. She has Leia for advice, but is basically teaching herself and learning from the books that she took from Ach To. We get a sense of how far she's come in her training, she's much more agile and her lightsaber skills have improved a ton. We also see that she's constructed a new saber, with pieces of the Skywalker lightsaber and her staff, and it looks as though it may be a double-bladed lightsaber too. She sees Kylo Ren through ForceTime when she enters a dark cave during her training, and senses that something is different. He taunts her, and implies that he knows where she is. Rey is concerned and intimidated by the presence in the Force when she spoke to Kylo Ren, and now feels like her training might not be enough for what's coming next, even though she has no idea what actually IS coming next.
Rose is the head of the engineering corps for the Resistance, and has been using the First Order Tech that Onyx Company brings back from their missions to improve the fleet. They have communications equipment that has jamming and long-range transmitters to reach the other Resistance cells across the galaxy. They've retrofitted almost every ship, including the light fighters, with cloaking technology that makes them almost invisible to the First Order, and stronger shields that mean less damage from blaster fire. Poe is really impressed with her, and asks her to come to the High Council meetings and give updates, but she refuses, saying that she doesn't belong.
The High Council has a meeting, but the First Order shows up and begins to bomb the base. Stormtroopers land and a battle takes place as the Resistance tries to flee. Kylo Ren shows up as Rey is helping Leia onto the Tantive IV, and a lightsaber battle takes place. Rey is faster and more agile, but Kylo Ren is incredibly strong thanks to Darth Sidious possessing his body. The Sith Lord reveals himself to Rey, and the people aboard the Tantive IV, including Leia hear his voice too. Kylo Ren begins to beat Rey, but Leia freezes him with the Force and gives Rey a chance to board the ship. The effort is too much for Leia though, and she collapses. The ship takes off, and the rest of the base burns to the ground.
Rose suggests that they get to dead space, in the unknown regions where they can regroup and avoid the First Order. She gets injured in the attack and Ares helps her onboard the ship, where Rey heals her using the Force. The fleet starts to make its way there. Once the fleet is able to regroup, our heroes meet in the infirmary to check on Leia. When they get there, she's not doing well. Poe, Chewie and Rey have final words with her, and she tells Rey that there's a reason she did what she did, and that it'll all be clear in time. Leia becomes one with the Force and they have a funeral, similar to Yondu's from Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol.2.
The High Council has a meeting about where to go, since they don't have any safe havens left. Rose suggests a crazy idea, that the Resistance hide on Coruscant. She says that the planet's high population and hundreds of levels will allow them to sneak in using cloaking technology and hide in the lower levels. The billions of transmissions leaving the planet will help to mask any that the Resistance sends out, and the First Order has all but abandoned the lower levels. She also thinks that if they can build a big enough fleet and devise a plan, they might be able to take out the main Super Star Destroyer, called The Persecutor, which houses all of the First Order high command. The High Council scoffs and tells her she's crazy, but Poe, now the leader of the Resistance, thinks it's a great but risky idea. He pulls Rose aside and asks her to lead with him, since Leia told him that he doesn't have to command the Resistance alone. She doesn't believe she can do it, but begrudgingly accepts. The Resistance sets course for Coruscant, and we end Act 1.
Now that that's out of the way, let's get right into the good stuff:
As the Resistance makes its way to Coruscant, we get a scene with Finn and Poe as they're talking in a meeting room. Finn is strung out, he's concerned as to how the First Order found them on Ajan Kloss. Poe tells him that their luck was bound to run out sometime, and at least casualties were kept to a minimum. Finn is skeptical though, he thinks there may be a spy in the Resistance feeding information to the enemy. The new stormtrooper recruits may have been hiding an agent who provided info to the First Order. Poe slows him down, trying to get him to think about it. They were able to root out any spies before and haven't had a problem since, people aren't conscripted into the Resistance, they come for the cause, to fight the First Order. The chances of a spy sneaking in are small, everyone in the Resistance knows everyone, and they're all in it for the same reason.
In an effort to lighten the mood, Poe asks Finn if he remembers the first time they flew together. Finn smiles and reminisces about the escape to Jakku, and the events of the first act of The Force Awakens. Finn tells him that he can't imagine his life otherwise, like he was destined to be here, to fight the tyranny of the First Order. He tells Poe that he owes him his life, that he can't begin to thank him enough for the compassion he showed Finn. Poe tells Finn he's lucky to have someone like him. They draw closer, and there's a tension in the air. The gravitational pull between them seems irresistible, until C-3PO comes in and interrupts them. "General Dameron, the bridge crew has asked me to inform you that the fleet is about to arrive on the far side of Coruscant, and that your presence is requested on the bridge immediately." Poe stands up, shakes it off, and tells him he'll be right there.
Some of you may be wondering: "Is this dude really a stormpilot?". The answ er is yes. Aside from adding some much needed representation to Star Wars, I genuinely think that Poe and Finn have great chemistry together. From their first interaction in The Force Awakens to their reunion in The Last Jedi, I think a romance between the two isn't that far-fetched. I wanted the culmination of their relationship to echo Han and Leia's, but less antagonistic.
The Tantive IV and the rest of the fleet exit hyperspace on the far side of the First Order's capital planet. We can see in the distance the sheer size of The Persecutor, almost as long as the entire diameter of Coruscant itself. Rose stands on the bridge nervously as the crews of the various ships cloak themselves. There's a tense moment where no one is sure whether it's working. We see in the distance a First Order shuttle approaching, and everyone begins to despair. However after a tense, breathless moment, the shuttle passes over and everyone takes a huge sigh of relief. They make it down to the surface, and begin their descent into the lower levels of the planet.
The crew disembarks into a grimy, crowded world filled with criminals, vagrants, and the rejects of high society in Coruscant. They are among the real population of the planet, living in abject poverty, left behind by the system up above. Poe gives orders and suggests that everyone go to find some food and to start resupplying. He, Finn, and Jannah walk around a market for a while, avoiding any cameras or empty spaces: trying to blend in. Finn and Jannah walk ahead, seeing a food stand, but Poe is ambushed and pulled into a dark alley by someone wearing a mask. The masked figure tells Poe that Coruscant isn't safe for the Resistance, that eventually the First Order will come down here and find them. But he knows of a weakness. Poe responds by trying to shove the person off, but the person only grabs him tighter. He asks the masked figure why he's providing this information, and just exactly who is he? The person takes off their mask, and it's revealed to be Lando: "Just consider me a friend to the Resistance". Poe is shocked. He is glad to see General Calrissian, and tells him to walk with him to find Jannah and Finn. We find them devouring something on a skewer, but she stops him and tells him to look up as Poe and Lando approach.
They're a little starstruck, saying they're honored to meet him, etc. He tells them that Poe said they were former stormtroopers like much of Onyx Company. Lando praises them and tells them how brave they are for renouncing the First Order. He also remarks that it seems to be a growing problem for the Supreme Leader that many of his original troops are defecting, but that the First Order is still strong because of their new fanatical volunteers. Poe tells them that Lando has information that may help them on Coruscant, and potentially turn the tide of the war.
I had big problems with the way Lando was introduced in The Rise of Skywalker. The fact that he just happened to be hanging out on Pasanaa seemed really forced, and it didn't fit naturally into the story at all. Pair that with the fact that apparently he and Luke had gone looking for Ochi's ship before, it kinda gives the impression that Lando's been on Pasanaa for upwards of 20 years. Not to mention it's never really touched on how he goes from rejecting the group's offer to suddenly meeting with the Resistance on Ajan Kloss. And don't even get me started on "deus ex miscellaneous galactic fleet" and then Jannah probably being his daughter because apparently everyone in The Rise of Skywalker has to fucking be related to somebody because we have to capitulate to the assholes who threw tantrums when Rey was a nobody and-... It's fine, we're fixing it, let's move on.
We cut to Rey and Rose as they're walking through the crowded streets, being bumped into left and right. Rey remarks that she'd only heard of Coruscant in stories, that she never thought she'd see it. Rose agrees, saying that because she grew up on a small remote planet, she never made it to the Core Worlds. She tells Rey that she never thought she'd be anything, that she'd just live out her life with her family on a boring farm. But after the First Order, after Paige, she had a purpose. While her "real" family was taken away from her by those monsters, she has a new family. The Resistance gave her a purpose, but it also gave Rose a chance to feel like she belonged again. Rey looks sad, about to say something, but is stopped before doing anything. Up ahead, they see a child run up to a stand and dump a few fruit into a bag before sprinting away. The shopkeeper runs after her calling for a group of goons to follow. Rose and Rey quickly follow them out of concern.
They round a few corners and see them closing in on the little girl. They're armed with makeshift batons, and a few of them have blasters on their hips. Rey calls out to them and tells them to back off. They tell her she has 5 seconds to leave before they beat her and Rose too. The girls continue to walk forward, getting within striking distance. The one goon pulls out a blaster and points it at Rey, about to fire. Rose yells and pulls hers out. A fistfight begins, with Rey and Rose both taking on the assailants. The little girl gets behind a crate and hides while the two Resistance leaders pummel these thugs. They manage to knock most of them to the ground and incapacitate them, but one of them reaches for a blaster and in a moment of pure instinct, Rey ignites her lightsaber and holds it to him and threatens the assailant. He freezes and drops his arms. She tells him to leave, and to never come back to this side of the sector again. In one of the alleys that lead into the area the girls look and see a few people watching and whispering to each other. The run off after Rose and Rey give them a cold stare, but Rey looks concerned.
They walk over to the little girl and introduce themselves, saying that they're just passing through and saw she needed help. They ask her if she's hungry, and if she has other people to feed. The little girl tells them yes, and Rose digs out a few credits from her pocket and gives it to her. The girl thanks them, hugging them each and running off. They walk out of the alley and back down the market street. Rey tells Rose that she shouldn't have done that, especially with people around. She got reckless and shouldn't have shown her lightsaber. Rose tells her it's probably not a big deal, that it's a planet of a trillion people, they see weird stuff all the time. No one is going to know.
After some more exploring, Rose prods her about the conversation they had on Ajan Kloss, about the Force and Rey's feeling of dread. Rey tells her that she's been trying to reach out to people who could help her finish her training and give her guidance. But she's only heard whispers in her dreams: she knows that they're out there, but doesn't understand why she can't get the answers she so desperately needs. Rose tells her that maybe she needs to go somewhere where the Force is strong, where she can channel all of that energy into reaching out to whoever she's trying to find. The Jedi Temple on Ach To perhaps? Rey is surprised: that's a good idea! There she can be alone and without distraction, something she's had trouble dealing with for a while.
As they're walking, Rey hears a distant voice, and the tone from Ajan Kloss begins to ring heavily. Rose walks on, seemingly not noticing that Rey isn't beside her. Looking down an alley, Rey sees a doorway, calling her from the darkness inside. She walks cautiously toward it as the voice gets louder. She walks into the dark room, a storage closet essentially. Standing there is Ben Solo, helmet off and disarmed. She immediately draws her lightsaber but before she can ignite it he tells her to wait. She cautiously lowers her weapon and tells him bluntly that his mother is dead, that he killed her. He responds, "I know. I felt it on Ajan Kloss. But it wasn't me." Rey [angrily], "Then who was it?". Ben tells her it was Palpatine. She says, "So am I talking to Ben Solo or Darth Sidious?". He says that his voice and presence come and go, like he's conjuring the energy to take over. Ben is locked out when Sidious takes over, only a witness in his own body. He can't control it, he can only fight it when it happens. He's able to eventually gain control back, but before long he hears that familiar voice. "You know why I have to find you, right? No matter what happened in Snoke's throne room, you're still fugitives and war criminals. As the Supreme Leader it's my obligation to track you down and end whatever's left of the Resistance."
Rey tells him it's not too late, that there's still time to end the war. The dark side is destroying him, she tells him she can see it on his face. He does look worse than before, the cancerous nature of the darkness and Sidious' presence rapidly degrading him. He tells her that the dark side is the only thing he has left. It's destroying him. But it's too late now. She's horrified as he cringes with pain, doubling down and looking back at her, standing taller with glowing yellow eyes. The voice of Palpatine hangs in the air, telling her that a scavenger from Jakku, no matter who trained her, will never be able to match the power that flows through Ben Solo, grandson of Darth Vader and heir-apparent to the Sith throne. Rey tells him that she'll die before he comes near the Resistance. In two voices, Ben and Sidious, "That's the idea. We'll see you on the island, the one from your dreams". He vanishes and Rey looks around, mortified. She is exhausted from the effort and Palpatine's presence, leaning against the wall as Rose runs up to her, telling her that she looked everywhere for Rey and was worried sick.
We cut to Kylo Ren, sitting on his throne, surrounded by the Knights of Ren as Imperial guards. A door opens at the end of the room as General Hux marches down the walkway toward the Supreme Leader's throne. He kneels before the platform with his head down. We hear two voices through the glowing red lines in the mask, "Rise general… what news have you brought me". Hux replies, "My lord, my spies have information that the bulk of the Resistance fleet is located on Coruscant, in the lower levels. My only concern is why in the capital? How stupid do they think we are? Don't they think we could wipe out their puny fleet at any moment? All we would need is your orders and my troops could destroy the entire Resistance in a single cycle."
Kylo Ren retorts, "And where exactly do you suppose they would start? Coruscant has over 5000 levels each containing 200 million people. It would take years to root them out, all the while they would flee and hide around the system." Hux looks down in fear, but responds, "I'm still puzzled as to why we let them escape on Ajan Kloss, we could have easily bombarded the base and destroyed the fleet. It seemed illogical to have let them leave.
Suddenly Hux is gasping for air, choking, as he claws at the invisible hand on his throat. Kylo Ren speaks "There are forces at work beyond your control. Do not question my motives again General, or I will not be so generous." He releases Hux and violently stands up. The Supreme Leader walks past him as Hux kneels on the ground catching his breath: "Make preparations for Operation Eradus. I want 3 legions of troops in every system, even in the Outer Rim." General Hux is concerned, "Supreme Leader, isn't Eradus a contingen-" Before he can finish the sentence, Kylo Ren turns around and sends a blast of Force lightning his way. The voice of Darth Sidious exudes from behind the mask, "This, General, is your last opportunity. Do not question me again." Hux stands up and affirms that he will see to it personally. He asks fearfully where the Supreme Leader is going, and Kylo Ren, his voice still matched with Darth Sidious' responds: "My Knights and I are going hunting."
We cut to a First Order shuttle as it flies toward the Persecutor. As it lands in the hangar, General Hux, escorted by a group of Sith troopers, marches out of the ship. Hux is met by Grand Admiral Olen who walks with him toward the bridge. When they arrive, Hux stops in front of the holotable, examining the holographic model of Coruscant with pinpoints around the planet. He turns to Grand Admiral Olen. "Begin preparations for Operation Eradus. Target any world with level-four garrison or above. Two divisions on every planet and an orbital bombardment of suspected rebel groups. It's time we finish the Resistance once and for all.", he says. The Grand Admiral is startled at the order. "Sir," he asks, "An operation of that magnitude requires direct clearance from the Supreme Leader himself, I'm afraid I can't do that." General Hux whips around with a blaster in hand and points it at Grand Admiral Olen. "One more word out of you and I will put a hole through your chest, do you understand? My orders are final!" Hux is fuming. Olen is concerned. "General, I cannot-" The blaster fires into his chest twice, sending the dead Grand Admiral to the ground.
Hux looks to the next in command: "Allegiant Admiral. Do you have any concerns regarding my orders? Override the security clearance. From now on I am acting Supreme Leader so long as Kylo Ren is on his wild hunt." The newly promoted admiral begins to direct troops from the holotable and calls out to his subordinates. Hux walks over to the windows of the bridge and looks out with an evil grin and his hands behind his back.
One of the many things that The Rise of Skywalker completely forgot about was the rivalry between General Hux and Kylo Ren. Apart from the one line he delivers about needing Kylo Ren to lose, even if it means letting the Resistance win is some of the stupidest shit of 2019. And what makes it worse is that he is unceremoniously killed off because Abrams and Terrio had no fucking idea what to do with him. So because Hux is kind of the foil to Kylo Ren, in the sense that he's extremely skeptical of all things 'the Force' and is maybe even more obsessed with power than Kylo Ren (I mean he killed his own father just to take his spot in the First Order), I wanted to show him trying to take over now that Kylo Ren is possessed by Darth Sidious. Hux kinda sees this as a loss of legitimacy, that the whole space wizard possession stuff isn't something the rest of the First Order leadership is really going to get onboard with. Since it seems like Kylo Ren is going to be out of the picture soon, and Hux not knowing Sidious' plan, it seems like the perfect opportunity for him to assume control and flex his muscles a bit.
As everyone makes their way back to the Tantive IV we see glimpses of groups of people following the various Resistance members. They move quickly, watching our heroes as they leave the market areas. Once they meet at the ship, Poe gathers a large portion of the Resistance into a large empty hangar. He addresses them, telling the group that yes they've taken a blow, but Rose's tech worked and is keeping them hidden on Coruscant. With information from Lando and his network on the planet as well as the improved Resistance tech, they've deciphered First Order communications that smaller bands of their allies across the galaxy are surviving, but that there's something big being planned. No one is quite sure yet, but everyone needs to lay low and start gathering supplies. Coruscant is a good hiding spot for now, but the Resistance needs a safer, more permanent base of operations.
Our heroes meet up with a few of the council members, all sitting around. Rey is visibly shaken. Finn asks her what's wrong, trying to comfort her. She tells him that Kylo Ren is more powerful than he's ever been. She believes, somehow, that Darth Sidious is manipulating him, almost possessing Kylo Ren. That she heard his voice, so clearly and so specifically directed at her that it wasn't a vision or hallucination. Everyone is shocked and terrified. They ask questions, most of which Rey can't answer. She tells them however, that Ben said they'd meet again on the island, the one from her dreams. That's Ach To, the site of the first Jedi Temple. Rey needs to go there for answers, and to get there before he does. Finn tells her she's not going alone. Chewie roars in approval. Poe looks at Lando and Rose, then at Finn and Rey. "I'm going too. If there's a way to bring him down, to cut the head off the beast, I'm in." Jannah asks if it's right for the acting general to leave the Resistance behind for a quest. Poe looks insulted, but Lando interrupts, gesturing toward Rose. "From what you three have told me, it seems Rose is more than capable of handling things from this end. There's no need to worry, I think we have everything we need." Jannah looks approvingly at Rose, and Poe smiles, knowing he made the right choice. The only person in the group who doesn't share their approval is Rose herself. But she keeps quiet, just visibly uncomfortable.
Poe asks Rose what they'll be doing until he gets back. She suggests that they try to recruit just about anyone they can find, even syndicate members since maybe the Resistance would be able to pay them afterward, or at least help them take back Coruscant in enough time. Lando jumps in, saying he has a few connections on Level 1313 and that he'd be willing to take Rose and Jannah there to meet with them. Rose agrees to go, and the rest of the gang gets ready. Chewie starts to load up the Falcon, and Poe musters up a few soldiers to come with them. Rey protests, saying she doesn't want to put anyone else in danger, that she's already worried about bringing him and Finn. He tells her not to worry, that these guys are the best of the best, and they're just there for backup. After all, she did say that Kylo Ren told her he'd be there. She concedes, and they head to the cockpit.
That's right baby! We're headed to level 1313! I think Trevorrow's script which also featured the underworld of Coruscant had a lot of great ideas involving it. And while I wrote this section before his script was released, I decided to keep it in purely because of how much I love the idea of exploring the seedy underbelly of the capital planet. Since Star Wars: 1313 was sadly cancelled, this felt like the right opportunity to expand on some of the stuff we got in The Clone Wars.
Finn grabs a rifle and walks toward the ramp of the Millenium Falcon when he bumps into Ares who's moving a hover-crate onto the ramp as well. Finn starts to question him, pressing Ares over what happened on Ajan Kloss. Ares is not standoff-ish and tries to answer civilly, but Finn presses on. Jannah walks over, intervening. She asks what's going on, and Finn asks her how she thinks the First Order found them. He's had his suspicions about a spy since they fled, and he's starting to trust the former-stormtroopers even less. Ares gets angry, telling him that Finn is ex-First Order as well, what makes him so much better? Finn responds that he left before the committed a genocide and blew up an entire system of planets, that's what makes him different. Ares walks past him, upset but not discouraged from the mission. Jannah talks to Finn, telling him that he needs to have more compassion. He doesn't need to be a slave to the cause. Trusting each other is what makes a team. Without trust they're no better than the First Order, constantly stabbing each other in the back and no sense of camaraderie. He backs down and gives her a hug, telling her to be careful: this place is shady. She tells him not to worry about her.
We have a cute scene where Poe and Rey both enter the cockpit, with Chewie already sitting and ready to go. They have a bit of banter as to who should sit in the pilot's seat, but eventually Rey concedes and Poe takes his seat. Chewie roars, and Poe responds with, "hey she always gets to fly, I think it's only fair that we do a rotation thing". To which Finn replies, "so that means I could fly it on the way back?". Everyone except Finn laughs at the thought of it, and he asks "What? I could fly it if I wanted to!" This only makes the others laugh harder. They take off, use the cloaking system, and jump to hyperspace.
I've heard a lot of people say that one of the things they liked about The Rise of Skywalker was the banter between the main characters, and that they appreciated the fact that the main characters all went on a quest together. But here's the problem, it's not banter. They just argue throughout the entire movie, but because it's fast paced and there are jokes thrown in, the audience is tricked into thinking it's fun. When Rey, Finn, and Poe are constantly jumping down each other's throats and doubting each other, they're wildly mischaracterized. I wanted there to be fun, lighthearted jokes that actually communicate how much these characters mean to each other. They've gone from complete strangers who were forced to come together in a moment of crisis to genuine friends who love and care for one another, and the dialogue between them should reflect that.
The group on Coruscant talks with Lando. He explains that for the past few years, Leia had been in contact with him, asking him to gather supplies and send soldiers their way. He'd been working with multiple syndicates to gather troops and provisions, but had a falling out with them over some lost supplies. Rose asks if they can trust a syndicate, and Lando asks her if they really have a choice. The Resistance is stronger than before, but still not strong enough to take on the First Order outright. R2 and BB-8 come with them as they descend into the lowest levels via shuttle. When they get down there, Rose and Jannah are shocked by the difference. While their area was mostly working-class people, markets, and a few shady characters, this place looked like it was a breeding ground for crime. Lando gives them a few tips, particularly not to touch anything or speak to anyone. When they get out, the droids roll cautiously behind them. They walk through the alleys, and Rose and Jannah have their hands at their hips, nervous and ready to draw their weapons at any moment. Lando tells them to wait here while he goes through a doorway and disappears, leaving them alone.
Rose and Jannah are nervous, and Jannah laments that being down here doesn't feel right: are these really the people the Resistance wants to get supplies from? How can they be trusted? Rose tells her to have faith, that even the most seemingly dangerous and nefarious people can be good deep down. The First Order believes that they can rule through fear, but what they don't realize is that all they do by occupying planets, killing civilians, and stealing resources is bring people closer to the Resistance's cause. This is why people need the chance to choose their own fate, not just have order imposed on them. Lando pops out of the doorway and tells them to come in. They walk into a colorful bar, reminiscent of the one from Episode II. everything stops, and all eyes are on them. Eventually, the heads turn back to their business and normality resumes. They walk to the back of the bar, passing through a crowded dance floor. BB-8 gets kicked like a soccer ball by a dancing patron, and someone tries to set a drink down on R2, who balances it for a second, then immediately drops it out of spite and shocks the person who is turned around by now.
We catch up with Rey, Poe, Finn and crew as they leap out of hyperspace above Ach To. Rey tells Poe that Chewie knows the way, and to give him control of the ship. Poe begrudgingly does so. As they make their way down to the planet, Poe and Finn are in awe, it's so peaceful, so majestic. Chewie goes to touch down on the landing pad, but as they turn the corner of the mountain they realize it is full of other ships. They're very confused and see that there are dozens of ships also floating in the water, parked there. We have a fun gag where Chewie successfully lands the Falcon in the landing pad, but only after bumping other ships and damaging their ship slightly: a bad parking job. Rey, Finn, Poe, Chewie, and 3PO walk out of the Falcon and start to make their way up to the top of the cliffs, toward the village. They leave the rest of the crew in the Falcon for backup, so as to hide their numbers if the First Order shows up. As the crew ascend the steps, they see a large gathering of people near the site of the old tree which contained the Jedi texts. They're sitting, standing, and mostly just talking among themselves.
They don't seem to notice our heroes walking toward the village. When the group gets to the village the caretakers are there. Rey asks the caretakers who those people are, and how they got to Ach To. The caretaker responds in her native language, and 3PO translates. "Mistress Rey, she says they are pilgrims, here to worship at the location of the original Jedi Temple. They found this place, well because of you. Your studies of the Force and the ways of the Jedi have spread across the galaxy and to those who ascribe to its beliefs." Rey looks uncomfortable. She turns to the rest of the group and tells them that she needs to meditate at the temple, and that maybe they should meet the 'pilgrims' to make sure they're not going to hurt anyone, or if they can get any information. They agree to go, but Finn is concerned, and asks if he shouldn't go with Rey, especially since they're expecting the First Order to show up and they need to make a quick exit when they do. She tells him it's something she needs to do alone, that she needs answers.
The trio on Coruscant make their way to a table where a masked woman (Zorii) sits casually at a table surrounded by large guards, all armed to the teeth. Lando turns to them, telling them that the Ronan Syndicate doesn't play around, and that they should be extra careful. She yells "Lando Calrissian! Never thought I'd see your face around here again. Thought you'd left after the whole gringer debacle…" Lando responds by telling her that he's come to settle things and to ask for a favor. She tells him that he has no right to ask for a favor after the shit he pulled back in the day. He explains that he had to do it. They keep throwing insults and remarks back at each other before Jannah interrupts, asking if they can help the Resistance. Zorii explains that no one here is fighting for an army. They're a syndicate, out to make money and stay alive. They've survived this long by staying in the shadows, they've lived through the Clone Wars, through the Empire, the New Republic, and now the First Order. They'll be fine. Rose jumps in, saying that they're slaughtering children, civilians across the galaxy. Once they're done with the Resistance, they'll come for the syndicates next. It's time for the galaxy to take a stand. Zorii says it's just a cycle. Democracy reigns, people get cocky, and then tyrants return from the darkness to burn it all down and rebuild in their image before the noble rebels triumph, and the cycle goes on and on. Today it's the First Order, tomorrow it's someone else. The only constant is that those who work for themselves stay alive, and that's how she wants it to remain.
Poe, Chewie, Finn, and C-3PO head down to meet the pilgrims gathering near the burned tree. As they approach the gatherers they're greeted by smiles and warm welcomes. Poe asks someone, "How long have you been here?" They respond that it hasn't been long, that they're the first people other than the girl, Chewie and Master Skywalker to set foot on the island in hundreds of years. Finn asks what exactly they're doing here. She explains that none of them are Force sensitive, or at least they don't know it. But they come to sites like this for spiritual guidance, they believe that the Force can speak to them, channel its will through them in a way similar to the Jedi. She makes it clear that they don't worship the Jedi, but see them as guardians of the light, preservers of good, and ½ of the balance in the Force.
After Rey found Ach To with the Resistance's help, they were able to come to the place of the original Jedi temple, to feel the Force's energy in its purest form. A traveler walks up to the group and introduces himself.
TIRU
I'm Tiru. It's good to meet you guys.
The gang introduce themselves.
POE
How long have you been doing this?
TIRU
Oh not long, only a few months. We met up with some of these guys on their way to Mortis and decided to come along for the ride. What we didn't realize was that the Order was exactly what we had been searching for for so long.
FINN
What were you doing before you found the Church of the Force?
TIRU
We were soldiers. Killers. A life I'd like to forget honestly.
POE
With the New Republic?
TIRU
With the First Order...
Finn takes a step back, now cautious of the stranger.
FINN
You're a defector?
TIRU
A lot of us are.
Tiru turns around and calls a few other pilgrims over.
TIRU
Finn, Poe, Chewie... meet Fireteam Horus.
A group of people come over, all dressed in earthly tones. A diverse group, they represent a broad range of populations that the First Order took from. They all introduce themselves to us.
TIRU
This is my family. We've... been through a lot together.
But together, and along with the Church of the Force, we've found a calling.
POE
When did you leave?
TEAM MEMBER #2
It's been almost half a year since we abandoned our posts. Haven't looked back since.
TIRU
You don't exactly have a lot to to believe in when you're not allowed to believe anything at all. We were lost, without a home and without a cause to fight for. A lot of our friends went to join the Resistance, but we decided it was best to stay out of the fight.
FINN
Don't you think that's a little selfish?
Tiru looks hurt.
FINN
If you want to bring down the First Order, why not join the group that's trying to destroy it?
TIRU
All is as the Force wills it to be. It's not that we didn't want to fight, we just thought we might help in a different way.
POE
You know, you guys could be really helpful to the Resistance.
TIRU
Well then it's a good thing you guys ran into us.
FINN
I don't understand, how does not joining the Resistance help defeat the First Order?
TIRU
When we travel to these sites, these strong points in the Force, we let it flow through us. We try to open ourselves to it and guide us, like it does for your friend Rey. The Force is stronger, more balanced when we let it flow through us, rather than try to shut it out. We help to preserve the balance between light and the dark, simply by being in touch with it.
Finn is beginning to calm down, he's keeping an open mind.
TIRU
Finn, you have a good heart, but you don't have to be a slave to the cause. The joy you feel, that trust you have, it's all a rejection of the First Order's hatred. I believe that simply by refusing to live in fear and trusting the Force we are the very thing the First Order wants to destroy. The moment we stop believing in the people around us is the moment they win.
Finn's arc in this story is about learning to trust people who are trying to be better, just like he did when he joined the Resistance. Both he and Kylo Ren didn't fully learn the lessons they were taught in The Last Jedi. While Finn learned that fighting for a cause is good and important, the lesson that Rose taught him when she stopped him from dying on Crait didn't sink in. He doesn't have to be a slave to the cause, and he needs to learn that the Resistance wins by being compassionate and saving what they love, not killing what they hate. That theme is going to come back soon, big time.
Finn is oddly at peace, and we cut to Poe as he finishes talking with Chewie. Poe gets worried, and tries to yell over to everyone that they have information that the First Order knows where Ach To is and that everyone needs to leave: their lives are in danger. People turn around but are not listening, since they should be leaving immediately. Finn tries to explain that Rey, the Jedi they've all heard so much about, had a vision in which Supreme Leader Kylo Ren said he would be here and that they came to find something first. People start to shuffle away from the tree, bringing their belongings slowly. Poe sends Chewie to warn the Falcon and bring troops to help an evacuation/defense. He asks exasperated where Rey is.
Back on Coruscant, Jannah calls Zorii a coward, saying that she's probably never endured suffering. She tells her about the First Order's indoctrination methods, how they tortured children and turned them into war dogs. Zorii asks what makes her so sure she's never faced adversity. She rips off her helmet and we see that her face is burned. She explains that when the New Republic came into power people thought things would get better. But down here, among the lower levels, nothing changed. She grew up down here and was captured by the Ronan Syndicate, sold into slavery. But eventually, she rose up the ranks and took back her agency. She reformed it, no more slaves, no more extortion. People pay for protection and they provide it. They're business people, not criminals, even if it's "unsavory" And no one is going to take that power away from her. She fights in a war and loses the syndicate, people that depend on her die, the First Order finds them and wipes them out. She says, rising from her seat, drawing her weapons "So I suggest General, that you take these two trigger happy Resistance fighters and get them off-world fast before I either puts a bounty on their heads or inform the First Order that the Resistance is hiding in the capital." Lando tries to de-escalate the situation, but a standoff is taking place.
Rose and Jannah draw their weapons, pointing them at the guards. All around them people draw their blasters and blades, and the gang realizes they're outnumbered. Zorii turns her head towards them, "Do you really want to do this? I have an army." Rose confidently responds, "We have a Jedi." We hear some whispers and some people scoff in disbelief off-camera. Lando intervenes, getting in between Rose/Jannah's blasters and Zorii. He tries to make a deal. He tells Zorii that he'll wager everything, the debt he owes, the supplies he needs, everything: on a game of sabacc. If she wins, she gets everything he owes and Lando too. If she loses, she gives them supplies, weapons, and troops to fight. Zorii laughs, exclaiming that she's not falling for that trick again. She tells him that he realizes if he cheats like he did last time (he tries to interject but she shuts him down), that she'll kill him and his comrades, sell the droids for scraps, and contact the First Order.
Lando eventually convinces her, and people holster their weapons. We see a shot of R2 and BB-8 as they holster dozens of saws and claws and lighters into their compartments, somewhat disappointed that they didn't get to fight. Jannah and Rose pull General Calrissian aside and chastise him, saying he's putting everything on the line. He tells them not to worry, that his sabacc game is the best in the galaxy. They aren't convinced, but they don't really have a choice.
We have an intense scene where Lando and Zorii join a sabacc game at one of the nearby gambling tables, mirroring the sabacc scenes from Solo. They go back and forth, Zorii proves her worth early on, showing him up. He's able to make his odds better, and the last hand is dealt. A staredown ensues as each tries to guess what the next move is. Zorii lays down her hand, and all hope is lost. She brags, telling him he's headed to Kessel "old man". Rose and Jannah are devastated. All hope is lost. But Lando smiles, says "Don't get cocky kid" and confidently slams down a trump set, beating Zorii and scoring a major win for the Resistance. She's outraged, yells "CHEATER!" and tells her guards to pull up his sleeves, that she knows his tricks. But when the guards do, there's nothing there. He played clean and beat her fair and square. She walks away furiously. Lando looks a little concerned at first, but gets up and ushers Rose and Jannah to follow and grab a drink.
We follow Rey as she walks toward the temple, the same one where Luke taught her the first lesson in her training. She sits down and begins to meditate. Breathing in slowly, the small pebbles by her legs begin to levitate. Soon enough she rises a few inches off the ground as well. But suddenly, her meditation is interrupted by a voice that says: "Rey?". She's startled and drops to the floor, wincing from the pain of hitting the ground. She opens her eyes and sees Luke's Force ghost standing before her. He smiles.
LUKE
It's good to see you kid.
Cliffhanger! I'm gonna have to split Act 2 into two parts, since it's traditionally the longest part of the film and this video is already long enough as it is. If you enjoyed it, do me a solid and share it with your friends, and like and subscribe to make sure you don't miss the rest of the rewrite series.
If you want to hear my opinion on other things, you can listen to my podcast: Underrated and Overlooked where my co-host AP and I explore some of our favorite films that just don't get the credit they deserve. Thanks for watching, and I'll see ya for the second half of Act 2!