Em: So, truly, I don't care that much was planned. Honestly, I think Reylo was planned from the beginning, but you can listen to podcasts on that.

The problem ISN'T that it wasn't planned, the problem is that setups were never paid off.

I understand how some may be upset that RJ might have upset the cart. But once you have made the second film, the die is set. Everything has been set up, and you have NO time to redo and retcon, or you will have little time to give payoffs and resolutions.

2

RJ had time to mix things up b/c NO FACTS on lineage or major character developments have been made. They ONLY are whispers & winks to the audience of possibilities. It is in the 2nd film when revelations happen and mettle is tested, so the characters win & overcome in 3.

3

So to say RJ retconned is impossible b/c he wrote that film while FA was being made. He just DUMPED other ideas. AND he didn't contradict anything. He only violated Fancan (fan interpretations). GOOD WRITING.

"Luke looks sad, ie Luke must be Rey's father."

4

Bad writing or lesser writing comes in when a new WRITERS seeks to undo what has already been developed and established in TWO MOVIES, as in they UNDO FACTS of the story to FORCE the payoff to go their way.

6

Films are a series of set-ups and payoffs. If an audience sees a setup, they feel satisfied for watching.

That's why the Solo Shrug was so satisfying. We say Ben Solo desperately wanting that saber for 2 movies. Well, he finally gets it. SETUP. PAYOFF. Go, TROS.

7

But much was setup in FA & TLJ that was never paid-off or rewarded for the audience's time. Rose? FINN's heroic climb & victory? Ben teaching Rey? Force Ghost Luke speaking to Ben? on and on...

The payoffs were sacrificed to undoing Rey's identity and trials. That was TLJ! Rey learned who she was. Her soul and emotions were tried and tested until she passed them and lifted the rocks off the weight of her past.

8

But the fandom hated that she didn't carry Luke on her back. And they cried Mary Sue and said all would be forgiven if she had lineage (sounds like Kylo Ren to me). So to give Rey this new lineage, you had to wipe out the blocks that RJ built.

9

Essentially in TLJ & TROS, Rey learns essentially the same thing but w/ different answers.

TLJ:
Identity: I am Rey Nobody.
I am one with the Force, and the Force is me

TROS:
Identity: I am Rey Palpatine.
Instead of being my grandfather's vessel, I am all the Jedi's.

10

The ideologies of above so badly contradict, but I will not spend on this, I will only state that b/c we had to relearn everything about Rey (& Rey had to relearn), there was 0 to learn about anything else b/c too much time was spent in bulldozing & reconstruction.

11

It was no longer RJ's story. Abrams's reigns; however, a good writer works with what he's given. If you demonish the floor under you as you try to build upon it, your floor (and the whole) building will fall.

And when you are building the final floor on a 40 yr old building, you should build with the care of what came b/f it. Otherwise, it falls into sinking sands b/c the foundation has been compromised.

Does this happen in Hollywood? Yes.
But that's how good stories crumble.

Abrams didn't payoff setups.

Yet he tried reward us w/ events that never were setup, so we didn't feel anything.

Friendships.

In the OT, we started with the trio's relationship to each other. We know their dynamics. So when they part & reunite, we feel deeply. Family

With the ST, you have duos, not trios.

FA, the trio was Han, Rey, and Finn. You know Rey and Finn's dynamics b/c you spent the whole movie with them. So when they reunite in TLJ, you feel emotion here. Your mind and heart remember. Absence and ache. Reunion and reward.

We have a setup bond b/t Finn & Poe. So we know there's a bond between them.

What we don't have is setup b/t Rey & Poe, except for ..."Hey..." & them both being...difficult.

So there emotional hug for many has no emotional payoff b/c Poe & Rey have no development as friends.

You could possibly squeeze Rose into being a trio w/ Finn & Poe but again, there's little development b/w Poe and Rose except Poe ignoring her.

The ST IS ALL ABOUT DUOS because

it all hinges on a DYAD.

Now again, that's Abrams ignoring the setup. What relationships have been developed? Duo

Finn + Poe
Finn + Rose
Finn + Rey
Poe + Holdo
Poe + Leia
Leia + Rey
Rey + Luke
Rey + Ben

Only Rey and Ben fulfills each duo relationship.

1. Master / Student "Let me teach you the ways of the Force."
2. Friend: "You are not alone; neither are you."
3. Lover: "No one understands me..." "But I do." Finger touching scene, etc. "Join me."
4. Enemies.