u/Ok-Future-5257

Anakin is a Jedi Knight, and Ahsoka's master. But, he doesn't hold the rank of Jedi Master.

The word master is related to "mister," "maestro," and "magistrate." A master is an expert instructor of younger pupils, and has authority to make decisions. This ranges from a master of servants, to master's degrees, to the martial arts masters in Kung Fu Panda. The word apprentice is related to "apprehend" -- a master lays legal hold on a kid, and the kid commits to learning and grasping the master's trade.

In a medieval craft guild, the "masters" owned workshops and raised 1-3 apprentices at the same time. The apprentices were young boys who assisted their master, in return for food, clothing, shelter, training, and networking. "Journeymen," or "fellows of craft," were adults who had graduated from apprenticeship and now worked for pay, but still hadn't achieved mastery. They traveled around for further networking, and to learn extra techniques from other masters. Only the masters themselves could vote on guild decisions and raise apprentices. If this had been the case with the Jedi, then Anakin's impatience for promotion would be more understandable. What if the Jedi had "fellows of knighthood" who were assigned to teams, that they may continue learning from each other? Then, only Jedi Masters undertook solo missions and instructed padawans.

But, George Lucas seems to have mixed guild hierarchy with the old arrangement of knights and squires. A knight was a noble who possessed expensive armor, an expensive sword, and an expensive horse. He had one or two "squires" -- apprentices from other noble families. When a page boy turned 14, he was squired to a knight. After seven years of service and training, he cut his hair short, spent the night in prayer, and was knighted the following day and given his own sword and spurs. What if Lucas had stuck with this, making Padawans fight with cheaper melee weapons and not be given their own lightsabers until their knighting ceremonies?

Jedi: Fallen Order was about making peace with the past, letting go, and moving on. Cal Kestis, Cere Junda, Teron Malicos, Trilla, Masana Tide, and Darth Vader were all stragglers of the Jedi Order. And, Merrin was a straggler of the Nightsisters. They all responded to their traumas in different ways. Some evolved, and some were too trapped in the past.

We first saw Cal scrapping relics of the past wars. Then, Cere recruited him for a quest to rebuild the lost Order. Cal had the unique ability to see and hear past events in a place or involving an object. And, his journey had him following the posthumous messages of a Jedi archaeologist, visiting ancient tombs and ruins. Personally, I think that, instead of the Zeffo civilization, this would have been a good opportunity to delve into the history of the early Jedi, then the High Republic, and then their tragic fall. Anyway, Cal and Merrin found common ground in their similar tragedies. They and Cere eventually realized that clinging to the past would do more harm than good. They shifted their concentration to "here and now, where it belongs." Even Greez Dritus moved on from his past as a selfish gambler.

Jedi: Survivor is about figuring out how to live in the present. Greez has settled down to run a saloon. Merrin has been traveling the galaxy, seeing its many worlds and helping whom she can. And, Cere is now devoted to gathering and preserving a library of knowledge. Cal is now a rugged Jedi Knight on the Empire's most wanted list. Working with insurgent cells, he's been fighting back through sabotage missions, intelligence-gathering, and skirmishes. To survive in these desperate times, he resorts to tactics that are unconventional for a Jedi. The Order is no longer around to police Cal, and his code of honor is getting flexible. These years of aggressively attacking target after target, with zero progress to show for it, have taken a psychological toll on him. As Greez points out, he keeps losing at a game that's rigged for the house (Empire) to always win. There's a danger that his moral ideals won't survive his desperation and his anger.

Instead of visiting abandoned facilities and charting a path to a hidden planet, I think Cal's new quest should have been building a network of safe houses for the Hidden Path. Maybe he's got to do a morally gray favor for the local bigwig on each world before they agree to start funding, harboring, and shuttling refugees. Or, he's trying to obtain up-to-date intel for the Path. Instead of reading echoes from the past, a new gameplay mechanic could have been sensing what's currently happening in other places. And, just as Ilum was Cal's spiritual journey level in the first game, a pilgrimage on Jedha could be his spiritual journey level for the second game.

I don't think there was a need for Eno Cordova in this story -- especially since the first game heavily implied that he was dead and gone. I also don't think the Dagan Gera story was necessary. Shift the focus to the ISB commander Lank Denvik as the antagonist, with Rayvis as his bloodthirsty attack dog. The side quest with Caij Vanda and Boba Fett works just fine.

Bode Akuna didn't have to be a former Jedi who's crazy possessive. He could have just been an insurgent/mercenary who was genuine with Cal...until Denvik threatened his daughter. Bode chooses his family's survival over his ideals, selling out Cere's location. Cal then has to kill Bode to stop him from delivering data tapes of the Hidden Path's secrets to the ISB. With his dying breaths, Bode makes him promise to get Kata to safety. The final mission could be the crew rescuing Kata from an ISB facility, while Cal resists the urge to take revenge on Denvik. The last scene can be the crew delivering Kata to the Hidden Path, and Cal finding more satisfaction in this than he ever did as an aggressive insurgent.

Oh, and Cal and Merrin start a romance, now that the Jedi Council is no longer around to say no. As a couple, they will continue guiding refugees along the Hidden Path. And, Greez's saloon can be used as one of the safe houses.

I hope Jedi: 3 will be about building a future. The most obvious form of this is the Rebel Alliance. It's not just about insurgent strikes -- it's about laying the groundwork for the New Republic. Cal and Merrin could be parents. Perhaps they will grow mindful of the future, but learn to NOT center on their anxieties.

A cool gameplay mechanic would be Cal sensing the future in certain spots. I like to think that he will not only be a seasoned Jedi Knight, but he could have his own apprentice. Of course, the game will have to explain why neither of them are around to train Luke in the movies.

Star Wars is a ritualistic fantasy and romantic adventure, all packaged as a science fiction serial. The way I see it, the specific plot consists of five interwoven threads:

(1) George Lucas wanted spiritual philosophy and magic powers in his space opera. So, there's the ongoing struggle between the mystics of the bright side of the Force (Ashla) and the sorcerers of the dark side of the Force (Bogan). It is symbiosis vs. parasitism. Self-control vs. controlling others. Peacemaking vs. aggression. Compassion vs. selfishness. The Golden Rule vs. "might makes right."

(2) George Lucas admired samurai movies and European knights. In Star Wars, characters sometimes ride animal steeds. And, like the champions in mythology and in Beowulf, they face down monsters. There's also the clash of values between the galaxy's many warrior societies -- the Jedi Knights, the Sith Knights, Coruscant's royal guard, the senatorial guard, the Mandalorians, the Guardians of the Whills, Dathomirans, Trandoshans, Wookiees, Sand Tuskens, Zygerrians, Gungans, Gamorreans, Geonosians, the Echani, the Lasat, the Noghri, the Rakata, the original Sith (Morabanders), and the Yuuzhan-Vong.

(3) George Lucas was writing Star Wars when the Watergate Scandal hit the news. And, the Vietnam War was just winding down. So, almost from the beginning, the story has been that a benevolent galactic republic eventually soured, and willingly transformed itself into an empire of space nazis wielding random killing machines and technological terrors. Local craftsmanship was replaced with centralized assembly lines. The imperial aesthetic is sharp angles and black-and-white color palettes. Their soldiers are faceless stormtroopers.

In the following generation, there's a galactic civil war when a rebel alliance rises up against the empire. The rebels aren't as well-equipped, but they make up for it with spirit and determination and all that. They have a more informal, organic way of life. Their aesthetic is gentle curves and earthy colors. And, we see the faces of their soldiers and pilots.

The Prequels elaborate on the Clone Wars. And, if Lucas had held off on using droid armies, then the Sequels could have been the Droid Wars.

(4) Almost from the start, George wanted Star Wars to feature elements from pirate movies, Wild Westerns, and Mafia dramas. So, the galaxy's underworld is rife with criminal syndicates, swoop gangs, smugglers, bounty hunters, information brokers, slavery, spice-trafficking, black market dealers, fighting rings, deadly high-speed races, and outlaws attempting robberies.

(5) The saga of Obi-Wan Kenobi and the Skywalker family.

Pretty much any story in the Star Wars IP can fit into at least one of these threads, often multiple.

I wanted to like this movie. But Merrie ruined it for me.

And, both protagonists lead people on with false assurances or giving the wrong impression.

And, the film kept setting up Derrick's reason for quitting as something traumatic in his past. But, it really was just his insecurity and his desire for more intimate connections. To the point that he won't even do a one-time return when other people are counting on him to.

I'm tired of the obscure planets that are nearly impossible to reach. And, I don't see the need to retcon Eno Cordova as being still alive, only to kill him off. Moreover, I don't think the story needed a crazy Jedi awakening from hibernation.

For the antagonist, give more focus to the Imperial Security Bureau. And, bounty hunters like Boba Fett, Cad Bane, Bossk, Embo, IG-88, and Fennec Shand could be looking to collect on the Empire's most wanted list.

I don't think Bode Akuna needed to be another fallen Jedi who's possessive of his family. Just let him be a non-Force mercenary, but one who's willing to sell out his friends for immunity. He's a survivor, no matter what.

In Jedi: Fallen Order, Cal Kestis made peace with the past. However, in Jedi: Survivor, he's still figuring out how to survive the present. Despite all his efforts, the Empire continues to expand and grow stronger. This leaves Cal discouraged and world-weary. In these desperate times, he does things that are unconventional for a Jedi, such as wield a blaster. And, Saw Gerrera is rubbing off on him. Cal makes hard decisions, and struggles to not let his desperation and anger consume him.

The game could have really focused on Cal's transition from the Partisans to the Hidden Path. The story's archaeology aspect could help the Hidden Path establish a network of safehouses. Making a difference in the lives of individuals, helping Force-sensitives find survival, is more satisfying to Cal than just hitting another imperial target. Plus, he starts a romance with Merrin.

The Jedi Order were peacekeepers, until they were betrayed by the galaxy they protected. They were hunted down by a new, fascist Empire. The theme of this game's story is coming to terms with the Jedicide.

Cal Kestis starts out with PTSD and survivor's guilt from the day Order 66 was issued and his master was killed. And, Cere Junda carries the trauma and guilt of being held prisoner in the Inquisitors' fortress, cracking under Darth Vader's interrogation, and resorting to the dark side to break out. She's cut herself off from the Force, and now she seeks redemption by trying to rebuild the Jedi Order.

The story's MacGuffin is a holocron containing the names and locations of the Force-sensitive children they could train. To obtain this holocron, Cal's group must retrace the footsteps of a Jedi archaeologist who studied another fallen order: The ancient Zeffo civilization. Like the Jedi, the Zeffo had started out peaceful and enlightened, but then grew proud and dogmatic, and were finally destroyed by war.

While searching for a Zeffo tomb on Dathomir, Cal meets another Jedi straggler: Teron Malicos. This guy has embraced the dark side of the Force, and used it to subjugate the Nightbrothers. Malicos argues that times have changed, and the future requires harnessing power beyond Jedi understanding. Cal rejects the offer, insisting that there's always a future for the Jedi way. He wants to learn and rebuild from their mistakes, not betray their ideals.

On Dathomir, Cal also meets Merrin, a surviving straggler of yet another fallen order: The Nightsisters. Malicos exploited Merrin's desire for vengeance. But, Cal earns her trust and helps her realize that her way forward is leaving this desolate place, traveling the galaxy, and fighting the Empire. So, she joins Cal's crew.

In the course of the journey, Cal makes peace with his past and advances to Jedi Knighthood. And, Cere reconnects with the Force, confronts the fortress where she was once prisoner, and apologizes to the former padawan she had betrayed to the Inquisitors.

Speaking of whom, Trilla first appears as a cold and taunting Inquisitor. But, underneath that exterior, she is a victim of torture and brainwashing. She hates her former master for selling her out. But, she's now part of a new order of fallen Jedi who serve the Empire. Trilla hunts Cal and Cere, and she seeks the holocron so that her order can kidnap, brainwash, or kill everyone on the list. She fails when Cal defeats her. And, her hatred fractures when Cere apologizes to her. That's when Darth Vader -- the biggest fallen Jedi of all -- shows up and executes Trilla.

Matt Michnovetz explained in an interview that, after rescuing the holocron, Cal and Cere realize that, without the support system of the old Jedi Order, it's not fair to endanger these younglings and their families. Instead of vying for control of people, the right thing to do is to destroy the holocron and give them a chance to live their own lives. Cal and Cere stop trying to bring back the Order, and instead let go of it. They trust that the will of the Force will let destiny work itself out. I suppose this ties into what Yoda was trying to teach Ezra Bridger in the second season of Rebels.

Devon had grown up in the Jedi Temple, gotten her blue crystal at Ilum, and was apprenticed to Master Daki. She had quite the future ahead of her -- a future where she wouldn't be oppressed like so many other twi'leks. Then, Order 66 ripped that away and ruined her life. Overnight, she and Daki went from being guardians of the peace to fugitive "traitors." For their own survival, Daki insists they keep a low profile. And, even though the Jedi Order is gone, Daki still adheres to the Jedi Code. So, they must beg for food when they could just steal it or do underworld jobs.

Devon is already frustrated and angry when we first see her. Then, Maul comes into her life. He points out that they both had their future dreams ripped away from them, and they're both now trying to survive in a hostile galaxy. The Jedi Order is dead, and the Jedi way no longer works. Maul tells Devon that she must adapt to the galaxy's change. He offers her the power to take control of her life, make a difference in the lives of others, and even destablize the Empire. That's more attractive to Devon than Daki's insistence on hiding and begging.

Still, Devon is loyal to Daki. She's grown up being consistently warned against the dark side of the Force. And, she knows that Maul is a murderer. So, she keeps resisting Maul's offer for a long time. Then, she witnesses Daki's death at the hands of Darth Vader and the Inquisitors. This is the last straw, causing a new surge of grief and rage. Now without her Jedi Master, she finally decides to adapt by learning the power of the dark side. When she grows powerful enough, it will be the Imperials' turn to flee, and she will take the fight back to Vader and the Inquisitors. She will have her revenge and her freedom. So, she accepts Maul as her new teacher.

In Revenge of the Sith, on the other hand, Anakin gets angry that the Jedi Council won't promote him to the rank of master when he's only in his early 20s. And, after he has nightmares about his wife dying, he takes up Palpatine's unsubstantiated offer of the dark power to save her, instead of just checking her into a hospital or going to Obi-Wan for help. And Anakin does some serious self-delusion about the Jedi Order's treason, despite attending the council's meetings and knowing that there's no way the younglings and regular knights could be in on any plot. He turns a blind eye to the fact that Palpatine proved the council's fears justified. "I should have known the Jedi were plotting to take over." That's literally what Palpatine just did!

Something like Metal Gear and Splinter Cell, but in the Star Wars universe.

You could play a Jedi who's trying to keep violence to a minimum for moral reasons, and because the political situation is delicate.

You could play a bounty hunter who can't afford to leave a bloodbath wherever he or she goes (so, the opposite of Jango Fett's game).

Or, you could play a Bothan spy who avoids detection for simple survival.

Jabba presided at the podrace that Anakin won.

Now that Boba has taken Jabba's place, will he be doing the same?

It's a high-tech galaxy, and she's a senator living in a luxury penthouse. You would think she'd have a sonogram.

And, after Anakin started getting nightmares, why didn't Padme just check into a hospital for close monitoring?

Darth Maul: "You cut me in half and condemned me to years in exile!"

Darth Vader: "You turned my wife against me, cut off three of my limbs, and left me to burn!"

I don't think the Star Wars galaxy needed lore going back millennia, like Tolkien's legendarium. It's enough to say that hyperspace travel really took off only a thousand years ago, give or take. In our real world, it's only been a thousand years since the Vikings colonized eastern Canada.

Moving on, the subsequent centuries were a time of chivalry, honor, and elegant melee weapons. Whenever diplomacy failed, the peace was kept by Jedi Knights, Guardians of the Whills, mercenary warriors, and local militias. They fought frequent skirmishes against pirates, rogue governments, and foreign powers. Common enemy warriors included dark side cults, Morabanders (Red Sith), Trandoshans, some Mandalorians, some Echani, the Rakata, and the Yuuzhan-Vong.

The Old Republic was based on the United States' glory days before the Cold War, and on the Roman Republic before Caesar took power. There was a written bill of rights. On local worlds, power was often shared between democratic legislatures and constitutional monarchies. The solar systems sent delegates to the Galactic Senate on Coruscant. The Republic's central location on trade routes helped its expansion into a political superpower.

Then came the Clone Wars. I think the stakes would be higher if normal recruits and conscripts were wearing the Republic's white armor, and if the enemies were foreign clones from outside the Republic's borders. Plus, if they are clone armies, then let's actually see their identical faces. Whatever the clones' masters' evil goals were, they should be different from what the Empire later is.

I'm thinking of two different types of clones. One kind are puppets -- mass-produced, organic drones, remotely controlled by yammosks (organic supercomputers)? The dark side of the Force could be used to bind the clones to the yammosks' control. The other kind are like those we see in the Clone Wars and Bad Batch series -- fully intelligent individuals who confront questions of how much their genetics define them, and if their breeding and lifelong training can dictate the course of their lives. At one point in the wars, the Republic could locate an enemy cloning facility, and the Sith and proto-imperials want to just terminate all the embryos and fetuses. But, the Jedi and proto-rebels would come to the defense of these innocent clones.

Anyway, during the wars, the galaxy witnessed an arms race for blasters and other random killing machines. Coruscant raised a grand military to assist the Jedi and the local militias. The Sith Knights could have also fought in the Clone Wars, on the Republic's side, thereby gaining its trust.

Ultimately, the Republic won the Clone Wars, becoming the sole political superpower in the galaxy. But, the costly victory left it weak and struggling -- like the German Weimar Republic. Coruscant's grand military was maintained to help keep order during the postwar reconstruction.

However, the Republic's long history of success had led into the pride cycle. Society, in general, moved away from traditional values and towards cynicism. Crime was on the rise. The Senate got mired in politics, and corruption spread on Coruscant's Wall Street. A conspiracy of "Nixonian gangsters," ruthless trade barons, and the Sith cult took advantage of the galaxy's fragility. Through political machinations, they sowed the seeds for the authoritarian Empire. This culminated in making Coruscant's local queen their puppet empress, and having the Sith replace the Jedi as the supernatural enforcers of order. The Empire's propaganda was that this was the next step in the galaxy's evolution. It claimed sovereignty over the entire galaxy, and brutally subjugated any worlds that resisted.

In Lucas's original film, the Galactic Emperor was just a figurehead. The real power was with the imperial establishment of moffs, military commanders, and corporate magnates. The Sith cult was separate from the imperial chain of command, and its master held the title of prince and had his own castle.

In the original Star Wars film, the Galactic Emperor was just a political figurehead. The real power was with the imperial establishment of military commanders, business magnates, and moffs. The Sith Knights were separate from the imperial chain of command, and their master lived in his own castle.

The Rebellion is an alliance of local governments, businesses, and insurgent guerrillas. They start out as a small band of underdogs.  Their bases are hideouts, and they can only afford to do hit-and-run sorties. Their spies conduct espionage. And, new rebels are recruited through shadowy networks. However, the Alliance gains more and more support in the Imperial Senate.

In a selfish bid for recognition, Governor Tarkin -- Grand Moff of the Outer Rim Territories -- secretly builds the Death Star. He and most of the other imperials think it's the perfect deterrent against large-scale rebellion. However, the Alliance raids the imperial facility where a copy of the Death Star's technical readouts are kept. During the battle, rebel spies manage to steal these plans. Frantic, the Emperor calls upon the Sith to recover the stolen data before the Rebellion can analyze it. Darth Sidious sends his first knight, Darth Vader, who traces the spies' transmissions to the consular ship of Leia Organa, princess of the peaceful world of Alderaan. Vader catches up to Leia in orbit above Tatooine. In desperation, she hides the plans in R2-D2, and sends him and C-3PO down to the surface to find General Obi-Wan Kenobi.

As a live demonstration of the Death Star's destructive power, Tarkin wants to blow up the planet where the rebel HQ is hidden. But, since Leia is being uncooperative, he punishes her by targeting Alderaan instead, killing millions of people. Back on Coruscant, the Emperor dissolves the Senate permanently. The Empire's moffs and regional governors will have direct control over their jurisdictions, backed by the threat of the Death Star.

But, the superweapon is soon destroyed in the Battle of Yavin.  Many people and local governments rally to the rebel cause.  And, as the Alliance grows bigger, I don't think it would need to hide anymore.  Imagine if they kept the Yavin fortress as their secure headquarters, and made noticeable progress in the war.  Echo Base can be more of an outpost or forward operating base. 

But, Hoth is where the rebels' momentum is broken. Echo Base suffers from an infestation of wampas, which could draw the attention of an imperial probe droid. What follows is a devastating battle where the rebels suffer heavy casualties as they scatter.

After the setback at Hoth, the civil war becomes a gridlock between the Empire and the Rebellion. Political intrigue continues. And, Wedge Antilles becomes the leader of Rogue Squadron.

Eventually, the Rebellion scores a major victory at the forest moon of Endor. However, I would not have a second Death Star. There are a thousand other things that this battle could be about, and why Endor is of strategic importance. Admiral Piett can still go down with the Executor. And, Darth Sidious's castle or space station can be at Endor.

From then on, the Rebel Alliance is the winning side, and the Empire is desperately holding onto what planets it can. The rebel fleet eventually pushes to Coruscant and topples the Emperor. 

But, the war is not over yet.  Grand Admiral Thrawn takes command of the Imperial Remnant.  And, time is of the essence -- the New Republic and local resistance need to hurry up and finish off the Empire before a growing number of pacifists vote to end the war early.  That would be like letting the Nazis keep a German district for themselves. 

Finally, in an epic space battle, the rebels outmaneuver Thrawn.  I would give him a very similar death to Lord Beckett's in Pirates of the Caribbean.  Thrawn wouldn't freeze, but he would recognize that he's toast, and tell his crew to abandon ship and surrender.  He, on the other hand, would choose to remain alone on the bridge, watching stoically as his flagship is blown to pieces all around him, culminating in his death. 

Thrawn's defeat triggers the collapse of the Imperial Remnant.  This is when there'd be V-E Day celebrations across the galaxy. The war would be over, and there would never be a resurgent Empire.

When you look at the six Star Wars movies made by George Lucas, it's clear that he wasn't really interested in repeating Star Trek's theme of space being the final frontier. The Star Wars galaxy is already well-explored and charted, like our modern planet surface.

Yes, it takes most ships more than 12 parsecs to make the Kessel Run. But, that's like a speedboat captain knowing the shortest safe route through an area of treacherous rocks and coral reefs. Or an off-roader knowing the shortest safe route through a region of thick forests, muddy swamps, steep cliffs, and wide rivers. That's not the same as entire continents still waiting to be discovered.

Admiral Ozzel says there are uncharted settlements, of smugglers and the like. Not uncharted planets.

Some worlds are certainly more remote than others. And, some natives have not yet joined galactic society. These worlds are a lot like the wild lands that historical explorers laid claim to on behalf of Europe, but which still had to wait decades or centuries before being colonized.

The obscure planets that are nearly impossible to find -- Ruusan, Peridea, Lehon, Tanalorr, Lira San, and At Atton -- only appear in subsequent material that George never wrote.

The "Unknown Regions" were not mentioned until the Thrawn books of the early 90s. They're never so much as hinted at in George's films. When Obi-Wan cannot locate Kamino, he believes that the only explanation is that the archives are incomplete. Neither he nor Jocasta Nu ever mention the Unknown Regions, because all the regions are known in George's movies.

I loved the movie. And, I'm glad that the Empire wasn't the central focus this time.

Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, and Noah Kloor originally wrote it as a fourth season of the Mandalorian. Then, it was condensed into the movie that's now in theaters.

Here's my speculation on what the season outline would have been:

1. The mountain base, the walkers, and receiving the new Razor Crest from Sigourney Weaver.

2. Visiting Nal Hutta, finding Rotta, the fight in Coin's bar, and the pair being captured.

3. Star Wars Ragnarok, and chasing Rotta through the city.

4. Storming the imperial estate, capturing and bringing in Coin, and saying goodbye to Rotta.

5. Summoning the Anzellans. Mando is captured, and wakes up in the bounty hunter's brig. Grogu and the Anzellans gear up and go after them.

6. Fighting the Dragon-Snake, escaping the palace, and sending off the Anzellans.

7. Grogu surviving in the wilds and looking after Mando. Then, they find the smuggler's ship and decide to fight.

8. The assault on the palace.

Imagine if the progress of in-universe technology had been kept consistent. The further in the past you go, the more primitive the technology becomes. And, the further in the future you go, the more advanced the technology becomes.

For example, in the earliest period (Obi-Wan's youth, or a bit earlier), people still rely on screens instead of holograms. Commoners travel on animal steeds and wheeled vehicles, while the wealthy ride around in speeder chariots. Warriors wield variations of lightsabers, electro-staffs, "boomers," and laser bows and arrows. Aerospace battles are fought between gunships that require multi-person crews.

It shouldn't have been until the latest period, the Sequel era, that we saw touchscreens, Nubian yachts, Nubian starfighters, seismic charges, seeker missiles, and plentiful cyborgs, battle droids, and jet troopers. General Grievous should not have been a character until the Sequel period, showing how far cybernetic technology has come.

Going along with that, I think the Clone Wars' stakes would be higher if normal recruits and conscripts were wearing the Republic's white armor, and the enemies were the clones. Then, the Original Trilogy shows the Civil War. Finally, the Sequel era could have been the Droid Wars.

At the time that George made A New Hope, "Darth" wasn't a Sith title. It was genuinely Vader's first name. And he and Anakin Skywalker were two separate men.

Ben Kenobi wasn't originally intended to pass on. Rather, in sequels, he would be a good father figure to Luke, and Vader would be a bad father figure.

The Sith cult was separate from the imperial chain of command. You get the sense that Vader is an outsider that the imperials brought in to deal with the rebels. The imperial officers aren't cowering yes-men to him. And the Emperor was just a political figurehead. Vader's Sith master was a different guy.

Leia was the biological child of Alderaan's royalty. She and Luke weren't siblings.

In interviews and commentaries, Lucas indicated that a well-balanced Force is bright with the Ashla, the light.

The Bogan is a dark infection that disrupts the balance.

The movies didn't explain this well. It would have been simpler to just say "The brighter the Light is everywhere, the better. But, the Bogan dims the Light, leaving nothing but Darkness. So, the Bogan must be suppressed."

It's a crappy policy! I don't care if George borrowed it from Buddhist monks. It still stinks!

And, it's inconsistent with the Jedis' emphasis on symbiosis. A healthy marriage and a close-knit family are symbiotic relationships. Having loved ones can help keep you anchored to the good side. As long as your priorities are straight, the fear of loss can propel you to take correct action.

Families give up Force-sensitive kids to the Jedi Order because it's a "great honor"? That kind of rationale is used in fanatic cultures that deploy kamikaze pilots and suicide bombers. In the Harry Potter books, Bellatrix says she would be proud to give up sons to Voldemort's service.

Darth Sidious doesn't have attachments. He has no difficulty letting go of people he no longer has use for. And Darth Vader was doing an excellent job practicing lonely detachment before he learned of Luke.

In KOTOR, Jolee Bindo dismantles the Jedis' reasoning for banning attachments.

In the Prequels, the slaughter of the Tusken camp wouldn't have happened if Anakin had been allowed to keep in touch with his mom.

On Geonosis, Luminara was ready to give up on the padawans. Anakin wasn't, and he turned out to be right.

For Anakin's fall, Lucas tried the whole "road to hell is paved with good intentions." But, the execution was badly fumbled. Anakin would have been fine if the Force hadn't trolled him with nightmares, and if he'd put away his ego about promotions.

Evil is born from negative sources. I would have Anakin be so caught up in the wars and the fascist movement, so obsessed with revenge and daddy issues, that he stops valuing his wife and friends. He would rather let go of Padme than let go of his galactic ambitions. THAT's the birth of Darth Vader! And, it would reinforce the tragedy that Anakin could have had a good family life if he had just stayed away from evil.

I'm disappointed that the Book of Boba Fett had Luke buy into the detachment crap. In Legends, he married Mara Jade and had a son.

"Ashlans" can be an umbrella term that covers the Baran Do Sages and the Jedi Knights. Ashlans teach the Golden Rule, compassion, altruism, and mutualistic symbiosis. Their business with society is based on generalized reciprocity (doing your part to help the community, not expecting anything in return except good karma). Ashlan mystics use the bright side of the Force to freely help people, and to find enlightenment and inner peace.

"Bendu" can be an umbrella term for all the sects who see merit in both the Ashla and the Bogan. Or, who see the Force as just an energy field, without light or dark. Bendu teachings tend to be isolationist. "Not my circus, not my monkeys." And, their business with society is based on balanced reciprocity -- transactions and collecting on debts. Bendu mystics are only strong in neutral Force powers. The Dagoyan Order and the Order of the Whills sound like Bendu sects.

"Boganites" can be an umbrella term that covers the Rakatan Infinite Empire, the Prophets of Darkness, the Bando Gora, the Nightsisters, and the Sith. They are parasitic cults. And, their business with society is based on negative reciprocity -- taking as much as you can, and giving as little as possible in return. Boganite sorcerers use the dark side of the Force to obtain power, and to harm and dominate others.