Back when The Last Jedi came out, I was pretty angry. I didn’t like the route that Rian Johnson took Star Wars and I was complaining about it pretty heavily. While complaining, my sister actually told me that she thought I could do a better job writing the next movie. I wasn’t sure if that was an insult or a compliment, but I took it as a challenge. I tried to write my own version of what I wanted to happen with Episode 9.

So I’m going to post it here for you to read.

Before I do that though, I want to preface it. I didn’t know anything about what was coming at the time. I didn’t have as much experience writing as I do now, and this isn’t complete. It is mostly just my outline for what I would have had happened if I were in charge. So Disney, if you like what you read, I have a few ideas for the series in the future.

Anyway, here is my rough outline of what I would have done if I had written Star Wars Episode 9.

Star Wars

Episode 9

Act 1

We open in space as usual.  A planet hangs in the corner of the shot until the First Order Destroyer slowly crawls over the camera like in A New Hope.  As the destroyer passes, we see that this destroyer is flanked by two others.  

On the bridge of the Destroyer is Supreme Commander HUX and the slicer DJ.  HUX questions whether there really is a Resistance Base here.  DJ says that if the money is still right, he will find every base he can.  Supreme Leader KYLO REN projects in, questioning if the rebels are there.  He searches with the force.  Then abruptly he orders an attack.  

We zip down to a desert oasis world.  While the world is mostly sand, there are spots with water scattered throughout.  We focus on a local dive bar full of life.  We pan through the crowd to find POE and FINN.  They slide through the crowd, looking for someone.  They slip into a table occupied by an alien and a robot.  

We cut to REY.  She is sitting atop the FALCON meditating.  She senses darkness.  She calls to BB-8.  We see footsteps trailing off into the distance towards town.  

Cut back to FINN and POE trying to recruit a pair of aliens to the RESISTANCE.  POE tries to tell them that they don’t want the EMPIRE to return.  The RESISTANCE need help to stand up to them, they are losing people left and right.  The occupants of the bar start to stir.  The bar begins to empty.  

FINN’S comm starts to buzz.  REY tells them that they need to get out of there, but they seem to already know based on the buzz in the bar.  POE will question why GENERAL SOLO sent them here.  He will also hope that she faired better with the other smuggler connection that she was going after.  Some “friend” from before.  

We hear the growl of a TIE FIGHTER flying overhead.  The ground begins to quake.  The attack has started.  POE and FINN race outside to witness the incoming storm of lasers raining down on the town.  They run towards the nearest transport and try to get as many people on it as possible, but it is still small.  

Some of the pirates and smugglers here begin to openly attack the FIRST ORDER but they are taken out quickly.  FINN and POE drag the aliens with them onto the ship and take off.  A quick chase ensues.  

CHEWIE and ROSE, working on eternally fixing up the FALCON hear REY beginning to shout.  They fire up the FALCON and take off.  REY and CHEWIE pilot the FALCON towards the bombardment, while ROSE continues to fix something broken.  They get communication with FINN and POE and they decide that they need to leave the system as soon as possible.  REY senses something through the Force and tells them that they need to get to the meeting points.  

Both ships head towards the skies, which are blocked by Destroyers.  With a few maneuvers, they are through the blockade and take off through hyperspace.  

We cut to a blue planet.  The screen pans down on to a single starship, the Falcon crosses the screen, followed closely behind by a larger fleet, composed of mostly smaller ships, x-wings, freighters, etc.  At the center is a Corellian Corvette just like from Episode 4.  

As the ships fly around, the FALCON and the SMUGGLERS ships board the medical frigate.  We follow BB-8 as he rolls off the ramp of the falcon, followed by the shuffling feet of the rest of the crew.

POE is trying to speak to the SMUGGLERS in an attempt to convince them that they need to join.  It is the only way to survive.  They don’t seem to understand, and they want to leave.  REY tells them that they are free to leave, that anyone that wants to stay can have asylum here.  Most of the ships still leave.

We follow BB-8 and REY as they veer down the hallway. BB-8 bumps into the golden legs of 3PO.  “Oh my,” he says as the rest of them catch up to BB-8.  THREEPIO informs the crew that Princess Leia has passed on.  REY is crushed. 

CUT TO:

HUX is moving towards KYLO REN’s chambers.  He looks worried to report that the RESISTANCE escaped.  The doors open, and KYLO REN is sitting on the throne, just like SNOKE or PALAPTINE.  He looks pained, his eyes closed.  HUX coughs and then pleads for a weapon or something else instead of just pursuing the last ragtag rebels.  Enraged REN begins to choke HUX for losing the RESISTANCE.  LEIA’s voice reaches out… “BEN.”

HUX is released. As he leaves the room, DJ is waiting for him.  DJ tries to get HUX to understand that the force is powerful, but a weapon could be more dangerous.  HUX seems to think that the RESISTANCE was able to escape a little too easy.  He thinks someone might have tipped them off, DJ plays it off like he knows nothing.  HUX and REN seem to be at opposite ends of the spectrum of what to do. 

WIPE TO:

LEIA’s funeral happens in space.  They send out her casket towards the sun of ALDEERAN.  People from all over seem to have come for the event.  REY says a little something about how she was like a mother to her and how she would want everyone to continue fighting.  “She has become one with THE FORCE.”

WIPE TO:

ROSE is working on the FALCON with CHEWIE.  She wants to make modifications, but CHEWIE growls at her.  She agrees that they need to get the thing working first, but sometimes you just have to take a step back before you go forward.  CHEWIE seems to be working on the FALCON to distract him from his pain.  

POE enters the HANGER to find LANDO CALRISSIAN who is eyeing the FALCON.  POE has come to recruit him for the RESISTANCE.  He just laughs and says that it is a young man’s game.  LEIA, HAN, LUKE, they were all the last generation.  POE makes a plea, but LANDO doesn’t really budge.  HE argues that they don’t have people or weapons.  ALL they have is an old junk ship and a dream.  

 POE and FINN are at a loss for what to do next, they have no guiding light.  POE knows that they need more people and more weapons, but he doesn’t know how to get them.    Neither of them wants to lead.  ROSE yells at them to get out of the hangar.  That’s when POE sees the FALCON and realizes that they need a symbol, just like the FALCON.  He looks to FINN as that symbol of hope.  He is the only one that has left the FIRST ORDER by choice, and he could get others to do the same.  FINN doesn’t want to be propaganda and storms off.   

Meanwhile, REY reaches out with the FORCE to commune with KYLO REN.  The connection opens, and REY tells him that his mother is gone, but that he can still be saved.  He knows.  He also tells her that her training isn’t complete.  He tells her to join him and he will complete her training, they are the only ones left.  REY can feel his rage and pain. She breaks the connection, then looks towards the remains of Luke’s lightsaber.  

FINN goes to his quarters to start packing his bags when he gets a message from DJ.  DJ doesn’t want the war to end or he’d stop making money, that’s why he’s helping FINN.  He gives him the details of a weapon’s facility that could be open to subterfuge.  It has plenty of weapons and ships for the taking.  FINN isn’t sure if he should use the information or not.  

Everyone meets at the bridge.  POE is in charge and says that he has a plan, but he needs help.  He wants to continue to grow the RESISTANCE.  He knows that there are those out there that don’t want the tight fist of the First Order to crackdown.  He wants to go to MAZ KANATA and get anyone they can to support them.  FINN brings up that he has information about a weapons storage they can raid, but he won’t tell them that DJ brought the information to him.  POE decides that he and FINN will go check out the weapon’s base, while REY will go to MAZ.  

Act 2

wipe to: 

Back in KYLO REN’s throne room, he sits, searching the FORCE for REY.  “You won’t find her.”  LUKE’s voice beams in.  FORCE GHOST LUKE has come to KYLO REN.  They argue for a while, REN tries to get rid of LUKE, but LUKE has come to haunt him as he said at the end of THE LAST JEDI.  REN orders drones sent to every planet not under their control looking for REY or the FALCON.  Luke admits to failing KYLO REN again, and now that he is gone, he doesn’t want anything but to help his nephew.  REN lashes out and burns up the room with his lightsaber.  He wants REY found immediately.

DJ tries to lead HUX into a trap.  He persuades him to invest in a weapon.  HUX discuss with DJ about the desire for more firepower.  DJ will go to work on brokering a weapon of mass destruction.

REY, CHEWIE, R2, and 3PO arrive at MAZ’s new base of operations. The world is filled with water with little islands, Cantu. MAZ seems to sense REY’s arrival.  She can see that REY has had some training, but knows that her training isn’t complete.  She asks about the saber that had called to her, and REY shows MAZ that it is broken.  MAZ will see that there is a lot to repair here.

POE, FINN, and ROSE arrive on the planet of the weapons dept.  It is a highly industrialized area.  There’s a shipyard that they notice making new types of fighters.  They will look similar to an X-wing, but newer.   They are able to land but FINN senses some hostility from the people.  As they travel the city, they begin to see FIRST ORDER TROOPS, they also notice a STAR DESTROYER enter the space above the planet.  POE starts to wonder where FINN got his intel.  As they get closer to the weapons depot, they see the workers, a mix of humans and aliens, whipped and forced to work by the first order.  

LUKE begins to question KYLO REN about how SNOKE got his hands on him.  REN will admit that he didn’t want to believe SNOKE at first, that he believed his UNCLE, but SNOKE proved that he was more powerful.  KYLO REN will rub it in LUKE’S face that he wasn’t even aware of the rise of SNOKE. SNOKE had been one of the Jedi Trainees at the JEDI TEMPLE when DARTH VADER was born, that’s why he was so disfigured. VADER in had left him alive, and SNOKE resented him for it.  He took pleasure in turning the grandson of VADER and making him more powerful.   Luke admits to thinking that all the dark Jedi were destroyed.  That his attention was on those of his students, and fearful of the rise of a dark Jedi there.  When one is focused on what’s in front of them, they often lose sight of what’s behind them.

We cut to REY’s eyes now.  MAZ is telling her the story of SNOKE and KYLO REN as well.  She trained with SKYWALKER for a short time but found that being a JEDI wasn’t for her, there were too many rules.  A person should have their own expectations of life, not those forced on them.  Being a person should have all aspects of life, especially if you are to help people.  You can’t block out emotions, but one should know how to handle those emotions.  REY questions if she should continue her journey or not.  MAZ says that only she can decide.  REY will turn the conversation towards the hired guns.  MAZ will say that no one is willing to go against the FIRST ORDER without hope.  If they are to win the battle, they will need a symbol, a beacon of hope.  

POE, FINN, and ROSE will discuss what they can do.  POE is angry that FINN didn’t tell him about DJ providing the intel, that he wouldn’t have assigned the mission if he had known.  POE doesn’t think that they have a move here.  They are outnumbered, outgunned.  FINN agrees but knows that they can’t leave those workers there being tortured.  ROSE suggests that if they can free them, their force will expand.  FINN questions who could leave the FIRST ORDER though.  ROSE says that HE did.  

KYLO REN will try to open his connection with REY.  She will let him in for a moment.  He will offer her a choice: she can train with him or die.  She pleads with him to let go of the hatred that is within him.   He will sense that she is on CANTU.  He warns her to prepare to join him, or she will see all her friends die.

Wipe back to:

The plan is for POE to disable the carriers otherwise they would just be sitting ducks on the planet, while FINN attacks and liberates the ground forces.  ROSE and BB-8 will provide support from the base and try to coordinate the attack.  They start off the attack, but of course, things go wrong.  FINN is captured by the FIRST ORDER right away.  POE makes it, but ROSE informs him of FINN’s capture.  He isn’t sure what to do now.  

REY puts the final touches on her new lightsaber when she feels fear in the force.  MAZ comes to her, just as the STAR DESTROYER blocks out the sun from the sky.  Everyone begins to run, but REY tells them that it is just here for her.  MAZ comments about how after twenty years, they always seem to find her now.  A lone shuttle flies down to the surface, while the mercs begin to escape.  Many of them are blasted out of the sky.  

We will cut between the three following scenes:

KYLO REN will confront REY.  He will try to get her to turn, screaming at her.  Telling her that she is on the wrong side..  She will stay defensive, and try to keep KYLO REN busy.  He is lost without a guiding light.  She will get the upper hand, cutting off one of KYLO REN’s arms.  She will be about to strike him down when she realizes that she is attacking out of anger.  She will stop herself and reach out to him, but he will reject her.  The FALCON will come in and take her away.  They will be followed out by the rest of the scum and villainy that had been harbored at MAZ’s.

FINN will be brought in front of the FIRST ORDER TROOPS.  They will be detaining him, but there will be a rabble among the crowd.  FINN will verbally attack the TROOPS which will cause an uprising.   He will start to address those in confinement, pleading for them to do what they need to do to be free.  He did it, and while his current situation is dire, he doesn’t regret it for a moment.  He will question the TROOPS why they are doing it, One of the TROOPERS will hesitate for a moment which will provide an opening for the workers to rebel.  FINN will free himself and shoot his way out of trouble, with all the ex-workers standing up to fight with them.  

POE will board the ship in their transport.  The ship will be stocked with X-wings and other ships.  He will be attacked while he boards, but there are workers on the ship as well.  Once word gets out that rebellion has started on the ground, they will turn in space as well.  POE and the rebellion on the ship will take control.  POE will find out about the 

The RESISTANCE had doubled in size.

WIPE TO:

HUX flies his shuttle towards the new weapon: the ECLIPSE.  A weapon that DJ says can destroy the star of a system, leaving death and destruction in its wake.  One little blast and a whole star system can be destroyed.

Act 3

REY returns to the RESISTANCE base, surprisingly followed by MAZ and the rest of her crew.  Just as soon as they return, POE and FINN fly in with their new crew as well.  

KYLO REN gets his enhanced arm and vows to destroy the RESISTANCE. HUX has tracked the resistance fighters and they can now jump in and destroy their fleet, but he urges KYLO REN to not make this personal.  They can bring in his new weapon.  LUKE says that this is a bad idea, but KYLO ignores him.  KYLO relishes that he has become closer to his Grandfather, flexing his new machine hand.  LUKE reminds him that his grandfather was ultimately good.  KYLO REN says that he was a coward, and he will be much stronger.

REY and FINN reconnect.  FINN can sense a change in her.  POE calls a meeting to discuss what’s next, and the immediate danger of the ECLIPSE class ship.  FINN argues that they need to attack now, but POE disagrees.  REY thinks that attacking will not prove anything but the loss of life.  They need to continue to recruit.  The forces they have now are not trained, not organized.  MAZ steps in and says that the news is spreading.  REY and FINN have become symbols for the galaxy.  

DJ, who came in on one of the smuggler ships it seems, applauds him.  They all go after him, but he claims to be here to help.  That he has heard about their little trip and results.  He wants to help them, for his own gain because if the war ends, he won’t be able to play both sides. 

The alarms begin to blare.  DESTROYER after DESTROYER appears, followed by the ECLIPSE.  POE assumes that DJ told the FIRST ORDER where to find them, but REY says that it was most likely her.  

The FIRST ORDER has arrived.  POE orders everyone to their ships, everyone that isn’t combat-ready is to head planetside, the rest are to provide cover.  

REY and FINN take as many as possible in the FALCON.  As they take off, they start to become overwhelmed by the FIRST ORDER’s ships.  POE is conflicted between jumping in an X-wing and taking over the helm of the ship.  MAZ pushes him to be the leader and do what he can.  He jumps in his X-wing and puts ROSE on the bridge.  

An epic battle rages over a forest-like planet.  Ships are being burnt out, the transports are being blown up.  The Falcon takes a hit but keeps ticking, but it is in flames.  KYLO REN orders his ship prepared and a landing crew for the planet.  HUX brags about not needing any more ships out there.  They outnumber them 3 to 1.

KYLO REN in his ship follows just behind, trying to blow the ship up.  REY, using the force, dodges all the blasts. They aren’t going to be able to touch down unless they can get REN off of their tail, but they will distract him from the other’s ship while they can.  FINN, with the help of REY’s guidance in the FORCE, manages to get a shot off at KYLO REN’s ship that sends him off course and allows them to land.

As they enter the ground battle, REY senses something else.  It’s like a force ghost, a sense that hasn’t left.  She is drawn to it.  She heads off towards the feeling but is followed by FINN.  She is drawn to the place where LUKE tried to murder BEN SOLO.  She can feel the pain and anguish.  KYLO enters and discusses what happened here.  REY confesses that she feels the pain.  He once again tries to convince her to join him and they can change things.  

POE continues the most epic space battle while ROSE tries to coordinate everything.  The RESISTANCE keeps losing ships and men though.  Then LANDO and the SMUGGLERS arrive.  They help turn the tide with their bigger ships.  LANDO tells POE that he thought over what POE had told him earlier and that he can’t just watch as the younger guys do all the work.  Now, the RESISTANCE has smaller and medium ships than the FIRST ORDER.   

REY will turn to the spot where LUKE SKYWALKER was lost.  She gets lost in the feelings surrounding her.  KYLO REN ignites his blade to strike her down.  FINN fires at KYLO from a distance, but he catches the bolt with the force.  With his other hand, he brings FINN over to him to strike him down.  REY jumps to action and force chokes KYLO.  THE BATTLE IS ON.

Thanks to the smugglers and the fighters, the FIRST ORDER’s numbers are starting to dwindle.    ROSE has everyone concentrate all fire on the ECLIPSE.  More and more ships start to appear in support of the RESISTANCE.  HUX tries to make communication with KYLO, but he can’t.  LANDO orders an IMMOBILIZER into the system to block the FIRST ORDER’s escape to hyperspace.  

KYLO REN and REY fight.  REY’s anger lets loose, and REN begins to laugh.  REY strikes out with lightning, catching KYLO off guard.  She moves to end things but stops.  KYLO demands that she do it.  He wants her to end it.  All the suffering and pain.  There is no coming back for him like there was for his grandfather.  

In space, HUX has ordered the retreat but is trapped.  The ECLIPSE begins to implode, and he mentions that he didn’t even get to try it out.  POE orders the RESISTANCE to stand down.  They aren’t the FIRST ORDER.  If they come back, they will fight back.

POE and the men following push the FIRST ORDER back enough so they retreat.  They ultimately will yield and give up.  

KYLO begins to rage again, and the battle continues.  REY will battle, but she wont attack.  KYLO will notice and to get her to actually end it all, he will go after FINN.  REY will STOP him from trying to harm her friend.  She ENDS KYLO REN.

LUKE smiles and fades into the force.  The trio reunites and celebrates their victory.  POE will ask about REN. She will say somberly that he is now one with the force.  

REY will enter the FALCON to find MAZ. MAZ will ask her what she intends to do with the JEDI books.  REY will plan on training the future of the JEDI.  Rey’s Jedis would be able to celebrate their emotions and love.  Maybe then, the galaxy will be free.

THE END

My Notes that I left myself after this draft:

Things that need answers:

• Was Kylo Ren lying about Rey’s parents?
• How did Snoak get so much power?
• How did he corrupt Ben so easily?
• Did Phasma die? again?
• Is Luke a force ghost?
• Where is LANDO?
• Who are the Knights of Ren?
• Does REY need to return to JAKKU?
• What was different about FINN?  Why did he turn?

things for next pass

• Change act two to a prison rescue?
• Some type of ship carrier above the weapons base.
• Rose needs a stronger place here.
• How does DJ end up?  He goes away after the first act really.  Maybe he brings Lando
• Take out the major weapon.
• Fix up Snoke’s background.  It doesn’t fit right as it is.  Does it go back to Anakin?
• The Sun killer.  Destroys the star of the system.  

second pass:

• the Eclipse is dumb.  
• Lando is worked in better
• Still don’t answer who REY’s parents are.  Maybe KYLO was telling the truth, and they were nobodies.  Fit that in the script.  
• DJ is worked in better, but he still doesn’t have a resolution.
• ROSE is stronger in the second pass.  
• Snoke’s background is better.
• This is a better pass, but still not the best I can do.
• What if Rey has already begun to train or identify other JEDI?
• FINN needs to lead the ground troops during act 3.  But he does need to end up at the climactic battle with REY and KYLO REN.  

What did you think?

Well, that’s how I would have taken the last Skywalker Saga episode. What did you think? Do you like my version, what is missing? Let me know in the comments below or on Facebook!

Also, check out my Top 7 Questions from The Rise of Skywalker or my Review of Star Wars: Episode 9 Rise of Skywalker