I very much enjoyed this edit, and I really dislike the original cuts of the sequels.
That said I have a few suggestions if you were to make another cut down the line.
-Holdo’s speech could be trimmed or all references to it being a rebellion/resistance, especially since the republic isn’t destroyed. Alternatively make it clear ( opening crawl) that the republic is neutral or somehow incapacitated or incapable to explain its complete absence and why Kylo is pursing a small band of rebels.
Another thing you could do it make it clear that Lando’s fleet at the end is the republic and they’ve come to the rescue at the death, rather than. “Just people. “
All in all it was a great edit.
Thanks! The Republic’s generally ineffectuality is something that’s hard to get across, as even in the theatricals its destruction barely seems to register on a galactic scale. But as for your concerns regarding their absence, as well as Kylo/the FO’s obsession with the Resistance, the opening crawl provided some context:
As the peaceful New
Republic struggles to fight
this resurgent menace,
General Leia Organa gathers
her allies and leads a brave
RESISTANCE.
It’s implied that their complete demilitarisation is reason for a lack of any support. This makes Holdo’s speech slightly aimless, but still, in a trilogy full of nostalgic speeches about returning to the status quo and “restoring peace” it can be read pretty broadly. There’s just not enough meat to the rest of her speech to cut around those specific lines sadly. Perhaps it’s more of an ideological statement about restoring a central military, which, well, given the galaxy’s recent history would be pretty bleak, but it’s something I like about these films: people stuck in endless reclusive loops striving to break free from history’s cycles. Poe also goes on to change that statement/slogan into something more immediately material and transformative (“burn the First Order down”).
the sinister
FIRST ORDER has risen from
the ashes of the Empire and
will stop at nothing until
Skywalker, the last Jedi, has
been destroyed.
As to the First Order’s obsession with the Resistance, Snoke’s ultimate goal is the destruction of the Jedi and the last remaining Skywalkers (Luke/Leia). Wrestling general havoc across a fractured and demilitarised galactic society is just a fallout of that.
Thanks again for taking the time to watch and discuss this edit!