Synopsis:

NOT YET RELEASED The galaxy is in greater peril than either the First Order or the Resistance knows. Rey is training arduously to meet the needs and expectations of her role as the last hope of the Jedi while Kylo Ren rages at any threat to his power as Supreme Leader. Both sense their paths are being steered towards an inevitable head-on collision but neither can glean the true nature of the disturbance--only eachother's mounting frustrations. A fateful message and a powerful calling propel both sides on a galaxy-spanning journey filled with heart-racing action, encounters with old friends and new, devastating revelations, and profound sacrifices. Powerful light. Powerful dark. Not all is as it may seem as the end of one saga ushers in the rise of a new myth. This is what Star Wars can be.

Intentions:

This project is an end-to-end (i.e. ingestion, color correction, editing, rendering) 4K HDR production. As this is my love letter to the final chapter of the Skywalker Saga I spared no effort in bringing my vision for this film to life. Beyond the technical aspirations though one might ask, "do we really need another fan edit of The Rise of Skywalker?" My (albeit biased) answer is a resounding yes! There is much heart and soul to be uncovered from this oft-maligned installment. My aim is to give weight and meaning to Leia's sacrifice, clarity to the Emperor's intentions and machinations, depth to Ben's redemption, a genuine progression for Finn as a developing character, and stakes to Rey's internal struggles.

Change List:

CUSTOM CRAWL Luke Skywalker is one with the force but the galaxy is still in need of a legend. Now REY, the last hope of the jedi, trains to assume his legacy. Fighting bursts of KYLO REN's fury, she discovers their bond has not been broken as something both terrible and distant calls to him. Meanwhile, GENERAL LEIA ORGANA has dispatched her most trusted agents to race across the stars on a mission of vital importance to restoring peace and justice to the galaxy.... - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SINTA GLACIER COLONY - Starfield pans down to the Falcon arriving at the Sinta Glacier Colony - Removed chess scene (reserved for epilogue; idea by snooker) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - AJAN KLOSS - Created new Ajan Kloss establishing shot - Replaced Rey's frustrated grunt with a sigh - Altered Rey's dialog to, "I'm starting to think it isn't possible...to hear the voices of guidance through the Force." (AI GENERATED LINE - with gratitude to Jar Jar Bricks for assistance with the generation) - Layered Leia's admonition, "Be patient." over her passing Luke's lightsaber to Rey - Intercut Rey's training sequence and Kylo's “Mustafar Minute” - Used Kylo's discovery of the Sith wayfinder to trigger a shared force vision - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - EXEGOL - Altered Kylo's approach to face the Emperor - Cut to black from Palpatine's delivery of “…pathway to abilities many consider to be—unnatural” - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - AJAN KLOSS - Cut before Rey giving back Luke's lightsaber to Rey scouring Luke's journal - Removed, "Rey! The Falcon's back" (reserved for Death Star duel) - Removed, "Go! Go!" (reserved for Resistance departing for Exegol) - Trimmed Poe, Rey, and Finn bickering - Trimmed resistance meeting to remove speculation on Sith methods and the countdown to open hostilities - Altered Rey and Leia's private exchange to include Rey handing back Luke's lightsaber while emotionally saying, "Take Luke's saber." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - DESTROYER - Opened with Kylo interacting with Vader's mask - Used the touch of the mask to trigger a force vision of the Emperor layered with distant laughing - Cut to Kylo having his mask repaired - Trimmed sequence of Kylo marching with his knights to omit the storm trooper commentary - Cut to Boolio's head being slammed on the table to kick off the First Order's board room meeting - Altered Kylo's dialog to, "We have a spy in our ranks who sent a message to the Resistance." - Cut from Kylo's line, "My knights and I are going hunting for the scavenger." to Rey re-fueling the Falcon on Ajan Kloss - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - AJAN KLOSS - Edited Rose's expression during her interaction with Finn to end their conversation on less of a tone of exasperation and more of an endearing note - Altered C-3PO's dialog to, “You are sending a message? To whom? Oh dear, I do hope you reach him in time.” (AI GENERATED LINE) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - DESTROYER ##################################### > PALPATINE: The Princess of Alderaan acts in vain. You sent word to her Rebellion? > PRYDE: Yes m’lord. > PALPATINE: Good. The Jedi Apprentice will come. We will be one. My plan begins. ##################################### - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - PASAANA - Skywalker Puppet Show courtesy of Hal 9000, poppasketti, and other forum members who contributed to the discussion - Altered Kylo's dialog to, “Palpatine wants me to turn you to the dark side.” - Trimmed Rey and Kylo's force conversation - Re-worked the timing of the running sequence and storm trooper encounter - Moved the beads analysis to after Lando’s line, “Follow me.” - Altered Lando's dialog to, “I was sent a transmission.” - Left C-3PO’s, “They fly now?” and cut other parts of the comedic relief exchange - Removed Finn and Poe's celebration - Edited the attack sequence so that Rey one-shots the storm trooper - Cut from Finn shouting, “Rey, I never told you!” to BB-8 falling through the quicksand - Kept the flashlight sight gag but substituted the sound effect - Transitioned straight from Poe's dialog, “You mean when Poe’s not here?” to, “What’s that?” as Poe discovers Ochi's speeder - Moved up C-3PO’s dialog, “Bones, never a good sign.” and cut to BB-8 discovering the Sith blade - Removed one of C-3PO's exclamations, "Serpent!" - Focused attention on Finn witnessing Rey’s Force healing with a subtle zoom effect - Focused attention on Finn sensing Kylo's presence by intercutting Kylo’s ship flying over the hill with Finn staring out of the window saying, “It’s Ren.” - Used trailer footage of Rey preparing to face Kylo - Removed Kylo’s ship explosion - Added bursts of Rey’s Sith throne vision over the explosion of the transport - Added a flashback to Leia's embrace and her once, seemingly bizarre encouragement to, "Never be afraid of who you are." while Rey stares in horror at her hand - Altered Rey's dialog so that she reveals only she sat upon the Sith throne in her vision - Removed Pryde's briefing, the reveal that Chewbacca survived, and an errant mention of the countdown that is no longer a plot point - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - KIJIMI - Removed Zorii’s dialog, “I want to see your brains in the snow.” and adjusted the entire interaction (partially inspired by Movies Remastered) - Edited the confrontation so that Rey is portrayed as the instigator - Removed C-3PO’s dialog, “R2 storage units are famously unreliable.” - Removed D-O’s dialog, “Sad.” - Re-worked Poe and Zorii’s rooftop interaction - Cut from Kylo’s arrival to Zorii’s dialog, “Poe, it might get you on the capital ship.” - Removed C-3PO's dialog and cut directly to the hangar arrival - Shortened and shuffled the storm trooper Jedi mind trick sequence - Removed Kylo's dialog, "...to keep you safe." - Moved the flashback to young Rey so that it occurs after Kylo's dialog, "Search your memories." - Transitioned out of the flashback from young Rey screaming, "No!" to present Rey also screaming, "No!" while attacking with her lightsaber - Removed Rey's memories of her parents - Altered Rey and Kylo's dialog so that Rey interrupts Kylo before he can tell her why her parents sold her and that her parents were killed because they didn't know where she was - Removed Rey's mother's dialog, "She isn't on Jakku. She's gone." - Altered Kylo's dialog to, "You know why the Emperor's always wanted you?" - Moved Kylo's dialog from a later, excised scene, "I know where she's going." to play over the cut from Rey on the ship to Kylo on Kijimi - Removed Kylo's dialog, "She was in my quarters." - Removed the execution scene and Hux's admission that he is the spy since this edit's spy is actually General Pryde acting on the Emperor's orders while Hux is just the scapegoat - Edited Finn and Hux's interaction so that Finn shoots first and asks questions later - Re-scored the hangar scene with a passage from "Join Me" on the official Rise of Skywalker soundtrack - Altered Kylo's dialog to, "The Emperor never wanted you dead." - Slightly adjusted Rey's delivery of, "...father." - Layered the arrival siren at the end of Rey and Finn's conversation and removed Kylo and the Emperor's force conversation in favor of transitioning directly to Kef Bir - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - KEF BIR - Layered in Rey's dialog, "Wayfinder's there." as the camera pushes past Rey and zooms in on the Death Star wreckage - Added Sith whispers to the dagger being pulled out from rucksack and cut to Jannah and crew riding up (idea by majoras_wrath) - Altered Jannah's dialog to, "You started something. All of the stormtroopers here heard your story." and, "...just like you did." (idea by RogueLeader; AI GENERATED LINEs by Jar Jar Bricks) - Focused attention on Finn saying he believes in the Force with a subtle zoom effect - Moved scene of Jannah telling Finn there's another skimmer to after Finn and Poe's hillside exchange - Removed the second sequence of Rey on the skimmer - Sith whispers added periodically to Rey searching for the wayfinder - Inserted a modified version of a previously cut scene where Snap informs Leia that there's been no response from the Falcon - Re-worked the Dark Rey vision as a 'jump-scare' - Re-worked Rey and Kylo's interaction - Cut from Kylo dropping off screen to Finn in the wreckage tunnel - Re-scored the duel with Samuel Kim's Battle of the Heroes and Duel of the Fates mashup - Slightly re-worked arrangement of the duel shots to fit the new music - Added Jannah shouting, "Rey! The Falcon's back!" as Kylo and Rey both look up to see the silhouette of the ship approaching from the distance (layered with sound fx) - Layered Han shouting "Ben!" as Kylo is about to deliver the killing blow followed by a cut to Leia suddenly grasping her desk for support - Added new score and flashbacks of Han approaching on the catwalk as Kylo turns back in distraction - Cut to Leia worriedly pacing back at base as Rey heals Ben - Cut back to a healed Ben staring at Rey after Maz tells R2 that Leia will need all her strength to reach her son - Intercut scene of Chewbacca, Finn, and Jannah running in the halls of the Falcon (originally post-rescue from the falling command ship on Exegol) with Rey running to Ben's ship - Used a clock wipe to transition from Rey flying away to Ben standing contemplatively on the wreckage - Crafted a sequence of Leia reaching out to Ben and the sacrifice it required to foster his redemption - Painted Han out of the wide shot of the wreckage (up to interpretation why) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - DESTROYER - Crafted a new sequence of Pryde receiving a summons from Palpatine, arriving at Exegol, and raising the Final Order fleet - Removed the destruction of Kijimi - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - AJAN KLOSS - Removed the scene discussing Kijimi's destruction - Faded to “Goodbye dear Princess” - Established the Falcon returning - Removed Finn's dialog, "He wanted her alive." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ACH-TO - Altered Luke's dialog to, "Leia sensed it during your training." (ideation in Ascendant thread, AI LINE GENERATED by Jar Jar Bricks) - Recreated the purple blade effect for Leia's saber in 4K HDR (originally colored by skenera) - Removed Luke's dialog, "...by someone who would finish her journey." - Altered Luke's dialog to, "Lesson three--a thousand generations live in you now..." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - AJAN KLOSS - Blended portions of the mission briefing with the battle preparations using selective voice over and replacement score - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - EXEGOL - Multiple sequence edits and order adjustments not specifically listed but implemented for drama and tension preferences - Altered the first interaction between Rey and Palpatine: ##################################### > PALPATINE: Long have I waited—for my grandchild to come home, Empress Palpatine. You will take the throne. It is your birthright to rule, here. It is in your blood—our blood. > REY: I haven’t come to lead the Sith. > PALPATINE: No—your hatred, your anger… You want to kill me? > REY: Yes. > PALPATINE: Good. Kill me and become what your father could not—the new emperor! ##################################### - Altered the second interaction between Rey and Palpatine: ##################################### > PALPATINE: The time has come. With your hatred you will take my life and you will ascend. > REY: All you want is for me to hate but I won't. > PALPATINE: (looking up to the doors opening and revealing an outmatched and overwhelmed Resistance fleet taking heavy losses) They don't have long... ##################################### - Removed any implications that Rey senses Ben until the moment she passes the lightsaber - Altered Finn's dialog to, "Rose, please--I love you." - Improved the timing of Ben’s behind-the-back block - Added dialog for Ben and Rey: ##################################### > BEN: You know. > REY: I do. ##################################### - Added score under Palpatine’s realization of their connection as a dyad in the Force - Added dialog for Palpatine: "Your coming together is your undoing." - Crafted a new sequence of Rey hearing voices of guidance through the Force and finding balance (Dialog removal courtesy of bbghost) - Upscaled the Force ghost visual FX using Topaz AI and recreated all sequences in 4K HDR (Visual FX courtesy of jonh) - Shot-matched the new compositions and used as a base layer to add the purple blade effect for Leia's saber throughout (originally colored by skenera) - Altered Palpatine's dialog to, “Let your death be the final word in the story of the Jedi!” - Used the People’s Fleet call sign comm chatter (courtesy of TROS: Ascendent) - Removed Finn sensing Rey’s death (Recontextualized elsewhere) - Re-scored Ben and Leia becoming one with the Force with Samuel Kim's recreation of the Rise of Skywalker trailer music - Re-sequenced victory scene and removed any indication that Finn and Poe know Rey's fate - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - AJAN KLOSS - Trimmed the start of the Resistance celebration - Rearranged the scene so that the music swells emotionally when Finn is watching Rose - Removed Zorii - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - EPILOGUE - Upscaled the outsourced visual FX shots and custom color-matched to the existing color-corrected source (Visual FX courtesy of poppasketti, jonh, and snooker) - Recreated the entire, perfect epilogue sequence of TROS: Ascendant

Additional Notes:

- Format: HDR10 H.265 46.8 MB/s - File Size: approx. 53 GB - Run Time: 2h 5m - Resolution: 3840 x 2160 - Audio: 5.1 LPCM - Subtitles: English

Special Thanks:

- Hal 9000 - SpenceEdit - bbghost - poppasketti - jonh - skenera - Movies Remastered - Jar Jar Bricks - 44rh1n