There is a great disturbance in the Force. The Moffs of the tyrannical FIRST ORDER have received a signal from the late Emperor Palpatine’s flagship, the SUPREMACY.



For decades, the First Order has prepared a war of conquest against the free worlds of the NEW REPUBLIC. The Republic’s Senate is blind to this threat, save for the brave Senator, Leia Organa.



Around the dark world of BYSS, the diabolical leaders of the First Order await their master’s newest commands....



The camera pans down to the world of Byss, and the First Order space station in orbit around it.[1] The First Order fleet is in orbit around the station.[2] The fleet is large, but nowhere near the size of the Imperial fleets from the last war. The camera closes in on the space station. A few TIEs are seen flying in formation around the station.



Cut to the inside of the space station, where the Moffs of the First Order are sitting along a conference table.[3] One of the Moffs, a younger man than most of the old war veterans at the table,[4] expresses skepticism about the meeting. He remarks that the Supremacy has been lost for decades. “This must be some New Republic trick. A trap. Meeting here was a mistake.” Another Moff rebukes him, reminding his colleague that the Council of Moffs rules in the Emperor’s stead, and that they were given express orders at the end of the last war to hold fast in the Core and await further instruction from the Throne. The first Moff scoffs at this, asking if anyone at the table is stupid enough to believe that propaganda. “The Imperial Mandate is merely a pretense for our rule. Fodder for the masses.” The older man at the head of the table[5] tells the younger Moff to shut up, and that he will not hear disrespect for the Throne on this auspicious occasion. He also says that the younger generations don’t understand the sacrifices made to get the First Order to this point. He is interrupted by an officer,[6] who says “Grand Moff[7] Hux, we’ve detected a massive object approaching in hyperspace. We believe it’s the Supremacy.” Hux smiles, and proudly proclaims that the Emperor will be pleased with their progress.



Cut to a shot of the station, looking out into space. A massive, wing-shaped Star Destroyer fills the screen.[8] It dwarfs the already-massive First Order Star Destroyers and the space station. This is the Supremacy, Palpatine’s flagship.



Cut to a masked man in a black costume,[9] flanked by other men in red armor,[10] marching through a Star Destroyer’s corridor. A First Order officer and some stormtroopers[11] are there to greet them, but the group walks through that group. The group barges into the conference room. Hux asks who they are. The man in black answers that he is Kylo Ren, the men around him are the Knights of Ren, and that they are the Emperor’s servants. He then proudly proclaims that the war to reconquer the Galaxy begins today, and that the First Order will be responsible for prosecuting this war. He then says that the Emperor has a special mission for Kylo, and he needs a group of stormtroopers to assist. The young Moff asks what the First Order needs with Kylo and the Knights of Ren. Kylo ignites his lightsaber[12], but Hux tells him that this won’t be necessary and the First Order will provide the Emperor’s servant with whatever he needs.



Cut to a masked scavenger,[13] climbing around in the cavernous interior of a crashed Executor-class Star Destroyer.[14] The Star Destroyer has been abandoned for a long time, as the interior has plenty of sand blown inside of it. The scavenger makes her way to an abandoned storage area. She walks through the area, passing by a cabinet before doubling back and prying it open. Inside, she finds a mouse droid. Cut to a bazaar, where she is handing the mouse droid over to a man in a military uniform. The scavenger explains that the probe droid has information on Imperial fleet deployments during the retreat to the Core. The military man thanks her, expressing wonder why the Empire retreated all its forces to the Core after Endor, except for here, on Jakku.[15] He then wonders if the probe droid has the answers the New Republic is looking for. He attempts to pay the scavenger in New Republic credits, but she refuses, accepting a smaller payment in physical currency.[16] He then asks, the scavenger, Rey, how she always finds good scrap. Rey shrugs, and says it’s an instinct she’s always had.[17]



As she walks away from the transaction, she is accosted by a small group of thugs, whose leader remarks that she’s making an awful lot of money working for the New Republic. Rey rebukes the leader by name[18], and says if the thugs want her money, she won’t lose “like last time.”[19] The thugs rush her, and she manages to fight individual thugs off using her staff,[20] but they eventually gang up on her and she starts to go down. The thugs are interrupted when explosions go off around the bazar, and the familiar sounds of blasters and TIE engines are heard. The thugs, and everyone else at the bazar, scatter in all directions.



Rey looks up at the sky, and we see First Order transports[21] and TIE Hunters[22] in the sky. The transports land, and the camera cuts to the landing scenes. Kylo, the Knights of Ren and First Order stormtroopers climb out of the transports. Kylo approaches a stormtrooper captain, and says that he can sense Rey on this part of the planet, but that his men will have to sort through “the rabble.” As ordered, the stormtroopers storm the bazar and start making mass arrests. Rey manages to escape the stormtroopers, and she makes her way into an adjacent residential area. She hides away in her house, which is partially made out of the hull of an AT-AT.[23]



Cut to the outside, where the stormtroopers are going house to house and rounding up more people.[24] The camera focuses on one particular stormtrooper, who looks slightly confused as he moves through the chaos. A group of stormtroopers have rounded up a large crowd of civilians, under the supervision of a Knight of Ren. The Knight passes his hand over the faces of numerous young women in the crowd.[25] He then shakes his head, backs away from the crowd, and orders the stormtroopers to gun them down. The stormtroopers do their duty, and the crowd is cut down by blaster fire. The stormtrooper we were following is visibly shocked and runs into the AT-AT house.[26]



The stormtrooper stumbles through the house, and he’s eventually confronted by Rey, who is ready to hit him with her staff. The stormtrooper, rather than shooting her, aims his weapon instead. He then lowers his weapon, and explains that he isn’t going to hurt anyone. He further explains that this scenario is nothing like the simulations,[27] and that he didn’t sign up for the stormtrooper corps[28] to hurt innocent people. Rey still doesn’t believe him, so he drops his weapon and takes off his helmet, revealing a perfectly normal-looking human.[29] He introduces himself as FN-2187, then shakes his head and says “but my friends call me Finn.”[30] He then tells Rey that he can get her off the planet. Rey refuses, believing that this is some sort of trick. Finn assures her that this is no trick, and explains that he showed her his face, which is forbidden among stormtroopers so they can better intimidate their enemies.[31] Rey still doesn’t believe that[32], so Finn instead says that he’s her only chance to leave the planet. Rey agrees,[33] and Finn asks her to pretend to be his prisoner.



Finn walks a cuffed Rey past the stormtroopers and Knights of Ren, managing through luck to avoid their attention.[34] Finn explains that they are going to one of the transports while the rest of the First Order is distracted. Rey asks why Finn is helping her, and he explains that he became a stormtrooper to help the people of the galaxy, not to conduct massacres under the orders of thugs from the Unknown Regions.[35] Rey is incredulous and asks if Finn even understands what stormtroopers do. Finn explains that stormtroopers save people from criminals, rogue droids and slavers,[36] but that this is his first deployment like this. The pair make it to a transport, which is being guarded by a stormtrooper. Finn explains that Kylo Ren ordered “this girl” taken up to his Star Destroyer. The stormtrooper doesn’t buy it, asking where the rest of Finn’s squad is, and he then radios Kylo to confirm. Finn sets his blaster to stun[37] and shoots the guard, and pushes him out of the way. Finn rushes to the pilot’s seat and starts inputting coordinates. Rey asks if he knows how to fly a transport, and Finn explains that all stormtroopers are trained to fly their transports in case the pilot is killed.[38] Rey then asks where Finn plans to go, and he remarks that they’ll go to the one place where the First Order will not follow them: Naboo, the capital of the New Republic.[39]



The First Order transport takes off, but not without attracting the notice of the First Order troops. TIE Hunters take off after the transport and begin shooting. They score a few hits, causing damage. Finn exclaims that they’ve damaged critical systems, and asks Rey to help by going in the back and repairing a few things. Finn begins to explain, but Rey then explains that she’s a scrapper, and she’s taken apart Imperial shuttles before.[40] An incredulous Finn explains that a few advancements have been made in the past three and a half decades, and gives a few technobabble hints as to what those are. Rey takes note, and soon the transport is in good enough condition for a hyperspace jump. The transport then makes the jump, leaving the TIE Hunters behind.



Cut to a New Republic military space station orbiting around the water world of Mon Cala. We see massive New Republic carriers and Mon Calamari vessels[41] docking, and wings of New Republic starfighters fly by: T-85 X-wings, E-wings, and others.[42] Cut to the inside of a hangar, where one pilot is busy preparing a T-85 for flight, while two other pilots are lounging around on crates.[43] One of the pilots calls out to his busy colleague, asking him to relax. The pilot, Poe Dameron, responds that the New Republic Navy is put on high alert, and the First Order will attack at any moment. The other pilots laugh, telling Poe that the First Order threatens war every few months, and not to take rumors too seriously. As if to rebuke the pilots, klaxons go off. Cut to the station’s command center, where a technician informs the admiral[44] in charge that three objects have been detected exiting hyperspace near the station. Cut to space, where the three objects are revealed to be a TIE Echelon[45] and two TIE Destroyers[46]. Cut back to the command center, where the confused technician asks what it could mean. The admiral suggests that these may be envoys, because he identifies the TIE Echelon as a shuttle. Cut to the cockpit of the TIE Echelon, where two First Order gunners[47] are targeting the New Republic station.[48] Eventually, the computer locks on.



Cut to the edge of the Mon Cala system, where a fleet of Xyston-class Star Destroyers[49] are waiting. Cut to the inside of the bridge, where the captain[50] receives confirmation from the Echelon crew that targeting lock has been achieved. The captain gives the order to fire. Cut back outside, where we see the Xystons fire their hypervelocity cannons in a volley. Cut back to a view of the New Republic station. The scene suddenly turns black and white, and we see hypervelocity rounds blast through the station.[51]



Cut back to the inside of the hangar, which is in total chaos. Poe immediately boards his X-wing and deploys, but the other pilots are unable to make it to their ships and die in an explosion. Making it out to space, he sees Republic capital ships getting gutted by more mass driver fire. A Resurgent-class Star Destroyer exits hyperspace, alongside wings of TIE Hunters and TIE Dominators[52]. The Resurgent deploys more TIE Destroyers. Poe engages some TIE Destroyers, managing to destroy some guarding a TIE Dominator. However, several TIEs follow him and he’s forced to break off. The disorganized New Republic forces are cut down by the First Order, and Poe realizes the battle is lost. He realizes he must warn the Senate, and sets course for Naboo.



[1] The station resembles the Level 5 Imperial space station in Star Wars: Empire at War.

[2] These vessels are dagger-like, evoking the old Imperial designs, but are far more skeletal and sleek. One imagines a broadsword when compared to a fencing sword. There are some Resurgents in the mix, but they are used as carriers by the First Order.

[3] Not unlike the table we see in Episode IX. The Moffs’ uniforms are identical to those of General Hux and other First Order officers in the Sequel Trilogy.

[4] Probably not played by Domhnall Gleeson, but someone his age. It’s a clear sign that the newer generation of First Order Moffs don’t believe in waiting for an Emperor they never knew.

[5] Probably played by Richard E. Grant. I want older actors for obvious Galactic Civil War veterans. I always felt Gleeson was too young to play the head honcho of the First Order military.

[6] Again, looks identical to First Order officers from the Sequels. The Sequels did the costumes right, in my opinion, and there’s little to nothing I would change about them.

[7] The First Order are de facto ruled by Moffs, not an Emperor. However, the Emperor remains the de jure head of state. This is a clear parallel to the DPRK’s “Eternal President.”

[8] The Supremacy looks fucking awesome and is a great concept. A mobile capital factory ship? Awesome. The name Mega-class Star Destroyer is stupid, however, and the very concept of the Supremacy being part of a class of ships is stupid. The Supremacy is a unique vessel and mobile command center, not unlike High Charity from Halo.

[9] Identical to Kylo Ren in appearance. His design is fine and there’s no reason to change him into some Old Republic-era Vader rip off.

[10] These look like the Elite Praetorian Guard we see in TLJ. The Knights of Ren as they exist look cool but I wanted something that shows a direct link between the Knights of Ren and Palpatine, and implying that they’re the descendants of the Royal Guards from the Imperial era works perfectly to say this. It’s also a great way to hawk merchandise. Collect them all, nerds!

[11] Again, identical to the ST’s “iTroopers.”

[12] I didn’t want to use Force choking as an obvious Vader reference, nor the “throw people around the room” slapstick of the ST.

[13] She could still be played by Daisy Ridley, but in any instance her costume does look the same, at least in the Jakku portions.

[14] This is very close to the actual intro to Rey we get in TFA.

[15] This will become very important later. I’m laying down the groundwork for Rey Palpatine early. This scene also shows that Rey is familiar with and on friendly terms with the New Republic.

[16] I wanted to avoid a “one half portion” scene to show that Rey is being reasonably appreciated for her skills, rather than some Cinderella nonsense where everyone at home hates her but everyone else loves her. The credits gag also shows that the New Republic, like the governments that came before it, isn’t recognized everywhere in the galaxy.

[17] More foreshadowing. This version of Rey will have an obvious link to the Force from the start, but, as will be seen later, she isn’t instantly good at everything Force-related.

[18] I don’t have any ideas for names, I just want to establish that Rey has run into this group and has fought them before, thus explaining her fighting skills.

[19] This shows that, while Rey can fight and defend herself, she’s lost in the past, and she can (and will) lose in the future)

[20] This is honestly a cool weapon and I’m disappointed they didn’t make it her signature weapon.

[21] Identical to canon. This is a unique design that evokes WWII in a way that many Star Wars designs do. As far as the First Order’s hangar goes, it’s one of my personal favorites.

[22] The TIE Hunter is almost to the known design, although it needs to evoke the TIE Interceptor and the X-wing. The in-universe explanation, which should be implied by the design language, is that the First Order is learning from the Rebels.

[23] It’s not just a downed AT-AT in the rubble, a house has been made around it.

[24] They are practicing room clearing tactics that are based on real life tactics. These stormtroopers know what they’re doing, Finn being the exception.

[25] He is obviously looking for Force sensitivity, and can sense none in the crowd. He’s only targeting women because he knows they’re looking for a young adult female.

[26] Yes, this is a contrived coincidence, but the Force willed it.

[27] I wanted to throw in some OG Battlefront II.

[28] Yes, stormtroopers are still recruits, not clones, droids or conscripts.

[29] I still expect him to be played by John Boyega, but Boyega gets to keep his British accent rather than having to fake an American one.

[30] I wanted to give stormtroopers even more humanity by showing that they give each other nicknames.

[31] I am taking this from the Mandalorian, but their reasoning is different and is a nod to the out-of-universe reason that stormtroopers never take of their helmets.

[32] Why should she? She’s not familiar with stormtrooper doctrine. I suspect that audiences may think this is bad writing because Finn should know that, but Finn isn’t thinking straight at the moment.

[33] She doesn’t have this weird obsession with never leaving Jakku.

[34] I understand that this is all a bit contrived, but I feel it’s contrived in the way Star Wars is.

[35] I’m making Finn a good person who nevertheless believed in the cause of the First Order. I think the idea of a defecting stormtrooper is interesting, and having him represent good people in the First Order who become disillusioned because of its bad leaders is something that Star Wars could use.

[36] Obvious hints at Finn’s origins and his past missions. This Finn is a veteran of numerous First Order campaigns, but he’s never seen brutality like this.

[37] Remember that? I don’t recall seeing it in any Star Wars movie after A New Hope.

[38] First Order stormtroopers are well-trained, and hardly cannon fodder for the good guys to cut down with ease.

[39] We never see Naboo again, and I think it makes a perfect capital world for the New Republic (if Coruscant is not under their control, and it isn’t).

[40] While I’m making every effort to move Rey away from Mary Sue territory, she isn’t a total incompetent. She has an obvious set of skills developed over a lifetime, and here it shines.

[41] These are different types of ships. The New Republic manufactures its own ships in Corellia, and they evoke the designs of the Clone Wars-era Old Republic, with hints of Imperial lineage as well. They are big, bulky vessels in a blunted dagger shape, but they are focused on carrying starfighters and having heavy shields. There are canon designs like Starhawks present as well, although these Starhawks are carriers and don’t have those tractor beams. The Mon Calamari continue to use their own vessels in their own fleet.

[42] I’m picturing a mix of canon, Legends, and EC Henry designs. These space establishing shots are pure eye candy for the Star Wars tech nerds like myself.

[43] The pilot uniforms look identical to those depicted in the sixth episode of The Mandalorian.

[44] New Republic officer uniforms evoke WWII American and British designs, an obvious parallel to the SS-style uniforms of the First Order. The New Republic military also has plenty of aliens in its ranks, as opposed to the uniformly human First Order.

[45] Identical to the canon design, only its colors match the First Order.

[46] The TIE/dr Destroyer is a droid TIE fighter. Its wings resemble the TIE Interceptor, only more sleek, and its cockpit is replaced with a droid housing that resembles a mix of the Vulture droid and an upscaled BB-9E.

[47] Looks like the Sith Fleet gunners we see in TROS.

[48] The targeting computer, naturally, evokes the Death Star’s.

[49] Not the canon Xystons, although the name is fucking awesome so I’m stealing it. These Xystons more closely resemble the Onager-class, only without those hammerhead prongs to the side. These are not superlasers, but fleet-killing hypervelocity guns.

[50] Possibly Captain Canady.

[51] Same visual effects as TLJ’s Holdo maneuver. My favorite part of that movie.

[52] I’m picturing the First Order TIE Bomber designed by EC Henry. Those things are just cool.