TLJ just should have been different in every way.
I was lukewarm on TFA, but it laid a foundation for something that could have led to an engaging overarching story.
I would have handled Snoke a bit differently and not have ever involved sidious in his creation, but his general menacing demeanor worked as a baddie (could he just wear sith robes and not a gold kimono?). I would have been fine if he didn't connect to anything prior to the trilogy. Original content and characters are a good thing.
As for character stuff, the middle installment should've continued to lean on Poe and Finn's bromance and Rey and Finn's friendship as both worked and had chemistry, but Rian had them all split up for most of the film which killed the endearing dynamics that they had going for them in TFA which was half of what drove that film.
Rey's path to becoming a Jedi should have not been a cakewalk. Luke should have challenged her abilities in TLJ and not by being a recluse dick. Even a rehash of Dagoba would have been miles better. Luke could say she's unable to find balance, has too much anger, and then you have yoda step in to convince Luke otherwise just like Obi-Wan convinced yoda to not give up on Luke.
Keep Ben/Kylo's wrestling with the light and dark cause that was interesting, but should have tuned down the tantrums after TFA significantly.
Not abandoning the lightsaber storyline that TFA started would've been nice. There could be an interesting backstory there that doesn't end with Luke tossing it.
So many things.
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