Predictions for Episode 9

Night Huntress wrote:

snufkin wrote:Two things I'm curious to see if they'll take the time to address in conversations/confrontations:

1. The inevitable reunion between Rey and Ben, will she get pissed at him not just for how whole Supreme A**hole meltdown after the fight with the PG/Crait, but whether or not he killed Snoke to protect her or if it had to do with getting power. Part of his whole figuring his s**t out in IX has to be realizing that what mattered the most, in the end, was protecting somebody he loved. Especially after what happened with Han. Would that be part of him realizing that the whole power thing, if it means being like Snoke or Hux, isn't what it's cracked up to be.

they need to talk things out- desperately. It won't be easy...Ben master of evading and deflecting all conversations and Rey of Sunshine the princess of "shoot first talk later".  
I want a confession session- both of them finally talking about their feelings and motivations.
Because Ben believes she betrayed him or at least thought she only went to him because she wanted to turn him for the cause- not because she had a personal interest in him. I'm not sure what Rey believes at this point- because it's kept very ambiguous...but I imagine she thinks Ben choose power over her and I'm not sure she knows he killed Snoke mainly to protect her.

snufkin wrote:
2. Anything about the fight with Finn. I'm still surprised how Rey never even brought it up with him in the early Force Skype scenes and maybe once just asked Chewie to ask after him. It was otherwise just that she was personally angry at Ben for killing his father because of her own experience of being abandoned and b/c of their whole bond/empathy with one another, being disappointed/angry with him for doing something like that. Never mentioned Finn once, the same way they dropped the ball on his injuries being addressed other than the bacta suit gag.

@snufkin

Yes, I agree- I'm hoping we'll get a confrontation between Ben & Finn personally in IX...would be great for tension and drama.
I feel there is unfinished business between the two of them.

I have to admit I was a little bit disappointed the injuries Rey inflicted on Ben weren't mentioned at all in TLJ. I hope we will get something about it in IX (scar touching! )

@Night Huntress

I think that that confessional session is going to start off as a yell fest, and then both of them will blurt out something nakedly real and true that will make both of them realize that they each have serious feelings for the other. Then the dynamic will change and they will be more trusting and vulnerable with each other.

I haven't seen much discussion on this quote from Rian but I think this is essentially a tacit confirmation that we still don't have the full story about what happened that night at Luke's temple. It's an interesting choice of words. That story still feels incredibly unfinished to me and actually, I think is one of the biggest obstacles to Kylo's redemption so far. The way that story thread has been structured so far, it's only natural to assume that the truth is even more complicated. In TFA, it was simply 'one boy destroyed it all' giving way to the impression that Ben betrayed Luke, in TLJ we find out that's not the case, and was in fact the reverse, the master betraying the Padawan. I think it's important that JJ clarifies this.

Btw, does anyone else think that LFL has been hiding a big pre-planned twist with regards to Ben Solo's backstory to reveal it in IX? I was disappointed with Ben's lack of backstory in TLJ, but I will admit that the Luke/Ben thing was a pretty big twist. The comments from Daniel Jose Older and Jason Fry (as well as Claudia Gray going further back), regarding Ben Solo and the refusal so far to explore his childhood/teens/early twenties in canon material makes me think this. It's an ongoing pattern. Or do you just think LFL is being extra for the sake of it lol?

What they gave us in TLJ is fine by me, but I do think there's a lot of deliberate vagueness in his backstory. I'd like to see the aftermath of the temple destruction and how Ben decided to go to Snoke.

@Kylo Rey

yes, I totally agree. If Luke wanting to murder Ben (even just for a moment) was the only twist, why would LF still be so secretive about Ben's past?
Why would they be so tight lipped about every little detail (like Ben's exact age in the flashbacks). I don't want to read too much into it...but I have the feeling we still only know a small part of the much bigger picture.
Ben said to Rey "the night I destroyed his temple, did he tell you why?" interesting wording- and interesting how it seems to mean so much to him that Rey knows the truth. Why would he care? It's not like he makes excuses for him self for killing his own father (which is much worse imo).
We still don't know what happened after he crashed the hut on Luke & him. I know some people think he just had a dark moment and killed all his fellow students in rage like Anakin in AotC- but somehow I doubt it. He isn't even that ruthless after years under Snoke's training- I can't believe he would've just slaughtered all his fellow students who most likely had nothing to do with the incident. I mean Luke said to Rey he "sensed darkness in Ben during his training" - how did that looked like? And Snoke already had turned his heart? How? Only by whispering in his head mentally?
I think we miss a significant piece of the puzzle. My theory is that both- Luke & Ben had been deceived somehow.
When Luke looked into Ben's mind- what did he saw that he wanted to murder him on instinct? Without even talking to him first? I mean it was his own nephew, the son of his sister who (as far as we know) stayed with him for years- almost like his own kid. So why?
Like many of us noticed- even in TFA which is 6 years or so after what happened at Luke's temple Ben is still conflicted and feel the pull to the light. So we should believe 6 years before Snoke got him fully under his training he was so evil that Luke thought he was beyond saving AND killed all his students for no real reason? No way.

Luke said: "He had vanished with a handful of my students. And slaughtered the rest."

So, how exactly all that happened? Ben being like: "join me, or die?" I don't know. Doesn't seem right to me.

@Kylo Rey

I certainly do think so. I think something had to trigger him to show "too much Vader in him" and possibly something that made Han "weak and foolish" like not going to his son and trying to bring him back when he fell to the Dark Side in the first place to stop Snoke or whatever it might be. I think there's absolutely missing pieces within his backstory. One such piece also is rather the rain sequence in Rey's Vision is from the past or future. It could be critical for all we know.

Was randomly thinking as I got up from bed lol, not gonna happen but toward the end, Rey is given Leia's wedding dress in her closet and she wears it to their wedding and Ben is like dying inside from her beauty and big googly eyes.

What are the chances that we will get force ghost Luke?
I have been perusing the internet Star Wars fandom sites and I see lots of people counting on Luke making an appearance in 9.
I am about 50/50 at this point with the force ghost Luke.
Sorry if this has been discussed earlier. I have not read all 31 pages.

Birdwoman wrote:What are the chances that we will get force ghost Luke?
I have been perusing the internet Star Wars fandom sites and I see lots of people counting on Luke making an appearance in 9.
I am about 50/50 at this point with the force ghost Luke.
Sorry if this has been discussed earlier. I have not read all 31 pages.

@Birdwoman

Don't worry - I guess we will discuss a few themes several times because the opinions will change when more news or potential leaks will be released.

So, I think he will appear - but in a much smaller role than some anticipated. I guess he will have a quick but impactful scene with (I hope ) Ben or Ben & Rey.

Btw, does anyone else think that LFL has been hiding a big pre-planned twist with regards to Ben Solo's backstory to reveal it in IX? I was disappointed with Ben's lack of backstory in TLJ, but I will admit that the Luke/Ben thing was a pretty big twist. The comments from Daniel Jose Older and Jason Fry (as well as Claudia Gray going further back), regarding Ben Solo and the refusal so far to explore his childhood/teens/early twenties in canon material makes me think this. It's an ongoing pattern. Or do you just think LFL is being extra for the sake of it lol?

@Kylo Rey
I certainly do, because of the way they've structured the story. In addition to that, because of the way they've anchored both films to "that night" at Luke's temple, the crux of it has something more to do with what happened there I'd wager. In my mind it keeps coming back to "who killed the students and why?" because I don't think it was Ben.

@Birdwoman I think the odds of FG Luke are high. Otherwise the last time he and Kylo see each other are when Kylo is Renperor and having a meltdown, attacking the Resistance and claiming he'll destroy "her and you and all of it". Not a great place for closure. But Luke was insisting, if in a roundabout way, Kylo's own redemption. I like to think he'll be more loving and supporting in his post-death state, and Kylo will be more humbled and open to Luke by this point.

The deliberate vagueness is a hard one to figure out - are they keeping it vague because it could be potential plot points in future products where they want to mine that history? Like books, comics, stand-alone films, cartoons. Or have they had an idea that's been held off from IX for some reason? Which it's hard to say why they'd do that as both Luke and Snoke were at the center of TLJ and got offed, like going forward they're old news to the story, which is about Rey and Ben figuring out their respective paths and their relationship/conflict with each other.

SoloSideCousin wrote:@Night Huntress

I think that that confessional session is going to start off as a yell fest, and then both of them will blurt out something nakedly real and true that will make both of them realize that they each have serious feelings for the other. Then the dynamic will change and they will be more trusting and vulnerable with each other.

Agreed on the yell-fest/something blunt and vulnerable going down. Same question again, will they even go there with what happened between him and Finn in his confrontations with Rey? Because she never brings it at all with him as part of her dirty secret of being interested/intrigued by Ben (she went to Ache-to ostensibly to collect Luke for the Resistance but she had a hidden agenda of wanting to find out the truth about her parents and about Ben).  But I went into TLJ at the very least expecting that part of her "you're gonna pay for what you did!" line was about how he beat up Finn, screwed up his back, and put him into a coma. And Finn did that coming to her defense. Like instead we just got one line asking Chewie to check in on him if he got into contact with the Resistance (I guess somebody else there besides Rey speaks Wookie) and then that hug. Like IDK about you, but if I were Finn after all of that, finding out she was off canoodling with the guy who did that to me, I'd be a little hurt to say the least. Although part of me wonders if this is just part of the larger issue the writers seem to have with coming up with him in the original Sam version as Rey/Kira's sidekick in the first film after realizing that being with Luke would overwhelm her introduction. So they come up with a best friend/comic relief sidekick and then "let's just make him a stormtrooper" when they couldn't figure out what else to do with him.

@snufkin wrote:The deliberate vagueness is a hard one to figure out - are they keeping it vague because it could be potential plot points in future products where they want to mine that history? Like books, comics, stand-alone films, cartoons. Or have they had an idea that's been held off from IX for some reason?

I think this comes down to the question of JJ and Rian's intentions as filmmakers. Did they even feel it necessary to explain all the details of how/why Ben turned beyond what we've seen? Does it move the story forward or does it bog it down? This could be a case of less is more, especially if they're crunched for time.

I'm not suggesting that they don't have a master plan laid out because I think they do, but do they need to flesh this out in the films? Sometimes keeping things shrouded in a little mystery is better. Plus, I don't recall JJ being someone who always works out the mechanics of his twists and mystery boxes. And sure they could always mine this one detail in additional content.

@Snufkin in a way I think you sort of answer your own question in this paragraph...

snufkin wrote:Although part of me wonders if this is just part of the larger issue the writers seem to have with coming up with him in the original Sam version as Rey/Kira's sidekick in the first film after realizing that being with Luke would overwhelm her introduction. So they come up with a best friend/comic relief sidekick and then "let's just make him a stormtrooper" when they couldn't figure out what else to do with him.  

Think about how they just breezed through Rey's issues with Kylo. The scare wasn't addressed, Finn's injuries weren't addressed, Finn's character doesn't seem to have anymore issues with killing Stormtroopers etc. Are these things cut for time? Or as you suggested just an issue with the writing style? Or are these narratives they never intended to explore further?

@Tex I’m on my phone so I can't dig up the exact quote. But in the Decemeber 2015 WGA podcast for TFA’s release, JJ had a statement about Kasdan getting exasperated when they were trying to figure out Sam/Finn's role and suggested making him a Stormtrooper. And he was the person who kept stressing “show don’t tell” to JJ as part of the editing process. Which works for the most part. Just that it feels like they’ve shown how significant Finn’s friendship and loyalty was to Rey as part of TFA's climax with the fight. And we know from how TLJ played out, that there was something else going on between Rey and Ben that the audience wasn't privvy to in TFA, which gets explored in TLJ. So she has these two important relationships, which are with two men in conflict with each other. They may decided to hold back on that for IX. But I just honestly felt surprised in TLJ that give how Finn returning for her was such an important moment for Rey (described in the script that she hugs him because somebody coming back for her, "that's all she's ever wanted.") that it wasn't refered at all in her scenes with Ben. That it might be some kind of internal conflict because she's emotionally attached with both men and they're poised as enemies.

Was a little unsure of where to put this, and hopefully it's not too political. This article highlights the recent wave of films based around compassion and general niceness, sometimes as a transformative force for good, and often driving the plot forward. So of course I thought of Episode IX and the ST. The emphasis is on movies from this year, including the Paddington sequel and the new Mr. Rogers movie, and how it's a response to the dark times around us.

Because if the fanboys and fangirls are screaming for Kylo's head, and for the BFG to destroy everything that stands in their way to achieve this end, well.... It stands a bit in contrast to saving what we love, not fighting what we hate, yes?

http://www.indiewire.com/2018/06/nice-movies-in-age-of-trump-1201974749/

Hi everyone.. this is more speculation than prediction I guess.. but this seems an okay place to discuss...at this point in the SW universe, what characters could still be alive and show up in IX?
I’d be especially interested to hear of new characters in the novels- as Holdo was first introduced in bloodlines.. maybe together we can get a list happening?
I’ll start.. Takka the new republic operative in the last shot.
Hmm should I spoiler this? I don’t know how to do that on my phone! Maybe this needs to be a separate thread labeled as spoilers so people reading books and other canon don’t get spoiled if they don’t want to? I’m happy with anything haaa. Or I could put this comment in spoilers thread when I’m not on my mobile? Lol
Gotta run bye!

Hi all, hope everyone is happy and well!
I'm in the middle of reading the first Aftermath book (well listening to the audiobook!) - and loving it!!
Random question..Do you think it is possible that we find out in IX that Snoke followed in the Emperor's footsteps and left his own contingency plan - ensuring the rebirth of the FO?
In the novelisation, we learn that Snoke knew of the Emperor's contingency plan... (page 217)
It could be a way to keep Snoke the big bad in play for IX without him actually being alive anymore, and it does tie IX back into the previous SW movies... Anyone else wondered this? thoughts?

DeeBee wrote:Hi all, hope everyone is happy and well!
I'm in the middle of reading the first Aftermath book (well listening to the audiobook!) - and loving it!!
Random question..Do you think it is possible that we find out in IX that Snoke followed in the Emperor's footsteps and left his own contingency plan - ensuring the rebirth of the FO?
In the novelisation, we learn that Snoke knew of the Emperor's contingency plan... (page 217)
It could be a way to keep Snoke the big bad in play for IX without him actually being alive anymore, and it does tie IX back into the previous SW movies... Anyone else wondered this? thoughts?

@DeeBee

I hadn't thought of that. I really like this idea and it's always a possibility. Though to be honest I don't know that Snoke is humble enough to anticipate that he might not be alive to head the FO at any point. XD

The Emperor was also arrogant - all good villains are to some extent, imo, but Palps is also a student of history, someone who learns from the mistakes of others, so it fits his character to have a contingency plan.

In any case I do hope that Snoke made some kind of arrangement and that he'll be a presence in IX. I know people love the idea of Hux as the Big Bad but I just can't take him seriously. I know he's unhinged and vicious, but he's still just...Hux. Phasma is scarier to me, tbh. Unless King Prana shows up riding a rathtar I worry about episode IX not having a credible villain, so Snoke making a comeback somehow would be welcome for me. Maybe he can pull a Maul?? JK, that would suck lol.

Maybe Snoke pulled a voldemort and has a horcrux or two

Darth Rowan wrote:

DeeBee wrote:Hi all, hope everyone is happy and well!
I'm in the middle of reading the first Aftermath book (well listening to the audiobook!) - and loving it!!
Random question..Do you think it is possible that we find out in IX that Snoke followed in the Emperor's footsteps and left his own contingency plan - ensuring the rebirth of the FO?
In the novelisation, we learn that Snoke knew of the Emperor's contingency plan... (page 217)
It could be a way to keep Snoke the big bad in play for IX without him actually being alive anymore, and it does tie IX back into the previous SW movies... Anyone else wondered this? thoughts?

@DeeBee

I hadn't thought of that. I really like this idea and it's always a possibility. Though to be honest I don't know that Snoke is humble enough to anticipate that he might not be alive to head the FO at any point. XD

The Emperor was also arrogant - all good villains are to some extent, imo, but Palps is also a student of history, someone who learns from the mistakes of others, so it fits his character to have a contingency plan.

In any case I do hope that Snoke made some kind of arrangement and that he'll be a presence in IX. I know people love the idea of Hux as the Big Bad but I just can't take him seriously. I know he's unhinged and vicious, but he's still just...Hux. Phasma is scarier to me, tbh. Unless King Prana shows up riding a rathtar I worry about episode IX not having a credible villain, so Snoke making a comeback somehow would be welcome for me. Maybe he can pull a Maul?? JK, that would suck lol.

@Darth Rowan
Love this!
I'm thinking humility is not needed - because the contingency plan is likely based on narcissism and wanting to continue to control things from the grave (and selfishness is a defining dark sider trait). So you make the plan because you are narcissistic, but because you are arrogant, you also think you will never need it maybe. Haaaa. I think this is why Palpatine created his plan.. and I'm thinking Snoke is narcissistic and power hungry enough too.

Yeah! Palpatine was really arrogant and a student of history! I think Snoke was also very arrogant - and he is also 'a seeker of arcane lore'- so tick for that trait too.

Where maybe Snoke is different to Palpatine is that Snoke was not a massive planner like Palpatine was. There is stuff in the novelisation about this. I mean, I guess he must have made some plans to have the FO rise, but not of the level Palpatine was so brilliant at. The novelisations has Snoke POV where he says he was more making the most of circumstances rather than following a massive master plan (page 217 I think it was-same page as where Snoke mentions knowing of Palpatine's contingency plan). So for me, I think this might be a question mark here..
Maybe Snoke's narcissistic desire to control things motivated him to put some plans in place - but maybe not to the level of Palpatine's plans.
No idea but it's fun to ponder - and I've enjoyed hearing your thoughts!

Anyone - Are the SW fans who love the empire and Sith stuff discussing Snoke having a contingency in other SW pockets online?? or is this not really coming up? I really don't read wide SW stuff, I tend to just stick to this forum, and exploring canon. But I'm curious if this is being floated around. Because if it is I think it's less likely to happen. LOL!

Even if it is not a plan of the same scale as Palpatine's contingency plan- Snoke having some kind of plan in place could still play out in IX. I do like how it would re-involve Sidious if there was another contingency plan.. it would be like the emperor and snoke are both big bads still in play in IX!

@rey09 - I don't know Harry Potter- what is this horcrux? sorry! lol!
There was a fun discussion in the Snoke in IX thread about all this, but we hadn't discussed Snoke having a contingency plan..

@DeeBee A horcrux can be any object or even person (maybe even harry was but was just reading it's up for debate) in which a dark lord can put a part of their soul inside. They are basically able to stay alive even if their body is killed and they are seemingly dead because a part of their soul lives on in the horcrux. I haven't read harry potter in agesss but that's what I remember.

@rey09 - Ahhhhh!!! got it! thanks!

I'm pretty fine with the Episode IX not having a Big Bad period, personally. The Resistance vs the FO is not really about fighting a single person, it's about fighting the whole military machine. If it's more about, who can be a formidable opponent/threat to our protagonist, perhaps JJ will go back to the idea of the Knights of Ren. I kinda feel like "but there has to be a Big Bad!" is just another "but there has to be a trio!"

As an aside, am I the only one who thinks that the whole "we need Luke/Jedi Order back" thing never made much sense? Sure having Luke Skywalker back is a morale boost and so on, but what is a bunch of people with laser swords going to do against the FO dreadnought exactly?

Saracene wrote:I'm pretty fine with the Episode IX not having a Big Bad period, personally. The Resistance vs the FO is not really about fighting a single person, it's about fighting the whole military machine. If it's more about, who can be a formidable opponent/threat to our protagonist, perhaps JJ will go back to the idea of the Knights of Ren. I kinda feel like "but there has to be a Big Bad!" is just another "but there has to be a trio!"

As an aside, am I the only one who thinks that the whole "we need Luke/Jedi Order back" thing never made much sense? Sure having Luke Skywalker back is a morale boost and so on, but what is a bunch of people with laser swords going to do against the FO dreadnought exactly?

@Saracene


I totally agree- I really hope we don't have a big bad in form of a person/alien whatever in IX. This concept got really old imo
Just like I don't want to see another super weapon...

There could be several "villains" or "antagonists" within the FO (Hux) & the Resistance that would make a much more interesting story.

Not sure if IX will have enough time, but I would be so thrilled if they're finally touching on themes like the social inequality and slavery in SW.
Because that's a big problem neither system- Empire or New Republic solved or even cared about.

Canto Bight is the best example of that - the rich people in the galaxy will always have a conformable life, no matter who is in charge, while the poor get exploited and enslaved- just like those stable boys/kids.

I know it's just my wishful thinking and I don't think that's how IX will go- but if Ben uses his position as SL trying to do something about the inequity in the galaxy - not saying he will succeed - but TRYING...I would be so thrilled!

Saracene wrote:As an aside, am I the only one who thinks that the whole "we need Luke/Jedi Order back" thing never made much sense? Sure having Luke Skywalker back is a morale boost and so on, but what is a bunch of people with laser swords going to do against the FO dreadnought exactly?

@Saracene

I don't know, but the whole search for the map to Luke thing was awkward for me.  It seems like it made more sense that Kylo would be after the lightsaber itself.  I wish they'd kept it that way.  I'd like to have seen the scene where Maz hands the lightsaber directly to Leia.

Saracene wrote:I'm pretty fine with the Episode IX not having a Big Bad period, personally. The Resistance vs the FO is not really about fighting a single person, it's about fighting the whole military machine. If it's more about, who can be a formidable opponent/threat to our protagonist, perhaps JJ will go back to the idea of the Knights of Ren. I kinda feel like "but there has to be a Big Bad!" is just another "but there has to be a trio!"

As an aside, am I the only one who thinks that the whole "we need Luke/Jedi Order back" thing never made much sense? Sure having Luke Skywalker back is a morale boost and so on, but what is a bunch of people with laser swords going to do against the FO dreadnought exactly?

@Saracene

I agree Saracene - I can see a great movie without a 'big bad' too - it's not a must. It is but one way to connect the nine films. We'll see what they come up with huh!

Here's my take on the bolded - Luke's arc was accepting the mistakes of the Jedi order, and himself - while also accepting that he and the Jedi have a valuable role to play in the galaxy which can be positive. He is the epitome of the lesson to be learned about dealing with the past - don't kill it, deal with it and take what you can from it to move forward in a positive way. This is true of the Jedi too - don't kill it, learn from their past mistakes and build on it.
I think in TLJ the message was that the Jedi can inspire hope in all people (even little slave kiddies who play with dolls and dream of Luke Skywalker Jedi master!). And together the people in the galaxy can rise up and defeat all the dreadnoughts..
Hope throughout the galaxy is more powerful than any one Jedi.
Plus - I'm reminded of Vader's line about how nothing compares to the power of the force ["Don't be too proud of this technological terror you've constructed. The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant next to the power of the Force."] Jedi are a reminder to all people of the existence of and power of the force - which again, gives people hope for peace I think.
The hope Jedi inspire and the myths based on previous Jedi accomplishments, regardless of the Jedi order's actual faults, are very valuable because they unite and inspire the galaxy to continue to hope and to fight.

I'm thinking re-establishing the old flawed Jedi order is out, but the continuation of a new kind of Jedi is in.  The greater galaxy doesn't really know or care about the intricacies of the Jedi order - and how Rey may not actually be the same 'Jedi' when it all comes together in the end I think.. the point is that she is strong in the force and can inspire and unite others I think..
We may even find out that a Jedi can take down a dreadnought alone. LOL! I'm open to it!! haaa - but I think even if they can, the galaxy all need to act and they can't just rely on Jedi to do the work. One story in TLJ was the message that opting out of the fight is not the way to go..

This is what I've got so far lol - we'll see what we learn in IX. I think what 'Jedi' actually looks like now after TLJ is yet to be fully revealed.
Because canon prior to The Phantom Menace is currently threadbare we don't really know much about the prime Jedi and their role in maintaining peace in the galaxy - there may be something more here but for me right now it's a big question mark!

I think this will be answered in IX though, I may as well make a prediction as this is a predictions thread ha!  
Answering the role of the Jedi moving forward in IX, will tell us what's in store for Rey..
I see Rey and Ben united and balancing each other in the force - so I think this answer will also tell us what's in store for them as a couple, and how they will be acting on behalf of the force in the galaxy post IX - if there is work to be done once balance is achieved- on going balance? peacekeeping? I really don't know at this point. Sorry to add more questions to the mix lol! Just my current take on things.. will be interested to hear other's thoughts on this!

Edited to add:

Night Huntress wrote: ...Not sure if IX will have enough time, but I would be so thrilled if they're finally touching on themes like the social inequality and slavery in SW.
Because that's a big problem neither system- Empire or New Republic solved or even cared about.

Canto Bight is the best example of that - the rich people in the galaxy will always have a conformable life, no matter who is in charge, while the poor get exploited and enslaved- just like those stable boys/kids.

I know it's just my wishful thinking and I don't think that's how IX will go- but if Ben uses his position as SL trying to do something about the inequity in the galaxy - not saying he will succeed - but TRYING...I would be so thrilled!

@Night Huntress - hope you don't mind if I address just this part of your comment. I too love love love the thought that slavery will come to an end in IX. I agree, this is a thread throughout all IX movies. I also think it is foreshadowed that it will end.. [but okay I can't be certain of anything at this point!]
There is a scene in The Phantom Menace where they all sit to eat during the storm as Anakin and Shmi's guests. The scene starts with finding out that Anakin and Shmi are basically walking time bombs who can't escape their slavery or they would be literally blown up. Padme is surprised that slavery still exists.. and Shmi points out that the republic doesn't cover Tatooine.
When Anakin shares his suspicion that Qui-Gon is a Jedi, Anakin goes on to say: "I had a dream I was a Jedi. I came back here and freed all the slaves." Anakin is strong in the force.. So I wonder if this was really force visions he was having.. He does indeed become a Jedi, but sadly he does not return to Tatooine to free the slaves - I wonder if maybe this is something his grandson will achieve in IX (and he will finish what his grandfather started). I think this would be a really wonderful way to end IX, and a way to heal the past, and make way for a better future. I can see FG Anakin returning to say well done.. awh!! With Rey also having been raised basically as a slave this adds to the significance and awh value!

Anakin's line continues on as he asks Qui-Gon " have you come to free us?" Qui-Gon replies "No, I'm afraid not." - I think this was a flaw of the Jedi order- freeing Anakin but leaving Shmi a slave was a key failing moment in Jedi order history. Maybe for the new kind of Jedi - the answer to Anakin's question is a big Yes. I can hope!