before I get started I was becoming more and more confused trying to piece this together (the editing of this film is just…wow) so forgive me if I’m not making total sense. I hope it’s clear though. I also just want to clarify that I LOVE their kiss. it’s so beautiful and it is just glorious, so please don’t think I’m hating on it. I’m just showing an example of how messy the film is in the this scene.
1. Ben Revives Rey
2. Rey Waking Up
3. Ben Then “Dies”
4. Leia Uses Her Life Force As She Fades (explains Maz happy smile) + the whole “belonging you seek is not behind you it is ahead.” line from TFA.
5. Rey Watches Ben Come Back (Relieved Look)
6. Ben RISES + Stares
7. THEN THE KISS + SMILE
that’s basically it. this could be 2 scenes merged together to try and make it look like he dies after the kiss. when really it’s the other way round. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. this could also just be reshoots. the kiss could’ve been a reshoot because they would’ve kissed in the ending (Adam was on the set of Tatooine) but as they cut that ending (Daisy stated the ending “the crew was shaken in a way I had not seen before. and I thought, ‘my god if this is people’s immediate reaction when the scene isn’t even ready, imagine what it will be like to see it in the movies, with the John Williams soundtrack and all that.”) they chose to make them kiss here instead? BUT WE CAN AGREE EVERYTHING IS SUPER WEIRD AF.
I edited the last reylo scene of TROS in accordance to what a lot of people are theorizing is the original sequence of events (Ben revives Rey, he dies, Leia uses her life force to bring him back [this could explain why Maz is smiling], Rey’s shocked/relieved, then they kiss). I also added in ‘Across the Stars’ by John Williams.
“[…] I can see that story developing any number of ways in IX, and I’m really interested to see which one it’s gonna be or if it’s gonna be something I haven’t even thought of.”