I mean, if you're willing to view TLJ as a standalone film, why wouldn't you also grant the same reprieve to TFA? They were both cinematically beautiful and told internally consistent and compelling stories, but they looked like dogshit against the backdrop of the rest of the Skywalker storyline and the fundamentals of the SW universe. I just give TFA more leeway because it didn't intentionally retcon its own set-up material.

We can be heretics together. But you're wrong. It was the best of the three because it commented on the universe.

I wanted to love TFA. So much promise wasted by repetition. They had an es-storm trooper! A super emotionally damaged Vader worshipping anger Jedi. The wiggly light saber. I should have loved it. The characters were so cool. But they didn't do anything new. Felt very design by committee.

In TLJ the characters did new things. It didn't all feel right to me. But it was new. I loved Luke's story. War stories should leave their heros damaged. I loved the worthless dirtfarmer parents. Everyone can't have special parents. Even Poe's stupid story with pink hair general was a commentary on how ruthless rebels have to be. People die. You can't waste resources. There was a lot wrong about TLJ but it tried.

And ROS had one good line. That's it.

The actors deserved so much better. They worked hard. They loved star wars. They wanted to make something good.