Returning Cast:
Samara Weaving as Breha Solo - Jessica Henwick as Cadence Skywalker - John Boyega as Garth Pellaeon
Adam Driver as Ben Solo - Billie Lourd as Kaza - Ryan Potter as Havi Terril - Oscar Isaac as Master Kenth Hamner - Domenhaal Gleeson as K'Lrrt
with Harrison Ford as Han Solo and Carrie FIsher as Leia Organa Solo
New Cast
Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calrission
It's been a long time since Lando held any official position within the New Republic, but he has put his connections and former rank to good use to make himself one of the most influential profiteers in the Outer Rim. Never losing his player's attitude and rouguish charm, he presides over his dubiously-legal business empire from a sprawling spaceport named Canto Bight.
Lupita N'Yongo as Gaia Pellaeon - Daisy Ridley as Terra Vizla - Michael Emerson as Borsk Fey'Lya
The first-born of Supreme Leader Pellaeon, Gaia has been groomed since birth to take command of the Imperial Remnant. She has always been cold and dismissive of her under-achieving younger bother, though Garth has never ceased to idolize and seek her support. / The people and culture of Mandalore were shattered by the Empire, but the last three decades have seen the planet reborn in the image of its legendary warrior past. Clan Vizla rules, and Terra is among their most formiddable super-commandos. Quick to violence with a scathingly witty irreverence for formalities, she harbors a fierce hate for Force-wielders and finds a kindred spirit (and intense physical attraction) when Ben Solo arrives to ask her family's alliance. / Borsk Fey'Lya has long served faithfully as Leia Organa Solo's right-hand-Bothan. But he had no part in the Rebellion, a fact the Solos and other elder leaders remind him of all-too often. He is ruthlessly ambitious, a master at hiding his true feelings and a longtime mentor to Ben Solo.
Andy Serkis as Shimra Jamaane - Charles Dance as Mentor
The savage leader of the invading Yuuzahn Vong, Shimra's people have been cut off from the Force for millennia. But while the act that caused their isolation is long forgotten, the hatred towards the supernatural remains. Convinced that their "freedom" has made them the superior race, they have set forth to reshape all the universe in their image, and destroy any who stand in their way. / A lifetime ago, the Sith known as Mentor was a youngling who by fate survived the Purge. But it was not the Light Side that came to his aid. It was the Dark. He spent 30 years learning everything he could about the ancient Sith ways, ultimately leading him back to the dark planet Moraband. After the fall of the Empire, Luke encountered him on several occaisons, but was rebuffed every time and, thanks to the shroud of the Sith homeworld, was never ale to track Mentor as he collected Force-sensitive youth from across the galaxy to train into a new Sith Order.
Kelly Marie Tran as Rose Tico - Laura Dern as Jedi Master Vey
Rose Tico is a devoted, fearless technician in the New Republic Navy and one of the few techs that Han will let touch the Millennium Falcon. And as the heroes take the beaten down old ship on rescue missions to the frontline of the invasion, there is never an end to new repairs to test the plucky mechanic's attitude. / A Mikkian Jedi Master, Vey was, along with Kenth Hamner, one of the first members of Luke's new Order. Together, they are the clearest leaders the Jedi have after Luke's death. She complements Kenth's reserved leadership with detirmined decisiveness.
The Plot
In a far, forgotten corner of the galaxy, the shuttle of Sith acolyte Kaza continues a seemingly haphazard path into the far reaches of known space. Having discovered her stowaway fairly quickly, Kaza keeps Cadence as part prisoner, part traveling companion, as the two slowly begin to grow close. Finally, they arrive on Moraband, the Sith homeworld, where Cadence is brought before Mentor, the leader of a new order of Sith Acolytes. He is deeply pleased to at last have a Skywalker to train. With no other choice, Cadence accepts the offer.
Meanwhile, the surviving leaders of the Imperial Remnent assemble on an Outer Rim spaceport run by Lando Calrission, who has offered shelter to them as well as the leaders of the New Republic, including his old friends Han and Leia, as the tentative allies attempt to launch a joint defensive front against the mysterious new enemy. A major point of contention arises as Master Kenth Hamner and Vey adjust to filling the void left by their old master, Luke Skywalker. Ben Solo, backed by Vice Chancellor Borsk Fey'Lya, wants to enlist the Jedi Order as soldiers and generals for the Republic, but Kenth insists, with Leia's reluctant concurrance, that Luke's mission of neutrality must be respected. Angry at his parent's dismissal and the reverance shown towards the Jedi, whom he sees as unreliable allies at best, Ben leaves on his own for Mandalore, to recruit his own personal army of warriors who also happen to hate the Jedi as much as he does.
One Jedi that is on the frontlines, however, is Breha Solo. Having taken Havi Teril as her own Padawan after the death of his previous master in the last film, the two now run dangerous, often reckless rescue missions on the Falcon with a crew including Han, Chewie, K'Lrrt and her own secret lover, Garth Pellaeon. But Breha is not content to just save lives. She is desperate for information on the new army that destroyed Corellia. A close encounter helps her put a name to the new threat - The Yuuzahn Vong, a race from the Unknown Regions that seem to be cut off from the Force. After a narrow escape, the Falcon returns to Lando's station only to realize that Ben has just returned with his Mandalorian forces, having won a great victory and rescued Garth's older sister, Gaia, who is ready to claim her birthright as Supreme Leader of the First Order.
Back on Moraband, Mentor takes special interest in Cadence's training, as she proves to be naturally adept at tapping into the Dark Side, a burgeoning power that secretly terrifies her. She tries to reach out to her parent's spirits in the Force, but the Dark Side is a heavy shroud beneath the temple. Cadence is good at hiding her true feelings, from everyone, that is, except for Kaza. As they grow closer as friends and in the Force, she does not expose Cadence's doubts, instead encouraging her to find balance between her old training and the new. In return, Cadence tries to help her tap into the Light.
With Gaia now on his side, Ben has the backing of the First Order, his Mandalorian army and all of Leia's enemies within the Republic itself as he moves to demand allegience from the Jedi, ordering Kenth's arrest. Desparate not to lose control to some of the more war-hungry voices in the Order, Vey turns over Kenth and tries to work out a tentative peace with the new leaders. Ben's actions cause family turmoil, and he nearly comes to blows with Breha after getting into an aggressive argument with their parents. Furious that all of his work seems disregarded for faith in the Jedi, Ben encourages Borsk Fey'Lya to make a move for himself as Supreme Chancellor.
Cadence has disturbing visions of the Vong invasion, leading Mentor to take her and several other acolytes on a mission to the frontlines. They arrive on one of the planets in the midst of terraforming and begin to learn the secrets of the new enemy, even as they sense the Force being depleted from the planet. It is then that the leader of the Vong, Shimra himself, attacks. In the fight, Cadence at last can hear the guidance of her father and mother's spirits to forge her own path. Mentor is killed by the Vong, but Cadence unleashes her full strength through both the Dark and Light Sides of the Force, scarring Shimra and allowing her and the other acolytes to escape. While Kaza wants to return to Moraband, Cadence instead takes command, summoning the other acolytes and Sith to follow their lead and sets course for war.
On Canto Bight, reports from the frontline show that the bulk of the Vong armada has discovered their presence and is on the way. Ben and his allies adovcate a retreat, while Leia and the Jedi plan to stay and fight. Borsk uses the moment to declare "No Confidence" in Leia's leadership, leading to a split in the Republic ranks. Over half of their forces prepare to retreat while those still loyal to Leia ready for battle. Han holds back Breha from attacking her brother before effectively disowning his son. As father and daughter armor up the Falcon, Ben leaves Terra to get Gaia and Borsk to safety before heading back to try and convince Leia to evacuate as well.
The battle begins in the midst of the retreat, as Ben pleads with Leia, engaged in battle meditation, to leave with him. She refuses, all the while maintaining her love for him. But he is unable to accept this. In the space battle, the Falcon's crew helps score several partial victories, but one ship slips past to strike at the station. Ben flees, leaving his mother to die in the explosion. The realization of what has happened gives Han a masive heart attack. Breha is able to kep him alive with the Force as Garth pilots the Falcon. While the Republic has won their first victory against the Vong, it feels like a defeat, and the surviving forces soon follow the early departures in retreat. In the aftermath, Shimra arrives and discovers Ben, still alive, but now his prisoner....
TO BE CONCLUDED IN EPISODE IX....