Star Wars is rich with pivotal moments that altered the course of the galaxy. Star Wars: Infinities has already delved into some of these turning points from the original trilogy. Functioning much like Marvel's What If, it could be used to explore similar situations throughout the Skywalker Saga. For instance, what if Maul ran over Anakin? What If Maul Killed Obi-Wan? What if Jango Fett killed Mace Windu? What if Anakin went to Mandalore? Or what if Luke stayed on Tatooine to bury Owen and Beru? For now though, the focus will be on the major choices made throughout the saga.
The Prequel Trilogy
The first major crossroads comes in Episode I during the Duel of the Fates. It's a duel between Qui-Gon and Maul, with Anakin's fate in the balance. Qui-Gon's death led Anakin down a path to the Dark Side, but what if Qui-Gon survived? As Anakin's mentor, Qui-Gon could have provided the fatherly guidance Anakin needed, denying Palpatine the chance to groom him. Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Anakin would have uncovered and thwarted Palpatine’s schemes before they came to fruition. Count Dooku could have helped as well, as he had only left the Order after Qui-Gon's death.
The following episodes feature critical choices. Episode II sees Dooku offer Obi-Wan the chance to take down the Sith Lord controlling the Republic, while Episode III sees Mace Windu plead with Anakin not to listen to Palpatine. Neither accepts, but what if they did? Both scenerarios end with Palpatine’s defeat, preventing the Republic's fall and the Jedi Purge. However, in his anger Anakin still heads to Mustafar after learning the location of Seperatist command from Palpatine's computer. Only this time when Obi-Wan comes to stop him, Anakin is rational -as Padme isn't there- and does indeed not try it.
The Original Trilogy
One lesser-known moment occurs offscreen in Episode IV, when R2-D2 tries to sabotage R5-D4 to ensure he escapes and the plans for the Death Star reach the Rebellion. In the short story describing this, R5 allows himself to be sacrificed for the greater good upon realizing the importance of the mission. But what if R5 didn't blow up? Without R2 delivering the plans, the Death Star would soon find the Rebellion and destroy Yavin IV without any opposition, crushing any hope for the galaxy. The Empire would tighten its grip on the galaxy, and Vader and Luke would likely never meet.
The other key decisions in this era revolve around Luke and Vader extending a hand to one another. In Episode V, Vader reveals his identity to Luke and invites him to join the Dark Side. In Episode VI, Luke tries to appeal to his father and pull him back to the Light. Niether goes for it, but what if they did? In the former, Luke’s anger might make him vulnerable to Vader’s training, allowing them to overthrow Palpatine the Rebellion and rule together. In the latter, Luke’s appeal inspires Vader to join him, leading to the defeat of Palpatine and the Empire, ushering in a new era of peace.
The Sequel Trilogy
The sequel trilogy also features moments of critical choice. In Episode VII, Han offers to help Kylo Ren abandon the Dark Side, while in Episode VIII, Kylo Ren invites Rey to join him and be someone. Neither takes up on the offer, but what if they did? With Ben accepeting Han’s offer, Luke would return and joining forces with Rey and Ben to defeat Snoke early. When Rey joins Kylo Ren in abandoning the past, the two create a new order. Either situation would eventually lead to Palpatine, with the former seeing the Light triumph, while the latter sees the Dark side triumph.
Finally, Episode IX had Kylo Ren travel to Exegol, where he was met by Palpatine. Palpatine offered Kylo Ren an Empire if he did his bidding, which was actually a ploy to get Rey before him. But what if Kylo Ren killed Palpatine then and there? Kylo would become the new Supreme Leader and Hux the new Chancellor, leading to a storyline akin to Colin Trevorrow’s Duel of the Fates. In short, Finn leads a revolution on Coruscant, Hux commits seppuku with a lightsaber, and Rey defeats Kylo Ren on Mortis. With it's leaders gone, the Final Order crumbles and the galaxy is saved.
To wrap up
These however, are just spins on moments from the Skywalker Saga. The Clone Wars had a moment with profound impact on the galaxy as well. During the Siege of Mandalore, Maul asks Ahsoka to join him in defeating Anakin. Obviously Ahsoka refuses, unable to believe Anakin is capable of what Maul claims. But what if she did? Together, Maul and Ahsoka would confront Anakin. Learning the truth from Maul, rather than Palpatine, they turn Anakin against Palpatine. Joined by Obi-Wan, the four defeat the Sith Lord, with Maul being allowed a head start to escape for helping them.