[yes, he thinks, of course it's easier. maybe not the struggle to the top, but from there on out it had to be smooth sailing. having the supplies, the firepower, the sheer numbers. not having to lose people over and over again, each loss made more personal simply out of having the numbers small enough to actually know each person personally. recruiting people to a dying cause, but not giving up because there was still some part of him that was still that cocksure fighter pilot who refused to pull out of a botched mission, who still believed he could win and all the blood spilled to get there would be justifable if he could just make it that far.

but he can't say anything like that, not to her. she wouldn't understand. too selfish to see it. so he goes for the personal appeal.]

You don't want to fight us? Then stop. You have all the power. You could disband the First Order. Make something else. You could do anything, and you're choosing this.