Whereas - in the end - I don't think George Lucas even knew what he wanted SW to be.
He did. It just changed drastically over time.
*
I fully agree with Bosk. I was being sarcastic that Lucas being the franchise's #1 fan would enable him to make the best possible SW film. Your point about the fans dictating the legacy is spot on.
I've said this before, but Nick Meyer is largely credited with saving the Star Trek franchise with Wrath of Khan after the mixed reception of TMP, and he knew nothing about Trek going in, other than it had a guy with pointy ears. So it can work both ways.
And I just don't hold Abrams' work at the elevated level other people do. Nothing he has done has impressed me much, but that is limited to his big screen work.
Carry on.
* Noticably analagous to Gene R and Star Trek. It is both fortunate and a little sad that Paramount basically uninvited Gene to be involved in Trek movies post-TMP. Sad that it was necessary, fortunate as Gene had lost touch with Trek and his creative juices had diminished over time. He, like Lucas, are greatly creative and imaginative. Not talented screenwriters and/or directors.