The Main Plot:
1: A Superweapon is discovered.
2: Someone tries to unify the Empire.
3: Someone with a Superweapon tries to unify the Empire.
4: Ackbar is set up.
5: An old clone wars (or early New Order) artifact treatens the Universe.
6: (I couldnt think of one- anyone else wanna fill this in?)

The Sub-Plot:
1: Luke finds a Jedi.
2: Luke finds a Dark Jedi.
3: Luke finds a Dark Jedi with a Superweapon.
4: Someone kidnaps Leia's kids.
5: Leia's kids get into trouble.
6: Someone with a grudge comes after our hero(es).

The Enemy:
1: Another Grand Admiral.
2: Another Dark Jedi.
3: Clone/Evil Twin of our hero(s).
4: Strange Alien bent on destroying/inslaving the galaxy.
5: Someone who worked with Lemslik on the Death Star, but we've never seen or heard of until this moment.
6: Someone thought long dead.

Filler or plot complications:
1: The Falcon crashes.
2: Lando tries a scheme.
3: Comedy relief with Leia's kids/the Droids.
4: Luke gets angst over his parentage/responsibility.
5: Someone goes to where a powerful Jedi died to seek knowledge or guidance, but comes up dry.
6: Boba Fett shows up, but instead of being the feared bounty hunter that he is, is largely incompetant and useless.

Romance:
1: Han and Leia whine about not seeing each other for longer than a few moments.
2: Leia has a kid.
3: Lando gets some.
4: Wedge gets some.
5: Everyone in the galaxy (including the Emperor) gets some- except Luke.
6: Luke gets spurned, and resorts to going home and Using The Force.

Resolution:
1: The Superweapon destroys itself (bounces off an asteroid, plunges down a Black Hole, or eats all the other superweapons)
2: Luke discovers a new Force Power
3: The Threat appears to be destroyed, but in reality is only hiding, hibernating, or just haunting a temple until the next book/issue.
4: Threat just goes away on its own.
5: The so-far totally unrelated subplot suddenly shows up out of nowhere and removes the menace.

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* "Let us not forget the lesson that we can learn        *
*  from this, Arthur, that man was not meant to tamper   *
*  with the four basic food groups                       *
*    -The Tick                                           *
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