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The big bad should end up trying to do the heroes in himself. After all, he's the main villain and the players may feel slightly ripped off if they never get to tangle directly with him. And furthermore, the villain's flunkies are generally mooks who serve to get in the way, not a serious threat in themselves.
If the enemy had followers who were powerful and competent enough to pose a serious threat to the heroes, then you wouldn't have much need for a main villain in the adventure at all. This is not necessarily a bad thing, though, because this sets up the perennially loved archetype: the recurring villain. The heroes actually don't fight him at the first encounter - he runs away or otherwise escapes while they tangle with his followers, who are enough of a threat to be scary and to keep them occupied while the main guy flees.
Subsequent encounters can repeat the pattern, but make sure to give in eventually and have a final showdown. When the PCs finally defeat their arch-nemesis after several linked adventures of chasing him, that creates real satisfaction.
[Reminder: Our guest commentators have not seen Rogue One. Part of the fun is seeing how their untainted impressions re-interpret the movie through the lens of our comic.]
We now have absolute confirmation, this is not a bottomless pit. He is clearly resting on a... see-through grate that keeps going down, down, down.
They haven't managed to send that the data off. The only one left is Bria. There's armed guards about to shoot at her, and her hands have either the wall, or the data crystal, and no weapon.
At this point, it would take a ridiculous deus ex machina out of nowhere for the heroes to win. Something absolutely ridiculous. A cavalry coming from nothing. Something we've never seen before in this entire series.
Except: Han/Falcon helping Luke in IV, Yoda leading a massive number of clones in II, or even the fact that there is a massive Rebel fleet outside of the shield, if only there was somebody attacking the shield generator from the inside (VI).
(As an aside, I suppose Chirrut assumed that he would never fall as well).
— Keybounce
Transcript
Krennic: Oh, do I have to do everything myself?
Cassian: No... no... I can't shoot...
[SFX]: Pow! {Krennic shoots Cassian}
GM: You're hit, take <roll>... 8 damage and make a Dex roll to avoid falling.
Cassian: Ugh. 4.
GM: You <roll>... bounce off a couple of girders and <roll>... land on a platform 20 metres below. That's... <roll>... 33 falling damage.
Bria: Cassian!
[SFX]: Thud...
[SFX]: Krak...
[SFX]: Splat.
GM: There's no response.
Bria: Oh well, he's a goner. Like K, and Chirrut.
Bria: I guess it's all up to me now.
Chirrut: {dead} Wow. I thought the adventure was totally screwed before...