>>1346
The same pattern was also established in the chronology preceding the time of the films. The Republic entered a Dark Age during which the Sith were supreme, the Jedi marginalized, and the Republic more or less a Coruscanti rump state. The Galactic power scale was thrown off before then or even the existence of the Sith during Xendor's rebellion. I'd also count the supremacy of the Rakatan Infinite empire a time where the darkness eclipsed the light.
On the whole, I'd say it's keeping with tradition even if the Old Republic era collectively pulled it off better. I don't know how similar Kylo and Snoke are to the Baneite Sith since we don't yet know how the Knights of Ren really operate and if they're part of a new paradigm or basically the same as inquisitors. Sadly I don't think they'll serve as much more than canon fodder for Luke and Rey in the sequel, so either interpretation may be equally valid.
I don't think the point, though, is that the dark side is dominant in TFA. Both the light and the dark are stirring and flaring up after a long period of relative dormancy, I think.
>>1348
I expect this too. Disney is so afraid of geek chic faux nerd rage like played up resentment of the prequels that they're sticking to a very predictable formulae for the big motion pictures. It's almost like they make their writers browse the TV Tropes articles for Star Wars and use the cliches as storytelling LEGO blocks. They're going to redeem Kylo Ren not because it's interesting or sensible, but because they just think that Star Wars needs redemption arcs.
BioWare did the same thing with the last The Old Republic expansion by letting players choose to redeem the last expansion's villain even though he started the most widespread war in the Legends history and ordered what amounted to exterminatus on 5 densely populated random worlds to "send a message."
It was only tenuously justified by the fact that the true villain wants you to kill him and vengeance, and said villain is a perpetual liar and manipulator to the point where a savvy character always does the opposite of what he suggests.