In some sense, this is the anti-cliffhanger. Taking a session break during a natural break in the action, rather than in the middle of action.
Most players won't usually take a session break right in the middle of an action sequence, creating a true cliffhanger, unless it's something specifically planned to be a cliffhanger by the GM. Usually players like to finish the action they're in the middle of.
But there's also the anticipation of checking out newly acquired treasure after a battle. So cutting off a session right after a climactic fight can still be a teaser for events to be revealed at the start of the next session, when the heroes go through the aftermath of the battle.
Commentary by Keybounce (who has not seen the movie)
Is there anything more dangerous to a GM's plan than the players having a week to counter-plan?
Imagine, if the end of a session had the GM stuff something into a sealed envelope, and the players did not get a chance to open it until the start of the next session. This would be a chess-like struggle between two sets of minds, each trying to get the upper hand.
Actually, if you had two different teams of players, and they were working against each other through a single common GM, that might not be a bad way to deal with the end of a session. And, it's not like we have two teams of players here... oh, wait, we do.
Alright, so it's not like one wants to use this new drive, and the other wants to capture this... oh, wait, they do.
Alright, so it's not like they are opposed... wait, they are.
Err... what was wrong with "You won't find out what you got until next session" again? :-)
Commentary by memnarch (who has not seen the movie)
Whoa! Never mind about the movie-Falcon leaving the hangar ship first, this looks like it really did make the jump from inside the hangar! That framing with the light on the door teeth and the pulse knocking over the Guavians pretty clearly shows that. None of the other space ships have ever blown away people standing around them just with the usual ship "thrust".
That modulator is definitely a game changer in the spaceship fights, though I don't know if it's as great as it seems at the moment. Space is big. Like vastly, hugely, Big. Being able to blockade an area so the hyperdrive safeties kick in would mean that there are no open vectors for escaping in due to ships, debris, ships' debris, and so on. A spray of rock pebbles in a zone would be pretty good, but there would need to be a huge amount of them to do any good. Not to mention the issue of recollecting them once the blockade is finished so leaving is possible again. That said, maybe this modulator doesn't need to worry about gravity wells as well, and that would make it much more useful. Hyperdrive jumps from a planet's surface anyone?
Hah, looks like the GM might not have fully considered what the consequences of giving the party the modulator would be. I can't wait to see how this ends up playing out in the next session; Rey's face is exactly what I'd expect from someone planning to cause trouble on purpose for the fun of it. I think it'll be exceptionally funny to see how this ends up causing as much trouble for the players as the GM. Just think of all the bad parking spots Rey can end up in without the hyperdrive safeties!
Transcript
[SFX]: Woooosh! {the Falcon going to lightspeed blasts the Guavians in the hangar off their feet}
BB-8: What the hell just happened? We splatted a monster by doing an impossible jump to lightspeed?
Rey: It must be the experimental hyperdrive modulator. This is what the Empire was working on!
BB-8: So... a new method of escaping into hyperspace when blockaded.
Rey: Right. Okay, this is useful. It probably has other abilities too.
GM: Now that we have a pause in the action, it’s a good time to call it a night.
Rey: But we’re just getting to the good stuff.
GM: I just said the action is over for now.
Rey: No, the planning how we can abuse the new gear you’ve given us!
Finn: But think about how much more you can plan with a week’s break.
GM: On second thought, we could go on a little—
Rey: Gotta go! Seeya!