OpenSuse has a very well defined pipeline:
Tumbleweed -> Leap (maybe Slowroll) -> SLE.
OpenSuse is not going to break new ground. It's all about OBS and testing software before it hits their Paid Enterprise offerings. And they have almost a fully automated procedure for this. OpenSuse is not going to push Wayland only nor what will become the standard. It's not in their ethos. OpenSuse is there to build SLE's next release.
Debian being cutting edge?! Never. Debian is Debian, very slow to adopt anything. Debian is about offering a very stable release schedule. Debian will never push the ecosystem forward, it's not Debian's goal. You want a reliable system that just works? Debian is inarguably the king.
There will not be a Linus 2, but rather there will be a peaceful transfer of "power".
Linus is not the Benevolent Dictator For Life of the Linux Kernel.
Linus has already stepped away from developing the Kernel. He did this after an incident to work on his professionalism & mannerisms towards people. Kernel development did not stop. Linus does not approve and merge every patch into the Kernel.
Rather it is more likely that the Lead Maintainer/Developer changes to Greg Kroah-Hartmon, and the project does not skip a beat.
Rest assured with something as important as the Linux Kernel: development will keep going.