Main Finn/John Boyega Episode IX Thread

Looking at the recently released I’m guessing (light side character) poster it seems to me there going The Return Of The Jedi Route. It may make economical sense for them to do that and just finish out the trilogy that way.

I would be disappointed because I do feel like arcs got short changed and then some but it may be a case of JJ just accepting this is what I got left with and I’m going to organize something acceptable. That doesn’t mean it won’t be a good movie just maybe more formulaic as Star Wars right now probably can’t afford to do any thing but that.

Been on the other Finn Forums since 2015 (mostly a spectator) so I’m aware of how crazy those threads got. Wether we all agree to disagree or not one thing im assuming of course is that none of us from the old fin threads would’ve thought this is the Finn we’d get or even Poe when we first started as wide eyed forum goers on the Force Awakens thread 4 years ago.

It’s hard not to get emotional or passionate on these threads because when you mix Star Wars love (hell yeah!), disappointment, racial tension (wether that be suspicious media comments and critiques of Finn, petitions even before we got a trailer with Finn in it, etc.) I don’t wanna go too far on the race thing cause look I’m a Black man and trust me my fellow posters and Sci-Fi fans of color when I say I get it and I’m just as passionate about it as you all are. But seeing what these conversations did to the last threads at this point people are set in their view points (right or wrong their choice) and I don’t have answers for why race still matters but it does. I wish to Hell it didn’t. People of color don’t want to have to argue about this stuff all the time trust me. We’d don’t get paid to do it lol But if we don’t who will? Sometimes you have to stick up and say something evens when you don’t want to. Feels very Jedi-ish/Star Wars-ish in that regard.

I’m sorry guys and girls if this is getting to long but using my self as an example I’ve had to take breaks from Finn and Star Wars because it drives me almost crazy. I’m optimistic one moment then hopeless the next, optimistic one moment and angry again. I think we’re all pretty Jekyll and Hyde at this point. (Sorry for any spelling errors I’m typing this on my phone)

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And here’s the poster

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I don’t I’m just trying to be positive guys. Tell me if I’m wrong.

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*know*

 

Actually, I'm glad the position that disney is taking with some racial issues that SW had in the past, specially with the OT (no black people and other minorities at all with the exception of Lando).
The times have changed and SW had to change too.
We have a girl as a leading character: Rey.
We have a latino with some protagonism: Poe.
We have a black guy (and now a girl) with protagonism: Finn and Jannah.
We have a asian girl with a major role also: Rose.
Even a stutterer: DJ.

With the ST we are way ahead in this issues that we had with the OT and even PT (2000's).

 

I love the fact that there is so much diversity. For me that’s goes without saying lol. So I feel you. But there are a lot of people who don’t enjoy that it seems or at least feel it’s forced. I don’t know how though.

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Do you guys think Finn’s position on the poster pretty much spells out his importance in episode 9?

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Or should we stop focusing so much on posters?

 

I actually facepalmed when they said Finn was sanitation ...

I actually facepalmed again when he said he was sweeping Snoke's ship.

It wasn't a good idea to make him a space janitor.

 

Great Post but everybodys arc has been poorly developed but Rey's and I even have some issue with hers. Is she related to somebody is she not...they took too long to develop or not develop their thoughts on that. I have liked every movie individually so far, but as a cohesive trilogy...and an extension of the previous trilogies and multiple movies and series that precede it... they have done a poor job. Without seeing TROS I know they have already wasted an interesting idea for a character by underdeveloping Finn's arc. This is Rey's (and to a lesser extent Kylo's) trilogy and by underdeveloping Rey in TLJ there is not enough narrative time to do anything meaningful with Finn's arc in this film besides have him follow Rey around. (seems like what everybody else is doing too.) Rey is finding herself (and saving the galaxy) and everyone else is watching.

 

Appreciate the likes y’all. I would have to agree with The Rey assessment in this sense. I’m not one of those people that believes a character has to be super powerful or Rambo in order to fight back and make a difference. (Not assuming you or anyone is either) but there comes a problem when you uplift only two characters (Rey and Kylo) post force awakens and as a result they level up over two films leaving the other underdeveloped characters to do what moving forward? Hate to agree but the “stand and watch” thing is so accurate.

-If Finn-and rescuing the first order troopers was going to be an arc they didn’t develop it

-If fin and Phasma was going to be an arc as nemesis then it and the characters should have gotten just as much backstory screen time, and development as Rey and Kylo not treated as auxiliary fights thrown in as Rey and Kylo breaks.

-If Finn struggling to find humanity after an early life of abuse and soldier training or finding agency as a person and making his own choices was going to be a thing they half assed it.

-To be honest and I’ve posted this in the other Finn thread so you guys let me know your opinion on this but Finn and Kylo should have been the rivalry over this trilogy. Rey and Kylo have Zero chemistry in any way. It just doesn’t work. But Finn and Kylo early on in The Force Awakens man I felt it every time they fought or were briefly around one another.

Finn rejected the darkness and ran toward the light.
Kylo ran from the light and accepted the darkness.
Come on this is what makes stories iconic! lol.
How did they miss that?

Rey being so similar to Luke and force sensitive was always going to have story relevance and fandom regardless. (Not discounting the hurdles she would have as a female character to be ingratiated in a male dominated fandom though her being white helped as general that makes a lot of characters more marketable/palatable)

You gotta work harder on the characters who aren’t as openly impressive in turns of visuals (not having the force or unique trade marks yet) the biggest mistake of this trilogy is one thing.

The lack of narrative balance. That would have solved almost everything. NARRATIVE BALANCE. What y’all think?

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Also I gotta figure out how to like other’s posts on mobile.

 

This is what I, Rayjefury and others have been saying for the past four years here and on other sites. So I agree with everything that's said here.

 

Great post, agreed wholeheartedly and have expressed similar sentiments for literal years now. I am openly skeptical about what they can do to rectify this but am reserving a sliver of hope that it's possible. I am also preparing for the near certainty that a phalanx of posters on the internet will declare his arc a success no matter what shows up in TRoS. Whether TRoS is bad or great, whether it connects well the previous two installments or not, they are going to declare that it was great. And I think this time around, I'm preparing myself not to take them as seriously as I did before. I think half of being trolled is a person making themselves available to be trolled. Will have to pick certain battles and decline the rest.

I realize there's not really much to talk about with Finn right now in terms of speculation, there just isn't. But perhaps when the final trailer drops there might be a piece or two more to analyze. I

 

Thanks everyone, I’m truly just happy somebody is still posting with me in this thread. Kinda sad that it’s this way you know.

Something tells me to like y’all said reserve that sliver of hope especially when it comes to J.J. Think about what he inherited when he first started directing Star Wars films. The prequel trilogy (I accept them for what they were and how much of a challenge George had in telling that big a story/Revenge of Sith is actually my favorite Star Wars movie) I can’t really call them my generation as I was so young. When Phantom Menace came out I would’ve been 4, Clone Wars I would have been 7, and Revenge Of The Sith 11. So I literally lol didn’t know what the hell was going on till much later and at that time ppl wanted George’s head (figuratively).

So JJ knew he had to play it safe and reintroduce the elements that made us love the Original trilogy. He seems to have a talent for reconciling fan bases. If he can do that here it will be his greatest feat especially with Finn’s characters

 

The irony...this is Rey's story and Finn's thread has been longer for every single film. TROS is the only movie when its been remotely close in amount of posts. Total wasted opportunity by Lucasfilm.

 

My biggest disappointment with this trilogy really represents how Finn is a symbol for it. And that’s the adherence to the status quo. To playing it safe. Maybe I’m wrong but man it feels like when they got some push back for the diversity and the possibility of an interracial relationship (before rose) they went running for the hills. Sometimes even the Star Wars fandom makes me feel like (and I hope I’m proven wrong) that we really just aren’t ready to be as progressive as we claim. At the end of the day we will always play it safe and only ever inch out any real progression.

I love Kelly Marie Tran. She’s witty, expressive, and beautiful and her character could have really ingratiated herself on us if she had been written right. So thats no fault of Kelly’s. And I will support her moving forward always but again it felt like they faced a lot of uncomfortableness with the interracial thing from fandom and decided to go the old cast a POC with a POC trope as a way to squirm out of it. All of everything I’m hearing about TROS sounds like Rey and Kylo is what their at least going to faintly hint at even if it doesn’t come full circle and that’s really bitter considering what we got in The Force Awakens. Feels like they walked back everything they were daring to do because people called them SJW.

Then when they did take the risks they made what feels like to me completely uneducated risks for anyone who loves Star Wars to make with The Last Jedi (No shots fired just my opinion) I’ve said for the longest I don’t hate anyone who loves that film in my old posts I’ve even given it a 8 when I first saw it and a 6 now as time has passed but both were only if I pretended not to know the stories coming before it when watching the film or the cast of heroes we were supposed to see developed

 

Admins on here warn me I wish I can respond.

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There is also some hope

On Star Wars Triple Force Friday release of Toys, they showed Black Series Rey, Jannah but they did not show the Black Series of Finn, because maybe it would reveal a spoiler in the movie.

 

No worries dude, we know.

It's possible. I think more likely however, there just wasn't a demand for Finn toys (or that there was more of a focused demand on Rey toys). If there is any accuracy to Chris Terio's account here:

https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/1...skywalker-will-reveal-how-strong-the-force-is

The two central questions that the plot will address is more about insight into Rey's identity and lineage and capabilities within the Force (neither of which involves Finn). If that's what they perceive to be the focus of the general audience, my guess is that they probably didn't see much motivation in embedding some grand reveal about Finn in that story. He's going to be the Resistance Shooter guy who's friends with the actual hero of the movie. We follow his story because his story follows her. Expect the moments and reveals to be dedicated to Rey.

Also, in the run up to TLJ there was similar speculation that some of the merchandising and marketing and exposure was limited for Finn out of fear of providing a spoiler. I think in retrospect we can affirm now, that there was almost nothing in the movie that actually could have been spoiled for Finn as there were no startling revelations. The actual spoiler material was:

• Leia's direct force usage (flying)
• Akbar's Death
• Luke's Murderous Character 180
• Kylo's Impetus to Turn
• Yoda's return
• Snoke's Death
• Rey's non Parentage/Parentage
• Luke Force Projection
• Force Skype
• Holdo's Manuever
• If Rey would turn to darkness

There is nothing that happens with Finn in TLJ that could have been spoiled (no matter how much of the story was revealed in marketing). We knew he would go on a mission for the Resistance and he did. We knew he would go to Canto Bight and he did. We knew he would confront Phasma and he did. Nothing on questions of how he would recover from his injuries in TFA, nothing on Force Sensitivity, nothing on his background. Finn does exactly what's laid out in the marketing and there are no surprises or reveals.

I wouldn't take marketing circumspection to portend anything grand for Finn in TRoS. You'd be setting yourself up for disappointment.

 

Honestly, I think the question with Finn isn't "What will he do?" It's "Why should we care?"

And I know that sounds overly negative, but considering how little interest Finn and his place within TROS is garnering, I think it's a fair question.

 

That doesn't sound that negative ( to me at least). It's a fair critique in the sense Finn has the most narrative distance to catch up. So a lot of people have at least, i humbly feel, chucked his character to the side. Let me know if you guys and girls are familiar with Collider the pod cast. They talk a lot of Star Wars and every since post-Force Awakens they will spend what feels like half an hour talking about Rey, Kylo, Luke each but spend maybe a few minutes on Finn, and virtually none on Poe or Rose, Leia etc. They did have a really great discussion on if Finn should be Force Sensitive. It was a while ago in January though. I'll try to find the link.

I went back and looked and they spent an hour and seventeen minutes on Rey and 8 minutes on Finn. That's disheartening. And it feels (just my opinion) that a majority of media outlets have the same slant when it comes to the cast. That's so hard to reconcile when you consider what The Force Awakens established. A trilogy of characters all with so many possibilities to now just two.

And i don't want to make it a competition thing with characters. I honestly love all of them. Got more Kylo Ren merchandise then I know what to do with lol, but Finn by far is my favorite so disappointment hits harder.

As far as the race thing goes I've said above on the thread page that I didn't want this thread to derail into what the other two did. Lol man their we're some days and I think Rayjefury and a lot of others know what I'm talking about because I would always see/read their posts (they we're always good) so you know we been on it for the long haul. But there were dog days I would come onto those old threads and they would just be LOCKED. FLAT FOOT LOCKED. This happen several times over both threads and it got wild and rough. I think I'm safe in assuming none of us wanna ride that roller coaster again lol. I don't want Mods working that hard, and I don't want posters (I pretty much really like and respect all of you all, all y'all are dope) to get banned or suspended. I guess sometimes me and some others would just like certain things to at least be acknowledged. Not with ill intent, or negativity meant just humbly acknowledged.

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As a side note I'm hella embarrassed I've probably read every thread page ever on Finn or close too and still have not figured out how to like posts. Can i get an assist from the mods lol is there a button I'm blatantly missing?

This is a LEIA style S.O.S.

 

I think there was room for acrimony following TFA and TLJ because TFA seemed to set things up for Finn. I don't think there's an argument to be made that anything's been set up coming out of TLJ. And the marketing for him has been conservative (putting it mildly). If we're upset because he doesn't live up to expectations in this movie I would ask, "what expectations?".

It would make sense to assume that this is another instance of truth in advertising and not get any undue hopes up for Finn doing anything jaw dropping or remarkable that ends up talked about years later and adds to SW lore. It's not consistent with the character arc they've given him. If however he does, then you're pleasantly surprised (you later have to contend with the fact that it comes out of nowhere and with no previous development and thus subject to criticism as blatant fan service, but you get a memorable moment). If he doesn't do anything remarkable (which is a safer bet), then you were prepared to see that as it's more in line with how he's been portrayed thus far. Less fall out either way if you're prepared for the worse.

If your breakdown of the video is accurate and it's an hour and 17 minutes for Rey and 8 for Finn, that would seem to line up with what Terio was talking about in that recent interview (i.e. the questions they perceive the audience wants to have answered center around Rey). We should be expecting a movie that reflects this perception. It's Rey and to a lesser extent Kylo. TLJ reflects that, the marketing for TRoS reflects it. Look at it like this, at least we won't have to litigate with people who overstated Finn 's importance to argue that he doesn't "need" anything extra to be special anymore. I think that argument is settled now (if it's any consolation).

Spoiler

I do hear that Finn will be involved in a Zero Gravity fight.

It sounds cool on paper but the Phasma show down looked good on paper too at one point. Guess we'll see.

 

Can’t argue with you there bro. Your analysis is spot on. Finn is in a rough spot to say the least. If he gets hella development in this last film there’s risk it’ll be called fan service or random considering where TLJ left his arc. But at the same time I feel like JJ knows he can’t treat Finn like TLJ did narrative wise. I think he’s plugged in enough to know how people at this point feel about Finn. In my humble opinion I would tell JJ to just go for it. I rather see Finn developed and just deal with critiques cause they coming either way lol.

And to that mod appreciate it a lot.

 

All we know about 9 it's going to be a Fan Service Movie. Whatever that means to Disney Star Wars (we want your money, and we sorry about 8).

Can JJ pull it off, in such a short time this is what I can see already.

By marketing Rey teams up with Kylo, this is why they are back to back in the shoot and Kylo with his mask on,

Spoiler: Likely spoilers of the rise of skywalker

he might be an Anti Hero in this part of the Movie.



Kylo trains Rey

Or this part of the Teaser Kylo Flying into Rey was made just for the trailer and its not in the movie as a Misdirection.


Finn and Poe and Jannah takes on the Knights of Ren



This most likely will be Finn new villains he will face, none of them have lightsabers and might not be force sensitive so I guess Finn and Poe will take them on or Rey save Finn and Poe from the Knights of Ren.

Kylo fixes his mask because there was a coup and he lost his position with the First Order and his mask represents he going have to get his saber dirty.




Kylo without his mask gives this impression to me before he is over thrown.




These images show this in the first act before he loses his position at some point in the movie.


Which leads up to Kylo have to team up with Rey, I can guess there will be a point in the movie when Rey asks Kylo to join her and he does as an Anti-Hero character neither good neither bad.


Rey with her staff than without her staff


Rey without her staff




This shows that Rey transcend in the movie at some point a cross over for her arc or her training begins when we see her without the staff.

I believe when we see her without the staff is when Kylo starts training her so they can take on a bigger threat.




You have seen a lot of movies before you can puzzle out plot points and storytelling.

Finn I can tell he just rebel fighter him with Jannah shows that Finn at a point in the movie leaves Rey, so Reylo can happen. So just as in 8 he goes off on another mission, this happens also with Finn in 9 and he gets with Jannah.



In this frame, you can tell he not the focus point, but the events that are happening the thing they are looking at are the main focal point in this shoot, this is why they showed it to us ahead of time. A major fight.

As Luke said the war has begun, so Finn the solider of the movie.