Official Finn Episode VIII thread

That 's true but keep in mind that Mark Hamill has done his fair share of trolling on social media in regards to TLJ and we know how he feels about it. I don't know if people remember but he's shared a couple of pics in the midst of some exchanges with Boyega. One was a fan art picture of Finn carrying Luke on his back a la Luke and Yoda. That's sure to get some people's hopes up but the one that really had people talking was the time he shared the picture of Luke's Jedi robes on Ahch-To inplying that Luke and Finn were going to meet. We see how that turned out.
But as far as Boyega playing company man, I can't say I blame him. He's getting paid whether his character is respected or not and he's still young so probably feels like he can't really go as far as he wants expressing his problems with Finn. Besides, look what happened to Hamill and he's one of the original main characters. They made him change his tune from his original opinions within days of sharing them.

 

Finn the Black Flash Gordon! I hope he represents

 

No disagreement on any of this, just being as objective about Boyega as I am on the other actors and players from LFL. Mark also contributed to the misinformation machine (maybe LFL asked them to in order to generate talk and to keep people off the actual scent). I just think the end result is that I can't tell when I should take anything he (Boyega) says seriously, because he had me thinking he was going to have an awesome arc...

...and we know how that turned out. And yes I know he did also point out (very diplomatically) that Finn was going to need something to keep up with Rey and Kylo which speaks to how far he was pushed off the front stage in TLJ. You know what's funny? How so many voices pivoted from the "Finn is going to have an awesome story he's not going to be diminished" to "This is the Skywalker saga, of course Finn was going to be in the background, it's about Kylo and Rey". Switch-o-change-o-and-no-explain-o

 

You are right. Boyega did an interview not too long after TFA came out in the UK, and the way he acted gave you the impression he knew where his character was going and it was going to be juicy. I'll never take anything he says seriously again when it comes to Star Wars.

Sounds kind of desperate to promote the last movie as the Skywalker Saga when it hasn't been, and Rey having any connection to the OT doesn't work when the only one of the OT to embrace her was Leia. Pushing it to Kylo and Rey only makes it worse. The story is no longer inclusive, and there is nothing to look forward to. Unless you want to watch super powered people make excuses for why they make terrible decisions as human beings. The Rey and Kylo so called story was the forced story in TLJ, and all the characters suffered for it. From Snoke to Luke to Finn. Three major characters diminished. The last thing we need is promotion of those two.

 

I think with RJ it was mostly an ego thing. He started to believe his own hype. Instead of focusing totally on crafting a good, flowing story, he focused on his own perceived legacy and the meta. This is why the film talks directly to fans regarding rey's parents. Rey was never curious or desperate to know who her parents were. She was focused on waiting for her family's return in TFA. The gimmick of TFA was "the mystery box". As annoying as it was, it still left the potential for something fresh and great. The gimmick of TLJ was "subversion". Unfortunately it was the worst kind of subversion. The kind were they take plot threads and mysteries and turn them into absolutely nothing. Who is snoke? there is no answer, he's just dead. Who are rey's parents? dead junkers. Is finn FS? he's a janitor. How is luke gonna respond to seeing his father's lightsaber again? he chucks it over his shoulder,etc. etc. Its like the only thought that was given to plot threads was, "how would the audience expect things to go down based on what was set up? ok now lets just crash it into the ground.". The movie comes off as belligerent and almost mean spirited in that regard. The bottom line is TLJ suffered because the writer had no real creative vision. Thats why the anchor plot of a star wars movie is a slow chase through open space. The only new planets we see are a boring earth like casino place (with aliens wearing mariachi uniforms and tuxes.), and a hoth knock off. Instead of there being intrigue and tension over a possible spy thats allowing the FO to track the rebel fleet, the movie just comes out with some nonsense about tracking ships through hyper space. That in itself is something that is utterly not possible. We could've had an actual story where rebel agents must deal with a relentless FO fleet as well as the very real likely hood of conspirators among their ranks. Instead of expansions on jedi/sith lore, we get no training for rey and kylo's training is retconned to "yeah kill this girl, something I could've told you to do over comms in the first movie.". Introduce the knights of ren proper? Nope, not even mentioned. He created rose, but then gave her no arc. He put finn on standby mode for the whole movie. Dude never even held a blaster. Imagine a story where finn, an aimless hero, has to shepherd this mechanic who is not used to being under fire. In mentoring her, he learns that he is a natural leader and a beacon of hope for those around him. Imagine Finn realizing what it truly means to fight for a cause and what happens when you don't fight. Imagine rose seeing that not only are heroes made of flesh and blood, but that anyone, including her, can become one. Instead of any real character development, we get an obvious filler plot in las vegas along with some on the nose political commentary that goes no where. There could've been anything regarding finn. He could've, inadvertently learned that he does have some ability to sense the force. Imagine how this could've affected him regarding his views on himself. Imagine how this would've affected rose. We could've got a story where a prodigy learns to be a super jedi while a unlikely person just learns to cope with a new ability. Captain phasma could've been shaped into an actual character. Instead we got TLJ. No vision.

 

Star Wars had memorable characters. Good and bad. Now we have none. What child would want to buy a Rey, Finn, Kylo, Poe, or Rose doll if they never appear to be cool? We imagined ourselves as the original characters, because they were cool. We saw the wisdom in the elders. Now they are used as scapegoats for other's bad actions. It's obvious they didn't ask themselves these questions when they made TLJ. Rian Johnson had no intentions of making a Star Wars movie, because the idea is too big for him. You have to care for all the characters. No matter how big or small.

It would have been nice to see Rose's skills as a mechanic come into play, and give her a scene where her skills make the difference between success or failure. She was given nothing for us to be proud of her. None of the characters were. This idea about failure made no sense, and I believe it was more to do with that it was too late to change the mess they made, so they had to come up with some excuse for why the movie was so depressing. How could the lesson be failure when they were never winning? They were barely holding on. If it weren't for the actions of Finn there would be no Resistance. Rey had no idea why BB 8 was so valuable, but Finn did, and he knew where BB 8 had to go. It would have been only a matter of time before the FO would have taken BB 8 away from Rey.

No expansion on the Snoke and Kylo dynamic. That was too big for Rian, so he copped out and killed off Snoke. This way he wouldn't have to go into any detail about their relationship. No expansion on the force or how Rey and Kylo are supposed to be so powerful. He took every idea, and minimized it. Expanded the Rey and Kylo dynamic, because it's easier, but has no place in this story. Just because they have the force and are opposites when it comes to sex doesn't mean they have to know how the other is feeling. That's not Star Wars.

 

Spoilers for Finn's new Look in 9 behind the scene leaks.

Spoiler: Star Wars 9 leaks of Finn and Poe new look

This looks like Lucas Film is copying from Endor and Black Panther Visual

 

How? LucasFilm is copying their own work. How can they do that? Furthermore Black Panther copied the visuals of SW.

 

It's called protecting yourself. The story took a 180 degree turn. I'm not going to lie. At first glance I didn't like Finn's hair, but after zooming in some it does look like he has an outline. I hope so.

 

I actually like Finn's new look. But I'm still wary because a cool outfit doesn't guarantee anything.

 

The horses look interesting... that's something.

I don't hate Finn's new look... I guess that's something too.

If this was the lead up to TFA and I was seeing behind the scene photos, I would be so excited wonder what it all meant. I thought the feeling of disappointment after TLJ was just a temporary malaise, but I feel the magic is gone. I'll still go see EPIX (just to close it all out) but I think they have successfully killed the fan in me. They did something I didn't think I was possible. I had thought that my presence here on the forum was evidence that I still cared deeply about the franchise but I don't. I care about the old work.

I don't really care about EPIX and I am reasonably confident I won't throw any financial support towards a new trilogy if Rian has anything to do with it. I don't care if it stars a black jedi/force user, they have given me NO confidence that they know how to tell a good story with coherence and depth that immerses you. Rian went for subversion in his movie, and he has succeeded in subverting fan loyalty (IMO). Hope it was worth it all.

 

Yes and he was proven wrong, at least with GoT, but my comment is how outspoken he is when it comes to lack of diversity and inequality in the movie business in general. He started a company for the very reasons he spoke about.

So I will find it disappointing that he isn't vocalizing fan worry when it comes to characters of color like himself, Val, and Rose. It's like his fanboy mind takes over and prevents him from doing it, at least so blatantly.

 

I'm not sure how to feel about Finn and Poe reveal as I'm not sure how to feel about EPIX. I just don't see how the last installment of a trilogy can save a trilogy. If this were any other franchise, they'd probably drop the whole thing and start over in another 5-10 years or so from scratch. (See things like Spiderman and Terminator, for instance) Yet, this is Star Wars. You have the PT, OT, now the NT. It would show a great failure on Disney's part to have the NT end in two movies, then restart without an end to this story. It's possible they hope to wrap it up with a mediocre acceptance from the fandom and then start from scratch with a Second New Trilogy later down the road. It's been said R.J.'s trilogy is dead. Which would be a smart move on Disney/Lucasfilm's part. Then they go back to the drawing board and figure out how not to muck up Star Wars again and release another trilogy down the road that's hopefully right.

Thus, I'm not sure how to feel about Finn and Poe's reveal nor EPIX. I'm not thoroughly excited, nor am I thoroughly in anticipation. Just meh is more like it.

I just don't see how J.J. or anyone else can come along and fix what TLJ broke.

 

I think that that's more a matter of "not biting the hand that feeds you". We saw from the videos that were posted that he is clearly dissatisfied with the direction Finn's character took. He wasn't very heavy handed in his criticism, however, because it's generally a bad idea to criticize the people giving you work. Look what happened with Katherine Heigl. She went from getting major roles to doing kitty litter commercials.

 

Agree on so many points. I don't think this can be salvaged in the last installment. Even if they somehow pulled a rabbit out of the hat and create a great movie, I think most folks will still be meh on the trilogy overall. There was a point when it was suggested here that the new trilogy be a quadrilogy instead because Ep 8 wasted so much potential, but I don't think Disney would throw good money after bad if they think fans are already sour on it, plus there are contracts (and I don't think Daisey has enjoyed this very much and John is probably not going to be pressed to reprise a role that isn't elevated).

I'd love to see a new trilogy with a new galaxy, new characters, new time frame, new factions... just wouldn't want to have Rian have ANYTHING to do with it - but especially not in terms of scripts.

 

I don't respect the main characters. The only way I could be somewhat swayed is if they showed Rey and Finn asking themselves why are they helping the Resistance. It would at least show they have a brain of their own, and not doing things because others want them to do it. I can't relate to their motivations.

 

This my intake about the Photos of Finn and Poe I gave it a week or so to sit in so these or my ideas.



These Photos are not by accident, its an attempt by JJ to bring back the Fandom backlash after The Last Jedi. Its attempt did not make the Famdon and the Backlast more excited for 9. Rather I say these so called leaked Photos and the Photo that Lucasfilm showed Finn on the Falcon which we cant see clear it also looks like Poe Dameron flying the Falcon.



First question after seeing these photos after of weeks of thinking, why give us Leaks of Finn and Poe, over seeing leaked pictures of Rey and Kylo? Rey and Kylo are the main two characters in this new trilogy. Not showing them two and showing Finn and Poe means Finn and Poe does not have a big plot or not that important in 9. Showing them two is not giving up the main theme or the main plot about Rey and Kylo. Finn and Poe are the least important characters and this is why JJ can afford to show us photos of them and not Rey and Kylo this early.

Also it shows the tactics of JJ has not changed he uses Finn for the Red Herring in the Force Awakens in the marketing as a Jedi and he was not and these new Photos for 9 is the same tactics all over again showing him in all these photos knowing he not the main character and neither will any developments will come from Finn, and he a character that they can put in the marketing (these leaks are part of the Marketing strategies ) leaks because the movie is not focusing on him, but Rey and Kylo.

Also these photos it appears to be a rehash of Endor from The Return of the Jedi. So I an not hyped about these Photos.

 

I do agree they are using Finn with the marketing, but I also see another reason for it. He knows people want to see something different. Rey and Kylo aren't going to bring in extra people to watch this movie. The marketing has to appeal to the other characters.

 

Disney is a mega company, which means they can take a few loses. They can make films just for the Heck of it. Disney is currently making Maleficent 2. The first film bombed at the box office but its garnering a cult following. So I wouldn't be surprised if they make a Solo 2 in a couple of years.

With that said, Disney would not abandon Sequel Trilogy. They'll move forward to see if they can repair it. Disney is not Sony, Sony can't take too many loses but Disney can. Which means Disney will do what they can to save Star Wars. And if not they'll go back to the drawing board.

Yeah, I believe RJ's Trilogy is dead, we'll hear about it soon. I think its going the way of Benfleck Batman.