Official Finn Episode VIII thread

He wasn't planned to be anything.

You've got to remember the writing of Ep 7 went something like this:

George Lucas gives Disney his outline. George Lucas is famous for not really being a character guy, he generally focuses on set pieces and worldbuilding stuff, so I doubt he really thought about who Sam was at all.

Disney pretty much ignore all his ideas and hire Michael Ardnt. Ardnt tries to write a script where "Rey meets up with Luke and kicks the bad guys ass". Asks for more time to get the script right, gets fired.

JJ Abrams and Kasdan come on six weeks before filming. Crank out a script as quickly as they can so that they can start the hiring process.

I doubt there was any planning at all.

 

It was a little more nuanced than that. The Art of The Force Awakens book is really illuminating about the evolution of the movie. I think the book is a must-have. Sam, who eventually became Finn, was determined to be a stormtrooper fairly early on in the process, when Arndt was still on board. May, 2013.

Before being made a stormtrooper, the only description I see of him is as "a young man," so I don't think they had a plan yet... but writing had just begun.

 

Making Star Wars - STAR WARS: EPISODE VIII THE FINN AWAKENS

http://makingstarwars.net/2016/10/star-wars-episode-viii-the-finn-awakens/ (fan site)

 

I'm glad Finn is on the mend, it seems like history repeating itself with Luke in TESB.

Always the supportive co-star that's why she loves him.

 

Wow, these films are really original aren't they?

There are many talented and creative people in Hollywood.

Disney should use them, and quit sponging off the past.

 

huh?

 

I know I'm confused as well
He made a SDCC appearance with his peanut & Poe.

 

Pretty sure he's talking about TFA using a lot of the story beats from ANH and this rumor that Episode 8 is using story beats from Episode 5. The 'people' he's referring to are those choosing to use those story beats in these new films in other words the producers not the actors.

 

So because Finn recovers with the help of bacta......people are saying its gonna be a remake of ESB?

 

I think we might be missing something. Take away the whole Jedi thing for a minute. I think Finn's storyline is paralleling Lukes. It wouldn't surprise me if he doesn't turn out to be a secret Skywalker (Luke's son) and Rey is a Kenobi, Palpatine, or something else. There are a lot of similarities in the Force Awakens and again this Bacta suit/tank thing is another one that I think when all is revealed might turn out not to be a coincidence. Just my wild speculation but you never know....

 

I see where you're coming from with that. One of the successes of the movie, in my opinion, is that the characters were new and unique; so I tend to think they'll follow their own unique paths. But you could be right... I see what you mean, for sure.

 

Finn and Kelly Marie Tran's character story looks like the Han and Leia parallel (fan site rumor) in Episode VIII while Rey (Luke) trains with Luke (Yoda) (fan site rumor) (fan site rumor).

Kathleen Kennedy: “Daisy Ridley’s character Rey is the new generation’s Luke Skywalker.” (December 14, 2015)

Kathleen Kennedy: “[I’m] very, very proud of the fact that we’ve been able to do this with Star Wars.” “I think there’s a tendency to want to assume that the character of Jyn and the character of Rey are exactly the same. But in fact they’re both very, very different. “Jyn, even though she is the lead in Rogue One, she’s very much a part of a team and an ensemble group. So the character operates in a way that’s quite different [from] the story we’re telling with Rey.” (July 16, 2016)

John Boyega: “Finn is us. He doesn’t have his path handed to him. He doesn’t have his destiny spoken of in a distant prophecy. He is the everyman, and it’s like, who would everybody really be in a ‘Star Wars’ movie? People who say Luke Skywalker, they’re lying.” (December 15, 2015)

John Boyega: “The Han Solos and the Finns of the Star Wars universe are representations of human nature. If a dude was coming toward you with a crossguard red lightsaber and he was about to swing that at you, you wouldn’t be like, ‘Let me look heroic.’ You’d be scared. That’s Finn. Finn is everybody.” (December 13, 2015)

(There's light Luke, Han, and Leia callbacks in all of the new major characters outside of Rey.)

 

That's very good information. Sometimes it's fun to look outside the box.

 

I hope that Finn continues to have sharp, funny one-liners in VIII. He needs to have someone just as good as Han to play off of as well. I agree, I believe Finn will continue to be new and unique.

 

So most people don't want him to be a Jedi. Stormtrooper to Jedi would've been something amazing but most probably won't happen now.

 

Where does it say that Finn and KMT's character story parallels Han and Leia?

Whoosh, that cold water washing over anyone who thought the ST was an ensemble piece.

Once again I'm reminded how much I hate those types of characters. "Representations of human nature", what rubbish. Essentially what Boyega is saying is that Finn is there to demonstrate how normal people would look in comparison to the exceptional (Rey) and thus highlight their exceptional nature. Ugh, sometimes I don't think I actually like (this) Finn.

 

I think the jedi role would have been strong had he used the force instead of Rey.

 

I want him to be a jedi.

 

Perhaps he was just a FO red herring or maybe there might be a reason in the greater narrative for this (or maybe not). I imagine it would be hard to indoctrinate the conscience out of every soldier - some innate morality exists in most human natures despite some people assuming murder and theft was acceptable until some commandments advised differently!

Fair enough. I kinda liked the way some humanity was introduced to the militarily indoctrinated FO troopers and I enjoyed both the barracks-honed natural quick wit of Poe and the bumbling charm of the heart-on-sleeve Finn.

Haha! Don't let the actor's opinion get a character down. I'm glad Finn doesn't run his mouth as much as Boyega! Hopefully there's more to him than just a yard-stick for the saber duel. I actually liked seeing a trained non-force sensitive get a hit on the injured Skywalker grandchild. He's also a thorn in the side of both the Hux legacy and Kylo's conscience.