Let's Talk About Finn's Turn To The Reistance

I want to start off by saying I like Finn's character and he is my favorite newly introduced character in the sequels, so in no way do I hate him. There is, however, a problem I had with the way he was introduced. I personally thought the concept of someone being in the First Order their entire life and turning to the Reistance was very cool. I did feel like it was executed poorly though.

First off, we see Finn's friend shot and killed in the opening scene of The Force Awakens. He was very close friends with this guy and he always stuck up with him which hurt his reputation. It's pretty logical Finn would be furious someone from the opposite side (Poe) shot his only friend and defending a clumsy trooper for so long was now for nothing. Obviously Finn should be outraged!

Instead, he helps the same guy who shot his only friend out of a cell where he had no chance of escaping alone! Wouldn't Finn have captured or even killed Poe instead of helping him? It would have made much more sense.

Then he goes from being traumatized from his first mission to unhesitantly killing unarmed engineers he may have grown up with in defenless towers in minutes!

I maybe missing a key factor here, so if love if someone can tell me why I'm wrong.

Replies

  • DatBoi
    3615 posts Member
    edited May 2017
    Ever since i saw TFA i wanted a scene of all the stormtroopers in the mess hall of their ship after the raid on jakku. I wanted to see everyone without their helmets gloating and laughing about the people they killed and Finn just kind of moping on his own obviously uncomfortable with everyone else's reaction to cold blooded murder, and also mourning the loss of his friend/acquaintence/fellow soldier. Then the "traitor" guy comes by to offer his condolences to Finn to briefly establish their relationship. Then Phasma comes in without her helmet and everyone shuts up. She peers around at everyone and says something like "blah blah, good job but no celebrating until we find the map blah blah never hesitate to kill those who resist you" then holds her gaze on Finn. Then she leaves, and the "traitor" guy leaves but not before mentioning the capture of "the best pilot of the resistance", which Finn takes a notice to.

    Even though a scene like this would probably slow down the pacing a bit too much, i agree that more was needed to establish finn's character before he defects. They did a great job establishing the other characters and finn needed the same.
  • DatBoi
    3615 posts Member
    I also think he needed more to do. He wasn't as bad as Han in ROTJ, but he rarely felt integral to the story. He needed a "thing" since rey hoarded most of the character roles.
  • DatBoi wrote: »
    Ever since i saw TFA i wanted a scene of all the stormtroopers in the mess hall of their ship after the raid on jakku. I wanted to see everyone without their helmets gloating and laughing about the people they killed and Finn just kind of moping on his own obviously uncomfortable with everyone else's reaction to cold blooded murder, and also mourning the loss of his friend/acquaintence/fellow soldier. Then the "traitor" guy comes by to offer his condolences to Finn to briefly establish their relationship. Then Phasma comes in without her helmet and everyone shuts up. She peers around at everyone and says something like "blah blah, good job but no celebrating until we find the map blah blah never hesitate to kill those who resist you" then holds her gaze on Finn. Then she leaves, and the "traitor" guy leaves but not before mentioning the capture of "the best pilot of the resistance", which Finn takes a notice to.

    Even though a scene like this would probably slow down the pacing a bit too much, i agree that more was needed to establish finn's character before he defects. They did a great job establishing the other characters and finn needed the same.

    That would be alot better. Like I said before, I like his character but it was going too fast to the point where it made no sense.
  • Mullato
    2582 posts Member
    I always look at it like someone finally snapping back to reality after being brain-washed.
  • Boo
    4134 posts Member
    edited May 2017
    Mullato wrote: »
    I always look at it like someone finally snapping back to reality after being brain-washed.

    Why was he the only stormtrooper able to break the brainwash of the First Order and defect as he did?

    I think it would be interesting if it turns out that Finn is a force sensitive and possibly picks up a lightsaber to join Rey in the force fight against the first order.

    He also wielded a lightsaber against a fellow trooper - yes he did pretty poor there, but obviously learned his lesson as he did fairly well against Kylo, who is trained in lightsaber combat.

    Yes - people may argue this and say "Han used Luke's lightsaber on Hoth...but he wasn't a force sensitive" - but Han merely used the lightsaber as a tool to cut open an already dead tauntaun - not weild it as a weapon, without training in combat against the likes of Kylo Ren.

    Additionally, we have seen talk about Anakin being such a great pilot as well as Luke - but never saw them actually do anything really cool. In TFA we see Poe (in one camera shot) fly through the air taking out numerous tie fighters and ground troops. It may be interesting if he too turns out to be a force sensitive.

    The Force Awakens could be Rey, Finn and Poe all awakening to the call of the force - although the focus was on Rey.
  • Mullato
    2582 posts Member
    @Boo

    I think that's a question none of us knows.

    Maybe Finn was just different than all of the other stormtroopers. It is a movie after all.
  • Mullato wrote: »
    I always look at it like someone finally snapping back to reality after being brain-washed.

    Adding to that is a theory Finn IS force sensitive because he was the only Stormtrooper (that we know of) that was able to snap back to reality.
  • Mullato
    2582 posts Member
    Mullato wrote: »
    I always look at it like someone finally snapping back to reality after being brain-washed.

    Adding to that is a theory Finn IS force sensitive because he was the only Stormtrooper (that we know of) that was able to snap back to reality.

    Yeah, and he was kinda the main catalyst that brought Rey, bb8, and Luke together.

    Could be the force working in "mysterious" ways.
  • Boo wrote: »
    Mullato wrote: »
    I always look at it like someone finally snapping back to reality after being brain-washed.

    Why was he the only stormtrooper able to break the brainwash of the First Order and defect as he did?

    I think it would be interesting if it turns out that Finn is a force sensitive and possibly picks up a lightsaber to join Rey in the force fight against the first order.

    He also wielded a lightsaber against a fellow trooper - yes he did pretty poor there, but obviously learned his lesson as he did fairly well against Kylo, who is trained in lightsaber combat.

    Yes - people may argue this and say "Han used Luke's lightsaber on Hoth...but he wasn't a force sensitive" - but Han merely used the lightsaber as a tool to cut open an already dead tauntaun - not weild it as a weapon, without training in combat against the likes of Kylo Ren.

    Additionally, we have seen talk about Anakin being such a great pilot as well as Luke - but never saw them actually do anything really cool. In TFA we see Poe (in one camera shot) fly through the air taking out numerous tie fighters and ground troops. It may be interesting if he too turns out to be a force sensitive.

    The Force Awakens could be Rey, Finn and Poe all awakening to the call of the force - although the focus was on Rey.

    Finn is NOT Force sensitive.

    Finn was the best trooper in his squad and he actually had melee training. The real reason why he did well against Kylo is because he was just toying with Finn. When he damaged Kylo, that's now when Kylo actually unleashes his full power.

    All people can use a lightsaber. Force sensitive people just had the advantage of using it.

    Being a skilled pilot =/= Force sensitive. I will give you a hint: Wedge Antilles.

    The Force awakening is most likely Rey when she begins her first steps or Kylo when he is now confused whether to be good or evil.
  • Boo
    4134 posts Member
    Boo wrote: »
    Mullato wrote: »
    I always look at it like someone finally snapping back to reality after being brain-washed.

    Why was he the only stormtrooper able to break the brainwash of the First Order and defect as he did?

    I think it would be interesting if it turns out that Finn is a force sensitive and possibly picks up a lightsaber to join Rey in the force fight against the first order.

    He also wielded a lightsaber against a fellow trooper - yes he did pretty poor there, but obviously learned his lesson as he did fairly well against Kylo, who is trained in lightsaber combat.

    Yes - people may argue this and say "Han used Luke's lightsaber on Hoth...but he wasn't a force sensitive" - but Han merely used the lightsaber as a tool to cut open an already dead tauntaun - not weild it as a weapon, without training in combat against the likes of Kylo Ren.

    Additionally, we have seen talk about Anakin being such a great pilot as well as Luke - but never saw them actually do anything really cool. In TFA we see Poe (in one camera shot) fly through the air taking out numerous tie fighters and ground troops. It may be interesting if he too turns out to be a force sensitive.

    The Force Awakens could be Rey, Finn and Poe all awakening to the call of the force - although the focus was on Rey.

    Finn is NOT Force sensitive.

    Finn was the best trooper in his squad and he actually had melee training. The real reason why he did well against Kylo is because he was just toying with Finn. When he damaged Kylo, that's now when Kylo actually unleashes his full power.

    All people can use a lightsaber. Force sensitive people just had the advantage of using it.

    Being a skilled pilot =/= Force sensitive. I will give you a hint: Wedge Antilles.

    The Force awakening is most likely Rey when she begins her first steps or Kylo when he is now confused whether to be good or evil.

    Don't flat out say "NO" - I think I ultimately agree with you that Poe and Finn are not force sensitive - but it would explain a lot though wouldn't it?

    Kylo was by all means not toying with Finn - there was something between Kylo and Rey (possibly being related etc. - that's another argument), but by all means Kylo hated Finn - saw him as a traitor and didn't care for him - In fact, Finn picking up a lightsaber (a lightsaber that Kylo believes to be rightfully his) and "playing jedi" would have angered Kylo greatly. Finn probably had a slight advantage though, as Kylo took a powerful blaster bolt from Chewie's bowcaster.

    Wedge is a great pilot I'll grant you that, but still, anything we saw Anakin, Luke or Wedge do in previous movies - does not outclass the skill seen by Poe in that one scene in TFA.

    At the end of the day, no one has seen the Last Jedi or E9 (whatever that will be called) so ultimately Finn and Poe could become force weilders over the course of the next 2 movies. Until those movies come out, only then, will this theory "however unlikely" can be confirmed as bogus.

    "Remember, we're talking about the Force here. At this point, Malak himself could drop out of the sky, and I wouldn't bat an eyelash."

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