STAR WARS: A CHARACTER STUDY OF FINN

There are many intriguing dynamics in the Star Wars saga that captivate fans. Complex families find forgiveness. A teenage orphan living a mundane life embarks on a journey of self-discovery and discovers his grand purpose. Good and evil battle over the fate of the galaxy. A sassy princess takes control of her destiny to become a strong leader and finds true love.

True love almost serves as a consolation prize for the young heroes after surviving an impossible battle. There are fewer heroes more deserving of love and admiration than Finn. By the end of the Last Jedi , he proves himself to be the bravest soldier in the Resistance. If defecting from the dangerously powerful First Order is brave enough, he then returns to the heart of the beast and confronts his life-long tormentors head-on as a self-assured rebel.

With a phenomenal final battle in his wake, he will surely be a key factor in the Rebellion's success due to his strong mind and compassionate heart. So much love needs a focus, a worthy recipient. With which woman will he share his happy ending?

There is no denying that Finn forms an immediate infatuation with Rey in the Force Awakens . However, she is too distracted with her own personal journey to reciprocate his affections. He also lacks conviction. His goal is to escape the First Order, not to fight it. In one moment, he leaves her behind only to later track her down and rescue her from the First Order's clutches. Rey gives him direction. However, rescue doesn't equal romance. (Luke and Leia) Their relationship is strong but platonic much like Luke and Leia. They share a familial love. Then, Reyleaves on her own separate mission.

Enter Rose. Finn finds himself stuck with a fangirl. His legacy as a Resistance hero spreads before he awakens from his coma. He winds up torn between two eerily similar women. Both are skilled mechanics, intellectual, vicious, and convicted. Neither let a man bully them or tell them what to do. Both women harbor strong values. Rose is wholly devoted to the Resistance while Rey's focus is more familiar.

Since the premiere of the Last Jedi, the shipping communities have been buzzing louder than ever, including Reylo, Stormpilot, Finnrey and Finnrose.

Since the premiere of the Last Jedi, the shipping communities have been buzzing louder than ever. However, the key to Finn's impending romance lies within the book, "Before the Awakening". Set in the weeks directly preceding the events of The Force Awakens , Finn's life as a First Order Stormtrooper intensifies as he trains for his first mission. More importantly, he learns which traits are most valuable to First Order. Where he harbors incredible skills as a fighter (the best in his squadron), he also lacks blind loyalty. With an intuitive mind, he questions every decision that Captain Phasma makes. Often times, he disobeys his orders and makes his own. He is a soldier who thinks and shows compassion to others. He sees the First Order for what it is: a gaggle of monsters. In the end, despite his skill, he is ostracized by his comrades.

Finn complies for as long as he does for the same reason as the other troopers. They desire companionship. They want family, friends, and companions. They want to belong. It is what the First Order uses to control the troops. In an intriguing twist of fate, Finn finds that connection within the Resistance with Poe, Rey and Rose. Not among his comrades.

The day he decides he is not a real Stormtrooper is the day of his first mission. His squad is assigned to contain a strike among miners. Phasma blames Resistance fighters and insists the miners are dangerous and contrary. The Stormtroopers believe they are defending the First Order from a real threat. They believe they will be marching into a battle. The moment they arrive, Finn sees through Phasma’s lies. The others don’t. At that moment, he sees what the First Order truly is.

The conditions in the mine horrify him. They are weak from starvation. Chemical burns cover their bodies. They cower in fear at sight of the troopers. They are not dangerous. All the miners want are livable conditions, the most basic rights of a living creature. Finn could see the truth. He saw conditions that haunted him so badly that he abandoned his position.

The memory of such conditions floods back to the forefront of his mind as he stands on the casino balcony with Rose as she tells her tragic story. As she describes the horrors of her own childhood conditions working in a First Order mine. At that moment, Finn feels an understanding for Rose that he never feels for anyone else prior, not even Rey. He feels more than sympathy. Finn and Rose share a formative commonality. Rose becomes his companion.

This is where their relationship begins. This is where Finn finds his companion. Romance is only a small part of their connection. Her priority, her greatest passion, is her cause within the Resistance. Her experience speaks to Finn’s experience. Her purpose gives Finn a purpose. Her passion gives Finn passion. She sparks the fire within him. Not even Rey gives him direction. Before he meets Rose, he has no direction. All he wants to do is run away. With Rose, he finds the belonging he craves.

He is defined as a strong potential leader. He has a strong body and a stronger mind. This could be a foreshadow for Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker. Finn will be a leader for the Rebellion. This time, his comrades will heed his opinions and values. The Rebellion is where he will find companionship. It all begins with Rose.

Finn will be a force with which to be reckoned.