Star Wars has had a lot of missed opportunities over the decades, but John Boyega’s Finn looks set to become the biggest one yet. Some of these missed opportunities in Star Wars TV shows include Cad Bane’s death in The Book of Boba Fett or Din Djarin not becoming the ruler of Mandalore in The Mandalorian season 3. Where Star Wars‘ many movies are concerned, some squandered potential includes the lack of a reunion between the three original trilogy heroes in Disney’s sequel movies.

For the most part, these missed opportunities are minor story elements and do not hinder the overall enjoyment of the Star Wars franchise, as criticizing them too much falls dangerously close to fan enтιтlement. The only hope is that upcoming Star Wars movies will strike the right balance between good storytelling and fan service. Of course, the case is the same for upcoming Star Wars TV shows, but the movies are promising to bring back big characters like Rey Skywalker. Where this movie is concerned specifically, a potential missed opportunity rears its head: John Boyega’s Finn.

The Star Wars Sequel Trilogy Wasted Finn’s True Potential

His Arc Was A Mish-Mash Of Story Points

Before exploring how Rey’s New Jedi Order Star Wars movie could be a missed opportunity regarding Finn, it is worth delving into how the sequel trilogy already wasted the character’s – and actor’s – potential. Many would agree that Finn’s arc in Star Wars: The Force Awakens worked and set up an exciting future for the hero. Going from a First Order stormtrooper with a conscience who wants to flee the wars of the galaxy to a concerned friend who wields a lightsaber and stands up to Kylo Ren was a compelling journey, but the latter two movies of the Star Wars sequels left people divided on Finn’s arc.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi moved Finn away from a Jedi arc and turned him from a scared soldier into a hardened Resistance general. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker both adhered to and reversed this, by making Finn an official general but one with burgeoning Force-sensitivity. However, both Episode VIII and Episode IX failed to truly capitalize on the promise Finn showed in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, nor exhibit the strengths of John Boyega as an actor. Finn was treated somewhat as an afterthought, wasting his potential and causing Boyega to be rightfully critical of his time in the Star Wars saga.

I’m Increasingly Convinced Boyega Isn’t Coming Back For The New Jedi Order

Continuing The Sequel Trilogy’s Flaws Regarding His Character

Moving on to Rey’s movie, I am overly convinced that Boyega will not return as I, and many others, had hoped. Boyega’s recent New Jedi Order comments have further convinced me of this, with the actor – admittedly fairly – stating that he does not wish to come back to Star Wars solely to be the “best friend” character as opposed to a fully-fledged hero. Boyega has long been a critic of how actors of color are treated in big franchises, linking these scenarios to his own experiences, meaning it makes a great deal of sense why he feels this way.

As alluded to, I agree that Boyega should not return if he does not feel the script benefits him as an actor and gives Finn a well-rounded, solid arc that was lacking in the sequel trilogy. That said, I have hoped for a while that the New Jedi Order movie would be the project to give Finn this journey. Whether Boyega has been contacted by Disney or not is unclear, but, if he has, it seems as though the script was not much of an improvement on how Finn’s story went in the sequels.

We’re Never Going To See Finn As The Jedi He Deserved To Be

Finn Deserved More

If I am correct and Boyega does not return for Star Wars’ New Jedi Order film, herein lies the missed opportunity. Disney has the chance to make Finn an integral part of the story, with him and Rey on equal footing, teaching a new generation of Jedi together. This would capitalize on parts of his arc from all three sequel movies, be it his connection with Rey from The Force Awakens, his transition into a leader in The Last Jedi, and his teased Force abilities in The Rise of Skywalker.

Above all that, and perhaps more importantly, this would allow Boyega to flourish in the lead role alongside Daisy Ridley. The benefits of this are evident, with Finn’s character being better serviced and Boyega being allowed to stand out in the Jedi role he always deserved. Sadly, though, I think Star Wars is moving in a different direction, increasing the chance of rendering John Boyega’s Finn as the biggest missed opportunity in the franchise’s history.

Star Wars

Created by

George Lucas

First Film

Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope

Cast

Mark Hamill, James Earl Jones, David Prowse, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Ian McDiarmid, Ewan McGregor, Rosario Dawson, Lars Mikkelsen, Rupert Friend, Moses Ingram, Frank Oz, Pedro Pascal

TV Show(s)

The Mandalorian, Andor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, The Acolyte, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, Lando, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, Star Wars: The Bad Batch, Star Wars: Resistance, Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures, Star Wars: Visions

Character(s)

Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Rey Skywalker, Emperor Palpatine / Darth Sidious, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ahsoka Tano, Grand Admiral Thrawn, Grand Inquisitor, Reva (The Third Sister), The Fifth Brother, The Seventh Sister, The Eighth Brother, Yoda, Din Djarin, Grogu, Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader, Leia Organa, Ben Solo/Kylo Ren

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