Was Finn Wasted in the Disney Sequel Trilogy?

[Winter]

Yes.

It is honestly AMAZING how no one seemed to know what to do with Finn. He's a former Storm Trooper turned rebel fighter who may or may not have Force Powers and most of the Trilogy he's just trying to STAY in the series and most of his time is chasing after Rey because "You looked at me like no one else did". For the Record, Rey was GLARING at Finn when she met him and beat him up because it was assumed that he stole Poe's jacket.

Him screaming REEEEYY's name is a MASSIVE joke used by both detractors AND defenders of TDST and the fact that he was part of the Casino Planet Subplot in The Last Jedi didn't help matters especially since he, like pretty much every other character in TLJ, underwent Zero character development.

What's worse is that other series, INCLUDING Star Wars, have used the idea of a former minion of evil turned hero with magic powers to GREAT effect. She-Ra and the Princesses of Power and Jedi Academy both have this as their main protagonist and BOTH have been huge hits with critics and viewers/gamers alike because there is so much that can be done with this sort of character. Adora and Kyle Katarn are both complex and layered character who have amazing development that I can't cover it all in one post and Finn with the aid of Boyega's amazing talent as an actor, could have been just as amazing.

And TDST keeps him as a comic relief and refuses to do ANYTHING and seems to actively work to make him DUMBER as the series goes on seemingly just to make Rey look good by comparison. And what's worse is that John Boyega is, IMO, the single most PERFECT casting choice for Kyle Katarn and he's wasted playing the diet version of the character.

[Deledrius]

Yes. He was one of two great characters introduced in the first film, and all of the potential for him died in the subsequent two films. TLJ ignored or denied his established traits, and TRoS tried but failed to restore those elements because it was too busy doing too many other things.

[Al-1701]

Definitely. He had the potential to be an important perspective for the team. Really, like just about everything else about the sequel trilogy, he got screwed by The Last Jedi. I think, when an unbiased history is written about the sequel trilogy, The Last Jedi will be best described as falling in a hole and Rise of Skywalker is the attempt to climb back out.

[CharlesPhipps]

Absolutely he was.

He should have been the hero.

[Madner Kami]

Who is Finn? I can't remember any important character with that name.

/sarcasm

[Deledrius]

Who is Finn? I can't remember any important character with that name.

He's literally the title character in The Force Awakens.

[BridgeConsoleMasher]

I'd care to agree.

I think I remember a plot with him, Lando, and female supporting character, which was interesting for what they were showing. But I can't remember it having much gravity on the main story. It was probably more suitable for the second or first story.

Han and Leia were much more rolling on the Rapunzel vibe taking place over the last two movies, dovetailed nicely with budding interest in A New Hope.

[phantom000]

Absolutely he was.

He should have been the hero.

Yeah, like Kyle Katarn from the EU, a storm trooper discovering they are a force sensitive and starting on a path that leads them to turn against the First Order would have been a compelling story. It could also be interesting to see a Jedi who fights more like a regular soldier as that is what he was trained to be.

So of course, Disney had no interest in anything like that.

[McAvoy]

He was without a doubt wasted. Big time.

[Mabus]

Yes.