The best and worst of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Best: Finn

Finn was destined to be a favourite from even before he took off his stormtrooper helmet in The Force Awakens. He made a brave decision by defying the First Order and then steadfastly overcame his fear of the Order’s terror to stick by the Resistance. His treatment as a greedy, unaware, almost privileged person in The Last Jedi didn’t sit well with most people.

In The Rise of Skywalker, Finn is a hero and a friend through and through. He puts his life on the line to complete his mission, and his connection to Rey means he refuses to leave her in danger. But he doesn’t hinder her either, which often happens when male characters try to help women in films. Finn doesn’t have much of an arc, but he has fun. He’s happy that he’s found other defecting stormtroopers, and he’s overjoyed to have a new family.

Finn’s Force sensitivity was hinted at in The Force Awakens, but it comes to the fore in the final film. It could mean that Finn will join Rey in training as a Jedi and that they can inspire a new generation of Force-wielders. Finn was a delight to watch in this film, because he’s so in character throughout. The final scene where Finn is unable to celebrate because he can’t find Rey and the eventual pure teary joy on John Boyega’s face when Finn is hugging his two friends is the kind of ending this character deserved.

Worst: Not Enough Rose Tico

Kelly Marie Tran’s Rose Tico was a controversial character because of how she was written in the previous film. Rose is a patriotic and determined hero. This character could have been so much more than a contrived voice of exposition. Unfortunately, we will never know more about her from the films.

Rose hardly has a handful of scenes in The Rise of Skywalker. She has very little impact on the main story. Had we spent a little more time with the workings of the Resistance, we would have had a chance to see Rose in action. Couldn’t she have been given the role of acting general in Leia’s absence? She may not be a warrior, but Rose deserved to be a tactician. What’s the point of introducing characters if you’re going to sideline them anyway? Perhaps the number of cast members got out of hand and characters like Rose ended up being on the chopping board. So many people were beside themselves to have some more Asian representation in Star Wars, and Rose was not given her due.