Star Wars : Into Spoilers - The Spoiler awakens.

[lamaros]

No, its just a reflection on the director.

[Azuredream]

Finally saw it, it was really good. I'm 25 so I grew up with the prequels and quite liked them but I would still put TFA above them. The low points of the movie for me were the Leia/Han stuff and Snoke's scenes. The pacing as well was a bit fast but I think the only time I really thought 'wow that was fast' was the line Rey gives about how Han is like a father to her despite them having like.. 5 minutes of screen-time together up to that point, if that. I loved the new Droid and the climactic scene at the end with Rey/Finn/Kylo. Finn was probably my favorite character, I really liked the dynamic between him and Rey. Kylo is an emo douchebag but I ended up liking his character anyway. I particularly liked his lines on the bridge, phrased such that they could be interpreted either way.

[01101010]

My only gripe of the whole movie that I could not overlook was Phasma. Here you have the top echelon storm trooper commander, hardcore military, and she folds that fast to simple threats? What happened to dying for the cause? Poe gets tortured and knows he's dead but it takes force manipulation to get information out of him, but Phasma has a gun to her head and will do whatever is commanded of her? Stretch.

Outside of that, it was a fun movie and one that make Star Wars relevant and in the spotlight, again. at least for me...

[Khaldun]

Either it'll turn out in the next movie that there's more to Phasma (or to Phasma and Finn's connection) and that scene will suddenly make sense as an intentional thing or it'll turn out to be the equivalent of Boba Fett dying comically in a Sarlacc Pit--something that really seems like a misfire that later creators have to spend a lot of time trying to fix.

[palmer_eldritch]

Just dropping in to point out a few days late that Princess Leia has a British accent, until her planet blows up and then she loses it. So canon states that in the Star Wars universe you have a British accent as long as your planet hasn't blown up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wntX-a3jSY

[Megrim]

Or cocaine. It could be that its the cocaine.

[01101010]

I know I liked her with cocaine versus without.

[Ghambit]

Either it'll turn out in the next movie that there's more to Phasma (or to Phasma and Finn's connection) and that scene will suddenly make sense as an intentional thing or it'll turn out to be the equivalent of Boba Fett dying comically in a Sarlacc Pit--something that really seems like a misfire that later creators have to spend a lot of time trying to fix.

You may be onto something here.  Perhaps she's Finn's mother or caretaker.  She does seem to have a keen interest in Finn and does indeed bend to his wishes a bit too easily.  Also, do not forget her lines in the shield room; "you have no idea what you're doing" (I think?) and so forth.  I thought her banter in there a bit odd given the situation...  to the point I'm more inclined to believe there's some importance there as you suspect.

So... going further, Phasma may have been Calrissian's baby-momma... and Lando being Lando just blew her off while he went all bombad resistance general.  It pissed off Phasma enough that she flipped to the First Order, taking her baby (Finn) with her.  Even rocking a cape like Lando did.

[Tannhauser]

I think you're going pretty far out there.  Probably she will return, since they didn't kill her and now she has good reasons to kill Finn.

[Evildrider]

I think you're going pretty far out there.  Probably she will return, since they didn't kill her and now she has good reasons to kill Finn.

She's said to have a bigger role in the next movie.  So she'll get her story arc then.


Also Leia is going to be on Star Wars Rebels and she doesn't have an accent.   

[TheWalrus]

My only gripe of the whole movie that I could not overlook was Phasma. Here you have the top echelon storm trooper commander, hardcore military, and she folds that fast to simple threats? What happened to dying for the cause? Poe gets tortured and knows he's dead but it takes force manipulation to get information out of him, but Phasma has a gun to her head and will do whatever is commanded of her? Stretch.

Outside of that, it was a fun movie and one that make Star Wars relevant and in the spotlight, again. at least for me...

Well fuck. I have no idea what you're talking about, so this must be the point where my son dragged me to the bathroom. Fuckity boo.

[kaid]

Either it'll turn out in the next movie that there's more to Phasma (or to Phasma and Finn's connection) and that scene will suddenly make sense as an intentional thing or it'll turn out to be the equivalent of Boba Fett dying comically in a Sarlacc Pit--something that really seems like a misfire that later creators have to spend a lot of time trying to fix.

You may be onto something here.  Perhaps she's Finn's mother or caretaker.  She does seem to have a keen interest in Finn and does indeed bend to his wishes a bit too easily.  Also, do not forget her lines in the shield room; "you have no idea what you're doing" (I think?) and so forth.  I thought her banter in there a bit odd given the situation...  to the point I'm more inclined to believe there's some importance there as you suspect.

So... going further, Phasma may have been Calrissian's baby-momma... and Lando being Lando just blew her off while he went all bombad resistance general.  It pissed off Phasma enough that she flipped to the First Order, taking her baby (Finn) with her.  Even rocking a cape like Lando did.

It is also possible given there were only a couple of them that she did not think they had any legit chance of success before they were found out and taken prisoner so saw no real reason to resist very hard. I think it will be interesting to see where they go with that character down the road as she had a lot of mention pre release but really does not do much of anything in episode 7.

[Ironwood]

So, uh, the whitest woman I've EVER SEEN is Finns mum.

I ain't buying it.

[eldaec]

Phasma letting the shield down when a main character threatened her is exactly the sort of thing that happens in a JJA script.

I wouldn't be surprised if we see her again purely because she got a fan reaction and has memorable armour, but I don't see her being anyone's relation. That would be dumb.

[Rendakor]

I didn't even know Phasma's name when I watched the movie. It was until after that people were talking about her and I googled it; she didn't strike me as important, just Generic_Stormtrooper_Captain.

[Cyrrex]

Most of us nerds knew exactly who she was 12 months before the movie came out, because she is also Brienne of Motherfucking Tarth.  She is 12 feet tall and is so white that any child she'd have with Lando would also be....well, not as dark as Finn.  Let's just all agree that one ain't happening.

[Margalis]

I didn't even know Phasma's name when I watched the movie. It was until after that people were talking about her and I googled it; she didn't strike me as important, just Generic_Stormtrooper_Captain.

The idea that Phasma is an even slightly important character is basically just an invention to help justify the existence of more toys.

[Rendakor]

Most of us nerds knew exactly who she was 12 months before the movie came out, because she is also Brienne of Motherfucking Tarth.  She is 12 feet tall and is so white that any child she'd have with Lando would also be....well, not as dark as Finn.  Let's just all agree that one ain't happening.

I didn't realize she was played by the same actress. I avoided most of the pre-movie hype, though.

[Riggswolfe]

Phasma is the Boba Fett of this trilogy. Since Lucas isn't touching anything (though sadly there is a fan petition to get him involved. SMH) she stands a chance of not dying like an utter moron.

[BobtheSomething]

Phasma is the Boba Fett of this trilogy. Since Lucas isn't touching anything (though sadly there is a fan petition to get him involved. SMH) she stands a chance of not dying like an utter moron.

No, she just lives like an utter moron.

[Pennilenko]

No, she just lives like an utter moron.

I disagree, she fit perfectly into the "I just want to save my own hide, to hell with everything else" category that I have come to expect from bad guy type characters.

[01101010]

No, she just lives like an utter moron.

I disagree, she fit perfectly into the "I just want to save my own hide, to hell with everything else" category that I have come to expect from bad guy type characters.

Still not buying that since she was in command of the troops. I'd assume if you get to that level, you are part of the machine and the machine becomes your sole focus. It really is the "oh this gate key" moment but without the humor. I'd hope there is something more there... to be continued I guess.

[jgsugden]

She was the leader of troops that were raised as miliatry from a young age.  The whole "flipping' of Finn and her giving in to threats and betraying her forces.... just not buying it.  The troopers back story is one that tends to bnlind allegience without question.... not individualism.  There will be more to Finn, but Phasma just didn't do it for me.

[Lakov_Sanite]

When have the leaders of child soldiers ever had any kind of honor?  These are weak-minded people willing to steal children to further their pursuit of power, to give up your comrades when faced with a threat to your own life is exactly what this kind of person would do. 

[01101010]

When have the leaders of child soldiers ever had any kind of honor?  These are weak-minded people willing to steal children to further their pursuit of power, to give up your comrades when faced with a threat to your own life is exactly what this kind of person would do. 

What are you on about? This is not war torn Africa. Storm troopers are not kids and there is nothing to say Phasma stole any children to indoctrinate... I am sure there is a different agency for that. She was in charge of young adult troops that were the ground force for a new order in the galaxy. And I doubt she was jockeying for more power through throwing her higher-ups under the bus... she seemed way more rank and file and FOR THE HORDE.

[BobtheSomething]

No, she just lives like an utter moron.

I disagree, she fit perfectly into the "I just want to save my own hide, to hell with everything else" category that I have come to expect from bad guy type characters.

That is pretty much the opposite of what an indoctrinated-from-birth stormtroopers should be.  Bad guys who act like bad guys because they are bad guys is terrible writing.   

[Khaldun]

I don't think there is any way from the film as it appeared to interpret her actions in the force shield room. If you laid out reasonable theories:

a) bad screenwriting
b) something got cut from the movie
c) she's actually weak/cowardly
d) she doesn't really give a shit about the First Order, it's just a paycheck
e) she has orders to watch/monitor/protect Finn even if it means hurting the rest of the First Order
f) she's actually in the Resistance/a double agent
g) she cares for Finn for family or other reasons
h) Finn is actually Force-manipulating her but he doesn't know it
i) She's actually Ren's mother and is trying to help her

are all sort of equally plausible or implausible. There's nothing on-screen that will let you sort through them. So either you trust them to get it right by the next movie (either because they always meant to or because they realized the scene is kind of bad due to fan reaction) or you don't.

[Merusk]

It's a), b) or h) The rest is way over thinking it.

Given JJ's other weaknesses in other scripts and no mention of cut Phasma scenes I'm inclined to believe it's a) that will be retconned to h).

[jgsugden]

This is addressed a little in the novelization, apparently, but it doesn't change anything for me. 

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/star-wars-the-force-awakens-16-questions-the-novel-answers-including-how-poe-gets-off-jakku-and-how-a6800951.html

[BobtheSomething]

I don't think there is any way from the film as it appeared to interpret her actions in the force shield room. If you laid out reasonable theories:

a) bad screenwriting
b) something got cut from the movie
c) she's actually weak/cowardly
d) she doesn't really give a shit about the First Order, it's just a paycheck
e) she has orders to watch/monitor/protect Finn even if it means hurting the rest of the First Order
f) she's actually in the Resistance/a double agent
g) she cares for Finn for family or other reasons
h) Finn is actually Force-manipulating her but he doesn't know it
i) She's actually Ren's mother and is trying to help her

are all sort of equally plausible or implausible. There's nothing on-screen that will let you sort through them. So either you trust them to get it right by the next movie (either because they always meant to or because they realized the scene is kind of bad due to fan reaction) or you don't.

I don't think films work that way.  If you need to balance out probable theories or wait for a sequel in order for a scene to make sense, then it is badly written.  From the film, we see that Phasma caves in quickly to threats of violence.  Assuming there is an explanation that makes Phasma secretly not a loser is unreasonable. 

Let's not forget that JJ Abrams has an established track record that denies him the benefit of the doubt.

[Khaldun]

I agree with that--if an explanation needs to come in a later film, by definition, yes, it's bad writing. But I suppose a) is "bad writing and nothing more". Meaning that in that case, it didn't even occur to them that the scene was dumb until fans started saying so. As opposed to "bad writing but they actually have an intention to explain it".

[Evildrider]

I dunno.. or it shows that, like with Finn, that whatever "brainwashing" the new stormtroopers are going through doesn't make them into fanatic automatons.  She pretty much just doesn't feel at the time that it wasn't worth dying for.

[HaemishM]

I just don't think there's enough onscreen to make any sort of assumptions about Phasma whatsoever. That's probably bad writing in the sense that a lot was made of the character in the marketing and casting, but the role she played in that scene was really the kind of thing a bit part character should have been doing.

[Hutch]

So far, she *is* a bit part. She barely has any screen time, and the only thing distinguishing her from the other troopers is her outfit.

(And for those of us that are GoT viewers, we recognize her voice.)

[Selby]

So far, she *is* a bit part. She barely has any screen time, and the only thing distinguishing her from the other troopers is her outfit.

Exactly.

I'm amazed you guys have over a page discussing this.  I was wondering if everyone saw some different cut of the movie than me because I don't remember any of what's being discussed and this particular character has like 5 minutes of screen time and maybe 3 lines that I remember.  Star Wars nerds indeed ;-)