John Boyega talks Finn and why speaking out is so important.

In the world of Star Wars, there are plenty of characters who aren’t given the arcs they deserve. But chief among them certainly has to be Finn. He started out as a Stormtrooper in the First Order before defecting. After that, he effectively joined the Resistance. Many fans, including actor John Boyega himself, hoped to see him lead a full-on resistance of his own. While we did kinda see that in The Rise of Skywalker, I think the emotional connection and impact was certainly muted.

John Boyega has been very vocal about his disappointment in the role of Finn. In the past, he’s expressed how disappointed he was for how people of color were marginalized in the franchise.

“You get yourself involved in projects and you’re not necessarily going to like everything,” Boyega told GQ last month. “[But] what I would say to Disney is do not bring out a black character, market them to be much more important in the franchise than they are and then have them pushed to the side. It’s not good. I’ll say it straight up.” 

Of course, this has led to all sorts of discussions, with many fans siding with him, and many others saying he should just be grateful for being a part of a series like Star Wars. To that point, John Boyega recently sat down with Yahoo!, where he dug into why it’s so important for him to speak out about Finn.

John Boyega Resents How Star Wars Treats People Of Color

John Boyega Couldn’t Stay Silent About Finn

“I just felt like it was important for me to talk about a truth,” Boyega said. “No one ever assumes the right thing of you. They’re always going to assume the most negative. So, if you’re trying to say something like that — ‘He’s just trying to be prominent!’ Yeah! Because I’m trying to do what I was offered. I’m trying to fulfill my job. Because we know that what makes roles so lucrative are the moments you give them. If Captain America doesn’t show up and show down and isn’t given scenes to boost his representation and to make him enjoyable for you guys, we won’t think he’s cool. Why shouldn’t black characters and black actors try to fight for that same representation?”

Is A Redemption for Finn Possible?

Sadly, this is an arc that will never be. Like it or not, the Sequel Trilogy of Star Wars has run its course, and there’s no going back. All we can do is continue on and hope to tell great stories within this world. And, who knows? For many fans, Anakin Skywalker redeemed himself in The Clone Wars series, so who knows if Finn could get the same treatment. And it sounds like Boyega would be on board.

“Yeah, man. That’d be cool, yeah,” Boyega said when asked if he’d return to the role in an animated capacity. “Animated would actually be dope. We can do it from home and all that stuff.”

Do you agree with John Boyega about how Finn was treated in the series? Sound off down below!

SOURCE: Yahoo!, GQ