Star Wars fans seem to disagree about everything, especially when it comes to the sequel trilogy. While there are many things fans will fight about, the character of Finn (John Boyega) is certainly among them. Positioned as one of the central characters, Finn doesn’t do as much as people expected. Though some people don’t mind the turn the character takes, others feel his arc left something to be desired, but it could have been very different.
Speaking at the “John Boyega: The Force of Talent” panel at C2E2 2025, the actor revealed that Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker nearly took a different direction with his character, specifically in the scene where he, Rey (Daisy Ridley), and the rest are trapped in quicksand. They filmed an alternate version of the scene where Finn yelled out, “I’m a Jedi,” rather than leaving his secret unshared. This would have propelled him into a much clearer story, establishing another Jedi in a world with too few of them. While the film ultimately went with a less definitive choice, Finn’s character arc suffered for it, but the idea of Finn being force-sensitive wasn’t removed completely. Though this storyline is underdeveloped, it is set up in a way that could, theoretically, be continued down the line, giving closure to Finn’s story.
‘The Rise of Skywalker’ Wasted Finn’s Potential

There is a lot going on in The Rise of Skywalker as the trilogy wraps up the story, revealing Rey to be a descendant of Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) and showing the Resistance defeating the First Order. Yet, Finn’s intended storyline falls to the side. The Rise of Skywalker never explores his being Force-sensitive or sets him on the path of becoming a Jedi, which is evidence of his wasted potential. Finn was initially established to be a strong secondary character, and in the end, he didn’t get all that much to do. Unlike Rey or even Poe (Oscar Isaac), anything he did on his own was a side mission, at best, like his excursion to Canto Bight in Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi.
Finn is introduced as a stormtrooper forced to serve the First Order despite not believing in the cause. However, he takes matters into his own hands and flees, eventually joining the Resistance. It’s an interesting concept, as, before Finn, stormtroopers were exclusively shown as enemies rather than sympathetic characters. Yet the promise he showed in his introduction was never fulfilled. Finn’s arc is all about choice. He chooses to fight for the Resistance in a role reversal from his earlier life. But if The Rise of Skywalker committed to making him a Jedi, it would have been a dramatic flip as he became the very thing the First Order is fighting and leads the charge against them. In some ways, this is how his story goes, as a Resistance leader rather than a Jedi, but considering Palpatine is at the helm of the First Order, Finn being a Jedi would have been more fitting.

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“It felt earned.”

Finn’s Star Wars Storyline Could Still Be Completed

As it is, the film didn’t fully commit to making Finn a Jedi, which Boyega explains was about a lack of time, saying, “And some of the narrative about Finn that was established in The Force Awakens were picked back up by J.J. in The Rise of Skywalker. And it’s hard to do it. It’s hard to establish Rey and then establish another Jedi. You have to split things up with the time that you’re given.” Yes, there was a lot going on, but Finn deserved better. If Finn had made that climactic announcement, the film might have avoided criticism for not committing to his storyline.
Yet, Boyega was understanding about the situation, appreciating the “little things” included in the film. While The Rise of Skywalker didn’t give Finn the announcement he deserved, it still teased the possibility of him becoming a Jedi. By not contradicting the idea, Finn’s story could go on, cementing him as the Jedi he should have become. Boyega adds a bit of hope to this situation, saying, “If there is ever a revisit of Finn, there is stuff to play with.” Though Finn’s incomplete story was a letdown in the sequel trilogy, it could be continued. With the franchise set to explore the timeframe after the sequel trilogy, there is a chance for Finn to reappear and get a satisfying end to this ignored storyline.