Star Wars Actor John Boyega Expected 'Obi-Wan and Darth Vader' Arc for Rey and Finn, and the Allies to 'Turn Against Each Other'

Star Wars' John Boyega has said helium expected a much melodramatic narration to make betwixt his quality Finn and Daisy Ridley's Rey passim the saga's sequel trilogy — alternatively than the elemental relationship viewers got instead.

Speaking astatine Fan Expo Boston, Boyega said helium had picked up connected hints that his quality was secretly Force-sensitive from the publication of his archetypal movie successful the series, The Force Awakens, and believed that this plotline would beryllium developed further successful consequent films — earlier taking much of a tragic turn.

Comparing his thought for Finn and Rey's narration to Star Wars' classical Obi-Wan and Darth Vader showdown, Boyega said helium thought the brace were owed to go antagonists — which would surely person provided Finn with much of a communicative arc.

"I deliberation I assumed helium was Force-sensitive from The Force Awakens script, oregon astatine slightest by the clip I got to the extremity of The Force Awakens script. I thought they were readying dual Jedis," Boyega said (thanks, ScreenRant).

"I really thought that they would Obi-Wan and Darth Vader america a bit," helium continued. "That we would crook against each different oregon thing on those lines."

Alas, this crippled thread was not to be, and Finn's nascent Jedi abilities — well, helium does astatine slightest wield a lightsaber astatine 1 constituent — are past mostly ignored. Two films later, viewers get a mates of vague hints successful The Rise of Skywalker, but these besides yet spell nowhere. (Remember those bits wherever Finn tells Rey helium has a secret, without ever really revealing it? Yep, that's astir each we got.)

Finn is introduced arsenic a quality with a caller position connected the accustomed good-versus-evil events of the Star Wars films, being a erstwhile Imperial Stormtrooper. But beyond a rivalry with his erstwhile commandant Captain Phasma (a crippled thread that is swiftly wrapped up successful The Last Jedi), this is mostly near unexplored.

The Force Awakens sees Finn signifier his strongest enslaved with Rey, thing other that gets abbreviated thrift successful aboriginal movies. The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker absorption Rey's storyline squarely connected her narration to past Jedi, specified arsenic Luke, and her pairing with Kylo Ren — with whom she forms a deeper enslaved arsenic their narration to each different and some sides of the Force grows.

Boyega's quality meantime spends overmuch of The Last Jedi connected a side-quest to the casino metropolis of Canto Blight alongside chap rebel Rose — who aboriginal stops him from sacrificing himself during that film's climactic battle.

Finn is past fixed adjacent little to bash successful The Rise of Skywalker, which awkwardly sidelines Rose and leaves the erstwhile Stormtrooper arsenic thing of a sidekick to aviator leader Poe. Quite wherefore Finn's Force sensitivity is hinted astatine but ne'er confirmed on-screen remains thing of a enigma — with manager J.J. Abrams lone confirming this had so been the character's concealed successful a consequent interview.

Certainly, Finn ne'er gets thing rather arsenic melodramatic to bash arsenic a showdown connected a lava satellite with a erstwhile person and mentor. And portion Rey is acceptable to instrumentality successful astatine slightest 1 aboriginal Star Wars film, it's little wide what the aboriginal mightiness clasp for Boyega's character, and his hopes of wielding a lightsaber erstwhile more.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You tin scope Tom astatine [email protected] oregon find him connected Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social