John Boyega reveals one Star Wars: The Last Jedi plot that worried him

John Boyega recently shared what worried him about Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

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Ever since its release, The Last Jedi has had a successful but rough ride. After Rian Johnson divided fans with his subversive choices, some viewers misconstrued Mark Hamill’s opinions to fit their hateful narratives. Now, in addition to that, John Boyega has opened up about a change in his character’s arc that was disconcerting for him.

At the end of The Force Awakens, Finn (John Boyega) and Rey (Daisy Ridley) had to face off with Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). As emotions were high and Rey was incapacitated, Finn took it upon himself to take down Ren, which ultimately sent him into a coma. Following that, since The Last Jedi sent Finn and Rey on their respective journeys, Boyega talked about the lack of screen-time between him and Ridley, at the BAFTA Q&A.

"“Yes, it was troubling and worrying. Because we went through a process together and we just expected to be together in this part of the franchise. And to find out we would be separated; my heart started beating a little bit. Because we have this support system and being in this position, me and Daisy, we vibe, we understand each other. We’ve been through the same process of first of all you’re doing Morrison adverts and then the next year, you’re in Star Wars. So, it’s a surprising thing.”Disney/LucasFilm"

Before blessing the Star Wars universe with his immense talent, Boyega had starred in little known movies like Imperial Dreams and Attack the Block. As Ridley shared a similar path to fame, their shared struggle strengthened their bond off-screen and helped them to cope with the overwhelming amount of attention they were receiving. So, considering how Ridley feels the same way about separating Rey and Finn, it’ll be best to have them together again in Episode IX.

"“Getting into something like this is pretty overwhelming, and John was my guy the whole way through filming and press stuff [on The Force Awakens], and it was scary. It was really scary thinking about the next chapter with us apart. And I expressed that to Rian. Luckily we had a couple weeks to rehearse and we talked everything through. And, obviously, it’s an ongoing conversation as we went. But I found it quite difficult, I remember saying to Rian I felt much more neurotic this time.”"

It’s surprising to see how the experiences of Rey and Finn mirror that of Ridley and Boyega. Like the actors, their characters had to face never-before-seen situations. But they were able to wade through all the trouble due to their camaraderie. And even if they hate Rian Johnson’s decision to split up the characters and the actors, it has shown them how much they love and need each other, thereby emboldening their relationship off and on-screen.

How did John Boyega and Finn benefit from this change in The Last Jedi?

In The Last Jedi, Rey was given the task of bringing back Luke while Finn recuperated from his wounds in a Resistance ship. Although Finn had an opportunity to reunite with Rey, the inclusion of Rose (Kelly Marie Tran) prevented him from doing so. And that led to one of the most vehemently hated but misunderstood side-quests of Star Wars history.

Throughout The Force Awakens, Finn had the moral and physical support of Rey and vice versa. In addition to that, he was deemed a hero, despite failing to stop Kylo and being rescued by Chewie. But it was the Canto Bight sequence that tested whether he deserved the mantle of a hero and taught him how to handle himself on his own.

As the pressure of starring in one of the biggest films in box-office history was shared with Ridley, Boyega needed to learn how to deal with his fame. Considering how Kelly was the newcomer now, his separation from Ridley probably allowed him to teach her the ropes and simultaneously mature as a star. So, hate Canto Bight all you want but it was essential for both Boyega and Finn.

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The Last Jedi might’ve failed to please the target demographic but in time and careful analysis, fans will recognize the emotional detailing that Rian Johnson has instilled in it. As Episode IX will bring Poe, Finn and Rey against Kylo Ren, it’ll be interesting to see how they’ll unite their individual abilities to take down the First Order.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is currently in theaters nationwide.