So....Luke Skywalker all over again.
Luke isnt a Mary Sue like Rey.
Luke only became powerful in the force after being trained directly by 2 legendary masters and then suffering several horrible failures/defeats along the way.
When he finally flexes in ROTJ its the culmination of hours of character development prior.
And even then the most powerful character in the original trilogy is still Anakin/Vader who's final act fulfills the prophecy.
Rey defeats the Sith Lord Kilo Ren in pitched combat using force powers she just learned about existed an hour's runtime earlier.
In the 2nd one they beat Snoke easily and then just move on as if nothing happened.
No payoff. No development.
They're clearly risks as they've been so controversial.
Finn's role isn't reduced. He is the same degree of useful as he was in the first movie. What does his race matter?
Youre right. My point was that the movie was sold as this inclusive, diverse world which is what was supposed to separate it from past films that were overwhelmingly white male driven.
This is what I assumed you were talking about when you referred to risks.
Yet, despite having Finn front and center as if say "look at how important this is to us," the black character is reduced to comic relief and shoehorned into a romantic sideplot that adds nothing.
Its not inclusive at all. Its pandering/tokenism at best and at worst it borders on minstrel ****.
It makes me mad because Boyega is a great actor and he couldnt possibly turn down the lead in SW,
but damn. That movie is ***.