Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Characters

Let's see, I'll just go in alphabetical order here and just give a few thoughts on some of the characters from The Force Awakens.

BB-8:
LOVE this guy! He is the cutest thing EVER! That's really all I have to say about him. I mean, look...

Finn:
Poor guy. His naivety at times was almost to simple and corny for me to take. I don't know what to say about him. He was funny at times. However, I'm not sold on he and Rey as the love interests for the films. The chemistry between the two read more as good nerdy friends rather than romantic interests. Finn seemed more interested in Rey because she was a person that seemed to care for his wellbeing and because that's a new concept with him...he 'cares' for her in return. I would like Finn to mature a little bit in the coming films but I'd rather he and Rey just stay friends. Please?!

Han Solo:
Harrison Ford...was ooold. Haha. And it showed. I don't know what I expected. I'm sure I expected to much. I can't imagine returning to a character that I had played 30 years earlier but I had a hard time seeing Han Solo in old Harrison Ford. He still had his moments that made me laugh. And during the action sequences I could really see Han Solo again. I don't know, I just had a hard time with old Solo. Without Leia, he lacked direction and his character was just weak. I mean, he went back to smuggling?! Really? Han was General Solo by the end of the last movie and now he has, in a way, run away from Leia and a wayward son. We've seen evidence in the previous movies that Han only runs from Jabba, bounty hunters and other scoundrels. He doesn't run from his friends. (Example: Helping Luke on the first run against the Death Star.) And I wasn't taken off guard by his death. I knew going into the film that he would have to die. Did I like how it happened? Of course not! What a question! ;)

Kylo Ren:
Ben. (A padawan gone bad...never heard this story before...:P) Ohhh, what to say about this kid. He really did look like a kid and he acted like a spoiled brat. His outburst of destructive temper was, put mildly, obnoxious. I said in my bullet point post, that I didn't think it was the actors fault. I think he had some good moments and worked with the character that he had been tasked to portray. But the character itself, Kylo, was ehh. Wishy-washy villains, don't sit well with me. What's this about feeling the pull of the light?! What? As Yoda would say: "Once on the path to the Dark Side, forever will it dominate your destiny." There shouldn't be any pull from the light for him. The Dark Side swallows it's followers, it doesn't leave them half and half. So, yes. Nothing whatsoever against the actor, but the character, ugh. I've read that Kylo isn't a full fledged Sith, I say, "No kidding". (Oh, and casting wise for matching Han and Leia as a son, doesn't work. Adam Driver has a bony face and a decidedly pointed chin. Leia and Han both have full faces.)

Leia Organa:
For me, Leia's character as General Organa was just weak. Without the banter and bickering between her and Solo, her character lacked--life! I don't know if they were trying to illustrate how a relationship had taken a toll on them but I just didn't buy it. I understand that they are both old. (And I have nothing against Carrie Fisher's body. Yes, she hasn't aged as well as might have been expected but that being said, she looked fine to me and it has no bearing on the storyline.) But she lacked depth or general strength to me. I needed a more commanding presence from her.

Poe:
Okay, I need more from Poe. I didn't mind him as a character but I think he needs to be a little more of the rough and tumble type. The next movie is going to need some of that, particularly as Solo is gone. A little less emotional. I think he was almost in tears twice in the movie. But maybe I misread the emotion. I liked Poe with BB-8 and as a squadron leader but I'm struggling to see his role in the coming films unless he takes a stronger stand, personality wise. Basically, I think he needs to step into what would have been considered Solo's role in the original trilogy. Nothing against him, I like him and his acting, I just want a little more from him.

Rey:
It's fitting that Rey gets the last word here on the character post. I like Rey. For the Star Wars universe I think she was different. She was a little nerdy, fairly naïve, but she has a driving force (ha, pun not intended) behind her that I like. She's eager and she's bright. She's not like the other women in Star Wars. (All two others, Padme and Leia.) I think she 'caught' onto the force a little to fast and conveniently with the mind trick thing. I DON'T want her to be related to the Han or Leia. I just don't. Give me a clean slate. Everyone doesn't need to be related to everyone. But mostly I don't want there to be a connection because I would rather see Rey with her bright, eager personality that I mentioned before, pitted against Kylo's confusing character as a love interest rather than as brother and sister. We have used the secret brother and sister relationship before. Please, don't make this another repeat of the original films. I will be interested to see how they will be able to make Rey as strong as Kylo or another Sith during a saber battle because let's face it, in strength and size, there is no competition between Rey and Kylo. I'm fine with the idea of Rey being as strong in the Force but how will the Force help her during a battle that is somewhat based on strength and size? (I know we have had female Jedi. However, we have never seen them fight. I will be interested to see how they measure up.)

As Luke, in a way, gets his own post I have left him out and I didn't even want to go into Snoke. I mean, what?! Snoke arrives like Zeus from the animated Hercules. I guess that is the danger of selling Star Wars to Disney. And all I saw with General Hux was a short haired Bill Weasley.


Next time you watch Hercules, play spot the difference.

Yours truly,
Cordy