Rogue One [Official Info] Felicity Jones (Jyn Erso) in Rogue One

So the most immature side of the fandom doesn’t like Jyn. I’m not surprised.

 

What's the nature of the dislike for the character? is it just standard alt right nonsense?

 

No idea. Curious to know, as she’s one of my favorite Star Wars characters. Perhaps my favorite.

 

Honestly even from that angle I'd struggle to understand the dislike, I mean the character is capable of looking after herself but its really not rubbing in any superiority over male cast members, at least in terms of ability. Chirrut and Blaze are clearly much more competent fighters than she is.

 

I think Gigoran Monk said it best in this comment above. I think you nailed it on the head.

I don't use Tumblr, so I have no idea what goes on there. On Facebook and YouTube comments, Jyn is overall very well liked. Amongst friends and family almost everyone prefers Rogue One to The Force Awakens and most like Jyn more than Rey.

On a side note, I finally watched The Theory of Everything and really enjoyed it. Felicity was awesome and so was Eddie Redmayne.

 

This is the first I've heard of any real dislike for Jyn, but considering this is Tumblr we're talking about it's no surprise. Meanwhile, I have seen people consider Jyn one of their favorites across the like of Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Reddit. Even those who had a problem with Jyn at the start of the movie admit she becomes a likable character in the last act of Rogue One.

 

You could perhaps argue that the trailers did create a different expectation of the character who was I think painted more as a "wild child" giving out one liners. That's why I found the film itself such a pleasant surprise but it probably became a disappointment for those who considered TFA the promised land stylistically.

 

Tumblr side is definitely the most immature one, I'm on that site and I've seen a lot of nonsense.
I wasn't that surprised either but their reasons are just plain ridiculous. To break it down it's usually one of these:
1. Jyn "stole" Cassian's line ("rebellions are built on hope", that's 'legit' criticism)
2. Jyn insulted him during their fight by calling him a stormtrooper and she was completely wrong to lash out like that (after her father died)
3. She was unnecessary for the movie (it usually goes "Bodhi shoud've been the lead instead")
4. She's a privileged person (for some reason?)
5. Felicity wasn't good in her role because Jyn was mostly emotionless
6. Secretly, lot of fans expected her to be Rey's mom so it contributed to this hatred

I think the only legit criticism I understand is about LF cast another white British actress and I get their frustration over this, but Felicity did a great job and I can't imagine anyone else playing the part.

Without bringing politics but tumblr is mostly known as a place for people with more liberal point of view, so (in this case) it's not alt-right. But I feel like they wanted Jyn to be someone or something else so her behavior - not fighting (after having a childhood like she did) didn't meet up with their expectations, her not being emotional enough in some scenes, fight scene on Eadu (tumblr fandom predominantly sides with Cassian, whereas I think they both had points), that her change wasn't believable and whatnot.

 

Sounds like a list of sexist grievances. How I wish that corner of the fandom would go follow something else.

 

Jyn Erso also has her defenders on Tumblr - for example:

http://theinvader5.tumblr.com/post/155469578859/jyn-erso-jumps-into-the-line-of-fire-to-save-a

The character has taken it from both the right and the left - The Mary Sue, for example, sided with Lessons from the Screenplay, in criticizing her passiveness. A feminist friend of mine lamented that she was not a strong character, and was too dependent on her male comrades (unlike Rey). I think Lessons from the Screenplay's critique has been effectively rebutted here (the critique unfairly focused only on the first half of the movie and ignored the rest of her arc), and to my friend I replied, so what? When all characters are alike, then imagination can turn up its toes and die a sad and boring death. I also love strong female characters (and hope to see a Red Sonja movie one of these days) but I also appreciate a character like Jyn Erso who has flaws and vulnerabilities - it makes her more sympathetic and her sacrifice in the end more heroic. This to me is one of the beautiful things about Rogue One's story: that it's about a number of characters who didn't have to get involved, and would probably have lived had they kept to themselves, but did so anyway because it was the right thing to do. In the real world, a lot of great conflicts have been decided thanks to the contributions of the "oridinary people", individuals who were largely forgotten afterwards except by those in the know. Frankly, I find their stories more moving than the stories of the larger-than-life heroes.

I can understand why some want more diversity in the Star Wars universe, but I can't understand anyone hating a character because of this desire. Yes, it was Bob Iger who recommended Felicity Jones, but it was the director Gareth Edwards who chose her - not Iger or Kathleen Kennedy. It was somebody from the creative end who made the choice, not somebody from the marketing or business end.

 

Honestly I think the idea of the "strong female character" has become a bit of a cliché, a copout for uninteresting writing/direction. Not that competence cannot being an effective trait of course but competence alone for me makes for a pretty shallow character, true inequality is creating female roles with the same emotional depth as male ones. That's why I think films like Rogue One and Fury Road will be remembered the same way say the Alien films or T2 are whilst some other female led blockbusters will not be.

 

What people tend to forget is for someone to be considered a strong character they must overcome their flaws and weaknesses. That's why I find characters like Rey, while likable and fun, to be ultimately dull in the end. Rey had no flaws or weakness in TFA. That being said, we have another two movies for Rey to develop so I'm giving her a pass, although my critque for TFA will still stand. As of right now, I feel Jyn is a far more effective character when compared to someone like Rey.

 

I appreciated how Jyn had no love for the Rebellion in the beginning. She hated the Rebels more than the Imperials initially, and this was due to her father's choices. Not knowing if he was alive, she used the revolution as the scapegoat for her emotions. Once she came to understand how brave her father was (I still tear up during that scene), she still harbored resentment toward the Rebellion for its methods. In the end, she most appreciated her crew.

I appreciate complex characters.

 

Partly. After her father’s holovid, her witnessing the Death Star’s destruction of Jedha, and the Alliance ultimately showing up on Scarif, I think it was clear that Jyn ultimately sided with the Rebellion, despite her frustrations with them. And never did I get the impression that she hated the Rebels more than the Imperials. She had simply grown cynical.

 

If I had to compare Rey to Jyn, I choose Jyn hands down. They are both admirably strong and badass characters but Jyn feels more deeply developed and more of a well rounded character. Rey is a character I admire and like but Jyn is one I am emotionally invested in and really cheer for.

 

Another episode of FoD featuring Jyn (and Sabine)

 

I agree that for now, Jyn is more relatable. Rey needs further development.

 

It's no doubt when comparing Rogue One to The Farce Awakens that Jyn actually had a character arc whereas Rey is just boringly perfect with no flaws whatsoever and is thusly flat as a pancake.

 

There are ways to discuss these things without using mocking titles like "The Farce Awakens", which is just asking for a heated response.

 

I can't do a friggin' thing on this damn message board can I?!

 

You can, but that's up to you.

 

It's good times on this website. I only do Facebook, Instagram, and the JCF. I don't need Twitter because I have this site.

Anybody have a favorite Jyn scene? Mine would be her reunion scene with her dad, her confrontation with Krennic, or her scene in the elevator with Cassian. With Cassian and Chirrut, it's easier to narrow down a favorite.

I recall someone saying that Jyn felt more attracted to Cassian because he targeted her dad. Well, I would dispute that. I believe that she came to the realization that he was being truthful. He did not pull the trigger. He decided to do the right thing in that instance. After all, Bodhi was not lying. Galen had encouraged Bodhi to muster his courage before he defected. I guess if you wanted to be psychological about it, Jyn may have found Cassian attractive partially because he had both darkness and light within him to a similar degree to how her parents did. Both Galen and Cassian were capable of doing terrible and wonderful things. In Galen's case, he did help with the completion of the Death Star by improving upon the designs of the Geonosians, as well as Bevel Lemelisk (if you prefer to count the old EU as I do), but he did this under the pretense of loyalty in order to sneak in that fatal flaw to the design. He and his wife, Lyra, were pretty morally complex, if you read Catalyst, which is very good. Also, Cassian clearly had a lot of guilt over the bad things he had done in the Rebellion's name. His facial expressions did not lie, even if his lips did at times. But the things he did were for the greater good, and his bravery was not wasted. Jyn had a mixture of guilt and nobility within herself, and so it was natural for her to found someone similar attractive.

 

I like when she waves the nightstick to motion that there are stormtroopers behind K-2SO. SO sexy!!!

I like when Jyn gets these fiery little bursts of anger and someone has to hold her back, which actually happens a couple of times.

I also like when Jyn and Cassian share the moment in the elevator and their final embrace before doom.

 

I couldn't agree more.

 

The Wagonmaster Please combine posts rather than stacking them consecutively.