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

I love TFA as a really fun Star Wars flick, but it's amazing to me how much better the writing is for Jyn's character than Rey's. And this has nothing to do with the "MS" word, and all that sexist junk which I reject. It's purely about character motivations. Let's compare:

Jyn
1. Motivated by the Rebellion's promise of freedom - delivers the introduction to Saw, is ready to get out. Her actions are driven by long years of betrayal by those she loved (her father and Saw), and she is therefore cynical and uninterested in the Rebellion.
2. After seeing her long-lost father's message, she's now motivated to find him. Her years of feeling of betrayed by her father proved misguided. He "did everything he did to protect her." Her cynicism cracks wide open during that hologram scene.
3. After the destruction of Jedha by the DS, she's now super-motivated to find him so that they can take down the DS. She both wants to reunite with him, and fulfill his goal of undermining the Empire.
4. After her father's death, she is now committed to ensuring that his (and her) lives were not in vain, and she carries her father's baton to the Rebel Council. His extraordinary (and long-term) self-sacrifice, which won him no credit from anyone, now drives her to the core.
5. After the Rebel Council refuses to act, and Cassian's offer to volunteer, she decides that her own act of self-sacrifice is the only way to fulfill her father's life goal, and take down the DS.

Rey
1. Motivated by the promise of her family's return (makes sense, and is personal)
2. Once she's marked by the FO, she has to survive and so she runs (makes basic action-movie sense, though not personal)
3. Then...she's motivated by...getting BB-8 to the Resistance Base, for the vague reason that she likes BB-8? I mean, if she thinks Finn is Resistance, why not just send Finn (or later, Han) off with BB-8 and head back to Jakku? (very sketchy writing)
4. Motivated by...revulsion at the lightsaber vision, and Maz's suggestion that she take it? And as a result, she runs off into the woods and completely abandons the objective (get BB-8 to the base) she was solely motivated by, up to that point? (terribly shaky writing here)
5. Jets off to see Luke - driven by a desire to belong again (makes sense, is personal, and is the best thing about her arc)

The disparity in quality of characterization is very stark, IMO. Yes, I understand that Rey still has two acts to fulfill, while Jyn's arc is complete. But something more compelling should have driven Rey. Something akin to the Owen and Beru scene in ANH. Something akin to what was driving Jyn. Something personal and emotionally significant.

This is why I have difficulty understanding how some fans found the characterization in RO to be lacking compared to TFA. Really? That's baffling to me. I find the exact opposite. Apart from Kylo, the TFA characters were far less developed.

 

rogue one characters aren't bad, they are just way more serious and don't have the more 'fun' personalities characters like han and finn have. though i don't think rey's writing was shaky, she just got very terrified and wanted to run.

on a side note jyn is easily my favourite hero to play as in battlefront.

 

Her baton WRECKS.

 

I pretty much agree. I liked Jyn due to Jones's portrayal and the writing. I liked Rey primarily as a result of how Ridley handled it. I don't think the writing is quite as bad as you say. But we're in accord.

 

Wonderful Jyn artwork by Laz Marquez:

 

Here's one by Jesse Williams:




http://starwarscountdown.tumblr.com/post/144540025264/jesswwilliams-jyn-erso-felicity-jones-from

 

Nice. The one I posted is from the same site; it has lots of good artwork. I'm glad there's another great female character in Star Wars.

 

Jyn is the heart and soul of the film.

 

This has probably been discussed before, but has it been established how Jyn was caught by the Empire and what crime she was charged with that put her in prison and the labor camp she was being transported to?

 

How she got caught, I don't think it got mentioned anywhere. What crimes she committed, yes, the rebels rattled of that list when talking to her after freeing her.

 

Agreed, she always was since the first trailer.

 

she's going to Celebration 2017.
http://www.starwars.com/news/rogue-ones-felicity-jones-to-appear-at-star-wars-celebration-in-orlando

 

I would like to know more about this as well... Also - Wobani, what sort of environment was that?

 

I loved Jones in the film. Jyn was a great character. Shame we won't see more of her.

I also have a major crush on Felicity.

 

Yeah I would have gladly paid to see these characters again! I'm just so in love with the OT era I love what they did but another part of me wishes Jyn or Cassian (or both) survived so we could have another round!

 

Nah, I completely feel ya there. I feel like we got the last film in a trilogy as far as these characters are concerned. And I do feel a couple of them should have lived. Even if it wasn't Cassian and Jyn. Someone at least, lol.

 

You are not alone. I watched her in The Theory of Everything. Such a fabulous actress.

 

Filmmakers have the power to go back in time. To before Jyn and Cassian have died...

 

What is your favorite line delivered by Jones as Jyn?

Mine would have to be this: "My father's revenge. He put a fuse in the middle of your machine, and I've just told the entire galaxy how to light it." That, or: "Stardust. I know it because it's me."

 

"Stardust. I know it because it's me" FTW

 

"It's not a problem if you don't look up."

"You dumped me!"

Something about Jyn's cynicism and sense of abandonment really breaks my heart.

 

I like Jyn because she has a strong character, but you can see the emotional scars she carries with her.

I love the way she talks to her dad, she is transformed when she is with him. Very moving.

 

The actor looked awkward in action scenes but still she was a decent character.

 

That's part of what makes her unique in terms of the films. Some of compared her to Rey and Han Solo, but I think that's an oversimplification. Of course, this is the Star Wars film I've wanted to see since 1995, and she and Cassian are a big part of that.