I reckon there’s at least a million theories spinning ‘round the internets these days concernin’ that new Star Wars movie. This would be on account o’ Star Wars is loved like one’s closest blood-relations. I knowed this ‘cos I’m one of ‘em what's all wound up in't. I were nursed from a tender babe o' 4 on Star Wars. I growed up with Luke, and Han, and Leia, and that Darth Vader. They’s a part o’ me, and I wager part o’ you, too.
Now, all this emotion what’s been wrapped up an’ carried ‘round all these years is creatin' a powerful strain on them’s what makin’ the movie, a Mr. J.J. Abrams. He got hisself a heap to live up to, an’ t’ain’t no shortage o’ folks ready to string him up for the slightest wrong move. This is family and if you mess with family you best bring a sack lunch.
All them feelin’s and jawin’s-on got me thinkin’, particular ‘bout that ol’ boy Finn. I worked and worked it over, and I think I got him sussed. And it’s funny, but I done it with the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by a Mr. Mark Twain.
For the life of me I can’t account why, but in all I’s read so far they’s been no mention of the fact that Finn’s name is, well, exactly the same as Huckleberry Finn—‘cept missin' the Huckleberry. This’n more and more curiouser on account of Mr. Abrams done named another his characters after one of Mr. Twain's, namely Sawyer from that TV show Lost.
See, Saywer weren’t just a name fer throw-backs or for to be polite and paying homage and such. Mr. Abrams is a right smart man. Mr. Abrams' Saywer was a smooth-talkin’ young con-man looking to make something of hisself. If’n that weren’t ‘zactly Mr. Twain’s Tom Sawyer, then I’m a fried pickle.
Now, I’m not near as clever as Mr. Abrams, but I done reasoned Finn is likewise named. While Mr. Abrams’s keepin' most things a great big ole mystery, he's been particular ‘bout lettin’ on ‘bout Finn. Here’s the facts as I’ve collected so far:
One, Finn was a stormtrooper for the First Order. Two, Finn was born into stormtrooper life like a slave. Three, Finn has a change of heart; a significant one too considerin’ his’n bein’ conditioned by the First Order all his’n life. Four, when Finn does switch over, he lights out fast as his’n feet can carry him ‘cos there’s no recogsizin’ his new morals and his’n old way of life. And he’s right for it, too. Those First Order boys come after him with intents on makin' an example of him. A dead one.
Now, as you rightly know, all this is familiar to Huckleberry Finn’s story. In case you don’t remember, Huckleberry’s a young man that’s brought up by the Widow Douglas to be a good Christian. He does his'n best but he’s more of a scoundrel than good Christian by nature. When his Pap takes him back from the Widow on account he wants Huck’s money, Huck fakes his death to escape Pap’s abuse. He ends up on the run with a runaway slave named Jim. Throughout the rest o’ the story his’n upbringin’s tellin’ Huck he ain’t right for stealin’ Aunt Polly’s slave, while on the other hand his’n conscience tells him it weren’t right to turn Jim in. His’n adventures with Jim help Huck work out who he is and what for he stands.
Now here’s where I begin my speculatin’. Thinkin’ bout the two characters being similarly inclined in personality, I s’pect Finn’s gonna be fightin' the morals from the First Order—‘bout the Resistance being a damnable evil—against something he’s gonna see, or do—or both—that’s ‘zactly opposite them’s he’s growed up with. That’s gonna put him in for a mess o’ trouble comin’ right with hisself. It’s this what’s gonna motivate him through the movie. And it's his'n adventures with Rey where he works out who he is and what for he stands.
While it ain’t clear what ‘zactly it is that sets him off, like Huckleberry, it's gonna be violent. In the trailers we see his’n helmet does have a bloody hand smear ‘crossed it. And when he pulls it off he’s plum skeer’d. Plus, like I says earlier, the First Order are huntin’ him with all the grace of fishin’ in a barrel with dynamite.
So what, you ask? I admit that it don’t let on a thing about the plot and that’s what we want to know, ain’t it? I mean, after thirty-somethin’ years not knowin’s painful as waitin’ on Christmas to open presents. Though it don’t answer no burnin’ questions, it does tell us somethin’ mighty important. It says what manner o’ man this Finn is and what we can expect from him.
Why, you ask? ‘Cos the WHOLE WORLD’s tied up in knots ‘bout this new Star Wars. Remember last time they was a new Star Wars movie? We got characters like that ol’ Jar Jar Binks. Ain’t nobody done forgive Mr. George Lucas for that! He's the Gran' Pappy this whole thing.
And that’s why Mr. Abrams’s let on as much as he’s done, ‘cos these characters is most important as they come.
Finn’s worthy of our Star Wars. He’s like Luke. Someone like we know in real life. Someone we can identify with. Someone we’ll come to love, like blood-relations. Knowin’ who Finn is early on warms my heart, and should warm yourn, too. We can all sleep easy knowin' ‘bout him. That is, if’n we can sleep with all the anticipation.
Ain’t it December 18 yet?
Aeryk Pierson