Lucasfilm has released a deleted scene from Star Wars: The Last Jedi detailing an alternate version of Finn and Phasma's heated fight. Star Wars has a growing history of crafting exquisitely designed (and armored) characters who end up having little real impact on the story. The Force Awakens seemed to set up Captain Phasma as a worthy companion to Gwendoline Christie's Brienne, but instead the film did away with her fairly quickly. A novel and comic series give her better treatment, but any hope that the The Last Jedi would see Phasma succeed where Boba Fett failed dissipated once the film was released.
Though the discussion around Star Wars: The Last Jedi has been divisive, most agree that even Phasma's battle with Finn didn't live up to her potential. What's more, the film once again dispatched her in an uncertain manner. Thus, some fans have argued that The Last Jedi wastes Phasma and have been left wondering if Solo's mysterious armored villain will be cut from the same cloth as Phasma and Fett. However, an alternate version of the character's final scene shows the potential she could have had.
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The Star Wars Show has now unveiled a deleted scene from the upcoming Last Jedi home video release that reveals the extended version of Finn and Phasma's showdown. Beginning at the 1:38 mark, the clip shows former Stormtrooper Finn calling out his old commander for her actions during The Force Awakens. What follows is a show of desperation from Phasma as she guns down her own troops before Finn does away with her. It certainly doesn't make Phasma more sympathetic, but there's a humanization to the scene that adds more depth to the villain.
Greg Rucka's book Before the Awakening further fleshes out Phasma's character, focusing more on the relationship between her and Finn that the movies ever have. Though the supplemental material doesn't make amends for the lack of effort put into developing Phasma onscreen, it does prove that the right writer is capable of making her a dynamic character with a complicated connection to Finn. Taking in combination with stories like Before the Awakening, this deleted scene offers a worthy send-off for Phasma.
The clip is one of 14 deleted scenes from Star Wars: The Last Jedi, so fans will have plenty to dig through if they buy the Blu-ray or deluxe digital version of the movie. From what we know of the scenes, it certainly seems as if a more cohesive version of the story could have been told if some were kept in the film. Then again, many of the complaints about the movie seem to go beyond mere narrative issues and tend to focus more on perceived personal sleights. No amount of deleted scenes may ever win over detractors, but for those who enjoyed The Last Jedi there's certainly something to gain from taking them in.
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Star Wars: The Last Jedi become available for viewing in Digital HD on Tuesday, March 13, before hitting DVD/Blu-ray two weeks later on March 27.
Source: Star Wars Show
