Summary
One of the most striking character designs in theStar Warssequel trilogy is that of Gwendoline Christie’s Captain Phasma, clad in a silvery sleek suit of stormtrooper-inspired armor that instills fear in those who see her and self-doubt in those who inevitably see their unflattering reflections in the shine. Her first appearance in JJ Abrams’The Force Awakensremains a memorable one, to be sure. But it turns out that look was intended for another character.
Regardless of one’s thoughts onStar Wars: Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, one sentiment shared by many across the aisle is thatCaptain Phasma deserved betterin the movies. Christie’s intimidating First Order officer was a commanding presence inThe Force Awakens, immediately becoming a fan-favorite, even before the movie came out. So it felt like an unfitting end to see her simply fall into a fiery chasm inThe Last Jediwithout much happening with her character. But some fans don’t realize that she wasn’t even part of the original idea for the movies. She stemmed from another character entirely.
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In the Disney Plus documentaryStar Wars: The Force Awakens—Behind the Scenes(via YouTube channelStar WarsCoffeedue to unavailability on the streaming service), costume designer Michael Kaplan explained how the design of Captain Phasma was initially intended for none other than Adam Driver’s Kylo Ren. “They did these beautiful illustrations of Kylo Ren in silver. JJ [Abrams] said, ‘I don’t see Kylo Ren in that way, but I love the idea,'” Kaplan recalled. “Weeks went by, and [Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy] came in, and she said, ‘What is that?’ Pointing at the knight in shining armor she said, ‘That’s amazing.’ She said, ‘That has to be in the movie.’ So that’s how Captain Phasma came to be.”
When Kennedy isn’t busyhinting at new seasons ofStar Warsshows, she’s hard at work making things happen at Lucasfilm, and it looks like the final design of Captain Phasma came about in no small part thanks to her. The character herself continues to be a memorable presence from the sequel trilogy despite her unceremonious end halfway through, and it’s difficult to deny that at least some of that popularity has to do with her look. Of course, Christie’s performance as the former commanding officer of John Boyega’s Finn before he left his life as a stormtrooper can’t be understated.
Despite missteps like Phasma’s relative lack of a proper arc,The Last Jediis arguably the bestStar WarsmoviesinceThe Empire Strikes Back. Its exploration of themes from throughout the series is often brilliant and occasionally sublime, leading to divisive aspects like Mark Hamill’s Luke Skywalker becoming a jaded recluse who cut himself off from the Force due to his failures. Ironically, Phasma’s apparent death served as part of Finn’s character arc, which was heavily criticized by fans and even Boyega himself.
So perhaps someone else could come along later and bring her back for a proper sendoff. Viewers technically never saw her die, after all. While directorRian Johnson stands byThe Last Jedi’s more goofy moments, Phasma’s end was serious, but underwhelming. Many fans would undoubtedly welcome a redo on her part. Regardless, there’s no denying that everyone who saw theStar Warssequel trilogy remembers Phasma. For some, it may be due to Christie’s performance. For others, it’s that wonderful shiny design. Now it remains to wonder how the trilogy would have turned out if Kylo Ren wore it.
