Star Wars: John Boyega Wants a Longer Fight in ‘Episode IX’

In Star Wars: The Last Jedi, fans finally got to see the long-awaited showdown between Captain Phasma and the traitorous Stormtrooper now known as Finn.

Unfortunately, it didn’t last very long.

While speaking with IGN, actor John Boyega said he understood that some fans were disappointed with how quickly the fight was over.

“Yeah, man, I didn’t expect it to be that quick if I’m being honest with you. I was like, wait, wait, what? He’s been like ramped up for a big fight and then it was over in a second,” Boyega said with a laugh. “But, hopefully, Finn gets to face someone else or has a fight that’s much longer by the way [in Episode IX].”

At the end of the duel, Phasma was shown plummeting into a pit of fire on Snoke’s Star Destroyer, the Supremacy. And though the character has escaped similar situations before, actor Gwendoline Christie told Celebretainment she’s afraid Phasma won’t show up in Star Wars: Episode IX.

“In truth I don’t know. And that scares and upsets me because I really want to see this character explored. I’m actually very invested in the character now,” said Christie. “And that’s genuine. That’s not just chat. It has opened up a chain of stories and events in my mind about who Phasma is.”

But there was almost a different version of the duel which seemed to provide a more definite end for the character, as writer and director Rian Johnson revealed will be on the deleted scenes.

Instead of Finn getting the upper hand on Phasma and having her fall into an explosion, the other version of the scene had Phasma down Finn and surround him with Stormtroopers. Finn then recounts her cowardice and tells her allies that she saved herself and powered down the shields of the Starkiller base.

Phasma then shoots the others Stormtroopers rather than let them know of her treachery, which gives Finn an opening to resume their battle before she fell into the blaze.
Johnson said that decision was the result of pacing.

“I really like the little moment of Phasma being caught and getting called out by [Finn], and that little game of chess that they have,” Johnson said. “But we needed a much more condensed version of that scene, where essentially it’s the same outcome.”

Star Wars: The Last Jedi premieres on Digital HD on March 13th, followed the Blu-ray and DVD release on March 27th.