If The Force Awakens is a Prophet story set in an Awakening, do the characters belong there, too? It's likely they will be, since we took Finn and Rey's arcs into account in determining the story.
That's not guaranteed, though. It happens that the characters in a story act as if they belong in a different era. This can be because the creator has changed the period (moving a narrative from the Great Depression to the Panic of 1893, say) without updating the characters (e.g. from young Heroes to young Prophets). The author might also allow their own point of view overtake that of a different generation. Perhaps it's a Baby Boomer writing Gen X characters, and making them more principled, or the reverse, so they end up more cynical.
Whether this is a good or bad thing is one of the questions this blog will try to determine. First, there has to be some way to determine what archetype matches with a given character.
That's not guaranteed, though. It happens that the characters in a story act as if they belong in a different era. This can be because the creator has changed the period (moving a narrative from the Great Depression to the Panic of 1893, say) without updating the characters (e.g. from young Heroes to young Prophets). The author might also allow their own point of view overtake that of a different generation. Perhaps it's a Baby Boomer writing Gen X characters, and making them more principled, or the reverse, so they end up more cynical.
Whether this is a good or bad thing is one of the questions this blog will try to determine. First, there has to be some way to determine what archetype matches with a given character.
To start, consider characters from the original trilogy as previously identified. Luke and Leia are Heroes, Han Solo is a Nomad. They have limited screen time, and there's not much to add from this story. Rey, Finn, and Kylo Ren, though, are worth further examination.
It's worth noting that while Daisy Ridley and John Boyega are both 23, Adam Driver is nearly a decade older, at 32. (The previous post erroneously identified all three as in their twenties.) All three actors are Millennials, but are they playing Hero characters, or something else?
For ease of comparison, here's that chart of basic generational attributes again:
It's worth noting that while Daisy Ridley and John Boyega are both 23, Adam Driver is nearly a decade older, at 32. (The previous post erroneously identified all three as in their twenties.) All three actors are Millennials, but are they playing Hero characters, or something else?
For ease of comparison, here's that chart of basic generational attributes again:
| Archetype | Positive Attributes | Negative Attributes |
| Hero | Rational Selfless Competent | Overbold Unreflective Insensitive |
| Artist | Caring Open-minded Expert | Indecisive Guilt-ridden Neurotic |
| Prophet | Principled Resolute Creative | Ruthless Selfish Arrogant |
| Nomad | Savvy Perceptive Practical | Amoral Pecuniary Uncultured |
Unlike that previous analysis of John McLane, no obvious option pops out. It does seem that none of them are Nomads - each has primary motivations that are beyond practical matters or money. Rey scratches out an existence on Jakku despite having the skills to depart. Finn leaves his stormtrooper role for moral reasons. Kylo Ren clearly has some issues he is working out.
Actually, one option does stand out for Kylo Ren: Neurotic, indecisive and possibly guilt ridden, it seems like he is an Artist. Considering his interaction with Han Solo, "caring" would seem a stretch, although unlike some Dark Force disciples he doesn't habitually kill prisoners or those who displease him. He's also Expert with the Force - his abilities appear as strong as anyone seen in any of the movies. When he stops Poe's blaster shot in midair early on, it seems an intentional display of the extent of his powers.
Finn and Rey, on the other hand, don't match any of those attributes. Perhaps they work better as Heroes or Prophets.
Finn and Rey, on the other hand, don't match any of those attributes. Perhaps they work better as Heroes or Prophets.
Is Rey selfless, competent, and rational? She makes an effort to save BB-8, but her reasons appear to be for personal principles - "Droids are people too" or "Thou shalt not scrap working equipment," perhaps. It's not a rational decision, such as for personal gain or companionship. Once rescued, she expects the droid to take care of itself, and only grudgingly allows it to travel along. From then until the end, she is working to save herself as much as those around her.
How about insensitive, overbold, unreflective? She notices the old woman scavenging alongside her, and appears to be carefully considering her life while resting by the crashed AT-AT. Stealing a garbage cruiser might seem bold, but considering that she was being chased by locals and the First Order, it might make better be considered a creative (and wise) maneuver. Convincing a guard to release her, then crawling along the side of a huge artificial chasm, are similarly creative solutions to her immediate problems. Having returned BB-8 to the Resistance she is determined (resolute) to return to her former existence rather than join up with them. We don't see her act ruthlessly, really, but she does attack threats fiercely, not holding back. Prophet attributes match well for her.
How about insensitive, overbold, unreflective? She notices the old woman scavenging alongside her, and appears to be carefully considering her life while resting by the crashed AT-AT. Stealing a garbage cruiser might seem bold, but considering that she was being chased by locals and the First Order, it might make better be considered a creative (and wise) maneuver. Convincing a guard to release her, then crawling along the side of a huge artificial chasm, are similarly creative solutions to her immediate problems. Having returned BB-8 to the Resistance she is determined (resolute) to return to her former existence rather than join up with them. We don't see her act ruthlessly, really, but she does attack threats fiercely, not holding back. Prophet attributes match well for her.
How about Finn? One way to consider the Hero attributes is as what a Stormtrooper should be: one part of many (selfless); good enough to work with the team (competent); working on reason rather than emotion (rational); not considering the implications (unreflective) or impact on others (insensitive).
Based on this criteria, Finn is ... not a very good Stormtrooper. It might be sufficient to say he's neither competent nor selfless. He doesn't fire at the villagers, from an excess of sensitivity, principles, or both. He's so rattled by his first experience with combat that he leaves his unit. Indeed, his solution for departure - freeing a recently captured pilot - is certainly creative, while firing on his own ship and shipmates qualifies as ruthless. Given the option to join the Resistance for real, he initially (selfishly) begs off, certain that it's a death sentence. While one could say taking on Kylo Ren with a light saber is Overbold (a Hero attribute), it fits well with Arrogant, too.
Based on this criteria, Finn is ... not a very good Stormtrooper. It might be sufficient to say he's neither competent nor selfless. He doesn't fire at the villagers, from an excess of sensitivity, principles, or both. He's so rattled by his first experience with combat that he leaves his unit. Indeed, his solution for departure - freeing a recently captured pilot - is certainly creative, while firing on his own ship and shipmates qualifies as ruthless. Given the option to join the Resistance for real, he initially (selfishly) begs off, certain that it's a death sentence. While one could say taking on Kylo Ren with a light saber is Overbold (a Hero attribute), it fits well with Arrogant, too.
While there are other areas that could be used to confirm this assessment - e.g. Rey and Finn work better on their own, whereas Heroes value teamwork - they best match as young Prophets. That's what would be expected in an Awakening period, of course, and that's expected based on the previous half-century or so of Galactic history. It even works well with the slightly older Kylo Ren being an Artist, since that archetype is born in the decade or two before Prophets. If we really want to extrapolate to an excessive degree, we could place the real end of the Galactic Civil War at about 25 years previous, or about 5 years after the death of the Emperor.
(Artists are born during Crisis periods, while Prophets are born in the decades immediately following. Therefore, the Crisis would have ended sometime before Rey or Finn were born, and after the birth of Kylo Ren. Perhaps the Republic required some time to reconstitute itself, much as the United States after the Treaty of Paris.)
(Artists are born during Crisis periods, while Prophets are born in the decades immediately following. Therefore, the Crisis would have ended sometime before Rey or Finn were born, and after the birth of Kylo Ren. Perhaps the Republic required some time to reconstitute itself, much as the United States after the Treaty of Paris.)
So... Does it matter? Abrams, Kasdan and crew probably didn't go through The Fourth Turning looking for allusions to include, much less saying "Let's make Rey and Finn Prophets!" These attributes are consistent from a few different directions, though, so something is pulling them that way. There are a multitude of differences revealed between this movie and A New Hope, for any who feel a need to make a defense. For fanboys, it allows for some interesting predictions of where the next movies might go. For writers, this shows ways to make stories that are more complete and real. It also leads the way to comparisons with other characters in literature, including some of the most well-known. Next time....
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