I was raised to do one thing, but I've got nothing to fight for.
-- Finn
Note:This is best viewed in blog format.
Accolades
Captain Phasma consistently singles out Finn as one of the best of the First Order Stormtroopers:
"All of you should take your example from FN-2187," Captain Phasma said.
Before the Awakening
"You have great potential, 2187. You are officer corps material. "
Before the Awakening
After the second multiforce battle simulation, Captain Phasma singled out FN-2187 for praise in front of everyone who had participated. She had him stand and face the debriefing-and there were hundreds of them there that time, all the pilots and stormtroopers and instructors; it felt like everyone. She talked about his skill and his efficiency and his ruthlessness, how all the trainees could learn something from watching FN-2187.
Before the Awakening
At last she said, "FN-2187, your targeting was exemplary. According to the simulation, you fired your weapon only thirty-six times, scoring kills with thirty-five of those. You deployed one explosive, which resulted in the achieving of the objective and another six enemies killed."
Before the Awakening
She sighed. She'd had such hope for FN-2187. He had shown such remarkable promise. He had shown the capacity to be special.
Before the Awakening
FN-2187 proves to be a highly skilled stormtrooper -- at least during simulations.
The Force Awakens Visual Dictionary
While FN-2187 performs at the top of his combat classes, the ever-present First Order propaganda never really takes hold of his heart.
The Force Awakens Visual Dictionary
This is notable as the First Order Stormtroopers are a symbol of strength, skill and power:
He could imagine himself as they saw him, the immaculate white armor, the symbol of unity and strength and power and skill that was a First Order stormtrooper.
Before the Awakening
Finn is considered one of the best Stormtroopers ever seen by many of his peers:
He[Finn] was, as far as the training cadre and his peers were concerned, one of the best stormtroopers anyone had ever seen.
Before the Awakening
Physical capabilities
Durability
Finn tanks a hit to the jaw from a sword hilt:
By that point FN-2187's mind was racing-thinking about Slip and Nines and Zeroes, and Phasma watching him-and it wasn't really a surprise when the world burst into a flare of white, when the hilt of the sword connected with his jaw, when he could taste his own blood.
Before the Awakening
Finn is unharmed by close range explosions from TIE-fighters:
Strength
Finn is trained in unarmed combat, which implies a good deal of strength:
Previously, FN-2187 and the others had trained in hand-to-hand combat, working in close quarters with fists and feet.
Before the Awakening
Finn manages to take control of the wrist of Nines, one of the best of the First Order Stormtroopers. Finn then proceeds to land a hit with his elbow and knock Nines back:
FN-2187 dropped his shield altogether and used his free hand to take control of Nines's wrist. They spun in place, and FN-2187 slammed his shoulder into Nines's chest, sending him off balance long enough to create distance between them.
Before the Awakening
Speed
Finn dodges blaster fire by tumbling and rolling forward, then proceeds to shoot down two enemies:
Just as the soldier opened fire, FN-2187 dove forward, tumbled into a freshly made crater, and lay flat for a second before popping up on his elbows. He fired twice before dropping down again, then rolled to his right and repeated, firing three times. He was pleased to see that he'd taken out two of the enemy.
Before the Awakening
Finn manages to roll to the ground and throw a grenade before Republic soldiers could get a shot off:
Just before they had their shot, he dropped low, sliding feetfirst toward the edge of the bunker-one hand holding his rifle against his chest, the other going for one of the grenades on his belt. He rolled at the last moment, thumbing the activator hard as he collided sideways with the bunker wall and then, in one smooth motion, bringing his hand up and tossing the grenade through the opening into the bunker. Almost instantly there was the sound and the flash of the explosive detonating. He felt it echo, the vibration running through his armor.
Before the Awakening
Finn speedblitzes two First Order Stormtroopers, albeit he did surprise them by wielding a lightsaber:
It made an excellent target for the stormtroopers who opened fire on them. Taking cover, Han and Chewbacca returned fire. No one noticed the troopers who had come up behind them-except Finn. Charging, he surprised one trooper with the glowing blade of the lightsaber, then another.
The Force Awakens novelisation
The troopers were as startled as Finn when he sliced through armor, bone, and flesh. Two he cut down immediately.
The Force Awakens junior novelisation
Finn dodges blaster bolts:
Marksmanship
Captain Phasma notes Finn's targeting is exemplary:
At last she said, "FN-2187, your targeting was exemplary."
Before the Awakening
Finn shoots down two Republic soldiers while dodging their blaster fire:
Just as the soldier opened fire, FN-2187 dove forward, tumbled into a freshly made crater, and lay flat for a second before popping up on his elbows. He fired twice before dropping down again, then rolled to his right and repeated, firing three times. He was pleased to see that he'd taken out two of the enemy.
Before the Awakening
Finn shoots down several Republic soldiers, firing three times until the last of the enemy soldiers dropped:
Now 2187 could take his time. He sighted carefully, then stroked the trigger on his blaster rifle three times in succession. The last of the enemy soldiers dropped.
Before the Awakening
Finn shot down 35 Republic Soldiers with 36 shots:
"According to the simulation, you fired your weapon only thirty-six times, scoring kills with thirty-five ofthose."
Before the Awakening
Training/Knowledge
The training of First Order Stormtroopers is a more well-rounded combat education than the training of the past, i.e. Clone and Stormtroopers:
Out of necessity, the First Order enforces a far more regimented approach to training to ensure excellence across its reduced stormtrooper ranks. First Order stormtrooper training emphasizes improvisation and counter-insurgency operations, as well as guerrilla tactics. No longer tasked with ensuring loyalty to a dominant galactic goverment, these soldiers instead need to know how to claw their way back to power. This mind-set has created a more well-rounded combat education than training in the past.
Star Wars The Force Awakens Visual Dictionary
Finn was trained from birth:
FN-2187 was trained since birth to serve the First Order as a stormtrooper, but a skirmish on Jakku awakened his conscience and drove him down a different path, one that proved both heroic and dangerous.
StarWars.com Databank: Finn
Finn is trained to be a super soldier:
Finn grew up known only as FN-2187, a product of the First Order’s quest to create super-soldiers by training them from birth.
StarWars.com Databank: Finn
Finn and other fellow First Order Stormtroopers studied older, historical fights(in particular the Clone Wars) to gain greater tactical ability:
For the better part of a week, they studied and were repeatedly tested on different historical battles, many from the Clone Wars, some even earlier.
Before the Awakening
THE FOOT SOLDIERS of the First Order draw upon the heritage of the armored infantry units that blazed across the battlefields of the Clone Wars, in the final years of the Old Republic.
Star Wars The Force Awakens Visual Dictionary
Finn and his squad took part in 2 or 3 training simulations per day, and this was described as a game that Finn played well:
Whatever the reasons for it, whether Zeroes could be believed or not, their training did accelerate. They were in the simulators two, three times a day, sometimes running combat missions as a single fire-team, sometimes working in concert with the other members of a larger squad. Twice they participated in multiforce battles, base assaults where their simulator was tied to the action in fifty others, all of them running at the same time. They were massive engagements, with full air support, advancing armor, even orbital bombardment from capital ships. TIEs screamed overhead, engaging Republic X-wings in dogfights that streaked through the simulated skies.
FN-2187 found himself actually enjoying those simulations, so much so it almost surprised him. The simulations were simple. The stormtroopers had a clear objective, they knew who the enemy was, and honestly, as serious as the simulations could be, they were ultimately just games, ones he knew he played well.
Before the Awakening
Finn is trained in unarmed combat:
Previously, FN-2187 and the others had trained in hand-to-hand combat, working in close quarters with fists and feet.
Before the Awakening
Finn is trained to use a resornator mace and a shield, and learns quite quickly:
They began drills, basic moves-stance, attack, parry-and then repeated, over and over again, until FN-2187 could feel perspiration running down his back inside the bodysuit he wore beneath his armor. When they'd finished, his arms ached from the effort of maintaining the mace and shield, but there was a sense of pleasure, too, the delight of learning something new and learning it quickly and well.
Before the Awakening
These weapons are made out of phrik alloy and are lightsaber resistant:
The instructors demonstrated the use of each weapon, the vibro-axes and shock staffs and force pikes and resonator maces, elaborating at length on the respective strengths and weaknesses of each and when and how to employ them to best effect. They explained the composite alloys used to make the weapons, how some of the equipment was strong enough to block even a lightsaber.
Before the Awakening
Combative skil/Tactical ability
Finn manages to stomp Zeroes, one of the best of the First Order Stormtroopers who had defeated all enemies prior, in a spar:
The person who remained longest on the floor was Zeroes. He went four bouts without falling, and then FN-2187 was called and ended his run. The force pike gave Zeroes reach and he went in strong, but FN-2187 had his shield and he quickly discovered that, when he angled it properly, he could redirect a jab in almost any direction he wanted. Zeroes tried attacking four times-low, low, low, and then high, driving the pike with both hands toward FN-2187's heart.
FN-2187 blocked, angling the shield to his right so that when the blow glanced off, Zeroes was off balance and overextended. FN-2187 spun on his toes in the opposite direction, brought the mace in his other hand around low, and caught Zeroes just above the knee, sending him sprawling.
"Win!" shouted one of the instructors.
Before the Awakening
Finn humiliates another Stormtrooper from the FO group in three seconds:
It was the start of FN-2187's own streak, however. The next trainee to go at him was from a different cadre, the FO group, also armed with a mace and shield. The fight lasted three seconds. FN-2187 feinted an overhead blow with the mace, and when his opponent brought his shield up to parry it, he hit him instead with his own shield and knocked him flat.
Before the Awakening
Finn defeats two other Stormtroopers from the FO designation in less than a minute, despite just prior taking part in two other spars:
His next two opponents were also FO designations, another with a force pike and one with a shield and sword. The second of those took the longest, almost a full minute, before FN-2187 managed to knock away his opponent's shield, and then it was a simple matter of waiting for an opening and striking at the right time.
Before the Awakening
Finn, despite taking part in several spars prior, manages to defeat an enraged Nines, who was a highly skilled First Order Stormtrooper:
Then it was Nines's turn, with his vibro-axe and shield, and if FN-2187 had thought Zeroes was angry when he'd lost, Nines seemed to start out that way. Nines began with a swipe straight at FN-2187's head, and the next thing 2187 knew Nines had rammed into him, body to body, their armor clattering as he was pushed back along the training floor. It took all his strength to keep his feet, to keep from giving Nines another opening with his axe, and finally FN-2187 dropped his shield altogether and used his free hand to take control of Nines's wrist. They spun in place, and FN-2187 slammed his shoulder into Nines's chest, sending him off balance long enough to create distance between them. Before he could recover his discarded shield, though, Nines was launching at him again, and FN-2187 was using his mace with both hands, knocking away Nines's attacks as quickly as they came. He could feel his heart pounding inside the armor, the echo of his breathing as it grew labored. The thought occurred to him, unexpected and shocking, that Nines thought this was real, not an exercise, not training.
The vibro-axe fell again, slashing at his arm, and FN-2187 skipped back. The two of them began to circle. Nines feinted with the axe, then swung the shield and nearly caught him in the side, but FN-2187 managed to get the mace up to parry just in time. He saw the follow-up coming before Nines launched it, knew the axe was slashing in again, and that time, instead of stepping away from it, FN-2187 stepped forward and under Nines's guard. The mace was in the wrong position, its heavy head toward the floor, so FN-2187 used its pommel instead, smashing it into Nines's helmet. The other trooper went sailing onto his back. He laid still, dazed for a moment.
Before the Awakening
Finn casually defeats Slip, although Slip was somewhat injured from a prior spar:
Slip lunged, and FN-2187 blocked him easily, sending the tip of the pike off his shield and to the left. Slip followed, unable to stop himself in time, almost at full reach and obviously off balance. FN-2187 stepped back, giving him room to recover. Again he glanced at the instructors. One of them, he thought, was frowning.
FN-2187 swung his mace in an easy arc, putting no real power behind it, all but telegraphing the move. Slip barely got his parry in place in time and failed entirely to launch a riposte. They circled. Another glance at the instructors, and both were frowning. Slip tried to flip his grip on the pike and made a staff-end swing that FN-2187 ducked before he'd even thought about it. He had another opening and almost took it but for some reason found himself unable to.
It struck him, then, that if he were to lose, Slip would be left to face whoever went next.
It struck him, too, that whoever Slip fought next wouldn't care that he was already hurt, that another injury might be too much for him.
You're one of us, FN-2187 thought.
He attacked with the mace, an upswing that Slip blocked but without any strength behind it. The parry blew through Slip's guard and sent his hands and the pike high, almost over his head, leaving his middle exposed. FN-2187 stepped forward, leading with his shield, pressing rather than striking while at the same time bringing his left leg forward, behind Slip's right. It took almost no discernible pressure; suddenly, Slip was on his back and FN-2187 was standing over him, and the instructor was shouting.
"Win!"
Before the Awakening
Finn manages to briefly contend with Kylo Ren, although Kylo was emotionally hindered, physically injured and was mostly toying. Despite this, Finn actually manages to faint weakness to land a hit on Kylo:
Despite his fear, Finn raised the beam to defend himself. Ren lunged, struck-and Finn parried. Shards of light flew, illuminating the snow and the surrounding vegetation. Drawing back slightly, Ren considered his unexpectedly determined opponent, then resumed his assault with a vengeance.
Finn blocked him again and again, once letting the other man's beam slide against his own and harmlessly off to one side. He counterattacked, to no avail. The longer the contest continued, the stronger Ren seemed to become. It was as if he was enjoying the challenge. Feeding upon it.
At least, it appeared so until Finn parried, swung, and unexpectedly stabbed, the tip of his lightsaber beam grazing Ren's arm. That made it more than a challenge. Taking a step back, Ren reconsidered his opponent. When he closed the distance between them anew, it was with a purpose that had been previously lacking. Expecting an execution, he had found a contest. Now he had been touched. It was time for play to end.
Advancing relentlessly, he was driven by something that Finn could not even sense, far less counter. Still the ex-trooper fought back, until Ren landed a blow that cut across Finn's chest and sent the lightsaber flying from his hand. It landed in the snow six meters distant.
It was over.
The Force Awakens novelisation
Finn blocked and parried the first flurry of Ren's attacks. Ground snow melted as the tips of their blades swooshed low. Finn could not find an opening in Ren's defenses, despite the man's injury. Ren drove Finn back, seeming to draw strength from Finn's frustration. Training had taught Finn to bait an opponent into thinking he had the advantage. Finn parried weakly, then disengaged and stabbed. His blade tip sheared Ren's arm. It didn't do much more than sizzle his opponent's skin. But Ren backpedaled, reassessing Finn.
Holding the blue blade in front of him, Finn stared at Kylo Ren, ready for anything.
But he was not ready for the fury of the attack Ren launched at him. It was as if the previous back and forth had been child's play. Ren's swings flew at Finn fast and strong, pushing him back.
Ren's blade gashed open Finn's chest. Finn fell back, and the momentum of his last swing threw the lightsaber of Luke Skywalker well away from him. He saw the blue blade dissolve back into the hilt, and then his universe turned dark.
The Force Awakens junior novelisation
https://youtu.be/FjEtMRZ-cH0?t=46
-- The Force Awakens
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