The Problem with Captain Phasma

"FN-2187. So good to have you back." (Star Wars: The Last Jedi)

While a well-written character is worth analyzing to figure out what is done right, a bad character is equally worthy of the same treatment. Captain Phasma is one of the more pertinent antagonists in the most recent Star Wars trilogy. She seems to command all of The First Order's Storm Troopers, and reports directly to General Hux.

Phasma seems to be the new trilogy's answer to Boba Fett. Boba Fett, being a massively popular character from the original trilogy, commanded a lot of on-screen presence. While his motivations, backstory, and dialogue weren't anything hugely unique or interesting, his mystique and proficiency were to be admired. He succeeded where the entire Empire could not, and successfully tracked the Millennium Falcon, all while remaining almost entirely silent and single-handed. Phasma, whose unique armour and appearance piqued the interest of viewers who may have anticipated a similar "one (wo)man army," tries to cash in on Boba Fett's appeal without earning any of the moments that made him great.

While Boba Fett's defeat is less than amazing, it still held weight because, as mentioned before, he'd already taken a victory against the heroes. He'd captured Han Solo, and was clearly a force to be reckoned with. Phasma has been defeated in almost every moment she's appeared on screen. Her Storm Trooper program is shown to be untrustworthy through Finn's rebellion. Despite her "loyalty" to The First Order, she lowers the Starkiller's shields to save her own life. When she finally returns in The Last Jedi, she battles Finn, shown to be no more physically exceptional than a normal Storm Trooper, and suffers a significant loss. She carries no weight on screen due to the fact that she has no reason to. Boba Felt was mysterious, barely talked, and got the job done. Phasma follows orders, talks too much, and lets her pride get in the way, and this leads to an antagonist, a foil for Finn, with almost no draw.