Clues About Finn's Unknown Backstory

Our newest hero from a galaxy far, far away is Finn, a character so mysterious even he doesn't know his own backstory. In fact, he doesn't even have a name until Poe Dameron dubs him Finn based on his Stormtrooper designation FN-2187. So who the heck is Finn? The Force Awakens gives very few clues, but you can read between the lines a little, if you try.

Finn takes up Luke Skywalker's old lightsaber midway through The Force Awakens and even squares off against Kylo Ren briefly. Ren, a seasoned user of the Force and master of the Dark Side, could have probably destroyed Finn had the fight gone on. But Finn is able to defend himself, even if only briefly. He also fights other Stormtroopers. But how?

In the past six Star Wars films, only two non-Force users ever even pick up a lightsaber to use it. One is Han Solo, when he cuts open the tauntaun to save Luke's life on Hoth. The other is General Grievous, a massively enhanced cyborg with four arms specially trained in the art of lightsaber combat.

That Finn is able to both wield a lightsaber and do so competently, on his first try, against a trained fighter, speaks volumes. Whoever Finn is, he seems to have an affinity with the Force and an overwhelming need to do good.

One of the most popular theories about Finn's origin is that he's the son or grandson of the most badass Jedi in the universe, Mace Windu. Is there any reason in the film to believe Finn may be related to Windu? Aside from his proficiency with a lightsaber, not really. But who needs in-film evidence when you have behind the scenes stories? John Boyega himself said he was at a party when someone tapped him on the shoulder and say "Yo! Black Jedi!" Boyega turned to see none other than Sam Jackson who then said "You're my son!"

While Boyega and Jackson are just speculating, you have to admit it would be a pretty cool link from the old to the new.

Word on the street is that we're going to be getting more from Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calrissian before the trilogy is over. If that's true, a damn fine link between old and new would be to have Finn and Lando share a bloodline, just as they did with Kylo and Han.

There are plenty of little details that would fit together nicely if Finn turned out to be Lando's son. Finn wields the lightsaber last seen on Cloud City. Finn straddles the line between the First Order and the Rebellion, just like Lando does. And, in the end, it seems both Finn and Lando are compelled to do good.

Early on in the film, Finn has an attack of conscience as he and his brethren lay waste to a village of innocent people. Kylo Ren is on the warpath just as Finn is having his awakening, realizing what he's doing is wrong and he's been fighting for the wrong side. How does Finn realize he's wrong? He's been raised since childhood and brainwashed by the First Order. His whole life is Stormtrooping about the galaxy and killing those who need killing. What makes that day different? The Force does. And Kylo Ren knows it.

Kylo Ren is the first to realize who betrayed the First Order. He says something about "that Stormtrooper" because he paused to actually pick Finn out of the crowd and stare at him for a moment during the chaos. He senses something in Finn. That's a recognition of the Force Finn had to keep suppressed all these years as a Stormtrooper. But at that moment, a crucial crossroads in the fate of the galaxy, the Force prompted Finn to come into his own and be the hero he's supposed to be. Without a doubt, Finn is part of the Rebellion, and always has been. He just didn't know it.

Could J.J. Abrams have one more big trick up his sleeve? It's possible, and there's a very sneaky way Finn could be folded into the storyline that most of us aren't aware of. In the Star Wars comics, which are considered canonical and published by Marvel comics, under the authority of Disney, there is a character named Sana Starros. She goes by another name, too: Sana Solo.

Sana claims to be Han Solo's wife during the timeline when Han first met Leia and the others from A New Hope. Though their relationship was volatile, and Han denies being married to her at all, Sana hunts him across the galaxy. If they did have a relationship, it clearly soured, but there could be a child even Han never knew about. And if the timeline is off for Finn's age, could that child not have had a child? It's a long shot for sure, but Han having a secret wife in official storylines could definitely have some significance. And the fact that she's a dark-skinned, dark-haired woman means there's a chance, however slim. It would certainly fit with the secretive and sometimes sneaky nature of how J.J. Abrams handles surprises.

The fact is that if Finn is in the movie, he's important. Everyone in Star Wars is important. The beginning of The Force Awakens is so heavily focused on Finn, on his awakening, that it's clearly meant to parallel the name of the film. The Force indeed awakens, but so does Finn. Does that mean the Force is awakening inside him, clearing his head, and allowing him to escape the First Order? Maybe. All we know for sure is that Finn must be important. His actions set the entire movie in motion. If not for him, BB-8, Poe, Rey, Han and Chewie never would have gotten where they needed to go. Finn is the key to everything.