How Stormtroopers have changed starting in 'The Force Awakens'

John Boyega as a Stormtrooper in Star Wars: The Force Awakens Screen Capture from "The Force Awakens" / Disney

The premiere release of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" brought a wave of new changes to the experience that old "Star Wars" fans almost got used to. There's a female lead, a non-human Sith Lord (Sumpreme Leader Snoke) and then there are Stormtroopers who aren't just two-dimensional characters.

In the first appearance in the trailers, Finn appears to be a normal citizen or even a member of the Resistance who stole and put on a Stormtrooper's armour, just like Luke and Han Solo did. It was surprising to find out that the uniform belonged to Finn himself, who was indeed a Stormtrooper.

This is the first time in a "Star Wars" film that fans see a Stormtrooper from a non-two dimensional point of view - an Empire soldier with an actual backstory. On top of that, there are also slight changes to their weaponry and armour, making them look more sleeker in their reappearance in the First Order.

In the movie, Finn shares how he had become a Stormtrooper, sharing that he was taken and trained to be one. Prior to "The Force Awakens," Stormtroopers were not recruited, but created and cloned from a single fighter.

In "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" Finn, played by John Boyega, realises the wrong ways of the First Order, and attempts to escape and run away from the dark alliance. In his intents to escape, he finds it in him to join the Resistance when Rey is captured by Kylo Ren.

Another Stormtrooper who escapes the usually dull and blank characteristics is Captain Phasma, a Stormtrooper commander who is rumoured to be the Boba Fett of the third trilogy. Plasma is played by Gwendoline Christie, and will reportedly play a bigger role in the eight and ninth instalment of the "Star Wars" saga.

John Boyega will also be in the upcoming films. Though he is badly injured in the end, he makes it back to base and is attended by physicians so "Star Wars" fans will be seeing more of the rouge Stormtrooper turned Resistance fighter.

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