Captain Phasma
Captain Phasma | |
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Parnassos |
Captain Phasma is a
Concept and creation
The character's creation was inspired by a rejected design for Kylo Ren.[4] Costume designer Michael Kaplan came up with the concept of Kylo being "the Lord of the Stormtroopers, in bright shining silver armor".[5] Kaplan had a strong image in his head of what this concept should look like, which concept artist Dermot Power turned into an illustration.[5] This image, however, was immediately rejected by director J. J. Abrams. Later, producer Kathleen Kennedy found the design, reacting positively and calling it "fantastic".[5] Abrams then used the design to create a new character, Phasma.[5] He named Phasma after the 1979 horror film Phantasm because her armor reminded him of the film's spheres.[4][6] Kaplan intended for the visuals of the First Order to contrast with that of the Resistance, appearing in colors like "black, teal blue, and steel gray", with stormtroopers being updated to be more simplified and modernized. Kaplan designed the character believing it would be "extremely cool" to have a silver armored character in the film.[7]
The character was not originally conceived as a woman, but rather was changed from male to female during casting, less than three weeks before principal shooting began.
Actress Gwendoline Christie, who had previously played Brienne of Tarth in Game of Thrones, was first officially confirmed as Captain Phasma in a Vanity Fair spread released May 4, 2015,[11] following its leak.[12] Christie fought heavily to appear in the film, continually insisting her agent get her a part in it.[13] Christie was not aware that the character was originally a man.[8] Christie took inspiration from her armor—"it's very high-functioning, it's very imposing and it's not malleable at all"—in how to play the character. In playing Phasma, Christie felt encouraged to experiment more with the gesture of a character.[9][14]
Her initial costume, used in The Force Awakens, had to be created over a period of "four or five days"; co-costume designer Dave Crossman described its physical creation as "a complete panic".[15] It took Christie roughly forty-five minutes to put on.[16] A new suit was created for The Last Jedi, with various tweaks. Its helmet was re-chromed, the fit was altered, and the armor was made "much cleaner and shinier."[15]
Character
The commander of the First Order's stormtroopers, Captain Phasma is described as a "tough veteran commander" and one of a "commanding triumvirate" of the First Order alongside Kylo Ren and General Hux.[17] Christie compared Phasma to Boba Fett in the sense of being a character who, while not "at the forefront of the action all the time", still has "a lot of impact".[9][18] The actress called the character "a malevolent force" who takes pleasure in her cruelty, something she attributed to a perceived difficult journey to becoming the only female stormtrooper of rank.[16] To contrast with other stormtroopers in the franchise, Christie portrayed Phasma with both some femininity and sassiness.[16] Glen Robert Gill, writing for Bright Lights Film Journal, saw Phasma as "the demonic or negative emanation of the maidenly anima".[19]
Phasma is depicted wearing salvaged chromium armor,[17] which in The Force Awakens' visual dictionary is established as coming from a Naboo yacht once owned by Palpatine.[20] It is said to serve "primarily as a symbol of past power".[20] Christie recognised the character's helmet as both being futuristic and having medieval elements.[16] Chris Laverty, creator of costume analysis site Clothes on Film, called her armor "probably the most regal costume" in The Force Awakens, and noted it as a reflection of her status. He also felt her cloak, "elegantly slung over one shoulder", was a method of humanizing the character.[21] In-universe, the cloak is the "traditional cape of First Order command".[20] Gill felt her armor called to mind mirrors, symbols of "self-reflection and self-examination", the feelings she brings in Finn when she inadvertently helps inspire him to defect.[19]
Appearances
Film
The Force Awakens (2015)
The second trailer for the 2015 film
The Last Jedi (2017)
Phasma appears in
In a deleted scene, the battle with Phasma and her fate are significantly different: She and four stormtroopers manage to surround Finn, who taunts Phasma about her compliance to his demands in The Force Awakens. Before the stormtroopers can turn on her, Phasma kills all of them and then prepares to attack Finn, but he manages to cut her hand off and blasts her into the ship's wreckage.
The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson said that Phasma's limited supporting role in the film was due to time constraints and an already large cast of characters, and indicated that there were no other plans for Phasma in the films.[22] Though Phasma's fate was left unknown and the possibility of her returning in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker was hinted, John Boyega officially confirmed at the Episode IX panel, during Celebration Chicago, that Phasma had indeed died in The Last Jedi.[23]
Television
Phasma appears in the 2018 animated series Star Wars Resistance, voiced by Gwendoline Christie.[24][25]
Literature
In the lead-up to The Last Jedi's release, Phasma's backstory was explored in Star Wars: Phasma, a novel by Delilah S. Dawson. Though Phasma's origins and character are discussed, the novel is not told from Phasma's perspective.[26][27]
Comics
A four-part comic miniseries, Star Wars: Captain Phasma, was announced in April 2017 as part of the
Other media
The Lego Star Wars version of Phasma also appears in the 2016 short form animated series Lego Star Wars: The Resistance Rises.[33][34][35][36] She is also a playable character and boss in the Lego adaptations of The Force Awakens and The Skywalker Saga.
Merchandise
As part of the lead-up to the film, Disney released a wave of Star Wars toys on 2015's "Force Friday". One such toy was a Phasma voice-changing mask, which contained the first dialogue heard by the public.[37] Other items included a costume for children as well as action figures.[38]
Reception
Phasma received attention before release. Before her name was confirmed, Phasma had been dubbed "the Chrometrooper" by fans.
Upon The Force Awakens' release, criticism fell on the character's minimal role in the film.
Merchandise featuring the character proved popular. David Betancourt of
References
- ^ Randy Evans [@killat0n_] (December 7, 2017). "And yes, that is @lovegwendoline and @JohnBoyega doing the VO :)" (Tweet). Retrieved December 8, 2017 – via Twitter.
- ^ Ellen Dubin [@EllenDubinActor] (March 17, 2016). "In case you heard a familiar voice, I am #CaptainPhasma in #StarWarsTheResistanceRises on @DisneyXD" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ a b Jones, Paul (January 16, 2015). "Bestselling Star Wars Force Awakens action figure is a female character - but where's Rey?". Radio Times. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
- ^ a b Breznican, Anthony (November 11, 2015). "Star Wars: The Force Awakens: An Exclusive EW Gallery of New Photos". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on November 22, 2015. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
- ^ a b c d Laverty, Christopher (January 22, 2016). "Star Wars: Interview with Michael Kaplan". Clothes on Film. Archived from the original on January 27, 2016. Retrieved January 26, 2016.
- ^ Breznican, Anthony (August 12, 2015). "Star Wars: The Force Awakens: J.J. Abrams explains what's in a name". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on August 22, 2015. Retrieved December 22, 2015.
- ^ Smith, C. Molly (December 22, 2015). "Star Wars Costume Designer Breaks Down The Force Awakens". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on December 24, 2015. Retrieved December 24, 2015.
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- ^ a b c d Woerner, Meredith (December 4, 2015). "The women of Star Wars speak out about their new Empire". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 22, 2018. Retrieved December 22, 2015.
- ^ a b Polo, Susana (December 16, 2015). "Even if The Force Awakens sucks, it's made one big diverse achievement for Hollywood". Polygon. Archived from the original on December 25, 2015. Retrieved December 24, 2015.
- ^ a b Robinson, Joanna (May 4, 2015). "First Official Look at Game of Thrones Star Gwendoline Christie in Star Wars: The Force Awakens". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on December 31, 2015. Retrieved December 22, 2015.
- ^ Petty, Jared (May 4, 2015). "Game of Thrones' Gwendoline Christie Revealed as Star Wars' Chrome Trooper Captain Phasma". IGN. Archived from the original on December 7, 2019. Retrieved December 22, 2015.
- ^ Dockterman, Eliana (November 30, 2015). "How Gwendoline Christie Fought for a Role in Star Wars". Time. Archived from the original on January 2, 2016. Retrieved December 22, 2015.
- ^ Truitt, Brian (December 21, 2015). "Captain Phasma: So cool she rules in Star Wars". USA Today. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved December 22, 2015.
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- ^ a b Gill, Glen (January 10, 2016). "Star Wars: The Force Awakens: An Archetypal Review". Bright Lights Film Journal. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
- ^ ISBN 978-1465438164.
- ^ Laverty, Christopher (December 21, 2015). "Star Wars Episode VII: The Costumes Awaken". Clothes on Film. Archived from the original on January 25, 2016. Retrieved January 26, 2016.
- ^ Bibbiani, William (December 21, 2017). "Why Wasn't Captain Phasma in Star Wars: The Last Jedi More?". IGN. Archived from the original on December 28, 2017. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
- ^ Mueller, Matthew (April 12, 2019). "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: John Boyega Confirms Captain Phasma Is Dead". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on April 12, 2019. Retrieved April 13, 2019.
- ^ "New Star Wars animated series will give us more Poe and Phasma". Polygon. Archived from the original on July 8, 2018. Retrieved July 7, 2018.
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- ^ Liptak, Andrew (September 1, 2017). "A new Star Wars novel traces the mysterious origins of Captain Phasma". The Verge. Archived from the original on September 2, 2017. Retrieved September 2, 2017.
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- ^ Brooks, Dan (April 14, 2017). "SWCO 2017: Marvel reveals Captain Phasma miniseries bridging The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi – Exclusive". StarWars.com. Archived from the original on July 29, 2020. Retrieved July 9, 2018.
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- ^ Brooks, Dan (April 14, 2017). "SWCO 2017: Marvel Reveals Captain Phasma Miniseries Bridging The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi". StarWars.com. Archived from the original on August 7, 2017. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
- ^ Keithly, Dennis (2017). "Captain Phasma rallies the Lupr'or for an assault in Captain Phasma #3". Retrozap. Archived from the original on August 14, 2022. Retrieved July 9, 2018.
- ^ Shedeen, Jesse (September 6, 2017). "Journey to Star Wars: The Last Jedi - Captain Phasma #1 Review". IGN. Archived from the original on November 15, 2019. Retrieved July 9, 2018.
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- ^ a b Betancourt, David (December 23, 2015). "Captain Phasma's Star Wars role is limited, but her toy-shelf appeal sure isn't". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on December 24, 2015. Retrieved December 24, 2015.
- ^ Petty, Jared (April 16, 2015). "Star Wars: The Force Awakens Trailer Analysis". IGN. Archived from the original on January 15, 2023. Retrieved December 22, 2015.
- ^ a b Orange, B. Alan (December 16, 2014). "New Star Wars 7 Character Name Revealed". MovieWeb. Archived from the original on February 7, 2016. Retrieved January 30, 2016.
- ^ "Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Is Captain Phasma the Next Boba Fett or Darth Maul?". Keepin' It Reel. IGN. May 8, 2015. Archived from the original on January 15, 2023. Retrieved December 22, 2015.
- ^ Foutch, Haleigh (August 15, 2015). "Star Wars: J.J. Abrams Talks Captain Phasma, Colin Trevorrow, and More at D23". Collider. Archived from the original on April 12, 2016. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
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- ^ Keveney, Bill (May 7, 2019). "Gwendoline Christie plays best of warriors in Game of Thrones, but worst in Star Wars". USA Today. Archived from the original on May 7, 2019. Retrieved May 10, 2019.
External links
- Captain Phasma in the StarWars.com Databank
- Phasma on Wookieepedia, a Star Wars wiki
- Captain Phasma on IMDb