The Last Jedi: 15 things we know about the new Star Wars movie

14. Who is Rose Tico?

The most relatable character in Star Wars canon up until now is probably Anakin Skywalker: human disaster, pre-turn to the Dark Side. He’s right, sand IS irritating.

But step aside Ani, there’s a new #goal in town. We were introduced to Rose in April at Star Wars Celebration and we’ve pretty much been in love ever since.

Played by newcomer Kelly Marie Tran, Rose Tico is a maintenance worker in the Resistance. As CinemaBlend point out, this has clear parallels with Finn’s background as a sanitation worker for the First Order, before he became a Big Deal. 

Tico seems unaware of the ex-Stormtrooper’s start in life and is said to be a big fan of Finn and Poe in particular. According to Tran, she is going to be starstruck by these Resistance legends. A million fans across the world just said “same” in unison.

“When Rose first meets Finn, that’s how she views him,” Tran told Entertainment Weekly. “He is ‘a big deal.’”

John Boyega, who plays Finn, also notes his character’s newfound hero status. “Everyone in the space, throughout the galaxy, would have heard about the young Jedi who discovered her powers and defeated Kylo Ren and the young former Stormtrooper who helped save the day. He’s a hero to people like Rose, who fight for the Resistance because their homes have been destroyed by the First Order.”

Indeed, Rose’s sister is a pilot in the Resistance, so she really has a lot invested in the cause.

What’s more, her role is inspired by the great Luke Skywalker himself. Speaking at Star Wars Celebration, Johnson said “One of the things as a kid in Colorado watching these movies, watching Luke Skywalker get pulled out of wherever he is and be this unlikely hero; the notion that an of us could step up and turn into a hero. That’s really where the character of Rose comes from.”

Tran’s casting itself is one of the most exciting, as we’ve seen so few women in the Star Wars universe, much less women of color. Rose could easily, and arguably already has, become a fan favorite, and with comparisons to Luke, it’s fair to say we can expect great things.

At the very least, Tran makes a mean Porg costume. That makes her a hero in our book.