SPOILER ALERT: Mild spoilers ahead from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

When the Star Wars franchise began, there were just a few characters to keep track of. But since the Skywalker Saga has continued to grow for the past 40 years, you could fill an encyclopedia full of characters from the film (and they do!) In 2017’s The Last Jedi, Rian Johnson introduced a new character in Kelly Marie Tran’s Rose Tico. Yet, since the recent release of J.J. Abrams’ The Rise of Skywalker, fans have been asking, "Where’s Rose?"

Since the movie came out this weekend, fans are taking to Twitter to express their feelings on how the Resistance fighter was handled in the concluding chapter of the film. Check out this response:


Liz Hsiao Lan Alper
@LIZAlps
Sorry, I realize I didn't say this loud enough.

ROSE

TICO

DESERVES

BETTER. https://twitter.com/LizAlps/status/1208118741885603841 …

Embedded video
Liz Hsiao Lan Alper
@LIZAlps
Rose👏🏼Tico👏🏼deserves👏🏼better👏🏼

145
4:10 AM - Dec 21, 2019
Twitter Ads info and privacy
28 people are talking about this
After the previous film took some time to introduce her tragic backstory and had her and John Boyega’s Finn going on an important side mission, the character is reduced to the sidelines in Rise of Skywalker. It’s a choice members of the fandom are becoming critical of. Here’s what Laura Sirikul from The Nerds of Color had to say:


Laura
@lsirikul
· Dec 20, 2019
Now that the movie is out...

Kelly Marie Tran was robbed.

Rose Tico was robbed.

We were robbed of seeing our girl in action. #WheresRose #TheRiseOfSkywalker #StarWars

Embedded video

Laura
@lsirikul
Rose Tico made history as the first WOC lead in a #StarWars live action movie... And, she was reduced to a few lines. She could had easily joined the group on the adventure, but sure, make her a background character in #TheRiseOfSkywalker . 🙄

Embedded video
446
3:28 PM - Dec 20, 2019
Twitter Ads info and privacy
74 people are talking about this
Star Wars as a whole has had predominantly white characters, but the newer trilogy has definitely made a solid effort to change this and give fans more characters to see themselves in. That Twitter user points out how Rose Tico was the first woman of color to have a leading role in a Star Wars film, yet she’s completely in the background in Rise of Skywalker. Why didn’t she join Rey, Finn and Poe on their journey across the galaxy?

Jimmy Wong, who will actually play Ling in Disney’s upcoming live-action Mulan, also spoke out on social media about how "livid" he is about the lack of Rose Tico. In his words:


Jimmy Wong
✔
@jfwong
Real talk, brand new character Beaumont / Dominic Monaghan got to say more words than returning character Rose Tico / Kelly Marie Tran in #RiseOfTheSkywalker and I’m actually livid about it.

3,316
12:48 AM - Dec 21, 2019
Twitter Ads info and privacy
556 people are talking about this
Dominic Monaghan’s new character was introduced in Rise of Skywalker and often next to Rose Tico in shots, yet he was often the one to have something to say. It’s a massive downgrade after Kelly Marie Tran gave out quite a few memorable lines in The Last Jedi, including, “That's how we're gonna win, not fighting what we hate, but saving what we love.” ICONIC.

Another fan brought up how Rose Tico being sidelined is especially infuriating because she received a ton of harassment on social media that caused her to delete her accounts. The actress recently opened up about going to therapy following the backlash as well. Check it out:


luca / finnpoe is 🏳️*🌈 PERIOD + tros is lame
@mygayenergy
the way they did kelly marie tran's character dirty after all the backlash and racist harassment she received in tlj making her character, a main part of the cast to a mere extra with two lines is very sad... rose tico deserved better

View image on Twitter
205
6:39 PM - Dec 20, 2019
Twitter Ads info and privacy
47 people are talking about this
Another fan made a case as to why Rose Tico should have had a greater stake in the franchise with this tweet:


emma loves finnpoe✨ tros spoilers
@sapphictico
rose tico deserved to be a main character. she deserved to lead the fight against the ones who ruined her childhood. she deserved to avenge her sister. she deserved to get the recognition she owns for her devotion to the resistance.

View image on TwitterView image on TwitterView image on TwitterView image on Twitter
158
5:50 AM - Dec 21, 2019
Twitter Ads info and privacy
38 people are talking about this

Perhaps she’ll get a second chance on Disney+ show or spin-off movies one day? Amidst the Rose Tico talk, The Last Jedi’s writer/director Rian Johnson tweeted this, perhaps as a way to quietly support fans speaking out about Rose Tico. Check it:


Rian Johnson
✔
@Rianjohnson
👑

View image on Twitter
62.5K
3:05 AM - Dec 22, 2019
Twitter Ads info and privacy
9,225 people are talking about this

Check out our five Star Wars moments that prove J.J. Abrams and Rian Johnson were not on the same page during the making of the new trilogy. Leave a comment below about how you’d like to see Rose Tico continue her story in the Star Wars universe!