crosspost: on Jyn hate [Dec 2016]

[anghraine]

...the date on this one is a bit depressing. Anyway, this originated as a response to someone else, but I think it makes some degree of sense by itself.

The idea that Jyn’s reaction to THE DEATH OF HER FATHER is ~bitchy~ is horrifying. And the thing is? You don’t have to actually agree with what Jyn says (I find the whole fight somewhat forced tbh) to acknowledge that her feelings are valid. She was being used, yet again, by the Rebellion. She did just lose her father to the Rebellion, and she can’t know that Cassian tried to call off the attack. Jyn’s family has been collateral damage of the war for her entire life. She has every right to be furious about that.

It’s also perfectly natural that a girl left scrabbling to survive at the hands of both Imperials and rebels would be focused more on, y’know, survival than on the crusade. Could she have joined the Rebellion instead? Probably. But why should she? What reason does she have to even trust them, much less commit herself to their abstract ideals? 

The comparison to Luke is entirely accurate IMO. Without being much like him temperamentally, his motivation is overwhelmingly personal at all points. He is also an idealist, inspired and kickstarted by Leia’s larger vision, but his initial response is literally that it’s all so far away and he has to look after his own. (Hm, who does that sound like?) There is no point where looking after his own isn’t uppermost in his mind.

That’s not even getting to Han, who is even closer archetypically (iirc the filmmakers have said more than once that he was a major inspiration for Jyn). He’s a self-interested but good-natured professional scoundrel, like Jyn. He goes from “not my monkeys, not my circus” to risking himself in the war for Luke and Leia’s sakes to what seems real investment in the cause. Again, like Jyn. He’s also deeply dismissive of Leia (who is nowhere near as ambiguous a figure as Cassian) and her consuming dedication—not just once (Jyn goes from JUST WORDS!! to passionately quoting Cassian in maybe a few weeks) but repeatedly. But Han is an ultimate fan favourite, and Jyn is bitchy?

But, that aside? Jyn’s father just died in her arms. Her grief and anger would be completely understandable even if Cassian were pure as new snow (which wtf). He’s the literal and figurative representative of the Rebellion, and she’s still shocked and grief-stricken and lashing out. Even if she’s wrong, the person who should be understanding there is Cassian, who is not dealing with an immediate trauma. God.

Comments

[tenaciouspsyche]

I think part of the Jyn hate is that we as a society aren't used to seeing women actually angry in media. A woman who shows anger is seen as "emotional", "crazy", etc. Plus, Jyn rarely smiles much, which I love, but also am not used to seeing, again probably because a non smiling woman is considered bitchy.

[anghraine]

Hmm, I think we do see women as angry, but it's often portrayed as trivial, irrational, disproportionate etc. What I do find exceptional about Jyn's is that she's never made to apologize for it. Even when she's at least partly wrong, she's not humbled. And I think there is this urge to see women being humbled for her anger that is entirely absent in Jyn's arc.

[tenaciouspsyche]

Exactly! I think that's part of the reason why I like the movie so much.