Captain Phasma is the side villain that features in The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi.
Arguably the Boba Fett of the third Star Wars trilogy, Phasma is played by Gwendoline Christie. Christie made a name for herself in Game of Thrones playing Brienne of Tarth, a strong female character that has echoes of Ellen Ripley from Alien.
The Force Awakens producers clearly wanted to capitalize on Christie's talent — and it worked. The moment the first images of Phasma were released, Star Wars fans adopted the character nearly as fast as they did BB-8.
Phasma was not only played by a strong woman but was one herself, actively shattering stereotypes about stormtroopers in the Star Wars movies and universe. Here are some facts and trivia about Captain Phasma.
Captain Phasma's Origin Story
Though she eventually became an officer of the First Order, Phasma knew nothing of the organization until a ship from one of its fleets crash-landed on her home planet.
Parnassos was a dangerous place to live, and growing up there gave her a unique set of survival skills. When Phasma finally left home and joined the Order, she did everything she could to make sure she was always one step ahead of her competitors and enemies.
Phasma Had a Unique Way of Eliminating Her Opponents
Many deadly things existed on Parnassos, including an insect unique to the world with the power to “eliminate” living things with one vicious bite.
Brendol Hux was one of a remaining few who knew who Phasma really was and where she came from. Fearing this knowledge would be her downfall, she made sure an “accidental” bite from one of these lethal beetles silenced the elder Hux for good.
J.J. Abrams Named Phasma After a Movie
How did Phasma get her name? Many Star Wars places and characters are named after real-world people and pieces of pop culture, and Captain Phasma is no exception.
The Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams named Phasma after work had already begun on her character design — her chrome armor in particular. It reminded him of the murderous silver ball in the film Phantasm.
How Phasma Got Her Armor
“Chrome Dome” didn't get her suit the traditional way a stormtrooper might. In fact, Phasma went to great lengths to make sure her armor looked nothing like her fellow troopers' attire.
In Delilah S. Dawson's 2017 novel Phasma, it was revealed that the title character crafter her armor from the leftover materials of one of Palpatine's yachts. The shimmering costume symbolized everything Phasma wanted to be: Powerful, respected, and feared.
The Secrets Behind Phasma's Costume Design
Phasma's armor was originally a concept meant for Kylo Ren. But as the story developed, things changed. Still, her costume as a whole was meant to resemble the original concept for Boba Fett.
Phasma wears a black cape with red trim, the colors of the First Order. But given the original idea for Fett was to have him wear a cape and poncho in the style of The Man With No Name from Clint Eastwood's Spaghetti Westerns, it's nice to see her attire honoring the classics while simultaneously breaking the (male-dominated) mold.
Phasma Wasn't Originally Female
Up until The Force Awakens, most stormtroopers portrayed in the Star Wars universe were men. A similar trend followed in the prequels when all clones were modeled after Jango Fett. Phasma broke this mold in more ways than one.
Originally intended to be played by a male actor, the fan response to the lack of female characters in the movie at the first cast announcement prompted a quick change in identity. As the part had not been cast, Christie was found to be the solution.
There's a Reason Phasma Has Multiple Weapons
In most of the sequel trilogy, Phasma used a blaster, the typical weapon of choice for troopers of the First Order. But her final battle against Finn in The Last Jedi showed her using a quicksilver baton instead. There's a reason for that.
Melee weapons were the primary form of offense and defense where Phasma grew up, making them her most proficient combat tool. As a last resort, she pulled that weapon in hopes she could win the fight and preserve her dignity.
Phasma's Full Face Has Never Been Revealed On-Screen
And it probably never will be. Phasma's armor and helmet symbolize the same faceless, ominous power of the First Order, and much of the character's identity is tied to her mystery. She doesn't want anyone to know who she is.
Finn breaking part of her helmet open in The Last Jedi stoked her ever-present fear that her past would catch up with her, and in a way, it did. While some believe she survived that deadly fall and might return someday, all canon signs point to that moment being her final attempt to grasp at a sense of control over her narrative.
This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.