Originally published on http://looseleafmagazine.ca/examining-representation-asian-heroes-last-jedis-rose-tico/.
This month, like millions of people across the globe, I eagerly headed to theatres to see Avengers: Infinity War and revel in the film’s kick-ass action and charismatic superheroes. Though I largely enjoyed my viewing experience, I left with a very familiar sadness that yet again, there was not one person onscreen who looked like me.
This latest Marvel instalment, practically devoid of Asian representation, is just one more example that highlights the rarity of Asian actors in Hollywood, particularly in popular action movies. We have never been the heroes in these stories – but with all this talk of diversity in cinema nowadays, is that on the way to changing?
The road to Asian superheroes does not look promising. In large part, this is due to the lack of source material to work with; Marvel comics did not feature many A-list Asian superheroes, therefore any character introduce lacks the advantage of nostalgia that many white heroes automatically come with. Amidst all of the action movies released over the past decade, only one semblance of an Asian hero stands out in my mind: Rose Tico (Kelly Marie Tran) from Star Wars’ latest film, The Last Jedi. As the Huffington Post reported, “Tran is the first woman of colour to play a leading role in a “Star Wars” movie” – and zooming in on both her character and her reception shows us the limits of accepting diversity in Hollywood blockbusters.
Despite any shortcomings in portrayal, it is still crucial to note the significance of such a casting in the Vietnamese community. Halfway across the world from Vietnam, in Toronto, leading up to the film’s release, my family talked about how special it was that not one but two Vietnamese actresses would get named roles. Though Veronica Ngo (or as my parents knew her as, the model Ngô Thanh Vân), who played Paige Tico, only had several minutes onscreen, it still meant so much to see an action hero who looked like me. Both actresses have also foregrounded their Vietnamese identities, wearing traditional áo dài to film promotions. Tran’s support of Vietnamese designers and make-up artists also demonstrate the ripple effect of making space for people of colour; just one big role can act as a launching point for the community.
Even acknowledging Tran’s importance, I must admit that I did not love Rose when I first saw the film. Certainly, she is no classic fighter hero like Princess Leia or Rey, but her mechanic background is not necessarily a negative trait, particular in light of her wits and strength. In fact, the lack of physical combat prowess makes Rose a rare hero not associated with Asian stereotypes like kung fu. Though the idea of one character representing an entire race and appealing to every audience is ludicrous, it is worth considering why this character did not draw viewers to her immediately.
At least in part, the film is complicit in this lackluster portrayal. Even fans of The Last Jedi will criticize the Canto Bight adventure, which ended in failure and led to few consequential results as far as we are currently aware. Rose and Finn, the two visible minorities in the movie and the leads of this side plot, do not get their time to shine; the very moment Finn says “you’re up” to Rose is the moment they are captured. Meanwhile, the larger leads of the series, Rey and Kylo Ren, receive much more adoration from fans. Though some may argue that this is purely a matter of preference, the film’s shunting of Rose and Finn to the sidelines certainly did not help.
However, it is impossible to deny that the backlash around Rose was more than just tinted in racism. The character was the butt of intense online harassment and racial slurs that resulted in her Wookiepedia page being indefinitely locked for editing and monitored. Additionally, a recurring pattern of body shaming has cropped up around the same racist criticism. This raises the question of whether Tran’s character would have been more accepted had she been shaped like a supermodel. The posts that compare her with skinnier Asian women in more-fitted and revealing clothing suggest that she would have been, which in turn suggests how many people continue to view Asian women as mere objects. Hour-long YouTube videos of disgruntled fans unboxing unsold Rose Tico toys and action figures as a joke further contribute to this idea.
For all the talk of diversity, huge numbers of people continue to resist inclusion of characters like Rose in outright racist ways and have even petitioned for her removal from the Star Wars canon. Despite not being Rose’s biggest fan, I will never argue against her role in this universe. White people need to use their privilege to help create spaces for characters of colour – even if they potentially fall flat in their stories for some audiences. The path to strong white characters is littered with bad ones – though Rose is certainly not a bad character – but only when we keep trying to include more people of colour can that scale be balanced.