fictionadventurer:

The people who say that the Rose and Finn plotline was pointless are wrong, because that plotline–and Rose herself–are the thematic heart of the film.

When Rose arrives in Canto Bight, she tells Finn about the evil that thrives there, and how she wants to put a fist through the whole place. Leading a herd of fathiers through all the buildings does just that. And Finn says that this made their mission worthwhile, because it was a blow against the evil financiers that would “make them hurt.”

Only it won’t, really. A whole city full of unimaginably wealthy people? A few wrecked buildings aren’t going to affect them. They might have to give up a few drinks, maybe sell a piece of jewelry or two, and they’ll rebuild and live the same empty, evil lives as before. Rose and Finn have struck a blow against the evil forces, but it’s done no good.

Then, later, the conversation with the hacker questions Rose and Finn’s definition of evil. The supposedly evil financiers made just as much money selling weapons to the Resistance. Taking sides in the conflict is pointless, the hacker argues. They’re both the same, using violence and weapons to push their cause.
(“You blow them up today, they blow you up tomorrow.”)

In this framework, “good” and “evil” really only mean “on our side” or “not on our side”. So destroying evil–acting out of revenge or righteous indignation? It’s just destruction. It’s nowhere near synonymous with doing good.

Which is why Rose’s actions before leaving Canto Bight are so important. After wrecking the city she so desperately wanted to destroy, Rose unsaddles their fathier, sets it free, and proclaims that this is what made their mission worthwhile. The woman who wanted to destroy the city now realizes what an empty gesture it was. Making an evil person’s life miserable adds nothing good to the universe. Giving freedom to an innocent–acting out of compassion and kindness–that’s what really makes the universe better.

And that’s why Rose is the one to deliver the film’s core message. “We won’t win by fighting the things we hate, but by saving those we love”. Fighting can be necessary when you’re resisting an aggressive evil, but it’s important to keep your priorities straight. You can’t act out of anger or hatred, wanting to get revenge or “make them hurt.” You need to act out of love. You need to make compassion more important than destruction. Because the opposite of being evil isn’t fighting evil. The opposite of being evil is doing good.