Does a new Star Wars book reveal who mysterious stormtrooper TR-8R really is?

Fans are pretty sure they've figured out the identity of the internet's favourite stormtrooper

Sarah Doran

Published: Tuesday, 5 January 2016 at 2:00 pm

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If you've seen The Force Awakens, or even a trailer for the film, you'll know the latest Star Wars offering features a stormtrooper who's fairly nifty with a big 'ol electrical sword/blaster/baton thing.

The mysterious fighter has been named TR-8R by a new and fervent group of followers online, because he's the one who calls stormtrooper turned "good guy" Finn a traitor in the film before launching an attack on him with his giant weapon. It's actually called a Z6 Riot Control Baton, according to the Force Awakens Visual Dictionary.

Anyway, TR-8R is an interesting individual because it seems he's got some sort of link to Finn. Unless The First Order is telling all its stormtroopers that there was a rebel in their ranks, it would appear TR-8R cares enough about the young man's defection to launch a really quite personal attack on him.

But why? Why would he care? Well, fans and Slashfilm both say the answer might lie in Star Wars book Before The Awakening, which follows the origins of Rey, Finn and Poe Dameron in the lead up to Episode VII.

In the book we learn that Finn's stormtrooper training squad also featured characters called FN-2199 "Nines", FN-2000 "Zero", and FN-2003 "Slip." Now the Visual Dictionary says Slip is the stormtrooper who *SPOILER ALERT* dies at the beginning of the movie, leaving a smear of blood on Finn's helmet and helping him decide to leave the First Order once and for all.

That considered, they're now arguing that TR-8R could well be FN-2199 Nines, or FN-2000 Zero. And it would certainly explain why Finn's defection hit him so badly.

Either way, it's safe to say the fallen trooper (yes, he dies on Takodana) has become the unsung hero of Episode VII.