This past Friday was Force Friday, when Star Wars fans were encouraged to spend dollars and/or credits on Star Wars merchandise. In that sense, it’s like literally every other day of the year. But what makes Force Friday extra-wallet draining is that it features the debut of brand-new product for, in the case of this year’s event, upcoming Star Wars projects, including Disney+ live-action series The Mandalorian, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order video game, and The Rise of Skywalker. There’s Rey toys, and Poe shirts, and Kylo Ren high-waisted pants, and frozen pizzas topped with porgs. Basically everything and anything a Star Wars devotee could want, unless you like Rose.
As pointed out by Jenny Nicholson, there is a conspicuous lack of Skywalker merchandise featuring Rose Tico, played by Kelly Marrie Tran. “I remember #WheresRey around the first Force Friday, but what makes #WheresRose more insidious is all the evidence of where she was designed into merch and then willfully removed. The fan conduct toward Rose/KMT was shameful and catering to those fans sends the worst message,” she tweeted, referring to the harassment Tran — the first woman of color to land a leading role in Star Wars — faced from the wretched hive of scum and villainy known as Twitter. She eventually deleted her social media accounts.
Nicholson has the receipts.
I remember #WheresRey around the first Force Friday, but what makes #WheresRose more insidious is all the evidence of where she was designed into merch and then willfully removed. The fan conduct toward Rose/KMT was shameful and catering to those fans sends the worst message pic.twitter.com/D85iLBghos
— Jenny Nicholson (@JennyENicholson) October 4, 2019
Another example: artist's original posted to his twitter, vs the version going on the Topps card pic.twitter.com/ZHRC4roSzQ
— Jenny Nicholson (@JennyENicholson) October 4, 2019
The version of the movie poster featuring Rose from leaked merch designs, vs the version of the poster ultimately going on shirts, trading cards, and tote bags pic.twitter.com/Av4RZqpUvJ
— Jenny Nicholson (@JennyENicholson) October 4, 2019
While it’s possible that Rose merchandise undersold for The Last Jedi (although I can’t imagine that her Funko sold worse than generic First Order Stormtrooper will), it’s curious that she was removed from “the GROUP artwork on something [as] innocuous as a tote bag,” as Nicholson pointed out. Other fans have noticed her absence, too.
https://twitter.com/jakkugerblin/status/1177003676814192640
Hi, @starwars
Just letting you know that I won't be buying any of the new shirts from which Rose Tico was purposefully cut out. You're giving in to the racists and sexists that harassed Kelly Marie Tran and I couldn't be more disappointed. #wheresrose pic.twitter.com/QlCiu48GW4— daisy (@koska_reeves) October 4, 2019
i spent my childhood being told i couldn't be any of the star wars characters when we played bc none of them looked like me. this character means a lot to fans both young and old. so tell me #WheresRose ?? @starwars
— GREY 🩶 (@xianzigrey) October 4, 2019
Where’s Rose? Hopefully we find out soon.
(Via Nerdist)
