'Star Wars' Writer Explains Why Kelly Marie Tran Has Such Limited Screen Time In Latest Film, But Fans Aren't Convinced

**WARNING: potential spoilers to plot elements for Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker.

The newest installment in the Star Wars franchise, Rise of Skywalker, has divided fans.

While some believe the film was a fitting conclusion to the nine-part saga, others couldn't help but notice the continuity issues between the newest movie and its predecessor, the controversial Last Jedi.

One of the ways some fans believe Rise of Skywalker fell short was its treatment of Rose Tico, one of Last Jedi's most prominent characters and the only woman of color in the main cast. After playing an incredibly prominent role in Episode 8, Tico had less than two minutes of screen time in the conclusion of the saga.

Many felt Tran's role had been cut short because the filmmakers had given in to the online bullies who attacked her following Last Jedi's release. In an interview, director J.J. Abrams and writer Chris Terrio tried to address the inconsistency, but did little to quiet their critics.

The pair attempted to claim Tran's reduced screen time was due to Carrie Fisher's death.

Terrio told Awards Daily:

"Well, first of all, J.J. and I adore Kelly Marie Tran. One of the reasons that Rose has a few less scenes than we would like her to have has to do with the difficulty of using Carrie's footage in the way we wanted to."

Fans online couldn't believe the pair were pinning their decision on Fisher's passing.

If the writers had wanted Rose Tico in the movie, it wouldn't have been hard to find a place for her.

In response to the film's treatment of Tico, Twitter started the hashtag #RoseTicoDeservedBetter.

Though the minimizing of Tico's role was the most notable, people online felt many other characters had also been "corrected" out of Abram's vision for Star Wars.

What could POSSIBLY be the reason for Rose Tico being so thoroughly written out of the newest movie?

If there's one person who would hate what the filmmakers said about Tico, it's Fisher herself.

Will Rose Tico ever get justice?

It's uncertain. Only one thing is for sure: fans will continue to fight online about the newest Star Wars, every past Star Wars, and every Star Wars to come.

To see more of Kelly Marie Tran, Star Wars: The Last Jedi is available here.