Rey as the central female lead continues from the prior film without major subversion, but Admiral Holdo's leadership and refusal to communicate with Poe Dameron is widely interpreted as a feminist rebuke to male authority and 'mansplaining,' while Rose Tico's subplot with Finn delivers a lecture on fighting for ideals over personal gain, emphasizing anti-capitalist sentiments via the Canto Bight casino critique. Poe's arc punishes his aggressive, traditionally masculine command style, forcing humility under female superiors, which many viewers flagged as an overt critique of toxic masculinity.

Diverse casting with John Boyega as Finn, Oscar Isaac as Poe, and Lupita Nyong'o as Maz Kanata feels organic for new sequel trilogy characters rather than forced changes to established icons like Luke Skywalker, though Finn's sidelining drew criticism from Boyega himself. Luke's disillusioned portrayal subverts the heroic Jedi myth, rejecting institutional traditions in favor of individual failure and renewal, aligning with progressive deconstructions of legacy norms.

Rian Johnson emphasized subverting fan expectations rather than explicit DEI activism, but massive audience backlash labeled the film 'woke,' citing these elements as prioritizing messaging over coherent storytelling, contributing to divided reception (high critic scores, low audience scores) and the 'go woke go broke' narrative for Disney's Star Wars era. These intrusions disrupt traditional heroism and fan service without collapsing the core narrative if removed.