The droid was an exception because his death was really well done
That was one of my nitpicks. Not that K2SO had a bad death, but that the Death Troopers did.
I didn't like that Cassian (essentially a stationary target) was able to outgun the Death Troopers (but not Krennic). It might have been more interesting if K2SO's ending gambit wasn't with a bunch of stormtroopers, but the Death Troopers. They essentially sacrifice each other. The Death Troopers went all Storm when it counted.
The Death Troopers were very interesting with their dialogue. It took me back to when I was a kid and wasn't sure if the Stormtroopers were human or alien under the mask.
but most of the other ones, I didn't really learn enough about them to get emotionally invested. I think Jyn was given a decent amount of backstory and worked, but compared to TFA where all the new characters were really good and the standouts of the film, R1 didn't deliver on the same level IMO.
I'm really not seeing this.
Finn was somebody that left the First Order because it was the right thing to do. Actually, he admitted he just needed a ride. But for some reason, Poe decided Finn (despite showing no reason to trust him, in fact the opposite) made him his best friend, told him where the vital map was, then abandoned him to finish up his mission .....
Rey admonishes Finn for running away (despite wanting to run back to Jakku herself) and then about 5 to 10 minutes later, runs away herself.
Kylo Ben - was Rey the X-Men Rogue, stealing his power as he went from awesome to chump. Unlike Vader that went evil in a misled attempt to protect his family, Rey went evil to spite it?
Finn doesn't want to go to SKB to stop it, but again, because he needed a ride to Rey. So I guess his character was to run unless he gets a chubby? Oh, and he screws everything up and is constantly lying.
Finn that could have had a redemptive death, somehow survives a spine severing lightsaber slash (the same lightsaber that killed Lor with one slash). Rey that took a saber shot to the head (and thensome). The same saber that beheaded Dooku.
Meanwhile Bodhi has to witness the rape of Jedha as an imperial Cargo pilot and decides he has to make amends. He isn't met with open arms, but, as somebody fighting the Empire would be, paranoia. Just awesome development. He isn't sure if he's going to save the day or be killed by his "new friends". His new friends aren't sure if he brings help or an assassination plot.
Gaelen - the prisoner scientist that will gladly die for his fellow scientists, but won't let his family die for him.
Krennic - the sociopath that will smile in your face and stab you in the back (surrounded by the same)
Chirrut - the Guardian of the Whills that lost his mission, but not his beliefs
Baze - the Han Solo that doesn't believe in that ancient religion, but believes in his friend. His Luke (or even his Chewbacca)
Saw - the rebel turned terrorist turned paranoid
Cassian - the rebel motivated by revenge that is willing to accept war for what it is
Jyn - the abandoned turned terrorist turned rebel motivated by family and then onto a larger cause
Vader - the future redemption without his reason to be redeemed revealed