That's not the way that I remember it. From http://www.imsdb.com/scripts/Star-Wars-The-Force-Awakens.html: INT. STAR DESTROYER MAIN BRIDGE - DAY Captain Phasma and General Hux stand before a holographic projection detailing FN-2187's service records. CAPTAIN PHASMA FN-2187 reported to my division, was evaluated and sent to Reconditioning. GENERAL HUX No prior signs of non-conformity? CAPTAIN PHASMA This was his first offense. Nowhere is it said that he never showed up. Honestly, to me, that sounds like he went.
To me it sounds like she ordered him to go and just expected and assumed he would go. But our following of him to rescue Poe demonstrates that is not what he did. She had no reason to follow up at that point and just assumed he did as he was told.
Or: maybe they shared information and put that map together between them? We really don't have the full story yet either way.
Say, what? Not seeing him do a thing is different from seeing him not do it. The former happened, but not the latter. We did not see that he did not do it. For all we know, Finn went to reconditioning and then rescued Poe afterwards. That's especially so, because: We have no idea exactly how much time passes between when Phasma orders Finn to report to division and when Finn breaks Poe out, and, even if we did, we have no idea what reconditioning entails. However, it would seem to be an amount of time long enough for Rey to scavenge the Star Destroyer and scoot over to Niima Outpost, get some chow, go home to her AT-AT wreckage, eat, dream, and then rescue BB-8, and then for Poe to be interrogated by Kylo Ren (that happens too, in between, remember?), and for Rey to get back to Niima Outpost with BB-8. We're talking hours and hours, here, at the very least. So, what's Finn doing for all that time, if not getting reconditioned like Phasma thinks?
There are very few options of what happened during that time, there's also the fact that things in movies don't necessarily have to happen in the order the audience sees them happen. See: ESB Pick the option you like best. Unless it comes up in one of the other movies, it literally does not matter.
Right. After getting reconditioned, since if he actually reported to division how could he get out of that.... and in that case we're right back where we started.
But, that isn't the sequence of events. He reported to Phasma, and was then sent to reconditioning. Instead of going to reconditioning he deserted.
Yeah. Sure. Contrary to what's stated on screen, off screen in a span of time lasting hours. No way. That's just simply not believable. Suspension of disbelief has limits.
I'm quoting the line that was posted by you: He was evaluated at Phasma's division (a process that could take minutes or hours) and then Finn is ordered to Reconditioning. He never shown aberration before, so there seemed to be no concern of him disobeying that order. Not sure what I'm missing but I'm not seeing it the same way
Show me where it says he doesn't go to reconditioning. As far as I can tell, that's just an assumption people are making. Do I have to read the novelization to get that piece of information?
You're right, it is an assumption. One that I have had since the film opened up and haven't heard it contradicted. So, my interpretation.
And I still don't understand what the sticking point is here. You have to make lots of assumptions while watching movies and TV or reading books. It is why "unreliable narrator" is even a thing in fiction.
He was sent to the waiting room where he had hours to contemplate his situation. I once had to wait in a line for 6 hours just to confirm my address, medical info. And 3 or 4 hours to get a wisdom tooth pulled. I guess governments don't run on customer service. So FN-2187 walked in and signed the roster, noticing he was number 82 on the list. He sits down and reads a magazine. After 30 minutes he hears them call number 12. He could only put up with it so long... They didn't want to include this scene due to pacing issues.