Is Poe Dameron leading the Resistance in the next Star Wars film, The Last Jedi? An interview with Rian Johnson suggests so.
It is well-known by now that JJ Abrams initially intended to kill Poe Dameron off in The Force Awakens. But thankfully, thanks to Oscar Isaac’s urging, he did not, leaving alive one of Star Wars‘ most beloved new characters and giving us one more person to worry about as The Last Jedi approaches.
Rian Johnson’s latest remarks about him have not been overly reassuring, though we can at least infer that the character is going to be sticking around for some time to come (unless it’s misdirection, in which case, we’re coming for you Johnson!)
In fact, it looks like Poe Dameron might be getting a promotion. When asked if General Leia saw Poe Dameron as the future leader of the Resistance, Johnson told USA Today, “Yeah, I think so. He’s also got some growing to do. Poe’s got to grow. She definitely saw that potential in him and in The Last Jedi, we dig into that more. We’ve seen how heroic he is and now we’re going to see him challenged in terms of stepping up to the next level. It takes more than heroics to be a leader, or so I’m told.”
Poe’s possible promotion is perhaps not unexpected in the wake of the tragic loss of Carrie Fisher last year. Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy has said that Leia was supposed to play a much larger role in the conclusion of the trilogy, but with it as yet unclear what’s going to happen now, her most trusted lieutenant Poe looks best placed to try and fill those most iconic of General’s shoes.
And with the latest trailer showing us Poe talking about burning the First Order down, could this be the moment he steps up? Is he addressing his troops?
A decisive leader?
Perhaps the more pertinent question is, can he handle the pressure?
We’ve known from Leia’s first appearances onscreen that being in the Resistance requires some tough choices, her own resulting in the destruction of her home planet Alderaan.
But will Poe be able to handle these? Whilst he might have been content to follow orders as the hotshot pilot and leader of Black Squadron, actually making the big decisions is a whole other kettle of fish.
Trouble on D’Qar?
We do know, however, that Poe and Leia aren’t necessarily going to see eye-to-eye in The Last Jedi. “We did this scene where Carrie has to slap me,” Oscar Isaac told Vanity Fair in the summer. “I think we did 27 takes in all, and Carrie leaned into it every time, man. She loved hitting me. Rian found such a wonderful way of working with her, and I think she really relished it.”
So could it be that Poe Dameron is actually challenging his beloved leader? In any case, it seems Leia thinks he is overstepping his mark. He might be her most trusted colleague, but perhaps something happens to prove he isn’t quite as ready for leadership as she hoped.
Related Story: The Last Jedi: A brief look at something new
But with Finn and Rey elsewhere, at least in the trailer, one thing’s for sure: Poe’s got a journey of his own to follow. We’re with him every step of the way.