Star Wars Episode IX set photos: 3 questions we have

Now that the first unofficial look at Star Wars Episode IX’s production has arrived, it’s time to ask some larger questions about what it means.

In the grand scheme of things, it’s probably surprising that it took this long for someone to publish photos of Star Wars Episode IX production not taken by members of the cast or crew. We’re nearing the end of August, after all. But The Sun was finally on the case, snapping photos of Oscar Isaac and John Boyega that have already made the rounds on Twitter.

We’re not here to gush over how good they look in their costumes as Poe Dameron and Finn, respectively, although we’re not not going to point it out, either. Instead, we’re here to ask some important questions that still need answering. These blurry photos are only worth so much, after all.

Time to break out your conspiracy theories and your wishes for Episode IX.

Where’s Rose?

Poe and Finn spent a lot of time together in The Force Awakens, before The Last Jedi saw them separated. Finn then got to pair up with Rose in The Last Jedi, and they have a bit of a romantic connection going on.

The presence of Chewbacca suggests that Rey might not be far behind, but there’s no hint of Rose anywhere in these photos. Will she get a new mission from someone else and enjoy her own solo adventure, or otherwise bring some new characters into the mix? Or is she just not needed for these scenes, and she’ll make an appearance later?

Poe Dameron, what are you even wearing?

Poe’s look honestly doesn’t seem like it’d be out of place in Indiana Jones. (You’re welcome for the thought of Oscar Isaac as everyone’s favorite fictional archaeologist.) It’s well-suited to the grassy environment, but it doesn’t look like it’d be comfortable for piloting at all.

It does look conveniently comfortable for riding the not-horses also seen in the images, though; the animals seem like they’ll likely get a little CGI magic to improve the shaggy furs that they already have on. Either way, Poe’s equipped for some fieldwork, pun intended.

How does Chewbacca know these people?

The Sun‘s report indicates that everyone but Finn and Poe “walked up to the top of the hill to meet Chewbacca,” perhaps indicating that Chewie is the first point of contact for whatever group the Resistance may want to meet with. This could be a possible link to, say, Enfys Nest’s old Cloud Riders group, thus linking Solo and Episode IX together pretty explicitly. Though the costumes aren’t extremely similar, it’s been a long time since Solo in-universe; there’s definitely an opportunity for change there.

Alternatively, it could just be a group of smugglers that Chewie and Han ran with at some point in time.

With that, we’ll turn it over to you. What do you need to know after these photos?