He’s the best damn pilot in the galaxy – not this one, mind you, but Disney’s galaxy far, far away – and after spearheading the Resistance assault on Starkiller Base two years ago, it’s been revealed that by the time Star Wars: The Last Jedi opens in December, Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) will be “shining as a leader of a courageous flying battalion.”
Or at least, that’s what a translation of the official Japanese Star Wars site points to, as it’s given us some new character bios today, which outline what all the main players will be up to by the time Rian Johnson’s much anticipated sequel rolls into theatres. For Poe in particular, here’s what it said (and keep in mind that this is just a rough translation):
“Now that the conflict between the First Order and the Resistance has escalated into total war, Poe is shining as a leader of a courageous flying battalion. But while he is brave and a skilled pilot, both the First Order and the Resistance alike are starting to fear his dedication to the war effort.”
Though not the most juicy bit of information by any means, it is interesting to note that Poe’s dedication is so strong that it’s putting fear into even the Resistance. What this might lead to is unclear, but perhaps he’s about to get reckless and do something that’ll harm himself or some of his allies? Or maybe we’ll see him slip into a morally gray zone as he does whatever he deems necessary to defeat the First Order?
Really, it’s hard to say at this stage, but if one thing’s for certain, it’s that it sounds like the character will get an interesting arc in Episode VIII, one that should make his legion of fans very happy indeed. Especially since The Force Awakens didn’t give him a ton of depth and though Isaac did the best he could with the role, there’s certainly a lot more the writers can do with him in the sequel.
Said to be different, unexpected, and quite possibly the longest film in the franchise, Star Wars: The Last Jedi is shaping up to be something truly special, not least because it’ll herald Carrie Fisher’s final turn in the Skywalker saga. Her General Leia Organa will be fondly remembered, of course, just don’t get your hopes up for any form of CGI resurrection in the untitled Episode IX.
Looking further afield, that aforementioned film has since found a new director (J.J. Abrams) and release date (December 20th, 2019), placing it right alongside Warner’s Wonder Woman 2.