Oscar Isaac Describes Poe and Leia's Bond in The Last Jedi
One of the first characters audiences met in The Force Awakens was Resistance pilot Poe Dameron, [...]
One of the first characters audiences met in The Force Awakens was Resistance pilot Poe Dameron, who aided Finn in his escape from the First Order but didn't appear again until later in the movie. Poe clearly developed a deep connection with Leia in the time since we first met him, a relationship actor Oscar Isaac assures will be explored in The Last Jedi.
"Poe's arc is one of evolving from a heroic soldier to a seasoned leader, to see beyond the single-mindedness of winning the battle to the larger picture of the future of the galaxy," Isaac explained of his character to Entertainment Weekly. "I think Leia knows she won't be around forever and she, with tough love, wants to push Poe to be more than the badass pilot, to temper his heroic impulses with wisdom and clarity."
One piece of information that makes Poe's journey all the more interesting is the behind-the-scenes stories that revealed his character wasn't supposed to survive after the first act. When an injury prevented Harrison Ford from appearing in certain scenes, Poe's fate was rewritten to keep the charismatic character in the picture.
An interesting reveal in The Force Awakens came from the discovery that Kylo Ren, the film's villain, was actually the son of Han and Leia, which left a hole in their family. Isaac admitted that Poe has potentially helped fill that void, if only temporarily.
"Poe is in some ways a surrogate son for Leia," Isaac detailed. "But also I think she sees in him the potential for a truly great leader of the Resistance and beyond."
Audiences will see exactly what their dynamic is when The Last Jedi hits theaters on December 15.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi is the second film in the new Star Wars sequel trilogy that began with Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 2015. The film will deal with Luke training Rey to become a, and possibly the last, Jedi. Meanwhile, the Resistance, including Poe Dameron and First Order defector Finn, continues to fight against the First Order, led by General Hux, while Supreme Leader Snoke and his Dark Side follower Kylo Ren continue their mysterious plot.
