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J.J. Abrams Says No Finn/Poe Romance in Episode 9, Teases Other LGBTQ+ Star Wars Representation

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With two-thirds of the Star Wars sequel trilogy having now been released, it’s clear that the series up to this point has mirrored many of the plot beats of the original trilogy. From Starkiller Base’s Death Star similarities to Luke’s Yoda-like role in The Last Jedi, this is a series built on remix. However, one of the most enduring aspects of the sequel trilogy among the fandom has been the entirely original relationship between ex-stormtrooper Finn and Resistance pilot Poe Dameron.

With a unique angle built on the pair’s former cross-faction alliances, they share some of the most memorable exchanges in the series, such as Poe using Finn’s stormtrooper number to give him a proper name during their first meeting. This chemistry has sparked many a shipper to romantically pair the two, using hashtags like “FinnPoe” and “StormPilot” to catalog their fan art and speculation. Were Rise of Skywalker to make the couple official, it could carve a new path for itself by taking this fresh concept to its logical conclusion and breaking a boundary that the original trilogy did not.

However, speaking to Variety at a Rise of Skywalker press junket on December 3, J.J. Abrams seemingly denied the fan pairing’s canonicity, insinuating that the two have a strong friendship rather than a romantic bond. “The relationship to me is a far deeper one than a romantic one,” said Abrams. “It is a deep bond that these two have, not just because of the trial by fire in which they met, but also because of their willingness to be as intimate as they are, as afraid as they, as unsure as they are, and still be bold, and still be daring and brave.”

Admittedly, it’s (more than) possible for a romantic relationship to have all these feelings as well, and one could read Abrams words as still leaving room for the pairing. Though likely a flat “no,” expressed in a way that leaves Abrams with plausible deniability, it’s somewhat possible to read an implication that the two have romance AND more. However, Poe actor Oscar Issac later confirmed that a relationship between the duo is unlikely, expressing his disappointment in the decision to Variety.

“Personally, I kind of hoped and wished that maybe that would’ve been taken further in the other films, but I don’t have control. It seemed like a natural progression, but sadly enough it’s a time when people are too afraid.”

Finn actor John Boyega echoed Isaac’s disappointment, telling the outlet “They’ve always had a quite loving and open relationship in which it wouldn’t be too weird if we went beyond it. But at the same time, they are just platonic at the moment.”

When asked whether the film would feature any other LGBTQ+ representation, Abrams told Variety “In the case of the LGBTQ community, it was important to me that people who go to see this movie feel like they’re being represented in the film.” When pushed further, with Variety specifically asking if Rise of Skywalker will have a queer character, Abrams elaborated “I will say I’m giving away nothing about what happens in the movie. But I did just say what I just said.”

LGBTQ+ audiences and members of the #FinnPoe community have since responded to Abrams claims with skepticism, recalling similar promises being made before Avengers: Endgame, only to see a minor, unnamed character be the movie’s only explicitly queer representation.

Others, meanwhile, questioned the decision to avoid the pairing when both actors were on board and the studio had clear metrics on a receptive fanbase.

Abrams’ decision to tease a potential LGBTQ+ character like he might a plot point or a lore detail also calls to mind negative responses to the video game Overwatch pulling a similar marketing strategy, whether it be post-hoc retcons justifying a skin or treating basic representation like a special advertising treat as opposed to bare minimum due diligence.

Of note is Overwatch game director Jeff Kaplan’s quote about Pharah’s mixed-race heritage, where he states “All the hints are there, so we’ll see.” This echoes Abrams’ language about LGBTQ+ inclusion in its avoidance of an explicit yes or no, much to the ire of Native critics. Similarly, Overwatch’s insistence at launch that some of its characters were gay, yet refusal to confirm which ones, not only caused LGBTQ+ players to have to argue where, why, and how they were included in the game, but also had the unfortunate side effect of asking fans to stereotype the cast in order to “guess the gay.” With Abrams pulling similar “we’ll see” rhetoric here, Star Wars risks encouraging the same.

While Disney could conceivably continue Finn and Poe’s stories without their actors, both seem to be done with Star Wars for now, with Oscar Isaac and John Boyega both saying they would reject offers to do content for Disney+. For now, the #FinnPoe boundary remains uncrossed.



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