Oscar Isaac and John Boyega in Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (2019)

J.J. Abrams Promises More Backstory for Finn & Poe. Hopefully, That Includes Kissing.

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Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker has a lot of work to do, and one of the things that director J.J. Abrams is putting on the table is an exploration of backstories: Finn’s past, Poe’s past, and some of the new characters that will play a role in the story. How long is this movie supposed to be, again?

The director explained during an interview with Vanity Fair that this installment in the Star Wars saga, the final one dealing with the Skywalker family, will need to feel like a conclusion, with answers:

[Finn’s history] is part of the story of this one. And it was alluded to in Episode VII, but there’s a bit more light shed on that in this one … I would say that each of the characters get more light shed on their histories. I’m not saying we get full, exhaustive downloads on all of their childhoods and every major step that got them to where they are. But there are a lot of questions about Finn’s past, about Poe’s past, obviously Rey and Kylo, and then some of the new characters we meet.

Abrams, who co-wrote the script with Argo writer Chris Terrio, continued on to say, “We went into this movie very much in the mindset that this has to be conclusive. It has to. You have to get some answers. You have to learn some things.”

I am absolutely stoked that we will be getting more story with Finn. As I’ve mentioned before, the character, played by John Boyega, was a huge reason why I was excited about the story of this sequel trilogy, and I want more of him. I don’t so much think it’s necessary to get more of his backstory—I mean, how much “backstory” did we have on Leia and Han until a lot of books later?—but I think the films have failed to make him, and Poe, feel essential to the Star Wars universe, and that would be great to rectify.

With the original trio (Luke, Han, Leia) and prequel trio (Anakin, Padmé, Obi-Wan Kenobi), it felt as if they were all necessary for the story that needed to be told. Even with Padmé not always getting her due as a character, she felt necessary to story. While I love them, the sequel series has failed to capture that feeling the same way with Finn and Poe as they have with Rey and Kylo Ren.

Plus, let’s be real: What people really want, as well, is for them to make Finnpoe happen. As a FinnRey/FinnPoe shipper, as long as Finn ends up with one of the two characters he actually has chemistry and history with, will it’ll be a win for me.

One of the biggest issues I had with The Last Jedi was that Finn was separated from the two people who love him and played a big role in his character journey in TFA, so let’s make sure the Space Gang (gang) gets to be together as this final saga comes to a close.

We know that John Boyega supports it.

Let it rise.

(via io9, image: LucasFilm/Disney)

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Princess Weekes
Princess (she/her-bisexual) is a Brooklyn born Megan Fox truther, who loves Sailor Moon, mythology, and diversity within sci-fi/fantasy. Still lives in Brooklyn with her over 500 Pokémon that she has Eevee trained into a mighty army. Team Zutara forever.