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Poe Dameron

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I know you want to brush aside L'ulo's death and just shove on to the next mission. Everything's easy for Poe Dameron, right? No reason to dwell. But sometimes, flyboy, you need to take a minute.
— Leia Organa, to Poe Dameron[17]

Poe Dameron was a former New Republic officer and starfighter pilot. Disillusioned, he joined the Resistance, where he became Leia Organa's right hand man and eventual successor.[2][5]

Biography[]

Note: Poe Dameron's biography conflicts between different sources, especially once we get into the sequel trilogy timeframe, such as clashes between film novelizations compared to multiple comic book series.

Child of the Rebellion[]

Poe Dameron
There's nothing for me here, okay? I don’t want to be a farmer. I don’t want to live with Dad, or tend to the land, or spend my days in quiet introspection, you know? I want to see what’s out there. I want to do something. Something that matters. I want to fly and explore, like—
L'ulo L'ampar
Like Shara. I know, kid. I know,
Poe Dameron
Why doesn't he get that, L'ulo? Why can't he just let me go?
L'ulo L'ampar
Can you blame him? You're all he has.
Poe Dameron
And he's all I have. But what does Dad expect? That I'll just be here, sitting with him, forever?
L'ulo L'ampar
Doubt he's thought it through to that degree. But he wants to protect you.
Poe Dameron
He doesn't want me to die like Mom did. In space. Alone.
L'ulo L'ampar
Right.
Poe Dameron
But I won't. I can fly. She taught me. You helped. You know I can do it. I'm good.
— Teenage Poe and uncle figure L'ulo, eight years after Shara Bey's death[18]

In 2 ABY:[9] Poe was born on the tenth day of the fifth month[7][8] on Yavin IV[9] to Rebel pilots Kes Dameron and Shara Bey.[19] He was left in the care of Shara's biological father, on an unknown planet, to keep hidden from the Empire while they continued to fight.[20] Little is known of the formative years of Poe's life.

In the months after the Battle of Endor, L'ulo L'ampar submitted Shara's paperwork to resign from active duty after Kes had submitted his own,[21] and the two settled near Wetyin's Colony on Yavin IV,[10] planting a Uneti tree—imbued with the Force and given to them by Luke Skywalker—near their property.[21]

Despite her resignation, Shara kept her Rebellion-issued RZ-1 A-Wing, and took Poe up for his first flight when he was six years old, which instilled in him a love for piloting.[3] At some point before he was eight, Poe shattered his left arm after crashing a microlight glider over the Massassi trees on Yavin.[22]

In 10 ABY:[23] Shara died during a space flight.[18] It is strongly suggested Poe witnessed her death: "Like Shara Bey, it had been shot down from the sky, right outside his very window."[24] Star Wars Timelines introduced a new detail by saying she died of bloodburn.[23][Note 2] The loss of his mother profoundly impacted Poe, giving him a mature understanding of death and sacrifice, and eventually led to a rift between him and his father.[10]

Ensnared in the Spice Runners[]

In 18 ABY:[Note 3] Poe has an argument with Kes that leads to a joyride wherein Poe is shot down by Defense Corps forces, losing his mother's beloved A-Wing in the process. After a conversation with L'ulo L'ampar, Poe visits nearby cantina Gully's to take a breather and unintentionally ends up in the eyesight of a top-level crew in the Kijimi Spice Runners. Offering him a ticket off-world like he craves, Poe begrudgingly accepts Zorii's offer, believing the lie that they're simply smugglers. He only uncovers the truth—that they're members of one of the most dangerous and prominent criminal syndicates in the galaxy—when it's too late. New Republic forces attempt to capture their craft.[10]

Until 19 ABY:[Note 3] Petrified he's thrown his life away with no way out, Poe remains with the Ragged Claw's crew, quickly being drawn to Zorii due to their similar ages. His loyalty to her leads to him staying in the Spice Runners. His time with her crew sees a lot searching for intelligence (skills that would later prove useful in the Resistance), run-ins with the Guavian Death Gang and New Republic officers alike, near death experiences (via being stabbed by an unlikely amount of knives and spears), on-the-job lightspeed skipping training, and re-evaluating his personal biases towards droids.[10]

Despite being morally opposed to the majority of the choices that Zorii or Tomasso make, Poe remains with them out of loyalty to Zorii, made more complicated by his growing romantic (and later, sexual[10]) feelings for her and reluctance to abandon her to this life alone. However, after being found by his father and L'ulo on Belsavis, Poe was given the choice to return home or stay - a decision interrupted by the appearance of Zeva Bliss's ship. Recognizing the fear on Zorii's face, Poe decides to stay with her. He is witness to Tomasso, his defacto mentor for the last year, being brutally slain by Zeva, who also destroys Eevee, the droid that had become Poe and Zorii's companion.[10]

Soon after after Tomasso's death, Zorii reveals that she had Babu Frik repair Eevee. They apparently kiss for the first time and make out in Babu's shop, but they do not appear to enter any actual committed romantic relationship. Soon after, Poe and Zorii have an argument in Zeva's ship due to their respective family legacies and their relationship becomes frosty. Whatever kind of partnership they have fractures apart entirely when Poe discovers that Zeva intends on killing all of her underworld competition, in a meeting that is meant to be an olive branch between the various syndicates. Zeva expects Zorii and Poe to hit the kill-switch. Poe refuses, and he and Zorii get into a scuffle where she nearly kills him, until Eevee tases her so he can escape with the droid. Poe begins a riot that effectively prevents the massacre from beginning.[10]

Poe confronts Zeva in a (failed) effort to save New Republic Security Bureau officer, Sela Trune. Zeva rapidly gets the upper hand on Poe and heavily injures him, but before she can kill him, she is attacked by Zorii, who reveals she's had a change of heart and wants to reform the Spice Runners and run the crew with Poe how they want. Poe declines, resolved that this life isn't meant for him; outraged, Zorii warns him to leave and never come back. He manages to get away for medical help. After listening to a holorecording of one of Leia Organa's Senate speeches, which made Poe determine that he was meant to help her in some way, he uses a device given to him by Babu Frik and manages to get a lift off-world by Zade Kalliday.[10]

New Republic, New Leaf[]

After leaving the Spice Runners, Poe was promised all would be forgiven so long as he went straight.[22] He joined the New Republic Flight Academy, where he became one of Wedge Antilles best students.[14] He graduated a year earlier[22] than most candidates[25]. He quickly rose through the ranks, earning the rank Commander and leading Rapier Squadron[3]. At some point while stationed aboard the Brooksidon, he unknowingly runs into Amilyn Holdo, who introduces Poe to the Resistance.[26]

Later, while doing patrols while stationed in the Mirrin Prime system, Muran is killed in a skirmish with the First Order. Poe looks into it, and uncovers a staging site for the First Order. Ematt and Leia intervene before Poe can be court martialed, and Leia recruits him to the Resistance. He is initially stationed aboard the Echo of Hope and then Home One, while being made commander of his own flight wing. Following stealing a ship for Leia for its intelligence, they discover Lor San Tekka is alive, and they have a chance of finding Luke Skywalker.[3]

Role in the Resistance[]

After being recruited by Leia, Poe is allowed to keep his rank of Commander from the New Republic Fleet, and is put in charge of his own Flight Wing,[3] overseeing the Resistance's two primary starfighter squadrons: Blue Squadron and Red Squadron.[13] After discovering that Lor San Tekka is alive, Leia assigns Poe to search for the man in an effort to bring Luke Skywalker home, believing he will give the galaxy a much needed spark of hope, and instructs Poe to form a third squadron, which he dubs Black Squadron,[12] likely after his own existing callsign based off his beloved X-Wing, Black One.[13] Additionally to the search for Tekka, Black Squadron's function was to acquire evidence of the First Order's activity to present to the Senate, serving as an overlap between the Resistance's intelligence operations and its starfighter wing.[22]

Despite his role as a capable leader, Poe was also an exemplary infantryman and operative all on his own[13], often going on solo missions with BB-8 as his only partner[15][26]. He was noted to have a habit of "bringing home strays,[27]" and recruiting people with frequency to the Resistance[12]. At some point, the Resistance developed a joke that Poe's dashing bravado alone would be enough to inspire people to join up[13] and, hearing this, fellow pilot and artist Yolo Ziff mocked up a propaganda poster featuring Poe in the lead; it somehow wound up leaked on the holonet and, indeed, the Resistance saw an uptick in new recruits.[28]

In addition to his authority as commander of their flight wing, Poe is also the one to assign Kazudo Xiono his spy mission aboard the Colossus[29], and remains Kazudo's primary point of contact until his mission to Jakku. It is strongly implied that Poe oversees communications and reports from their spy network when Kaz contacts the Resistance expecting Poe, but is patched through to Ello Asty who confirms Poe is busy elsewhere, otherwise he would be the one speaking to Kaz[30]. Fellow Resistance spy, Vi Moradi, also appears to be familiar with Dameron[31], and Poe has worked closely with Threepio[12], the Resistance's droid spymaster, in several different instances[32].

Heir to House Organa[]

Poe's relationship with Leia has been a critical part of his character since his inception. His parents fought alongside Leia at various points[33] during the Galactic Civil War[34], and Leia was his idol growing up[13]. It was her words that gave Poe the resolve and purpose he'd been seeking for so long on Kijimi after parting ways from Zorii, which led him to join the New Republic[10] (although he was still restless there, feeling as if he was meant for more[26]), and it was Leia who personally recruited him to the Resistance[3]. At some point before the mission to Jakku, Leia confessed that she worried what Poe's commitment would cost him[35], and mentioned that she was attempting to teach him the lessons she herself had to learn in the Galactic Civil War:

It was a question about duty—our commitments to causes, and to each other, and how we balance the two. It’s something I learned battling the Empire, and now Poe’s learning the same lesson against the First Order. I’ve discussed it with him. He’s old enough to hear me, but not old enough to listen yet. I’ll keep trying.
— Leia Organa to Caluan Ematt, in Journey to the Force Awakens: Moving Target

Following the death of L'ulo L'ampar, Leia grounds Poe to have him seriously think about his future, and reveals to him that she sees in him the future of the Resistance, and a successor to her[36]. In a website feature,[Note 4] Poe confessed that he'd never imagined himself in a role like Leia foresaw him in, as a figure of inspiration, and struggled to accept that he might be seen as one, as well as the fact that it was not a position he'd ever aspired to become.[37] Evidently, he warmed to the idea, feeling a mixture of hope and trepidation aboard The Raddus that Leia may have selected him as her successor,[38] before it was revealed Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo was to take her place.[38]

Poe froze, unsure of what he should do. BB-8 rolled around him, trying to buoy his spirits, but he needed something more than reassuring beeps. He needed wisdom and advice. He needed General Organa.
— Poe's internal narrative[39]

Having Leia's approval meant a great deal to Poe, and he was afraid of disappointing her again,[40] after feeling as if he failed her on Jakku[41] and later on, during the skirmish with the First Order aboard the Raddus. After the Resistance's escape from Crait,[2] despite his initial warm reception to Rey, the two began to clash due to feeling insecure because of the other, with Poe worrying that Rey was Leia's replacement protégé.[42]

According to Oscar Isaac, as well as seeing in him the potential for a great leader for the Resistance and beyond, Leia considers Poe to be a surrogate son.[43] Prior to Leia's death, she laments the various family legacies she carries with her, and who she plans on passing those legacies on to, with the intent to leave the Organa legacy behind for Poe,[44] implying the jump from surrogate son to adoptive son (after all, she left the Skywalker name to Rey), and leaving the interpretation open that Poe is now the sole heir to House Organa.

Personality[]

Likes and Dislikes[]

Skills[]

  • Piloting[1]
    • Starships[1]
    • Lightspeed skipping[5]
  • Gathering intelligence[10]
  • Languages:
    • Binary "droidspeak" (understanding, but not speaking)[1]
    • Shyriiwook (understanding, not speaking)[5]

He Has A Sensitive Side[]

Despite Poe's constant desire to keep moving, as a self-proclaimed "man of action",[14] he was noted to be quite sentimental, especially in regards to his family and his homeworld. He constantly wore his mother's wedding ring,[2][5] with the intent to someday give to the right partner,[46] although it is unclear when or how he wound up with the ring. Due to this only appearing in Star Wars: The Last Jedi onward, it is plausible that due to the nature of his mission to Jakku in TFA, Poe may have left it behind on D'Qar for safe keeping.

In addition to this, Poe wore a jacket[2] made of runyip-leather[46] and owned a pair of gloves[5] of the same material,[22] from an animal native to his homeworld.[47]

Poe, Disability, and Neurodivergence[]

Mistakes
Actually, R2 has been known to make mistakes...
This section contains a theory about Star Wars and supporting evidence for why it possibly could be true, but Star Wars Fic Reference Wiki may be like R2... from time to time.

This theory about Poe, disability, and neurodivergence is based upon lines and Oscar Isaac's acting choices in the sequel trilogy, and is laid out in a meta post by Nymdameron, who says in the conclusion, "this is critical to understanding him as a character, especially considering his arc ends up being focused on interdependence." Some of the points were also suggested by Braigwen. The meta uses animated gifs to demonstrate its points, while the materia below here summarizes those points. The reference citation (see it at the end of this sentence!) is for direct quotes or paraphrasing of points in the meta post.[48]

It's a little difficult to understand you with all the.. apparatus.
— Poe Dameron, to Kylo Ren[1]
  • Hard of Hearing:
    • Poe's hearing may be affected by "the comical amount of explosions he’s constantly caught in".[48]
    • In several shots, Poe is carefully watching the lips of the other person as they're speaking.[48]
    • At the start of Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens, Poe snarks about Kylo Ren's voice modulation and how it's hard to understand him.[1]
    • BB-8 is trying to catch Poe up on events in Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi. BB-8 is beeping so quickly that Poe can't understand and asks that BB-8 slow down,[2] which could suggest that it's harder to follow.[48]
    • Poe comprehends the Wookiee language Shyriiwook when Chewbacca speaks it, except at the beginning of Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker.[5] "Even though Chewbacca is sitting right beside Poe, Poe does not understand what Chewie has said, because his head is turned" [...] "It’s only when he turns towards Chewie and Chewie repeats what he said that Poe understands what was said."[48]
    • Also in TROS, when he gets shot by stormtroopers while looking the other way,[5] it may mean he didn't hear them approach.[48]
  • Essential Hand Tremor
    • When Poe covers Leia's hand with his own in TLJ,[2] his hand is shaking.[48]
    • In TROS, when the serpent approaches and Poe holds up his blaster,[5] his hand is shaking.[48]
  • Autism spectrum
    • Oscar Isaac starred in a Disney+ series as the titular Moon Knight, who has dissociative identity disorder (DID) and primarily alternates between Steven Grant and Marc Spector. Isaac said he approached Kevin [Feige] and Marvel was willing to go with his take on Steven, which included "making him, y'know, maybe slightly on the [autism] spectrum".[49] He hasn't spoken about Poe and the autism spectrum, but aspects of his Poe performance are similar to how he performs both Steven and Marc (Nym's post suggests the "Moon Knight system" or "Lunar system"[Note 5] is on the spectrum, not just Steven). These similarities may indicate Isaac also intentionally coded Poe as autistic.[48]
    • Something Poe does when anxious is similar to Steven's anxious stimming:[48] Poe rubs the inside of his index finger with his thumb when he promises to come back to BB-8 and when Finn escorts him at blaster point,[1] and he fidgets with his hands during the briefing.[2]
    • Poe screams and kicks something in front of him when he has a meltdown;[5] this is similar to Marc.[48]
    • Aside from parallels to the system in Moon Knight, "Poe has a habit of running his tongue along his bottom lip while he's stressed or thinking something through."[48]
  • Depression
    • Poe has a joyride ending in a crash that he explicitly wishes he had not survived.[10]
  • Trauma
    • Poe was tortured by Kylo Ren aboard the Finalizer;[1] he becomes irate at the thought of having to discuss what happened.[45]
    • There's a "thread of anxiety in Poe's voice when Rey mentions Ren’s ship is over Kijimi", and he is "constantly looking out to make sure they're not being followed".[5]
End of theorizing

Fan resources[]

Notes[]

  1. ↑ Shara uses the designation "TK-510, for Poe's birthday".[7] Charles Soule clarified what this means via Tweet: "Tenth day, fifth month".[8] Is it significant that Shara has put the month first in the designation, or is it just because Soule is American, and that's how you write dates in US English? Unclear.
  2. ↑ Bloodburn could have affected Shara Bey during her flight and thus contributed to her death, but how this new information relates to the previous has not yet been clarified.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Since events from this part of Free Fall are dated to this year by Star Wars Timelines, we can apply that to any surrounding events before hitting a part of the book dated to another year.
  4. ↑ The Marvel website has an article series where a therapist/freelance writer pretends to write up a patient profile on one of the many Marvel Comics characters, used to promote upcoming issues featuring that character. The series is titled "Psych Ward". That... is a choice.
  5. ↑ A system is someone with dissociative identity disorder (DID). Systems have at least two alters/personalities/identities (use someone's own language but these are some possible terms.) Moon Knight shows the early development of this system.

References[]

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 New Canon · Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 New Canon · Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 New Canon · Before the Awakening, "Poe", by Greg Rucka. Published 2015 by Disney • Lucasfilm Press.
  4. ↑ New Canon · Resistance, Season 1, Episode 17: "The Core Problem"
  5. ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 New Canon · Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 New Canon · Star Wars Character Encyclopedia: Updated and Expanded, "Poe Dameron", by Simon Beecroft and Pablo Hidalgo. Published 2016 by DK.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 New Canon · Star Wars (2020), issue #20, "Dangerous Lessons", by Charles Soule. Published 2022 by Marvel Comics. Shara Bey: "Even gave myself a designation — TK-510, for Poe's birthday."
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 [Untitled] (Tweet) by Charles Soule (@CharlesSoule) on Twitter. Published 2024-08-31. "Tenth day, fifth month." In reply to a tweet from @littledreamer_: "is Poe's birthday the fifth of the tenth month or the tenth of the fifth month? 👀 Love your work!" (Archived on 2024-08-31)
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 New Canon · Star Wars Timelines, "Alliance Crushed", by Kristin Baver, Jason Fry, Cole Horton, Amy Richau, and Clayton Sandell. Published 2023 by DK.
  10. ↑ 10.00 10.01 10.02 10.03 10.04 10.05 10.06 10.07 10.08 10.09 10.10 10.11 10.12 10.13 10.14 10.15 New Canon · Poe Dameron: Free Fall by Alex Segura. Published 2020 by Disney • Lucasfilm Press.
  11. ↑ New Canon · Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: The Visual Dictionary, "Poe Dameron", by Pablo Hidalgo. Published 2019 by DK Publishing.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 New Canon · Star Wars: Poe Dameron (2016).
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 13.6 13.7 13.8 New Canon · Star Wars: The Force Awakens: The Visual Dictionary by Pablo Hidalgo. Published 2015 by DK Publishing.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 New Canon · Star Wars: Resistance Reborn by Rebecca Roanhorse. Published 2019 by Del Rey.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 New Canon · Resistance
  16. ↑ New Canon · The Rise of Skywalker: Expanded Edition by Rae Carson. Published 2020 by Del Rey.
  17. ↑ New Canon · Star Wars: Poe Dameron (2016), issue #14 by Charles Soule. Published 2017 by Marvel Comics.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 New Canon · Poe Dameron: Free Fall, chapter 3, by Alex Segura.
  19. ↑ New Canon · Shattered Empire, issue #2 by Greg Rucka. Published 2015 by Marvel Comics.
  20. ↑ New Canon · Star Wars (2020), issue #22, "The Dawn Alliance - Part 1 of 3", by Charles Soule. Published 2022 by Marvel Comics.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 New Canon · Shattered Empire, issue #4 by Greg Rucka. Published 2015 by Marvel Comics.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 22.4 New Canon · Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: The Visual Dictionary by Pablo Hidalgo. Published 2019 by DK Publishing.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 New Canon · Star Wars Timelines, "Peace of the New Republic", by Kristin Baver, Jason Fry, Cole Horton, Amy Richau, and Clayton Sandell. Published 2023 by DK.
  24. ↑ New Canon · Poe Dameron: Free Fall, chapter 3, by Alex Segura.
  25. ↑ New Canon · Star Wars: Bloodline.
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 New Canon · Star Wars: Age of Resistance.
  27. ↑ New Canon · Resistance, Season 1, Episode 6: "Signal From Sector Six"
  28. ↑ New Canon · Star Wars Propaganda: A History of Persuasive Art in the Galaxy.
  29. ↑ New Canon · Resistance, Season 1: "The Recruit"
  30. ↑ New Canon · Resistance, Season 1, Episode 6: "The Children From Tehar"
  31. ↑ New Canon · Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge: Black Spire.
  32. ↑ New Canon · Star Wars Special: C-3PO.
  33. ↑ New Canon · Star Wars (2020).
  34. ↑ New Canon · Star Wars: The Princess and the Scoundrel.
  35. ↑ New Canon · Journey to the Force Awakens: Moving Target.
  36. ↑ New Canon · Star Wars: Poe Dameron (2016) Issue #14.
  37. ↑ "Psych Ward: Poe Dameron" by Tim Stevens on <marvel.com>. Published 2017-05-17. Actual canonicity of this article unclear, but the information is based on previously-published and then-upcoming New Canon comic books. ("Tell me you have a backup plan."—Jyn Erso)
  38. ↑ 38.0 38.1 New Canon · Star Wars: The Last Jedi (Novelization) by Jason Fry.
  39. ↑ New Canon · Star Wars: The Last Jedi Junior Novelization by Michael Kogge.
  40. ↑ New Canon · Star Wars: Spark of the Resistance.
  41. ↑ New Canon · Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Novelization) by Alan Dean Foster.
  42. ↑ 42.0 42.1 New Canon · Stories of Jedi and Sith, "Through the Turbulence", by Roseanne A. Brown. Published 2022 by Disney • Lucasfilm Press.
  43. ↑ "The Last Jedi: In her final role, Carrie Fisher restores hope for Leia Organa" on Entertainment Weekly. Published 2017-08-10. (Archived on 2024-07-29)
  44. ↑ New Canon · The Rise of Skywalker: Expanded Edition, Chapter 13, by Rae Carson. Published 2020 by Del Rey.
  45. ↑ 45.0 45.1 New Canon · Poe Dameron: Flight Log.
  46. ↑ 46.0 46.1 New Canon · Star Wars: The Last Jedi Visual Dictionary.
  47. ↑ New Canon · Ultimate Star Wars.
  48. ↑ 48.00 48.01 48.02 48.03 48.04 48.05 48.06 48.07 48.08 48.09 48.10 48.11 Fan meta · [Untitled] by Nym (@the-force-awakens) on Tumblr. Published 2023-07-01. Disability headcanons for Poe Dameron. (Archived on 2024-09-11).
  49. ↑ "'Moon Knight': Osaac Isaac Says Steven Grant Is 'Maybe Slightly on the Spectrum' (Video)" by Andi Ortiz on TheWrap. Published 2022-03-30. (Archived on 2024-02-29)
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