Star Wars' Poe Dameron revealed to have a tie to the original trilogy

The Skywalker saga may be coming to an end, but the closer we get to the final chapter, the more information we're getting. One way the Star Wars universe is expanding is with non-movie content, like the novel Resistance Reborn. This is a post-Disney takeover book, so should be considered canon.

The new novel by Rebecca Roanhorse is set in the aftermath of Star Wars: The Last Jedi. In it, Leia, Chewie, Finn, Rey, Rose and the rest of the Resistance board the Millennium Falcon and search for a safe place to regroup.

Meanwhile, with their numbers decimated, Poe Dameron (played by Oscar Isaac in the movies) and surviving members of Black and Inferno Squadrons head out to find any allies scattered across the galaxy.

Star Wars: Resistance Reborn

Star Wars: Resistance Reborn

£4 at Amazon

With his remaining fighters, Poe heads to the planet Ikkrukk where they encounter a small First Order army but are unable to win the planet to their favour. They head to Ephemera where they meet Maz Kanata, but she too refuses to join up.

As they continue to search for sympathetic friends, Poe and company begin to realise that Resistance members have been suddenly and inexplicably disappearing. Meanwhile, Temmin 'Snap' Wexley (Greg Grunberg in the films) and Karé Kun, another Resistance pilot, head to Akiva to find another familiar face: Wedge Antilles.

You remember Wedge, right? He is the only Rebel/Resistance pilot to have survived both attacks on the Death Stars. Now he's living a quiet life as a farmer with Norra Wexley – but when his farm is overrun by First Order sympathisers, he and Norra join up.

Given the novel is canon, this lends a handful of credence to the rumours that actor Denis Lawson could be reprising the role of Wedge in the upcoming Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. What makes this rumour even more enticing is an almost throwaway fact hidden in Resistance Reborn:

Wedge Antilles taught Poe Dameron how to fly!

Given the journey Poe has been on, to bring in his old instructor in a time of need would be a moving decision on part of director JJ Abrams, even if it's essentially retrofitting a relationship that we've not seen on screen. It fits into the student-and-master relationship with which Star Wars is so fond of playing.

The novel also gave us a window into Poe's mental state in the aftermath of The Last Jedi. The pilot is filled with guilt over the decisions he made, including the opening assault on the dreadnought and his mutiny against Vice-Admiral Holdo (Laura Dern).

Bringing Wedge back into the fold to, perhaps, set Poe back on the right path (or at least help assuage some of that guilt) would be not only a wonderful nod to fans of the original trilogy, but also an apt addition to Poe's evolving storyline. Especially when they throw Zorii Bliss into the mix...

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker has a release date of Thursday, December 19 in the UK and Friday, December 20 in the US.

Disney+ Sign up for Disney+

Shop at Disney+

Disney/Lucasfilm Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

£4 at Amazon

Disney/Lucasfilm Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Complete Box Set [Blu-ray] [2019] [Region Free]

£100 at Amazon

Century Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (Expanded Edition) by Rae Carson

£17 at Amazon

Disney/Lucasfilm Star Wars - The Complete Saga (Episodes I-VI) [Blu-ray] [1977] [Region Free]

£50 at Amazon

Disney/Lucasfilm Star Wars: The Original Trilogy (Episodes IV-VI) [Blu-ray] [1977] [Region Free]

£33 at Amazon

Disney/Lucasfilm Star Wars: The Force Awakens [Blu-ray] [2015] [Region Free]

Now 17% Off

£5 at Amazon

Disney/Lucasfilm Star Wars: The Last Jedi [4K UHD] [Blu-ray] [2017]

£10 at Amazon

Disney/Lucasfilm Rogue One: A Star Wars Story [Blu-ray] [2017] [Region Free]

£12 at Amazon

Disney/Lucasfilm Solo: A Star Wars Story [4K] [Blu-ray] [2018] [Region Free]

£20 at Amazon

Digital Spy now has a newsletter – sign up to get it sent straight to your inbox.

Want up-to-the-minute entertainment news and features? Just hit 'Like' on our Digital Spy Facebook page and 'Follow' on our @digitalspy Instagram and Twitter accounts.

Gabriella Geisinger

Gabriella Geisinger is a freelance film critic and journalist, with a focus on J-drama & film, and the Japanese production industry. She was previously Locations Editor at Screen International and Deputy Movies Editor at Digital Spy. Her writing can also befound in Curzon, 1883, and more. A born and raised New Yorker, she loves coffee and the colour black, obviously.