The Star Wars franchise is currently in the midst of an exciting resurgence. Our homeboy J.J. Abrams’ massive success with Star Wars: The Force Awakens has successfully brought together multiple generations of fans, as well as introduced an entirely new group of youngsters to a galaxy far, far away. Now the fandom has until Episode VIII to theorize, discuss, and debate the fates of characters old and new. One of the most talked about aspects of the new trilogy is romance. Specifically, which characters are going to pair off in the new trilogy, and will they be able to hold a candle to the epic love affair between Leia and Han?
Variety regarding what to expect in the untitled Episode VIII. Eventually, he was asked what was happening between Finn and Rey, to which Boyega said definitively:
Yes, Finn and Rey – they’re just friends. Finn is a storm trooper, so he doesn’t really know what’s going on. So the romance thing is something that’s going to be interesting in the next installment. It’s not going to go the way you think it’s going to go.
This might be surprising for Star Wars fans, considering how Finn and Rey were portrayed in The Force Awakens.
Throughout The Force Awakens, it certainly seemed that Finn had the hots for Rey. Although the former Stormtrooper has basically no game, he did try to find out if Rey had a boyfriend. Throughout much of their adventures, it seemed that Finn was gaga over Rey, and the film ended with Rey kissing Finn’s head, before she headed out to find the hermit Luke Skywalker. Their relationship was the through line of much of the movie.
So what does John Boyega’s statement mean for Episode VII? Since Finn and Rey are apparently in the friendzone, it means that newcomer Poe Dameron must be factored into any romantic story. Poe and Rey didn’t really interact with The Force Awakens, so it’s possible that they’ll have actual screen time with each other and a spark may occur during Episode VII. Considering how badass they both are, it would be a pretty cool couple.
Additionally, the idea that Finn and Rey don’t have a blooming romance will surely give more fuel to one of the more controversial fan theories. Namely, that Poe and Finn have romantic chemistry. This theory originated shortly after The Force Awakens was released, when fans saw a strong bond between the two characters. Poe named Finn, gave him his jacket, and the two seemed to have a big connection considering that they didn’t have that many scenes together.
Plus, many advocates have been calling for LGBT characters to be represented in action franchises like Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. J.J. Abrams has stated that queer characters will be in the universe, so perhaps the folks behind Episode VIII have heard this cry, and are complying with the fans.
Alternatively, John Boyega could just be pulling a Jon Snow, and flat out denying what fans already know.
We’ll continue to update you on all things Star Wars as details become public to us.
