Years After Star Wars' Oscar Isaac Hyped Up A Poe And Finn Romance, John Boyega Paid Homage To The Shippers In A Sweet Way

Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) and Finn (John Boyega) compete against Chewbacca in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

When it comes to the Star Wars sequel trilogy, there are a number of developments that fans wish would’ve come to fruition. A hope that still persists even now is that a romance may be established between good buddies Poe Dameron and Finn, played by Oscar Isaac and John Boyega, respectively. Isaac long hyped up a romance between the two characters alongside fans, but to no avail. Now, years later, Boyega is keeping shippers' hopes alive and he’s done so in a truly sweet way.

The Breaking star recently appeared at New York Comic Con, where he chopped it up with the fans, took pictures and signed autographs. While at the annual convention, the 32-year-old British actor also shared some photos to social media. Among them was a snapshot of a bracelet he sported sometime during the festivities. The accessory conveys a brief, but clear, sentiment that you can see in the screenshot from his Instagram story down below:

John Boyega's Instagram story

(Image credit: Instagram)

At first glance, it may look like one of the bracelets that are handed out at Taylor Swift concerts, but this one has a Star Wars-infused twist. I can’t help but smile when seeing how John Boyega nodded at Finn and Poe. What I’d also want to know is how the actor obtained that trinket. On the one hand, I could see him having it made for himself. However, given the fan-oriented nature of Cons, it’s also possible that someone gifted him the item while he was making his way across the convention floor.

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Since the two characters debuted in 2015’s The Force Awakens, Finn and Poe have been heavily shipped. The two became fast friends during the opening moments of the aforementioned film, during which they both escaped the clutches of the First Order. They eventually reunited at the Resistance’s base. It was there that they excitedly embraced, and Poe also allowed Finn to keep his jacket, which the latter picked up after they crashed on Jakku. By the events of 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker, the pair remained close friends, but there was no sign of romantic sparks.

Oscar Isaac seemingly couldn’t stop teasing the idea of his character linking up with ex-Stormtrooper Finn. He even joked that it was “a little difficult” to see Finn lock lips with Rose Tico in The Last Jedi. Also getting in on the fun was Mark Hamill, who penned a poem about the two theoretical lovers, and John Boyega fanned the flames by sharing pics of himself and Isaac. Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy weighed in as well years ago and, while she didn’t say the ship would happen, she didn’t say definitively that it wouldn’t.

Nevertheless, the Moon Knight star claimed that the “Disney overlords” weren’t ready for such a relationship to be highlighted in the galaxy far, far away. I do like the idea of Poe and Finn being platonic friends with a brother-like relationship, though I can certainly understand the appeal of them being together. LGBTQ+ Star Wars characters are gradually starting to come into the fold, though there’s still plenty of work to be done when it comes to representation on that front.

There’s no telling whether there might actually come a time at which John Boyega and Oscar Isaac’s characters will return. Given the franchise is headed in new directions, I’d say the chances of that are slim. Still, there’s always fan fiction, and those who feel strongly can continue to celebrate the big “what if” via bracelets like Boyega or in other ways.

You can check out the adventures of Poe and Finn by streaming the Star Wars movies using a Disney+ subscription.

Erik Swann
Senior Content Producer

Erik Swann is a Senior Content Producer at CinemaBlend. He began working with the publication in 2020 when he was hired as Weekend Editor. Today, he continues to write, edit and handle social media responsibilities over the weekend. On weekdays, he also writes TV and movie-related news and helps out with editing and social media as needed. He graduated from the University of Maryland, where he received a degree in Broadcast Journalism. After shifting into multi-platform journalism, he started working as a freelance writer and editor before joining CB. Covers superheroes, sci-fi, comedy, and almost anything else in film and TV. He eats more pizza than the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.