If you aren’t yet indulging in the world of Star Wars literature then you’re severely missing out on added layers of storytelling. One character who is getting a lot of layered backstory in this material is everyone’s boyfriend — the literal poster boy of the Resistance — Poe Dameron. The latest to add to this ever-expanding canon is author Alex Segura with his book Poe Dameron: Free Fall. Segura is most well-known for his work as a crime and mystery author (Pete Fernandez Miami Mystery novel series). He is also the Co-President of Archie Comics.
If you are a fan of the Poe Dameron comics and other source material, you can rest easy that it manages to fit in very neatly with Poe’s already established canon (due in no small part to the author doing his homework).
Note: This review contains a few minor spoilers and details.
Credit: Phil Noto/Disney-Lucasfilm Press
Poe Dameron: Free Fall introduces us to a teenage Poe Dameron — listless, rebellious, and unfulfilled on Yavin 4. Poe’s father, Kes Dameron, is a sympathetic yet stern, figure. Like all of the relationships in this book, theirs is messy. His father loves him dearly, but is still haunted by the death of his wife and Rebellion hero, Shara Bey. The weight of their shared grief hangs heavy over the Dameron household and she serves as an ever-present figure.
“‘He doesn’t want me to die like Mom did,’ Poe said. ‘In space. Alone.’”
Sixteen-year-old Poe is — let’s just say — prone to making terrible decisions. Desperate to get off Yavin 4, after yet another dangerous stunt followed by an argument with his father, he thought he’d struck gold when he stumbled upon a miscreant crew ever so conveniently in need of a pilot (after the, *ahem*, untimely death of their last one). Cue a young, impulsive Poe Dameron so desperate for a taste of freedom that he quickly finds himself in way over his head.
“He wanted to explore. To be free and see what was out there on his own terms.”
In between space battles and lightspeed-skipping through the galaxy, Poe Dameron tries to figure out what kind of person he is — besides being just another “runaway child of the rebellion.” Poe’s heroic tendencies and refusal to leave anyone behind gets him into quite a few sticky situations — both with the New Republic and his crew. Author Alex Segura doesn’t shy away from the horrors and collateral damage caused by the criminal underground (and make no mistake, the Spice Runners are not the good guys here). He increasingly wrestles with his morals and his fierce protectiveness over his newfound “friends” — in particular, a girl his age named Zorii.
“‘Those two things can exist at the same time,’ Zorii said. ‘You can love your family and still want to be far from them.’”
Poe feels the most sixteen in the moments where he tentatively stumbles through trying to unpack his complex feelings (do friends hold hands? They sure do, Poe!). The lines between friendship, infatuation, admiration, loyalty, and love are thin at best — even more so when you’re just a teenager learning how the heck emotions are supposed to work. Zorii, for her part, is a complex character who comes with her own familial baggage, and there are a good number of twists that leave you itching for more.
Speaking of romance, Poe very noticeably plays the “pronoun game” whenever ruminating on past relationships — the language used is always gender neutral, leaving that aspect of Poe’s character thankfully still wide open for interpretation. Interesting.
“He’d cared for people before — felt the flutter of excitement at something new with someone, only to see it dashed. Hope and romance were never guaranteed in the wilds of the galaxy. Even at sixteen, Poe Dameron knew that.”
Star Wars, in general, is about adventure, family, and the choices we make. It is also about the fact that it is never too late to make the right choice, to help people — we can always choose to be the better person, no matter how hard. Poe Dameron: Free Fall is an intriguing piece of backstory that found me ready for a sequel. Although this is a book intended for ages 12+, there is enough darkness and layered morality here to make for a juicy read.
Oh, and before you ask: YES, Babu Frik is here and he’s perfect.
Poe Dameron: Free Fall is written by Alex Segura and will be available on August 4th, 2020. You can pre-order it here.
