8 Characters Who Need Bigger Roles In Star Wars: Episode VIII

Poe Dameron was originally meant to die when his ship crashed. And it shows; while he still plays an important role in the climax, his absence in the middle of the film is noticeable.

Poe is the most readily-relatable character of the ensemble, just a regular guy trying to help, instead of a hero called to action with some great power. Furthermore, he offers a lot of levity to the increasingly dark plot. And with Han Solo gone, Poe could act as his replacement, both as a pilot and as a swaggering counterpoint to the serious Rey. After all, even if he's not the protagonist, he's still an important player.

One of the problems with Star Wars having such a stacked cast is that great actors will end up wasted. Oscar Isaac is capable of leading a movie in his own right, so only using him for a few scenes isn’t taking full advantage of his casting. He can handle both drama and comedy, so hopefully he’ll get the chance to show that.