Star Wars: The Last Jedi - 9 Moments Everybody Misunderstands
6. Holdo's Plan (And Not Telling Poe)
Amilyn Holdo, played by Laura Dern, is one of the main new characters added to The Last Jedi, coming into the story of the Resistance fleeing the First Order and clashing with Poe Dameron almost immediately. And it's that clash which has proved divisive, or rather the fact she doesn't let him in on her plan before he's already launched his mutiny and inadvertently revealed secrets to DJ. Had she simply told him, the theory goes, then the Resistance would've merrily escaped.
It's an understandable viewpoint, since Holdo is the newcomer and Poe is an established hero (and one who is disarmingly charming), yet does a disservice to the leadership of Holdo and the position she finds herself in when taking over from Leia.
At the point she assumes control, what she knows about Poe is that he's just been demoted by Leia - the woman who mentored her and whose judgement she completely trusts - and that he's clearly hot-headed, so Holdo immediately has a reason not to trust him. That goes double when you factor in that it was Poe's attack on the Dreadnought that resulted in the bridge being attacked - where Leia was put out of commission and many others were killed - and that he's already shown a refusal to retreat, and could well do so again here. Add in the potential for there to be a spy, which isn't stated but is surely something that any reasonable commander would consider the possibility of, since the First Order were able to find the Resistance base and track them after, and it's pretty clear why she wouldn't tell him.
Plus she's the one in charge anyway, so it's her prerogative who she reveals her plans too, and as Vice Admiral can reasonably expect those below her to fall into line. Poe isn't essential to the plan's success, he doesn't 'need to know' anything, and him being in the wrong here strengthens his own character arc across the movie too, as seen by his actions on Crait, where he himself learns that he wasn't right to challenge her.