New “Poe Dameron” comic hints at Leia’s fate in “Episode IX”

They're definitely leaning into having Leia pass between movies. Does that mean Ep IX will start with her funeral, like so many theorize? I can't say.

Either way, I believe that had Carrie not passed away Episode IX would have been her story (in the same way TFA was Han's and TLJ was Luke's). But even after this, I still believe that Episode IX will be her story.

 

They've been pointing at this direction for quite some time. In 2017 there was also an issue of this comic in which Leia said that she wouldn't be there forever and Poe had to grow up to become a leader the Resistance might have needed some day. Thinking about it makes me want to cry. Not that long ago we were able to watch Carrie Fisher give her best performance as Leia since A New Hope! And now we have to say goodbye. It's painful, but it's the right thing to do.

 

Yes, the movilización of TLJ pointed in this direction too. I think it’s a good way for her story to end. As @Pawek_13 said heartbreaking, but right.

 

Interesting. So, it seems like Leia will pass away through natural causes and Poe will ascend to a high-ranking spot in the Resistance. I can't imagine he would be the top leader though since he is only a Captain in TLJ, would seem too big of a leap for the audience, even though the year(s?)-long gap will allow for it. It really does depend on how long after TLJ the film is set, if its 3 months after he could realistically be the second-highest-ranking officer that survived TLJ, but if it's 3 years after I would imagine the Resistance would have grown in huge numbers since that's the point of the ending of TLJ, and that a lot of great military leaders that didn't answer their call on Crait would probably outrank him by then.

But either way he's going to be one of the people in charge. That's a very interesting trajectory for him. His entire arc in TLJ was about learning to be a leader, but I don't think RJ intended for it to pay off so well. Carrie's passing might have pushed his character into greater importance than anyone thought.

I have a feeling we won't get a funeral scene or anything though, there were rumors about that for Han in TLJ. Usually the films open with something exciting happening, I have a feeling there will be some sort of tribute to her, but just in dialogue. I think the Carrie Fisher tribute saying goodbye to her we ironically already got in TLJ in her scene with Mark Hamill. Which is very eerie. And I don't think any funeral scene could recapture the power of that scene, with the genuine on-screen emotion those two gave. I'd prefer just a quicker acknowledgement explaining that the Resistance is struggling after the loss of their leader and Poe and the other leaders are trying to hold on to the grasp she kept everything in.

 

I could definitely see Episode 9 starting with the funeral for Princess Leia

 

It kind of doesn't make sense to have her die in between episodes unless they did it right with a great explanation. But really it's the only way to go. I wonder how many years pass then? I bet at lest ten years.

 

I would think Leia's passing would be a major point in the opening crawl.

 

Well she seemed pretty fine at the end of TLJ to just say "succumbed to her wounds"... In my opinion, it has to be more than 5 years and her passing needs to be explained way better than that.

I believe that we will see more about it future comics and books. Unfortunately, Carrie's death left the writers and directors with zero really good options, as all of them have flaws...

 

Maybe they could put Leia inside a suit like the one her daddy had. But in white, with hair buns on the helmet.

 

^

This way, any actress could play Leia in IX as we wouldn't see her face. Her voice could be performed by Madonna, Gillian Anderson or Gwyneth Paltrow, or some other female US citizen who spent enough time in England and developed a mid transatlantic accent like Carrie Fisher had.

 

I think there is going to be a few year time jump between IX and TLJ. Leia will have passed away at some point during that time. I think it definitely will be mentioned in the crawl. The comic is preparing us for this although we all know it is likely coming.

 

I'm fine with them moving in this direction. The most sensitive approach is to let her go bravely and off-screen. But if she does, it needs to be in the opening crawl and given the honor she/the audience deserves.

If nothing else, I hope they don't go the route of recasting Leia. No other actress could pull it off, aside from like... Meryl Streep, and even then, that would be watching Streep, or Streep's interpretation of Leia, not Fisher. Carrie always fondly referred to herself as the "custodian" of Leia; she truly was our princess. Although Alden Ehrenreich and Genevieve O'Reilly (Mon Mothma) have proved other actors can step into roles and recapture the spirit, and it's not something I'm adverse to, this is a completely different situation under completely different circumstances.

 

i find that completely disrespectful...it's not fair to carrie or Billie to do that but it's what it is

 

I would start Episode 9 (3-5 years after TLJ) and begin with Leia’s funeral. Then you can have a scene with Poe, Finn and Rey talking and giving us some exposition as to what has happened. Who is the new leader of the Resistance? How did Leia die? What is the state of Kylo Ren and The First Order ruling the galaxy? Is Rey training Jedi?

And then Lando shows up after the funeral, “Hi I’m Lando Calrissean and was a good friend of Luke, Leia and Han during the Rebellion years.” Poe then says, “Your General Calrissean!!!”

 

I agree on how eerie the scene was and haunting especially with the lines "No one is ever truly gone" I mean I actually was crying because she is gone, but certainly not in spirit