ST Wedge not in TFA / Theory: Poe was originally meant to be Wedge

I agree with barkingfrog on this one. The heck with Wedge and Dennis Laweson, give me more Poe Dameron.

 

I thought, going in, that Poe was Wedge's son but after reading Shattered Empire it seems he's not unless more comes out later since we're to believe he's Kes Dameron's son.

 

Here's what we know:
1. Denis Lawson was approached to reprise his role as Wedge for The Force Awakens. Lawson turned it down, saying that:
"they asked me, but it just would have bored me". This article was published on May 12, 2014, less than two weeks after Oscar Isaac had been officially cast.

2. Poe was originally supposed to die in the Jakku crash. This comes directly from JJ Abrams:


3. We have the line of mocking dialogue from Kylo Ren about how Poe is the best fighter pilot in the Resistance. We in the audience have never seen Poe in a dogfight, so we have no clue. The line is really out of place and clunky. Wedge Antilles on the other hand....we've seen him help take out two Death Stars and serve as Luke's wingman at the Battle of Hoth.
Kylo's line would also be more fitting for Wedge, as he's got a bit of an age-ist streak. To Lorr San Tekka: "Look how old you've become."
"The Restance's best pilot" would have carried a lot more weight with it. "Ha. Best pilot is an OLD MAN" type thing.


So putting these three pieces of evidence together....they wanted to get Wedge Antilles back to meet with Lorr San Tekka, get the map to find Luke, only to die heroically as he and Finn escape. Lawson turned down the small role, so it was rewritten as a new, younger guy. But once Oscar Isaac was on board, Abrams decided to give him the Pinkman treatment and give him a miraculous last-minute save and extended time for the climax.

Yes? No? Maybe so?

 

Very possible. I didn't find that line strange though, as I felt it was their way of telling us Poe was the best pilot. I didn't take it as mocking. But that easily could have been Wedge's moment.

Ironically, I had theorized that Lor San Tekka was originally supposed to be Wedge. An old friend of Luke's who had found this map. But your theory is probably more likely,

 

I think Poe was always the Resistance hero that gets wiped out at the end of act one - I think Michael Fassbender was offered the role at the time but passed.

I also think Ejiofor might have been up for it but am less sure about that.

I think had Isaac not convinced JJ to keep Poe alive, then Wedge would have showed up on Takodana.

3 - this is a very weak point and misses the fact that Poe is indeed considered a Resistance Fighter ace. It's neither out of place nor clunky. The whole point of the character initially was to have the square-jawed, dashing hero bit the bullet after 20 minutes leaving only Finn (a stormtrooper who wants to run) and Rey (a no one) to carry the day. Wedge in no way achieves that goal and would be pretty laughable in that opening. He would however have worked as a nice call-back who has not that much else to do other than being a recognisable face to lead the two x-wing assaults in the film.

So, you're half right.

 

Wedge was suppose to have a small cameo role as part of Leia's resistance command. When Dennis refused. They created the character Major Emmet.

 

Yeah, that was my understanding, too. But I'm not sure what the source for that is.

 

I just assume the development process for Poe was something like "how about a better-looking Ric Olie." I'm still surprised how thin Poe's arc was compared to the marketing of the character as one of the new Big 3.

 

That would make sense.

 

I like this idea, but then I'm also wondering who was supposed to have led the fighter squadrons on Takodana and Starkiller Base, since in each of the previous films, a recognizable character is in command or involved.

 

Wedge would have been super old at that point so I don't think so.

 

According the original SW novelization, Wedge was a teenager at the time of the Battle of Yavin. So by the time of TFA, he couldn't be much more than 50; if a man keeps himself healthy and fit, there's no reason he can't fly important combat missions at that age. I saw a few men that age flying combat missions when I was in the Air Force, and they were damn good pilots. Experience counts for a lot in air combat.

 

As they were clearly going for a different cast, severely doubtful. I think Abrams only wanted Lawson for a cameo, like Ackbar, and that was it.

 

I could see the line, "I always wanted to fly one of these things," applying to Wedge as much as it does to Poe. Also, to kill off a familiar character like Wedge early on in TFA would do well to underline that the First Order is not to be messed with.

 

He was only going to cameo, like Ackbar.
Which is why Dennis didn't take the gig anyhow.

 

To the OP, Luke was referred to as the best pilot in the outer rim, yet we never saw anything to indicate such. So I don't see it as a stretch to believe that Dameron is the resistance's newest ace pilot.

 

Considering how popular Wedge is outside the original movies, it does not surprise me that a Wedge archetype would show up in the sequel trilogy.

 

I'm glad he declined then, its been 30 years and not everyone from the rebellion is going to join the resistance.

 

Some of them have to be retired. Which is how I imagine Mon Mothma.

 

LOL, no wonder Lawson did not want to return and said it would have bored him.
Joff Rogers ‏@Joff_rogers Oct 16
@pablohidalgo in the early stages of TFA did Poe take over the role originally envisioned for Wedge? #galaxysmostdaringpilot #alwayswondered PabloooooOOOOooo ‏@pablohidalgo Oct 16
@Joff_rogers no. Wedge never factored in the story in a big way. At most, maybe a presence at the base.

 

Well Wedge got that one out the way in the early days going by Rebels!

 

That's sad.

 

not everyone needs to carry over to every trilogy.

 

Or at least a mention.
During the Death Star/Starkiller Base comparison scene.
Luke, Wedge and Lando destroyed them, so we can destroy this one too.

Might be EU coloring my expectations but Wedge not wanting to help at the very least?
I can't imagine it.
Hope the books and comics make it that he is rallying troops on the side or something.