The Star Wars franchise has had its fair share of shake-ups and changes to help the entire galaxy fit in a cohesive canon. However, this has created some confusion within the storylines of the films, as certain events that took place in the movies had already appeared in previous novelizations. One example of this was the meeting between Rey and Poe in the Star Wars: The Force Awakens novelization by Alan Dean Foster. That said, the meeting that took place in the book could also be described as a total meet-cute between the heroes.
In romantic comedies, a meet-cute is often described as two characters meeting for the first time and clearly being set up to be romantic partners in the future. The one that took place between Rey and Poe even sparked fan art that recreated the moment and has since created a fan ship of the two of them. Sadly, the meeting was made non-canon when the two officially met onscreen in The Last Jedi. But if the novel's version had remained, it could've changed the outcome of the franchise forever.
How Did Rey and Poe Initially Meet?
In the novelization of The Force Awakens, Rey and Poe met following their victory over Starkiller Base. After finding the complete map to Luke Skywalker, they instinctively embraced and quickly followed up with a peculiarly pensive dialogue. First, Poe mumbled his name, but then Rey's response was where things seemed to be leaning toward the romantic: "She nodded slowly, searching his face and finding that she liked it. 'I recognize the name. So you're Poe. Poe Dameron, the X-wing pilot. I'm Rey.'" At this point, Poe responded with "I know," and he expressed his happiness with meeting her. The moment checked all the boxes of a meet-cute and was far more emotionally aware than their canon first meeting.
In The Last Jedi, Rey and Poe don't officially meet until the end of the film when she saves them on Crait, retconning the initial interaction. The new meeting was brief, but it helped kickstart a friendship that seemed just as full of personality as the one that Luke had with Leia and Han. The dialogue was also similar to the book's version. While audiences didn't get to see many of their adventures together following their meeting, it was clear their banter could mean something even slightly more than platonic. However, this avenue wasn't explored in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, as both heroes had too much on their plates already narratively speaking.
How Rey & Poe's First Meeting Could Have Changed Star Wars?
In the main canon, Rey and Poe's meeting merely set up a friendship and completed the trio that is, at this point, required for a Star Wars trilogy. That said, both of their hot-headed personalities collided over the state of BB-8 and the Millennium Falcon in The Rise of Skywalker, showing a deeper and more entertaining chemistry between them. In fact, it evoked a similar banter to what was shown between Han and Leia, who shared similar personality types. While never confirmed, moments like these showed how much more different things could've been had their first meeting remained canon.
As a meet-cute, Rey and Poe would've likely pursued a romantic relationship at some point later in the trilogy. The dialogue even doubled down on the idea when Poe replied with "I know," the same response Han had when Leia said she loved him. Theoretically, all the pieces were in place for an unexpected but powerful bond, and it would've also changed everything in the series. With Rey having a partner, she would've shown that the old ways of The Jedi, which included not having close relationships, were doomed to fail without change. It also would've demonstrated the importance of togetherness and why it's needed most when the galaxy is more divided than ever. In the end, while their meet-cute introduction didn't pan out, the prospect of what could've become of Rey and Poe is just as fun to speculate as their pairing would've changed the Star Wars galaxy forever.