Romance might not be front and centre in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker [1], but that certainly doesn't stop us from considering the possibilities [2]! With the sequel trilogy wrapping up [3], it's time to find out the endgame for all the fan-favourite ships in the series. While some ships took flight in unexpected ways, others never quite made it into canon [4], but when has that ever stopped anyone from shipping anything? There are plenty of pairings that have a ton of chemistry, so it's easy to see why there are so many ships that seemed possible at one point or another. If you're ready to find out what happens to all your favourite Star Wars ships in the end, keep reading for a complete breakdown of the romantic possibilities in The Rise of Skywalker.
Finn & Poe
Finn and Poe, affectionately nicknamed "Stormpilot," has pretty much been the fan-favourite ship for the sequel trilogy since day one. As you probably expected, they don't have a canonical romantic relationship in The Rise of Skywalker, but their close bond is as strong as ever, as they share plenty of banter and a couple of their trademark hugs. It wasn't for lack of trying on one person's part, though: Oscar Isaac, who plays Poe, has made a point, throughout the press tour, of vocally supporting the ship.
"I think there could've been a very interesting, forward-thinking — not even forward-thinking, just, like, current-thinking — love story there, something that hadn't quite been explored yet; particularly the dynamic between these two men in war that could've fallen in love with each other," Isaac told IGN. "I would try to push it a bit in that direction [5], but the Disney overlords were not ready to do that."
Rey & Finn
For the most part, the Rey/Finn ship was sunk by the time The Last Jedi rolled around, with Finn getting a new love interest, Rose, and both Rey and Finn making it clear that their bond was simply best friends. The Rise of Skywalker seems, briefly, like it might be walking that back, with a running gag of Finn trying to tell Rey something important but always getting interrupted. But by the end of the movie, it's implied (and confirmed by director J.J. Abrams at a Q&A) that he wanted to tell Rey he thinks he's Force-sensitive [6], not any sudden confession of secret love.
Finn & Rose
Fans might be puzzled when The Rise of Skywalker makes no mention of the romance between Finn and Rose that proved crucial in The Last Jedi. Disappointingly, Rose has very little to do in this movie, and her romance with Finn apparently ended off screen.
To understand what's going on, you'd have to have read a tie-in novel, Resistance Reborn, which takes place between the two movies. In it, Poe teases Finn about his love life, particularly with regards to Rey and Rose. Finn confirms his relationship with Rey is "just friends" and then responds to Poe's question about Rose with, "We talked about it, and Crait was . . . a moment. But that's it. Friends, there, too." It's a surprising but low-key and apparently drama-free ending to one of the trilogy's clearest ships.