Poe Dameron #18 Review

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Both the Resistance and the First Order plot their next moves in Poe Dameron #18.

This article contains plot details for Poe Dameron #18.

Poe Dameron #18

 Writer: Charles Soule | Artist: Angel Unzueta | Colorist: Arif Prianto | Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna | Cover Artist: Phil Noto | Assistant Editor: Heather Antos | Editor: Jordan D. White

War Stories Part II

In Poe Dameron #18, Black Squadron continues their missions against the First Order. Poe and Snap interview Oddy Muva’s wife in their search for the traitor to the Resistance. Meanwhile, Kare, Jess, and Suralinda’s propaganda mission proceeds quicker than they hoped and plunges them into a confrontation with the First Order. Poe Dameron #18 builds itself around a theme of moral dilemmas and when it is appropriate to act.

Evolved Bullies

Jess and Kare face the first dilemma while assisting Suralinda. The First Order removes any doubt that they are a simply an evolution of the Empire’s brutality. Kare and Jess watch a First Order officer threaten a local population on Spalex while Suralinda records their actions. This officer protests the locals accusations of brutality when he pronounces that they are better than the Empire. When a representative of the alien species objects and points out the Empire behaved in the same brutal manner, the officer clarifies his statement. It isn’t that the First Order has nobler ideals, but that they are more effective in reaching their ends.

This officer already ordered the death of one citizen. He also gloats that nobody is watching. Therefore, he can do whatever is necessary to recover the ore Spalex contains and the First Order needs. Like Commander Malarus, he is heavy handed. There is no room for subtlety. The First Order takes whatever they want by force.

The Big Picture

The First Order’s actions leave Jess and Kare in a quandary. General Organa sent them with Suralinda in the hopes of catching the First Order in the act. However, they are soldiers. They aren’t used to standing by while the First Order kills innocents. Suralinda, on the other hand, is looking at a larger picture. She remembers her mission to collect damaging intel on the First Order. Furthermore, Suralinda argues any action against the First Order now is foolish. First, with the video they captured, the might potentially save billions of lives. Plus, they are hopelessly outnumbered.

Kare and Jess face an impossible moral choice. Furthermore, they view themselves as different than Suralinda. They believe, perhaps unfairly, that as a journalist, her morals are different than theirs. They cannot sit by and watch innocents die when they can do something. Therefore, they attack the First Order. As Suralinda predicted, it didn’t go well and they are subdued and captured.

Suralinda’s Gambit

Once Jess and Kare are down and captured by the First Order, Suralinda has tough choices to make. She isn’t a soldier. Suralinda also grumbles that nobody else saw the big picture. She is incapable of defeating the First Order’s stormtroopers by herself. So, she improvises. Suralinda claims she is nothing more than a disinterested journalist looking for a good story. She offers to trade her freedom for the recordings she made of the First Order. As a bonus, she outs Kare and Jess as members of Black Squadron. On the surface, it appears Suralinda betrayed Jess and Kare. However, these situations seldom are that straight forward.

The Search for Oddy Mava

Jess, Kare, and Suralinda aren’t the only ones facing moral dilemmas. Poe and Snap continue the hunt for Oddy Muva. During their search, they interview his wife, Sowa. She pleads with Poe and Snap that Oddy is a hero who had no desire to betray the Resistance. Oddy simply acted to protect Sowa. He had no choice. Finally, Poe convinces Sowa to share Oddy’s whereabouts before the First Order gets to him. Unbeknownst to them all, the First Order already found Oddy.

Later, Snap asks Poe what he thinks as they head towards the freighter. Poe takes comfort in not having to make such moral decisions. They are above his pay grade as a pilot. Such decisions are for generals. His answer is really a dodge. As Kare and Jess’s situation revealed, the “common” soldier must make tough decisions from time-to-time. Poe likely has plenty of such decisions ahead.

Furthermore, Jess and Kare’s actions demonstrate the common pilot or soldier aren’t content with generals making the tough choices. They faced a dilemma head on and acted. It is likely Poe would do the same. However, the choice he faces doesn’t require an immediate decision yet.

Oddy, Terex, and the First Order

Despite Poe’s hopes, the First Order already capture Oddy. However, Oddy is delighted when he learns Terex is now a technological slave to the First Order. To Oddy’s way of thinking, Terex got what he deserved. After all, Oddy was a slave to Terex. Even better, to Oddy’s mind, is that Oddy could remove Terex’s implants. However, he tells Terex, who is busy interrogating him, he would never do such a thing. In the last issue, Terex seemed to recover a little of himself after Commander Malarus struck him. Readers might expect that Oddy’s boasts that he could “fix” Terex would be appealing to him. If they are, Terex didn’t let on.

This situation creates another moral quandary. Should Terex offer Oddy his freedom in exchange for removing the implants, would Oddy do it? Oddy just swore he never would. In addition, this isn’t the first time Oddy faced a moral dilemma. He gave into the First Order’s threats previously and betrayed the Resistance.

Concluding Thoughts on Poe Dameron #18

Poe Dameron #18 works very well around its theme. War is full of moral decisions. When should the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few (to borrow a line from Star Trek)? Under what circumstances is one justified in betraying his compatriots to save others? These are some of the moral questions asked by this issue. Charles Soule did well in setting the stage. Commander Malarus awaits for Poe and Snap’s arrival. They are walking into a trap. Oddy is there, and they will likely have a dilemma of their own when they find him. In addition, Jess, Kare, and Suralinda have their own issues to resolve on Spalex. Overall, this was a good issue in the War Stories arc that promises an interesting resolution.