The world of fan fiction has a long, storied history across many fandoms, ranging from years of secret story sharing, to the publication of fan run and edited magazines (fan zines), to the creation of internet archives like FanFiction.net, Archive of Our Own, Tumblr, and LiveJournal. Throughout the lengthy history of the concept of fan fiction, Star Wars has routinely been one of the most popular fandoms, and produced some of the most interesting fan canon (fanon) relationships.
Fan fiction also allows fans of any part of the saga - the original trilogy, the prequel trilogy, the sequel trilogy, the expanded universe, the animated series, the solo films, and more - to carve out a space that is uniquely catered to them. Here, we take a look at some of the best fan fiction relationships that have emerged from the many years of content creation.
Finn and Poe
Of all the popular queer fan fiction relationships within the Star Wars the fandom, the potential relationship between former Stormtrooper Finn and Resistance pilot Poe Dameron has received the most fodder - both within canon, and within the saga's cast.
From the earliest days after the release of The Force Awakens, fans were clamoring for a relationship between the two, dubbed as Stormpilot, after their bromantic and surprisingly tender scenes. The two shared less time together in The Last Jedi, which paired Finn both for a mission and a romance with Resistance mechanic Rose Tico. But not even that has stopped the fan interest in the possibility of the saga's first LGBTQ relationship coming to life on the big screen.
Kylo Ren and Rose
One of the best parts of fan fiction is the ability to put two characters who have never interacted in a scenario where not only do they interact, they fall for one another. The idea of a romance between Supreme Leader Kylo Ren and Rose Tico is one of the more niche relationships in the fan fiction world, but boy, is it a good one.
There would undoubtedly be plenty of tension in a relationship between these two, and possibly even more of a love-hate relationship than we've seen from any of the saga's core couples. These two characters are fiercely independent and loyal to their conflicting causes, which would make for an enjoyable rapport.
Obi-Wan and Padme
The betrayal that Anakin perceived in Obi-Wan and Padme's secret communication could have been a lot worse, had this popular fan fiction relationship actually been a reality. Dubbed Obidala by dedicated shippers, the idea of a romance between Queen of Naboo turned Senator Padme Amidala and padawan turned Jedi master Obi-Wan Kenobi excited fans from the first film in the prequel trilogy.
Many fans feel that the natural chemistry between Natalie Portman and Ewan McGregor was truly squandered, in favor of focusing on the far more forced and awkward relationship between Anakin and Padme.
Han and Luke
The friendship between hot shot smuggler Han Solo and aspiring Jedi Luke Skywalker is undoubtedly one of the strongest and most beloved aspects of the original trilogy. But for some fans, this friendship really served as the spark of something much more: a possible romantic pairing of the two heroes, dubbed SkySolo.
Star Wars slash shipping has been popular since the early days of the fandom itself, but in the advent of internet culture and fan fiction databases, pairings like the one of Han and Luke have really taken off and gained a new life, showing that these movies are truly timeless.
Rey and Rose
Rey and Rose might not have interacted yet in the sequel trilogy, since their arcs happened independent of one another in The Last Jedi. But not even that lack of screen time and interaction was enough to deter fans from rooting for a queer relationship between these two badass leading ladies.
The Rise of Skywalker is destined to provide some actual interaction for these two Resistance leaders, as the first look photo revealed at Star Wars Celebration confirmed. And thousands of new fan fictions will surely be born as soon as that happens.
Amilyn and Leia
The desire for LGBTQ representation is a large part of the popularity of the fan fiction community, as fan fiction serves as a safe place for self-expression and inclusivity. In recent years, Star Wars has become more inclusive of individuals identifying as queer, even if nothing has happened on the big screen - at least explicitly.
But one of the main characters in The Last Jedi, Laura Dern's Amilyn Holdo, has been confirmed as bisexual, and sharing decades of intimate friendship with none other than Leia Organa, dating back to their teenage years. The fan fiction for these two truly writes itself.
Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon
The relationships between a mentor and student are incredibly common in the world of fan fiction, and as we all know, that trope is incredibly common in the world of Star Wars, given the nature of Jedi training. It's no surprise, then, that there is a dedicated following of the mentor relationship between Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Though their relationship was only depicted on screen in The Phantom Menace, the tragic end to their story, and Obi-Wan's desire to recommune with his previous master years later, provide more than enough fodder to the most eager of fan fiction writers.
Obi-Wan and Anakin
Speaking of Obi-Wan and the trope of a teacher and their student, the saga continues its trend in both Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith by developing a truly emotional bond between Obi-Wan and his padawan, Anakin.
While the ending of Obi-Wan's relationship with Qui-Gon may have been tragic, that word hardly does the end of Anakin and Obi-Wan's relationship anything remotely close to justice. These two men loved and lost each other, and if that's not a topic ripe for creation fan fiction theories, we're not sure what is.
Han and Lando
The relationship between the original trilogy's two main male heroes, Han and Luke, might be pretty popular in certain slash shipping communities. But when it comes to the king of all Star Wars slash ships, that title rightfully belongs to the complex relationship between rivals turned friends turned rivals turned friends again, Han Solo and Lando Calrissian.
Since the earliest days of fan zine culture, the relationship between Han and Lando has enthralled fans and content creators alike, given how much was left unexplored of their history. With the recent reveal that Lando is pansexual, this ship just might be one of the most likely of them all.
Rey and Kylo Ren
Immediately following the release of The Force Awakens, the ship now widely known as Reylo was born. This relationship has had a surprising trajectory, both within the movies and within the fandom, as it has increasingly become more and more popular and mainstream with fans, just as it also becomes more and more prominent within the narratives of the films themselves.
As it stands, Reylo is the most popular fan fiction relationship in the Star Wars fandom on archive sites like Archive of Our Own, and also often ranks in as the #1 ship on fan blogging site Tumblr. For right now at least, Reylo is just a fan fiction relationship in some people's eyes. But by December 2019, this fanon ship could make the full speed jump to canon.