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Tragic backstories are overrated. Sure, they're common in fiction, but not every character in a game needs one. It just gets to be a bit much.
Instead try to have characters with surprisingly normal backstories. Or even no backstory at all. Honestly, does anyone need to know what the innkeeper did with their whole life before becoming an innkeeper? Skip it and just get to the dungeon-raiding already!
Commentary by memnarch (who has not seen the movie)
Wait, an assassin's dart meant for someone else? Hah! Hahahahahaa! Okay, that's not funny in the sense of a tragic backstory, but wow, that's such a callback! I guess the GM didn't completely get rid of those backstory notes after all.
And of course Jim is mostly ignoring what's said. I am not surprised in the slightest. I wonder if movie Poe is actually getting some intel on the planet here. Explosions usually wouldn't be randomly going off, even in a manufacturing environment, plus we already saw the patrols going on. Possibly even door-kicking and searching for someone or something? I would guess they're trying to stamp out Resistance members or Resistance sympathizers, but this is just some random planet that the main characters happened to go to, as far as I know. Why would the First Order be bothering with that kind of action here?
Transcript
GM: All right, Jim. Poe and Zorii are sitting on the roof. First Order delivery ships buzz over the city. Occasional flakes of snow fall as explosions clear out safe locations to leave packages.
[SFX]: boom! boom! boom! {three separate explosions create glowing fireballs in the distance}
Poe: Look, I know how this works. Two people. Rooftop. Mood lighting. You reveal a crucial piece of intel just before we kiss.
Zorii: That’s not how real life works.
Poe: It’s how my life works! Now you say something vulnerable to begin our beautiful friendship.
Zorii: Vulnerable? Like how my sister got killed?
Poe: Tragic backstory, great!
Zorii: An assassin’s dart it was.
Poe: Excellent!
Zorii: Meant for someone else, but she was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Poe: This is good stuff.
Zorii: It’s not “good stuff.” It’s my family tragedy.
Poe: I don’t suppose she left a treasure map?