
Revealing mistake: While Poe leads the aerial assault on the oscillator, in the closeups of Poe and other X-wing fighter pilots, note the cockpit windows at the pilots' left and right have identical marks and scratches in their individual X-wings. It's particularly noticeable when one closeup follows another.
Answer: The First Order already has the piece that R2-D2 was carrying as well. That is the first piece, the large piece of the map missing a small section. The second piece is carried by BB-8 and only by BB-8, the missing piece in the map. All the first order needs is that second piece, and so does the Resistance. However the Resistance needs R2-D2 to activate again so he can show them the first piece, so they can put the second piece in it.
lionhead