WhyweloveStarWars

Princess Leia defines herself
for a generation

Star Wars: Episode IV—A New Hope

Writer: George Lucas

Director: George Lucas

I need to apologize to Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan. Though I would only tremble in her presence, shuffling nervously foot to foot while hoping to find the words—any words—to say to her, I owe her a giant, soul cleansing apology. As you know by now, Han Solo is my favorite Star Wars character. The answer I have to give when someone asks me that near impossible question, but I grew up adoring and revering Leia. Princess Leia artwork adorns my walls. I’ve pushed past children in toy aisles to make sure I was the first to get a new Leia action figure. I don’t have any children, despite what I tell other adults when I push past their kids toward those toys, but there is a good chance I would name my daughter Princess Leia. Not just Leia, but Princess Leia. So, there has never been a shortage of appreciation for the character in my Star Wars fandom. Yet, if I’m being honest, I do owe Leia that apology. I didn’t truly understand the importance of Leia, the self-rescuing princess.

One can almost be forgiven for thinking Leia was just a damsel in distress during the first half of A New Hope. The title of princess in this modern-day fairy tale set in space sends you down the classic princess culture path. She’s being chased and is soon captured. R2-D2 keeps replaying her desperate call for help and, over and over and over, we hear, “Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You’re my only hope.” She does need rescuing, so, of course, our new heroes are going to go to save her. That’s what heroes do, this is the hero’s journey, and I, for one, am very glad Luke and Han set off to save the princess. It’s just funny that all of those elements that flow into a timeless and classic trope, seem to easily cover the fact that one of the first things Leia does is shoot a stormtrooper with her defender sporting blaster pistol and has no problem talking back to the two main villains that everyone outside of the soon-to-be-Force-choked Admiral Motti cower from. Governor Tarkin? Darth Vader? No problem, Leia’s got words for you and she’s not going away quietly. Yet, I didn’t fully appreciate the importance of who she was and how she was doing it.

This is not to say that I didn’t appreciate—in truth, love—the moment in which Han, Luke, and Chewie burst into detention block AA-23 with designs on rescuing the princess held captive in cell 2187. It’s dripping with the adventure serial action Lucas wanted this story to be. Han is ever the dashing rogue, even as their plan falls apart, and Luke is charmingly naive as he frees Leia, despite being a little short for a stormtrooper. Blaster bolts soon fly as sparks explode, and Leia blasts open a grate because it’s their only way out. And with an all-time classic line of “into the garbage chute, flyboy,” Leia rescues her own rescuers and defines her character forever. I saw it, I got it, I loved it, but it was the value of that definition that I missed.

There were many others who didn’t, though.

All the young girls who watched Star Wars with the same wonder and amazement as I did focused on every word Leia said and every action she took—they didn’t miss it. They understood what Leia meant. They loved Han and Luke, too. They secretly rooted for Darth Vader as well. However, unlike toy catalogs of the ‘70s and ‘80s suggested, Star Wars isn’t about boys’ toys and girls’ toys. It’s all there for everyone, but it was different when it came to Leia in A New Hope. She stood alone. As a young boy, I could find myself in Luke or Han. Learn from Obi-Wan or fear Vader. I could daydream about fighting with Biggs, Wedge, and even that belly runner expert Porkins. The young girls of my time had Aunt Beru…a glimpse of the Tonnika Sisters…that lady that jumps when stormtroopers come marching toward docking bay 94? So, as all hell broke loose in the hallway of that detention level, Princess Leia wasn’t just saving herself and defining her character. She was sending a message to those that needed to see it.

One such fan was my friend and ForceCenter co-host Jennifer Landa, and I feel her words carry more weight than mine. When asked about it, Jennifer had this to say.

I owe Leia Organa a lot. One of my earliest movie memories is watching Return of the Jedi in the theater. Immediately, Leia made an impression and she set the bar high for what I expected from movies, and particularly in female characters. Size mattered not when she singlehandedly killed the vile gangster, Jabba the Hutt. I was in awe of her bravery when she jumped on a speeder bike and chased down stormtroopers through the trees. I was touched by her kindness and compassion toward Wicket, which eventually led to the Ewoks joining the Rebels’ cause. And when it was revealed that the Force was strong with her, I spent hours daydreaming about Leia wielding a lightsaber and becoming a Jedi, like her father before her. Leia was the epic adventure hero I needed and wanted to see.

Growing up in the ‘80s, we had countless iconic movies that changed a generation—Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Goonies, Stand By Me, The Karate Kid, Ghostbusters. While I enjoyed all of these films, as a young girl, I found myself frustrated by the lack of lead female characters onscreen. And so, once Return of the Jedi was released on VHS, I watched it every afternoon after school. It gave me hope that underdogs could triumph against all odds. And it reminded me that women could lead rebellions, in spite of what the world was telling me.

As I got older, and life got messier, Carrie Fisher herself became just as important to me as Princess Leia. Through her writing, one-woman shows, and unpredictable talk show appearances, Carrie taught me the importance of embracing mistakes, approaching everything honestly, and always speaking one’s mind, especially when it’s inconvenient and inappropriate.

So, thank you, Leia, and thank you, Carrie Fisher. You showed me that princesses can rescue themselves, generals can be compassionate, but the best person I can be is to unabashedly and unapologetically be me.

So, there you have it. I saw Leia as a great character, a respected leader, and a valued member of the team. All things she is, but those young girls like Jennifer saw something more. They saw her stand up to Darth Vader because no one else was going to do it for her. They saw her at the front of the Rebellion because no one else was a better fit. And with her back against the wall, they saw Leia rescue herself because that’s what you have to do. I saw a princess, they saw themselves. And fortunately, every generation of fans continues doing just that.

So, I’m sorry, Princess General Leia Organa of Alderaan. It took me a while to finally appreciate the entire scope of your importance and understand your entire impact. Not that you needed it.