Princess Leia

"Leia" redirects here. For other uses, seeLeia (disambiguation).

Not to be confused withPrincess Léa of Belgium.

Princess Leia
Star Warscharacter
Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia
First appearance	Star Wars(1977)
Created by	George Lucas
Portrayed by	Carrie Fisher  Vivien Lyra Blair  Aidan Barton  Ingvild Deila  Billie Lourd
Voiced by	Various Carrie Fisher  Grey DeLisle  Heather Doerksen  Julie Dolan  Lisa Fuson  Anna Graves  Carolyn Hennesy  Joyce Kurtz  Misty Lee  Ann Sachs  Catherine Taber  April Winchell  Shelby Young
In-universe information
Full name	Leia Organa
Occupation	Princess of Alderaan Imperial Senator General of the Resistance
Affiliation	Imperial Senate Rebel Alliance New Republic Resistance
Family	Anakin Skywalker(father) Padmé Amidala(mother) Luke Skywalker(brother) Bail Organa  Breha Organa
Spouse	Han Solo
Children	Ben Solo(son) Others inLegends
Homeworld	Alderaan

Princess Leia Organa(/leɪ.ə/or/liːə/)is a fictional character in theStar Warsfranchise. Introduced in theoriginalStar Warsfilmin 1977, Leia is a princess of the planetAlderaan,a member of theImperial Senate,and an agent of theRebel Alliance.She thwarts theSithLordDarth Vaderand helps bring about the destruction of the Empire's superweapon, theDeath Star.InThe Empire Strikes Back(1980), Leia commands a Rebel base and evades Vader as she falls in love with the smugglerHan Solo.InReturn of the Jedi(1983), she helps to rescue Han from the crime lordJabba the Hutt,and is revealed to be Vader's daughter and the twin sister ofLuke Skywalker.Leia is portrayed byCarrie Fisherin theoriginal film trilogyand thesequel trilogy.

The 2005prequelfilmRevenge of the Sithreveals that Leia's mother is SenatorPadmé AmidalaofNaboo,who dies after childbirth. Her father is Anakin Skywalker, aJediwho falls to the dark side ofthe Forceand becomes Darth Vader. After her mother's death, Leia is adopted by SenatorBail Organaof Alderaan and his wife,Queen Breha.In thesequel trilogy,Leia is a founder and General of theResistance,which fights against theFirst Order.She and Han have a son named Ben Solo, who turned to the dark side and became the First Order warlordKylo Ren.InThe Rise of Skywalker(2019), it is revealed that Leia was trained as a Jedi by Luke sometime after the events ofReturn of the Jedi.Leia is now the mentor ofRey,the last remaining Jedi. Leia dies towards the end of the film but returns as aForce spiritalongside Luke.

One of the more popularStar Warscharacters, Leia has been called a 1980sicon,afeministhero and model for other adventure heroines. She has appeared in many derivative works and merchandising, including the now-noncanonicalStar WarsExpanded Universe,and has been referenced or parodied in several TV shows and films. Her "cinnamon bun" hairstyle fromStar Wars(1977) and metal bikini fromReturn of the Jedihave become cultural icons. Fisher was nominated for theSaturn Award for Best ActressforStar WarsandReturn of the Jedi.She also received Saturn Award nominations forBest Supporting ActressforThe Force AwakensandThe Last Jedi,the latter being a posthumous nomination.

Creation and casting

Leia was created byStar WarscreatorGeorge Lucas,who in 1999 explained his early development of the main characters:

The first [version] talked about a princess and an old general. The second version involved a father, his son, and his daughter; the daughter was the heroine of the film. Now the daughter has become Luke,Mark Hamill's character. There was also the story of two brothers where I transformed one of them into a sister. The older brother was imprisoned, and the young sister had to rescue him and bring him back to their dad.

The character Princess Leia went through various changes asGeorge Lucaswrote and refined theStar Warsscreenplay. In one early draft, she is the spoiled teenage daughter of King Kayos and Queen Breha of Aquilae.In a later version, she is Luke's cousin and the daughter ofOwen Larsand his wifeBeru.A subsequent story synopsis establishes her as Leia Antilles, the child ofBail Antillesfrom the peaceful world of Organa Major. In the fourth draft, she is Leia Organa of Alderaan, which is how she appears in the finished film.

Carrie Fisher was 19 when she was cast as Princess Leia.She was cast overKaren Allen,Glenn Close,Farrah Fawcett,Anjelica Huston,Amy Irving,Jessica Lange,Terri Nunn,Linda Purl,Meryl StreepandCindy Williams.Jodie Fosterwas offered the role, but turned it down because she was under contract with Disney.

In his early story development forThe Empire Strikes Back,Lucas intended for Luke to have a twin sister—not Leia—who would be the focus of another episode.Following the production ofEmpire,Lucas was burnt out and decided not to make his plannedsequel trilogy.Needing to explain the identity of the other potential Jedi mentioned byYoda,Lucas decided that Leia would be revealed as Luke's twin.

In the second draft of theReturn of the Jediscreenplay, Obi-Wan tells Luke he has a twin sister. She and their mother were "sent to the protection of friends in a distant system. The mother died shortly thereafter, and Luke's sister was adopted by Ben's friends, the governor of Alderaan and his wife."Fisher explained in 1983: "Leia's real father left her mother when she was pregnant, so her mother married this King Organa. I was adopted and grew up set apart from other people because I was a princess."

Characterization

Anthony BreznicanofEntertainment Weeklydescribed Leia as a diplomat, spy, warrior, and undercover agent.Fisher toldRolling Stonein 1983:

There are a lot of people who don't like my character in these movies; they think I'm some kind of space bitch. She has no friends, no family; her planet was blown up in seconds... so all she has is a cause. From the first film [Star Wars], she was just a soldier, front line and center. The only way they knew to make the character strong was to make her angry. InReturn of the Jedi,she gets to be more feminine, more supportive, more affectionate.

She said in 2014:

I would rather have played Han Solo. When I first read the script I thought that's the part to be, always wry and sardonic. He's always that. I feel like a lot of the time Leia's either worried or pissed or, thank God, sort of snarky. But I'm much more worried and pissed than Han Solo ever was, and those aren't fun things to play... I had a lot of fun killingJabba the Hutt.They asked me on the day if I wanted to have a stunt double kill Jabba. No! That's the best time I ever had as an actor. And the only reason to go into acting is if you can kill a giant monster.

Appearances

Original trilogy

Main article:Star Wars original trilogy

Star Wars

Introduced inStar Wars(1977), Princess Leia of Alderaan is a member of the Imperial Senate and a leader in the Rebel Alliance. She is captured when Darth Vader boards her ship, demanding that she reveal the location of stolen architectural plans for the Death Star, theGalactic Empire's battle station. Before her interrogation, Leia hid the plans inside thedroidR2-D2,and sent him to find one of the last remaining Jedi,Obi-Wan Kenobi.Vader takes Leia to the Death Star and tortures her, but she offers him no information. The Death Star commanderGrand Moff Tarkinthreatens to destroy Alderaan unless she reveals the location of the Rebel base. She provides the location of an abandoned headquarters on Dantooine, but Tarkin obliterates Alderaan anyway. Leia is rescued by Luke Skywalker, Han Solo andChewbacca.They escape aboard Han's ship, theMillennium Falcon.After analyzing the Death Star schematics, the Rebels find a small weakness in the battle station, which allows Luke to destroy it with torpedoes launched from hisX-wing.After the victory, Leia honors Luke, Han and Chewbacca for their heroism.

Princess Leia's white gown from the originalStar Warsfilm

In 2015, Alyssa Rosenberg ofThe Washington Postpraised Leia's courage and resiliency while experiencing imprisonment, torture, and the destruction of her home planet.Rosenberg also notes that while Han is almost immediately attracted to Leia, they end up in conflict because she insists on asserting command and he automatically resists, even as she proves herself to be worthy of it.

Fisher toldRolling Stonein 1980 that in the original script, when Luke and Han arrive to rescue Leia, she is unconscious, her eyes are yellow and she is hanging upside down, imagery which alludes to the 1973 horror filmThe Exorcist.Fisher explained that the scene was changed because Chewbacca would have had to carry Leia for an extended period of time.

The Empire Strikes Back

InThe Empire Strikes Back(1980), Leia is commanding the Rebel base onHoth.As Han prepares to leave the base to pay off Jabba, he tries to make Leia admit that she has romantic feelings for him. When Imperial forces arrive and assault the base, Leia leads an evacuation. She then flees with Han, Chewbacca andC-3POin theFalcon.While hiding in an asteroid field, Leia and Han share a kiss. With the ship needing repairs, Han seeks out his old friendLando CalrissianinCloud City.Lando welcomes the group graciously, but has betrayed them to the Empire. He turns them over to Vader, who hopes to use them as bait to capture Luke. Leia confesses her love for Han as he is frozen incarboniteand handed over to the bounty hunterBoba Fett.As Lando, Leia, and Chewbacca escape from Cloud City, Leia senses that Luke is in trouble, and she orders Chewbacca to turn the ship around and rescue him. He was wounded during alightsaberduel with Vader, and used the Force to contact Leia.

Commenting on Han's attempt to pry a confession of affection out Leia, Rosenberg asserts that "Han's not wrong that if Leia doesn't figure out that she's a person with needs, she's going to burn out... In a way, it's an early confession of love: Han's anxious about the bounty hunters who are still pursuing him... But he would stay and give his love and support to Leia if she could just acknowledge that she needs him."

Return of the Jedi

InReturn of the Jedi(1983), Leia infiltrates Jabba the Hutt's palace on Tatooine disguised as a bounty hunter. She frees Han from the carbonite, but they are both recaptured by Jabba, who chains Leia and outfits her in a metal bikini. After Luke arrives and kills Jabba'srancor,the crime lord sentences Luke, Han and Chewbacca to be fed to aSarlacc,a deadly ground-dwelling beast. The group overpowers their captors, and Leia strangles Jabba to death with her chain. The companions then escape the planet and return to the Rebel base. Later, they travel to the forest moon ofEndorto disable a shield protecting the second Death Star. There, Luke reveals to Leia that he is her twin brother and that Vader is their father. After joining forces with a tribe ofEwoks,the Rebels manage to destroy the Death Star and defeat the Empire.

Following the release ofReturn of the Jedi,Fisher commented on the way Leia is depicted: "[She] gets to be more feminine, more supportive, more affectionate. But let's not forget that these movies are basically boys' fantasies. So the other way they made her more female in this one was to have her take off her clothes."

Revenge of the Sith

In the prequel filmRevenge of the Sith(2005), Anakin Skywalker's wife Padmé Amidala is pregnant with twins near the end of theClone Wars.After Anakin turns to the dark side of the Force and becomes Darth Vader, Padmé gives birth to Luke and Leia on Polis Massa and then dies. Leia is adopted by SenatorBail Organaof Alderaan and his wife, Queen Breha.

Sequel trilogy

Main article:Star Wars sequel trilogy

The Force Awakens

Carrie Fisherreprised the role of Leia inThe Force Awakensin 2015

Leia returns inThe Force Awakens(2015), which takes place thirty years after the events ofReturn of the Jedi.She is the leader of the Resistance, an organization she formed to fight the First Order. She is also trying to find her brother Luke, who disappeared years earlier. After a battle on the planet Takodana, she reunites with Han. They discuss their son, Ben Solo, who left Jedi training and fell to the dark side of the Force, becoming the First Order warlordKylo Ren.Leia believes Ren can be brought back from the dark side, and urges Han to bring him home. When Han encounters Ren onStarkiller Base,he asks him to abandon the First Order. Ren refuses and instead kills his father. Leia senses Han's death through the Force, and later shares a moment of grief with the scavengerRey,who viewed Han as a father figure.

Although Leia appears as a Jedi in variousStar WarsLegendsworks, she is not depicted that way inThe Force Awakens.The film's director,J.J. Abrams,explained that Leia's decision to lead the Resistance instead of training as a Jedi was "simply a choice that she made". Nevertheless, he affirmed that Leia's strength with the Force is an intrinsic part of her character.Asked to describe Leia in the film, Fisher said she is under "a lot of pressure" and is likely feeling "somewhat defeated, tired, and pissed."Fisher was nominated for a2016 Saturn AwardforBest Supporting Actressfor her performance.

The Last Jedi

Fisher returns as Leia inThe Last Jedi,the 2017 sequel toThe Force Awakens.When Leia's ship is attacked by the First Order, she is expelled into space, but uses the Force to pull herself back onboard. After recovering, she shoots and stuns the Resistance pilotPoe Dameron,who mutinied againstVice Admiral Holdo.From his self-imposed exile onAhch-To,Luke uses the Force to project himself to the Resistance stronghold onCrait.He reunites with Leia and apologizes for Ben's fall to the dark side. Leia says that her son is gone, but Luke assures her that nobody is ever truly gone. While Luke distracts Ren and his troops, Leia and the remaining Resistance forces escape in theFalcon.The filming of Fisher's scenes was completed shortly before her death on December 27, 2016.

The Rise of Skywalker

Following Fisher's death,Varietyreported that she was slated to appear inThe Rise of Skywalker(2019).However, Lucasfilm stated that it was not planning to create a digital version of Fisher for the film.Several months later, Fisher's family granted Lucasfilm the right to use previously-filmed footage of her in the film; it was later announced that Fisher would appear using unseen footage fromThe Force Awakens.Fisher's daughterBillie Lourd,who portraysLieutenant Connixin all three sequel trilogy films, stepped in as Leia for a brief flashback scene. Her face was digitally replaced by Fisher's, using imagery fromReturn of the Jedi.

In the film, Leia continues to lead the Resistance while guiding Rey in her Jedi training; a flashback presented later reveals that Leia abandoned her own Jedi instruction with Luke after seeing a vision of her son's death. While Rey and Ren duel onKef Bir,Leia uses all of her remaining strength to reach out to Ren through the Force. Rey impales him while he is distracted, then heals his wound as Leia dies. During the climactic battle onExegol,a transformed Ben Solo utilizes the remainder of his life force to revive a comatose Rey, then vanishes into the Force at the same time as his mother. Rey travels to the Lars homestead on Tatooine and buries the lightsabers that had belonged to Leia and Luke. As the Force spirits of her two mentors look on, Rey tells a passerby that her name is "Rey Skywalker."

Rogue One

Leia makes a brief appearance in the final scene of the 2016 filmRogue One.She receives the stolen plans for the Death Star as a lead-up to the beginning ofStar Wars.SinceRogue Onetakes place just prior to the original trilogy, a young Leia was required. To create this effect, acomputer-generated imageof a young Carrie Fisher was superimposed over the face of the actressIngvild Deila.Archival audio of Fisher was used to voice the character.

Series

A teenage Princess Leia, voiced by Julie Dolan, appears in a 2016 episode of the animated seriesStar Wars Rebels,which is set betweenRevenge of the SithandStar Wars.In the episode, Leia is sent on a secret mission for the Rebel Alliance.Dave Filoni,the executive producer ofRebels,said the intention was to show Leia developing her leadership abilities. He added that in the series, Leia is "part of the Empire. She doesn't believe in the Empire, but she is acting the part, almost a double agent."Leia also appears in the web seriesForces of Destiny(2017–2018) voiced byShelby Young,and inStar Wars Resistance,voiced by Rachel Butera andCarolyn Hennesy.

Leia appears as a ten-year-old child in the 2022 live-action seriesObi-Wan Kenobi,portrayed byVivien Lyra Blair.Of Blair's casting, series writerJoby Haroldsaid the show wanted an actor who would embody a young Carrie Fisher,and Eric Deggans ofNPRlater wrote that Blair "practically channels Carrie Fisher's subversive, wisecracking spirit".

Novels

Leia makes her first literary appearance inStar Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker,the novelization of the original 1977 filmStar Wars,which was released six months before the film in November 1976. Credited to Lucas butghostwrittenbyAlan Dean Foster,the novel was based on Lucas' screenplay.Leia later appeared in the novelizationsThe Empire Strikes Back(1980) byDonald F. GlutandReturn of the Jedi(1983) byJames Kahn.She is also apoint-of-viewcharacter in the2015 novelizationofThe Force Awakensby Foster.

Foster's 1978 novelSplinter of the Mind's Eyewas commissioned by Lucas as the basis for a potential low-budget sequel toStar Warsshould the film prove unsuccessful.In the story, Luke and Leia seek a crystal on a swampy planet and eventually face Vader in combat.

Leia appears in theJourney toStar Wars: The Force Awakensline of novels and comics, which were introduced to connectThe Force Awakenswith previous films.She is featured in the young adult novelMoving Target: A Princess Leia Adventure(2015) byCecil Castellucciand Jason Fry, which is set betweenThe Empire Strikes BackandReturn of the Jedi,andClaudia Gray's novelsStar Wars: Bloodline(2016)andLeia: Princess of Alderaan(2017). The former is set six years beforeThe Force Awakens,while the latter features a 16-year-old Leia before the events ofA New Hope.She also leads inBeth Revis'Star Wars: The Princess and the Scoundrelwhich is set immediately right afterReturn of the Jedi.

Comics

Leia appears in the limited seriesStar Wars: Princess Leia(2015), which takes place immediately afterStar Wars.She is also featured in the four-part seriesStar Wars: Shattered Empire(2015), set immediately afterReturn of the Jedi.Princess Leiadepicts Leia training in martial arts on Alderaan and explores her reaction to the destruction of the planet, whileShattered Empireportrays her as a skilled pilot who undertakes a dangerous mission alongsidePoe Dameron's mother.Leia also appears inStar Wars#12.

Other

Leia appears briefly in the 1978 television filmThe Star Wars Holiday Specialas a leader and administrator of the new Rebel Alliance base. She and C-3PO contact Chewbacca's wifeMallatobuckfor assistance in finding Chewbacca and Han. Leia also appears in the animated segment at a different base in an asteroid field, and at the Life Day ceremony at the end of the film.Fisher also appeared in and hosted the November 18, 1978, episode ofSaturday Night Livethat aired one day after the special.

Star Wars Legends

See also:Star Wars in other media

Following the acquisition ofLucasfilmbyThe Walt Disney Companyin 2012, most of the licensedStar WarsExpanded Universe material produced between 1977 and 2014 was rebranded asStar Wars Legendsand declared non-canon to the franchise.In theLegendsnarrative universe, Leia battles remnants of the Empire after the events ofReturn of the Jedi.She becomes the chief of state of theNew Republicand aJedi Master,and raises three children with Han:Jaina,JacenandAnakin Solo.

Novels

The 1991New York TimesbestsellingnovelHeir to the EmpirebyTimothy Zahnbegan what would become a large collection of works set before, between and especially after the original films.

Post-Return of the Jedi

The bestsellingThrawntrilogy(1991–93) by Timothy Zahn begins five years after the events ofReturn of the Jedi.InHeir to the Empire(1991), Leia is married to Han and three months pregnant with twins.Noghricommandos repeatedly attempt to kidnap her as part ofGrand Admiral Thrawn's plan to restore the Empire and crush the New Republic.InDark Force Rising(1992), Leia realizes that Darth Vader and the Empire deceived the Noghri to secure their allegiance, and by revealing the truth she turns the alien race to the side of the New Republic.At one point, she remembers her adoptive parents on Alderaan, implying that the "mother" she discussed with Luke on Endor was Queen Breha.InThe Last Command(1993), Leia gives birth to the twinsJainaandJacen SoloonCoruscantduring Thrawn's siege.

Leia, now the Chief of State of the New Republic, is a minor character in theJedi Academytrilogy(1994) byKevin J. Anderson,set after theThrawntrilogy. Next in the timeline is theCallistatrilogy:Children of the Jedi(1995) byBarbara Hambly,Darksaber(1995) by Anderson andPlanet of Twilight(1997) by Hambly. InThe Crystal Star(1994) byVonda McIntyre,young Jacen, Jaina and their three-year-old brotherAnakinare kidnapped in a plot to restore the Empire, but are rescued by Leia and Chewbacca. Leia struggles with the responsibilities of her position inThe Black Fleet Crisistrilogy (1996) byMichael P. Kube-McDowell.InThe New Rebellion(1996) byKristine Kathryn Rusch,she avoids an assassination attempt and then aids in the defeat of theDark JediKueller, whom she shoots to death.TheCorelliantrilogy(1995) byRoger MacBride Allenfinds Han and Leia swept up in a civil war while visiting his homeworld ofCorelliawith their children. In the twoHand of Thrawnnovels by Timothy Zahn (1997'sSpecter of the Pastand 1998'sVision of the Future), Leia tries to hold the New Republic together as Moff Disra conspires for its volatile factions to destroy each other. Leia appears periodically in theYoung Jedi Knightsseries (1995–98) by Kevin J. Anderson andRebecca Moesta.The 14-volumeyoung adult fictionseries covers the Jedi training of Jacen and Jaina.

InThe Truce at Bakura(1993) byKathy Tyers,set one day after the ending ofReturn of the Jedi,Leia establishes New Alderaan, a sanctuary for the destroyed planet's surviving inhabitants. The spirit of Anakin Skywalker appears to Leia and pleads for her forgiveness, but she angrily banishes him. The six-volumeJedi Princeseries(1992–93) byPaul Davidsand Hollace Davids, later contradicted by other novels, is set within a year afterReturn of the Jedi.InThe Glove of Darth Vader(1992), the self-proclaimed son of the defeated EmperorPalpatine,Trioculus,seeks the titular glove to cement himself as the new Emperor. Entranced by Leia's beauty inThe Lost City of the Jedi(1992), Trioculus vows to make her his queen. He captures her inZorba the Hutt's Revenge(1992), but Jabba the Hutt's vengeful father,Zorba,offers to trade his own prisonerKen—Palpatine's real grandson whom Trioculus has been seeking—for Leia, his son's killer. But Leia and Ken are rescued and Trioculus is frozen in carbonate by Zorba.Mission from Mount Yoda(1993) finds Ken's fatherTriclopsalive and willing to join the Rebels against the Empire. Leia, now engaged to Han, is captured by Zorba inQueen of the Empire(1993). Trioculus is revived and seizes Leia before Zorba can kill her. Leia is rescued and replaced with a lookalike droid decoy, which kills Trioculus. InProphets of the Dark Side(1993), Leia looks forward to her wedding to Han and has a vision of their two children.Matthew Stover's 2008 standalone novelLuke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindorpicks up the story soon after, as Luke, Leia and the Rebels fight theSithLord Shadowspawn.

InThe Courtship of Princess Leia(1994) byDave Wolverton,set immediately before theThrawntrilogy, Leia is presented with an advantageous political marriage toPrince Isolderof the planet Hapes. A jealous Han abducts Leia and takes her to the planet Dathomir; Luke and Isolder follow, and there they all find the hidden forces of the Imperial warlord Zsinj.Defeating him, Han and Leia marry.The 2003 novelsA Forest ApartandTatooine GhostbyTroy Denningare set immediately afterThe Courtship of Princess Leia.The newly married Leia fears that any children she has may succumb to the dark side like her father. During an adventure onTatooineinTatooine Ghost,she discovers the diary of her grandmotherShmi Skywalkerand meets some of young Anakin's childhood friends. When she learns of Anakin's childhood as a slave and the traumatic death of his mother, Leia learns to forgive her father.

Works set between films

InShadows of the Empire(1996) bySteve Perry,the onlyStar Warsnovel set betweenThe Empire Strikes BackandReturn of the Jedi,Leia is searching for Boba Fett to find a captive Han. She is bewitched by the crime lordPrince Xizorusing pheromones, but Chewbacca helps her elude the seduction.

Allegiance(2007) andChoices of One(2011) by Timothy Zahn are set betweenStar Wars: A New HopeandThe Empire Strikes Back,and feature Leia and her cohorts seeking new allies for their Rebellion against the Empire.Razor's Edge(2013) byMartha WellsandHonor Among Thieves(2014) byJames S. A. Coreytake place in the same time period and also chronicle the adventures of Leia and Han.

New Jedi Order

In theNew Jedi Orderseries (1999–2003), Leia resigns as Chief of State, and on the heels of her warnings before the Senate, the alienYuuzhan Vonginvade the galaxy. They destroy system after system and defeat both the Jedi and the New Republic forces in countless battles. Chewbacca dies inVector Prime(1999) byR.A. Salvatore,which sends Han into a deep depression that causes a rift between him and Leia. They reunite after Leia is gravely wounded at the Battle of Duro in Kathy Tyers'Balance Point(2000). She is targeted by a deadly Voxyn slayer in Troy Dennings'Star By Star(2001), and though she manages to evade death, her son Anakin is later killed during a mission to prevent more Voxyn from being cloned. The Vong are finally defeated inThe Unifying Force(2003) byJames Luceno.

In Denning'sTheDark Nesttrilogy(2005), Leia, Han, and several Jedi become involved in an escalating border dispute between theChissand the insidious insectoid Killiks, and Leia makes a bitter enemy in theTwi'lekwarriorAlema Rar.InThe Joiner King(2005), Leia asksSaba Sebatyneto train her as a Jedi Knight. R2-D2 malfunctions inThe Unseen Queen(2005) and shows Luke a holoclip of his father Anakin and a pregnant woman, whom Luke learns is his and Leia's biological mother, Padmé Amidala. Anakin and Padmé are discussing a dream of Anakin's in which Padmé dies in childbirth; later, Luke and Leia watch a clip in which Padmé is talking to Obi-Wan Kenobi about Anakin.Tenel Ka,Queen Mother of the Hapes Consortium, has a daughter,Allana,secretly fathered by Jacen. InThe Swarm War(2005), Luke and Leia view holoclips of their mother's death, and Leia is promoted to Jedi Knight.

Legacy of the Force

The bestsellingLegacy of the Forceseries (2006–08) chronicles the crossover of Han and Leia's son Jacen to the dark side of the Force while the Jedi, Solos, and Skywalkers fight against his growing power.InBetrayal(2006) byAaron Allston,Jacen turns to the dark side, believing that it is the only way to save the galaxy from the chaos brewing among the member systems of the Galactic Alliance. Jacen realizes inBloodlines(2006) byKaren Travissthat the Sith discipline will require him to kill one of his loved ones, which he decides is an acceptable sacrifice to save the galaxy. In Troy Denning'sTempest(2006), Han and Leia thwart the assassination of Tenel Ka and Allana but become caught up in a Corellian conspiracy. They are almost killed when theMillennium Falconis attacked by aStar Destroyercontrolled by an increasingly powerful Jacen—who knows that his parents are on board. With Han injured, Leia and Lando further investigate the Corellians in Aaron Allston'sExile(2007), but Alema reappears to exact her vengeance on Leia.Sacrifice(2007) by Karen Traviss finds Leia and Han on the run, hunted by Jacen as traitors to the Galactic Alliance. He kills Luke's wifeMara Jadeas his final sacrifice to become Darth Caedus, the new ruler of the Sith. InInferno(2007) by Troy Denning, Han and Leia are faced with the reality that their son, now Joint Chief of State, is the enemy. Leia attempts unsuccessfully to manipulate Jacen in Aaron Allston'sFury(2007) so that the Jedi can both thwart him and neutralize Alema. Finally, inInvincible(2008) by Troy Denning, Jaina kills Jacen in a lightsaber duel. At Tenel Ka's request, Leia and Han adopt Allana, disguised with the name "Amelia" to protect her from any future vengeance against Cadeus or the Hapes Consortium. Multiple novels in the series madeThe New York TimesBest Seller list.

The nine-volumeFate of the Jediseries (2009–12) by Aaron Allston, Troy Denning, andChristie Goldenfinds Han and Leia become caught up in the intensifying conflict between the Galactic Alliance and the Jedi. In the wake of Darth Cadeus' death, the now-peaceful Galactic Alliance harbors a growing mistrust toward the Jedi, and the situation is worsened by a Force-induced psychosis that begins afflicting individual Jedi, sending them on violent rampages.

InMillennium Falcon(2008) by James Luceno, set betweenLegacy of the ForceandFate of the Jedi,a mysterious device hidden inside the eponymous spacecraft sends Han, Leia and Allana on an adventure to investigate the ship's past before it came into Han's possession. Troy Denning'sCrucible(2013), set afterFate of the Jediand the last novel to date in theStar Wars Legendschronology, reunites Leia, Han and Luke with Lando as they aid him to thwart a vast criminal enterprise threatening his asteroid mineral refinery in the Chilean Riftnebula.

Comics

Leia's youth is depicted in theStar Wars TalesstoryThe Princess Leia Diaries.Leia develops a disdain for the Empire, as well as a conflict with Tarkin. She discovers and decides to support the Rebellion.

During the events of the comic seriesDark Empire(1991–92), Palpatine has been resurrected in a clone body. As part of his plan to restore the Empire, he seduces Luke to the dark side of the Force. Leia resists Palpatine's attempts to turn her as well, and escapes with the JediHolocron,an artifact he needs to secure his power. When Luke pursues her, Leia manages to turn him back. Luke and Leia then fight Palpatine with the light side of the Force, destroying him with his own Force-generated storm. InDark Empire II(1994–95), Leia gives birth to a third child,Anakin Solo.Palpatine is reborn in a rapidly deteriorating clone body inEmpire's End(1995), and seeks to possess the body of the infant Anakin.

Video games

Leia is a playable character inStar Wars Battlefront,Star Wars Battlefront II,Disney Infinity 3.0,and manyLegoStar Warsvideo games.

Cultural impact

Princess Leiacosplay(Star WarsCelebrationinAnaheim, California,April 2015)

Princess Leia has been called a 1980s iconand a feminist hero.In 2008, Leia was selected byEmpiremagazine as the 89th greatest film character of all time,and in 2010UGO Networkslisted Leia as one of the best heroes of all time.

The character has been referenced orparodiedin several TV shows and films,and is celebrated incosplay.In 2013, cartoonistJeffrey Brownpublished the bestsellingStar Wars: Vader's Little Princess,a comic strip-style book featuring Darth Vader and a young Leia in humorous father-daughter situations.

Leia has also been used in a wide range ofStar Warsmerchandise,including statuettes, action figures and other toys, household items and clothing,office supplies, food products,and bubble bath and shampoo in Leia-shaped bottles with her head as the cap.In her one-woman showWishful Drinking,Fisher called thePrincess Leia Pez dispenserone of the "merchandising horrors" of the series.In a 2011 interview, Fisher said:

I signed away my likeness for free. In those days, there was no such thing as a "likeness"... There was no merchandising tied to movies. No one could have known the extent of the franchise. Not that I don't think I'm cute or anything, but when I looked in the mirror, I didn't think I was signing away anything of value. Lately I feel like I'mMinnie Mouse—the identity of Princess Leia so eclipses any other identity that I've ever had.

After the 2012 acquisition of LucasFilm by the Walt Disney Company, theDisney Storestated in May 2014 that the company had "no plans for Leia products".After public criticism, Disney toldTimein June 2014 that it would be releasing several Leia products.Funkohas since produced several versions of Leia (at least one for each film) in their POP! line of 4.5-inch vinyl figures in the Japanesesuper deformedstyle.Hasbrois set to release an action figure of Leia as she appears in theStar Wars Rebelsanimated series.

"Cinnamon buns" hairstyle

Leia's unique hairdo inStar Wars—arranged in two large buns, one on each side of her head—has come to be known as the "doughnut" or "cinnamon buns"hairstyle,and is iconic of the character and series.When asked in a 2002 interview about the origins of Leia's hairstyle, Lucas said he was aiming for "a kind of SouthwesternPancho Villawoman revolutionary look "from" turn-of-the-century Mexico. "An exhibit at theDenver Art Museumcredited a particular revolutionary—later identified asClara de la Rocha—as an inspiration for the coiffure.The museum stated that Leia's hair arrangement was also influenced by a hairstyle worn by indigenousHopiwomen of North America.Empiresuggested that Leia's hairdo was based on that ofQueen Fria,a character from the 1930sFlash Gordoncomic serial.Lucas had originally wanted to film an adaptation ofFlash Gordon,but unable to obtain the rights, he began developing an original project which would becomeStar Wars.

A February 1978 cover story for the British teen magazineJackieincluded step-by-step instructions on how to replicate Leia's hair buns.In the 1978 short film parodyHardware Wars,Princess Anne-Droid has actual cinnamon buns on the side of her head.Miss PiggyofThe Muppet Showcopied the hairdo in aStar Wars-themed episodeof the series in February 1980.In the 1987Mel Brookscomedy filmSpaceballs,Princess Vespa (Daphne Zuniga) appears to have the hairstyle, which is soon revealed to in fact be a large pair of headphones.In the parody filmThumb Wars,the role of Leia was filled by a character named Princess Bunhead, who has two cinnamon rolls for hair. In 2015, Fisher's daughterBillie Lourd's character in the horror-comedy TV seriesScream Queens,a rich and disaffected sorority girl known as Chanel No. 3, wears earmuffs in every scene as an homage to Fisher's iconic Leia hairstyle.Lourd also has a cameo inThe Force Awakens(2015) in which she wears Leia's distinctive hair buns.

Feminist analysis

Leia has been the subject offeministanalysis. David Bushman, television curator at thePaley Center for Media,said in 2012, "From the male perspective... Princess Leia was a very creditable character for her time—not perfect, but certainly defiant, assertive, and strong."Alyssa Rosenberg ofThe Washington Postwrote in 2015, "Leia wasn't just the first great heroine of science fiction and fantasy to capture my imagination. She was one of the first characters I encountered whose power came from her political conviction and acumen."In her 2007 article "Feminism and the Force: Empowerment and Disillusionment in a Galaxy Far, Far Away", Diana Dominguez cited Leia as a welcome change from the previous portrayals of women in film and TV.She wrote:

Here was a woman who could play like and with the boys, but who didn't have to become one of the boys and who could, if and when she wanted to, show she liked the boys, a woman who is outspoken, unashamed, and, most importantly, unpunished for being so. She isn't a flirty sex-pot, tossing her hair around seductively to distract the enemy... She doesn't play the role of "Maternal caretaker", although she does display caring and compassion, or "the sweet innocent damsel" who stands passively by while the men do all the work, but does step aside to let them do what they're good at when it is wise to do so... Leia is a hero without losing her gendered status; she does not have to play the cute, helpless sex kitten or become sexless and androgynous to get what she wants. She can be strong, sassy, outspoken, Boss y, and bitchy, and still be respected and seen as feminine.

Rosenberg writes that, though at first Luke is an apolitical innocent in search of adventure and Han is a detached opportunist in search of money, both are "influenced by Leia's passion [and] take their places as full participants in the Rebellion".She notes, "Everyone else eventually comes around to Leia's view of the world."Leia herself, singularly dedicated to her political movement against the Empire, "finds a partner in Han, acknowledging that personal happiness can help her sustain her commitment to building a better galactic order".Rosenberg cites "Leia's willingness to see the best in him, and Han's desire to live up to her belief in him" as a foundation of their relationship, also pointing out his attempts to make her recognize that she has needs like anyone else and should acknowledge that she needs him.

In their 2012 essay "Lightsabers, Political Arenas, and Marriages", Ray Merlock and Kathy Merlock Jackson cite Leia as the successor of earlier science fiction heroinesWilma DeeringofBuck RogersandDale ArdenofFlash Gordon,and the embodiment of "a new stage in the ongoing presentation of the fairy-tale princess in jeopardy". Writing that "after Leia, no longer would princesses be passive and salvaged simply with a kiss," they note the reflection of the character in laterDisney Princessanimated films and in woman warriors such asEllen Ripleyfrom theAlienfranchiseandXenaof the adventure TV seriesXena: Warrior Princess.A. O. ScottofThe New York Timesdescribed Leia as "a foremother ofHermione GrangerandKatniss Everdeenand of countless latter-day Disney princesses. She also foretold the recent, somewhat belated feminist turn in theStar Warscycle itself ".

Mark Hamill described Fisher's performance as:

She was effortlessly feminist, you know? She wasn't some shrinking violet that needed a guy to come to rescue her. In fact, she made Han and Luke look like chumps. She was anything but what I expected. I mean, I sort of thought, "Well, she's 19, that's barely out of high school." And in many ways, she was a lot older and wiser than I was.

Fisher herself described Leia as a "huge" feminist icon, dismissing the suggestion that the character was ever a "damsel in distress".Fisher said of Leia," She Boss ed them around. I don't know what your idea of distress is, but that wasn't it! And I wasn't some babe running through the galaxy with my tits bouncing around. So I wasn't threatening to women ".She added, "IlikePrincess Leia. I like how she was feisty. I like how she killed Jabba the Hutt "."I think I am Princess Leia, and Princess Leia is me. It's like aMöbiusstriptease."

Metal bikini

Princess Leia figure wearing the metal bikini costume atMadame Tussauds London

Leia's slave costume when she is held captive byJabba the Huttat the beginning ofReturn of the Jedi—made of brass and dubbed Leia's "Metal Bikini" or "Gold Bikini" —immediately made the character (and Fisher) a "generationalsex symbol"celebrated bypin-upposters,and later merchandising andcosplay.Philip Chien ofWiredwrote in 2006, "There's no doubt that the sight of Carrie Fisher in the gold sci-fi swimsuit was burned into the sweaty subconscious of a generation of fanboys hitting puberty in the spring of 1983."Fisher said in 2015, "I am not a sex symbol, so that's an opinion of someone. I don’t share that".

Allie Townsend ofTimewrote in 2011 that the so-called "slave Leia" outfit has gained a cult following of its own.Rosenberg noted that "the costume has become culturally iconic in a way that has slipped loose from the context of the scenes in which Leia wore it and the things she does after she is forced into the outfit."Acknowledging the opinion of some that the "slave Leia" iconography tarnishes the character's position as "feminist hero",Rosenberg argued:

Leia may be captive in these scenes, but she's not exactly a compliant fantasy. Instead, she's biding her time for the moment when she can put that fury into action, carrying out a carefully laid plan to rescue her lover. And when that moment comes, the bikini doesn't condemn Leia to passivity. She rises, and uses the very chains that bind her to strangle the creature who tried to take away her power by turning her into a sex object.

Science fiction filmmaker Letia Clouston concurred, saying "Sci-fi has had a long history of strong female characters. Yes, Princess Leia was in a gold bikini, but she was also the one who single-handedly killed Jabba. When you take into account movies and TV shows likeTerminator,Aliens,Battlestar Galactica,and even video games likeMetroid,you can see sci-fi has consistently promoted the strength of women more than any other genre. "Peter W. Lee argues that the bikini connotes Leia's hopelessness and helplessness, but even in that demeaning costume she retains her dignity and remains an icon of feminism.Noah Berlatsky argued inThe Guardianfor a deeper significance to the costume beyond its function as a sex symbol, stating that the outfit represents an important stage in Princess Leia's complicated relationship withHan Solo.

The outfit was created by Aggie Guerard Rodgers and Nilo Rodis-Jamero, costume designers forReturn of the Jedi.According to Rodgers, the design was inspired by the work of fantasy illustratorFrank Frazetta.AuthorRikke Schubartsuggested the design was also inspired by the work of science fiction illustratorEarle K. Bergey.The outfit featured a sculpted metalstring bikinitop, paired with a bottom consisting of sculpted metal plates in the front and back covering a red silkloincloth.Fisher wore leather boots, serpentine jewelry and a collar and chain that bound her to her captor, which she ultimately uses to strangle him.Multiple versions of the metal bikini were created to accommodate different scenes in the film, including metal pieces by sculptorRichard Millerfor scenes in which Fisher remained still,and a rubber version she and stuntwoman Tracy Eddon could wear comfortably while performing stunts.The costume designers made a mold of Fisher's torso so it could be designed to a custom fit.Fisher quipped that the bikini was "what supermodels will eventually wear in the seventh ring of hell."

Fisher posed in the costume for a 1983 cover story inRolling Stone.The costume has been parodied in various TV series and films, includingFriends(1996),Family Guy(2000) andFanboys(2009).Yvonne Strahovski's appearance wearing the costume inChuck(2009) promptedWizardto rank her No. 24 of the 25 sexiest women on TV in 2008.IGNgave Strahovski the top honor in a similar list.ComedianAmy Schumerwore a replica of the outfit for the August 2015 cover ofGQ.

An original rubber version of the costume sold for $96,000 at auction in 2015,and another version sold for $175,000 in 2024. Despite its iconic status among many fans of the franchise, the slave Leia outfit has sometimes incited controversy.In response to a 2015 news segment in which parents described difficulties explaining toys featuring the costume (including a chain around Leia's neck) to their children. Fisher called Disney's decision "stupid," saying, "Tell [the kids] that a giant slug captured me and forced me to wear that stupid outfit, and then I killed him because I didn't like it."

See also

• Skywalker family

References

Works cited

• Beecroft, Simon; Hidalgo, Pablo (2016).Star Wars Character Encyclopedia: Updated and Expanded(eBook ed.). New York: DK Publishing.ISBN9781465454966.Archivedfrom the original on January 15, 2023.RetrievedJune 21,2024.

Further reading

• Trotta, Daniel (January 27, 2011)."Carrie Fisher is fat but" not like Jabba the Hutt "".Reuters.RetrievedMarch 4,2022.

External links

• Princess Leiain theStarWarsDatabank