Page 144 - Star Wars Insider (Special Edition 2019)

LEIA ORGANA
02
Reunion With Han Solo
With a new generation of
heroes on the front line in The
Force Awakens, Leia’s screen time
is markedly reduced. Her presence,
however, is felt throughout the
film. For a start, it is Leia who has
been instrumental in establishing
the New Republic that has brought
relative peace to the galaxy. Again, it
is General Leia who has spearheaded
the Resistance against the First Order
when the New Republic has proved
too peaceful for its own good. Rey
is inspired by the Resistance long
before she meets Leia, and is no
doubt representative of many others
across the galaxy who believe in the
same things (even if they lack Rey’s
innate abilities).
But for all that Leia is a
fi gurehead in The Force Awakens,
she is also allowed her intimate
moments. She has suffered
144 / STAR WARS INSIDER
SWI2019_138-145_LeiaMoments.indd 144
SWI2019_138-145_LeiaMoments.indd 144
03 a diplomat, Leia has a hard time
disguising her horror when Luke
reveals his lineage to her. But then he
also tells her that she is his sister, and
therefore Vader’s daughter, too! Leia
accepts this news with a simple: “I
know. Somehow, I’ve always known,”
but still the truth clearly shocks her.
When Luke leaves and Han enters, she
Brother and Sister has no words to explain to him what
she has learned, but takes comfort in
Return of the Jedi is undoubtedly his presence nonetheless. At fi rst, Han
memorable for its big set pieces and is angry that Leia and Luke are keeping
special effects, but its story works secrets from him, but this swiftly
because of the intimate character passes. As Leia trusts Luke to face their
moments. Perhaps the only thing father despite the risks, so Han has
harder than finding out you are learned to support Leia’s choices, and
the child of the galaxy’s most to stand by her regardless. As the core
fearsome bad guy is admitting that of a rebellion built on trust, they are
you are the child of the galaxy’s all part of a family, whether or not
most fearsome bad guy. Even for they are bonded by blood.
many deeply personal losses— option in story terms. But it has
her brother, her son, her husband— still more significance for audiences
and yet she fights on with quiet who know the battles Carrie Fisher
resilience. When she is reunited with fought in her own personal life.
Han, her composure almost falters, For Leia to have had an easy time
but she holds it together over the past 30 years would have
and they exchange a few words— shattered the symbiosis that existed
an awkward echo of their one-time with actor and character, and done
back and forth. It’s a stark reminder a disservice to Fisher’s own life story.
that heroes stay human, and that As a result of these choices,
their stories don’t finish when their and Fisher’s subtle, sensitive
epic quests are complete. performance, Leia’s return to the
To reintroduce Leia in such screen is a triumph, and as her
a different place from where body language lets us know that
cinemagoers left her in Return of the she still loves Han, we can’t help but
Jedi is daring and far from an easy be reminded that we still love Leia.
30/10/2018 13:48
30/10/2018 13:48