Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia Organa in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan, later Leia Organa-Solo, is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe, portrayed by the actress Carrie Fisher.
The character is one of the main protagonists of the original Star Wars trilogy, the romantic interest of Han Solo, a leader in the Rebellion Alliance and later New Republic. She is the daughter of Bail Organa and the Exas Chi'in of Tobi Dala, a pupil and confidante.
Appearances[]
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope[]
Leia on board the Tantive IV in the first Star Wars film.
In her first appearance in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, Leia is introduced as the Princess of Alderaan and a member of the Imperial Senate.
Darth Vader captures her on board the ship Tantive IV, where she is acting as a spy for the Rebel Alliance. He accuses her of being a traitor and demands to know the location of the secret technical plans of the Death Star, the Galactic Empire's most powerful weapon. Unknown to Vader, the young Senator has hidden the plans inside the Astromech droid R2-D2 and has sent it to find Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi on the nearby planet of Tatooine.
Later, Vader has her tortured but she resists telling him anything. Still believing she could be useful, Death Star commander Grand Moff Tarkin threatens to destroy Alderaan with the super weapon unless she reveals the location of the hidden Rebel base. She provides the location of an old, abandoned base but Tarkin orders Alderaan to be destroyed anyway. She is finally rescued by Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Obi-Wan, the Wookiee Chewbacca, and the two droids R2-D2 and C-3PO.
When they finally escape at the expense of Obi-Wan's life sacrificed in a duel with Vader, they take part in a major battle in which Luke destroys the Death Star in his X-wing fighter. In the Massassi Temple at the hidden Rebel base on Yavin 4, the radiant Princess presents the Alderaanian Medal of Freedom to her rescuers and the heroes of the battle.
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back[]
Leia in her Hoth style uniform and braids.
Three years later in The Empire Strikes Back, Princess Leia is at the Rebel base on Hoth.
She later helps with the evacuation of Hoth during an Imperial attack, remaining at her station until Han Solo forces her to leave with him. She flees with C-3PO, Han and Chewbacca on their Millennium Falcon ship. Although they are pursued by Imperial TIE Fighters, they dodge their fire by flying into an asteroid field when the hyperdrive for the Falcon breaks down. Romance blossoms between Leia and Han during their flight from the Empire; while hiding in the stomach of a space slug, she finally shares a kiss with the Corellian smuggler.
Later, when they stop at Bespin for repairs, Lando Calrissian turns them over to the Empire to which Darth Vader plans to use them as bait for Luke Skywalker. Han is also used as a test subject for the carbon freezing chamber meant for Luke, and it is there that Leia finally confesses her love for Han. Vader then gives the frozen Han to bounty hunter Boba Fett.
Later, Lando helps Leia, Chewbacca and the two droids escape. Chewbacca chokes Lando for giving Han to Darth Vader, Boba Fett and Jabba the Hutt and she angrily tells him they do not need his help. While escaping, they are rescued by Tobi Dala and Ashla Vassari. Together they escape Darth Vader, and save Luke after he falls into Vader's trap and is badly hurt in a near-fatal duel against Vader.
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi[]
Leia in her Alliance uniform in Return of the Jedi
Three Months Later in Return of the Jedi, Princess Leia along with Chewbacca, Lando Calrissian, Luke Skywalker and the droids C-3PO and R2-D2 go to Tatooine to try to rescue Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt.
Leia's part of the plan consists of posing as the Ubese bounty hunter Boushh turning Chewbacca over to Jabba. Her ruthless bargaining, negotiating the price for Chewbacca while holding an armed thermal detonator, impresses Jabba enough to allow her quarters in the palace for the night. The Huttese gangster eventually discovers her real identity, captures her, makes her his new slave girl and forces her to wear her iconic metal bikini after she frees Han from the carbonite. After Luke kills the Rancor, Jabba sentences Luke, Ashla and Han to be fed to the Sarlacc. Just as all seems lost, Lando (disguised as a guard) helps Luke and Han overpower their captors. Leia seizes the moment to kill Jabba by strangling him with the very chain that bound her. R2-D2 cuts her loose, and after Luke boards the sailbarge, the Jedi Knight rescues Leia. With Leia's help, Luke uses a deck cannon to blow up his barge as they swing to safety.
While preparing for a last battle with the Empire on Endor, Luke reveals to Leia that she is, in fact, his twin sister and that Darth Vader is their father. Initially reluctant to believe him, Leia realizes that Luke speaks the truth. Leia joins Han in leading the Rebels in a final battle as the Rebel Fleet battle the second Death Star. Leia is slightly injured in the battle but nevertheless helps the Rebels, allied with the Ewoks, to defeat the Empire.
Star Wars Episode VII: A New Dawn[]
Poster of General Leia Organa-Solo in A New Dawn
Leia returns to the series, now married to Han Solo and acting as a General for the New Republic using a black ops unit known as Alpha Rogue. Her children Jacen and Jaina Solo are twins, strong in the Force and members of Luke and Ashla's New Jedi Order.
Leia is trying to deal with the Sikkaran threat and is visiting Ogana Major as part of a goodwill tour . Along with C-3P0 and accompanied by Sava she is attacked by a group of Force Adherents under the direction of Darth Imperious who has risen from the dead and manipulating events to serve his planned return. Leia and the others escape, but are forced into hiding.
After her husband Han locates her, they take shelter on Kashyyyk and re-group after Imperious' devastating attacking on the Jedi Academy on [[Yavin IV]. Later she leads the Rebel Fleet against the superweapon Eclipse which is threatening to destroy Coruscant. She says a tearful goodbye to Han as he choses to sacrifice himself by performing a suicide run against the Eclipse and happily orders a full attack against the crack in the hull which Han creates.
She is later reunited with her children and together mourn the loss of Han Solo and Luke Skywalker.
Star Wars Episode VII: Order of the Jedi[]
Leia says goodbye to her children as they embark on a dangerous mission in Order of the Jedi
Leia is now acting as Chief of State for the New Republic, after the assassination of Mon Mothma. Forced to flee Coruscant and into hiding on Kortooine, Darth Xanthus tracks her down but she manages to escape with Lando Calrissian, C-3P0, her Jedi bodyguard Aay Zavor and Zavor's padawan Maelen Islorisla.
They are later tracked to a hidden enclave and despite their best efforts are captured. After Sava opts to remain on Coruscant offering herself to Palpatine as a pupil, she watches as Leia's entourage is brought in as prisoners to the re-opened Imperial Palace.
Star Wars Episode VII: Light of the Jedi[]
Carrie Fisher as Chief of State Leia Organa-Solo in Light of the Jedi
Leia begins imprisoned in the final film of the sequel trilogy. However before her children can rescue her, Palpatine has released her as part of a ruse to destroy the New Republic. Feigning a desire to negotiate a peace between his forces, as well as combat the revenant forces of the "Imperial Ghosts", Palpatine offers Leia a treaty of peace.
Later she serves on board Palpatine's capital ship and learns the truth of his plans, and is incapacitated by Force Lightning as Palpatine gleefully reveals his newest weapon will destroy all his enemies in a single blow. Though not strong in the Force, she is able to allow her children to read her thoughts and warn them, allowing the Jedi to counter-attack Palpatine's forces. She is present when Jacen and Jaina use a newly discovered Force skill (physical teleportation) to engage Palpatine. When he is defeated Leia watches as the fallen Jedi spirits bind Palpatine to the light side of the Force, forever removing his threat.
As the film ends, the New Republic forces celebrate on Coruscant, Leia addresses the populace declaring; "Let there finally be peace."
Star Wars literature[]
In The Truce at Bakura, set one day after the ending of Return of the Jedi, Leia establishes New Alderaan, a sanctuary for the destroyed planet's surviving inhabitants. The Royal House of Alderaan, as represented by Leia Organa Solo and her children, officially holds sovereignty over both New Alderaan and the old Alderaan system. Her position is largely ceremonial, however, as the government on New Alderaan actually administers the Alderaan system and New Alderaan in her name.
In Expanded Universe materials set after Return of the Jedi, Leia is portrayed as a founding member of the New Republic. Although most of her life is devoted to such matters of state, she engages in combat roles, rising to the rank of General at one point. Tobi Dala remains her teacher as he had been when she was growing up.
In Queen of the Empire by Paul Davids and Hollace Davids, she is kidnapped by the "Prophets of the Dark Side", who try to brainwash her into pledging her loyalty to the Empire and marry their leader, Trioculus. Leia tricks her captors by having a look-alike droid take her place; the droid eventually kills Trioculus.
As described in The Courtship of Princess Leia, Leia marries Han after a near-disastrous courtship in which Prince Isolder vies for her affections. Han kidnaps Leia and takes her to the planet Dathomir, which he had won in a game of sabacc. There they encounter the Nightsisters, whose attempt to escape eventually leads to the demise of the Warlord Zsinj and his empire, equal rival at this time to both the Imperial Remnant and the New Republic.
In Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn, Leia leads the campaign to help free the Noghri from their debt to the Empire. It is during this mission that she learns that she is pregnant.
In The Last Command, Leia gives birth to the twins Jaina and Jacen on Coruscant during Thrawn's siege.
In the New Jedi Order series, Leia resigns as Chief of State, and is replaced by Borsk Fey'lya. After the Yuuzhan Vong attack on Sernpidal, Leia goes before the Senate to bring attention to the threat posed by the approaching Yuuzhan Vong. Her pleas go unheeded and the Vong legions swarm into the galaxy, destroying system after system and defeating the Jedi and the New Republic army in countless battles. Leia contributes to the war effort by joining SELCORE, a movement that helps refugees.
Near the end of the Yuuzhan Vong war, she and Han rescue Thorsh, a prisoner from the internment camps of planet Selvaris. Later, they enter with Jedi Master Kyp Durron, a Bothan secret agent named Wraw, and a few more allies on the planet Callulla. During the battle with the Yuuzhan Vong warriors, she destroys a few Slayers and a Commander before being captured. The commando is eventually rescued by Lando Calrissian, Talon Karrde and Tendra, Lando's wife.
When Zonama Sekot makes its existence known near Coruscant in The Final Prophecy, Han and Leia travel there to be reunited with the rest of their family. While there, they meet Harrar, a Yuuzhan Vong priest. Leia, Han, and a few companions work with Harrar and a group of heretics to get inside the Well of the World Brain on Coruscant.
After the destruction of Shimrra and Supreme Overlord Onimi, Nom Anor travels with the Solo family across the labyrinth to escape the mighty war vessel of the Master Shaper. However, the executor turns on them and shoots his venom towards Han, but Jacen catches the poison, saving his father from certain death. Leia engages the Prefect before he can eliminate her husband and her elder son. She proves victorious and cuts off the rogue Nom Anor's arm. Han and Leia then leave Anor to die.
In The Joiner King, Han and Leia follow various Jedi who had disappeared into the Unknown Regions, and discover Raynar Thul is alive and had been taken in by a nest of Killiks. To avoid a war with the Chiss, Leia suggests to "UnuThul" (as Raynar was now known) that the Killik nest be moved to a new planet, but makes him think it is his idea.
Leia and Han unknowingly become grandparents to Allana, Jacen's daughter, but they finally find out the truth as of Fury.
Character development[]
Initial rough concept sketch of Princess Leia.
In the rough draft of A New Hope, Leia was roughly 13-15-year-old princess (the same age as Ashani Vassari in Star Wars Episode I: Guardians of the Force), the spoiled daughter of King Kayos and Queen Breha of Aquilae. In that draft, she had two brothers, Biggs and Windy, whose identities were substantially revised into their current form by the fourth draft (though they did not appear in intervening versions).
The later story synopsis established her as Leia Antilles, the daughter of Bail Antilles from the peaceful world of Organa Major. In the fourth draft the names were turned around so that Leia Organa came instead from Alderaan.
Characteristics[]
Princess Leia Organa is characterized as a driven, dedicated woman with a forceful personality. The "petite, fair-skinned human female" is known perhaps as the most beautiful and remembered woman in the Star Wars universe. Leia was loved by Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Prince Isolder (before he met Teneniel Djo) and others. In the Shadows of the Empire novels, Leia is seduced by the crime lord Prince Xizor, who bewitches her with pheromones. Chewbacca manages to break off the seduction, allowing Leia to defeat the gangster.
A woman warrior, Leia frequently takes part in combat operations. She is an excellent sharpshooter, missing rarely, if ever, with a blaster. She kills, among other villainous characters, Jabba the Hutt, choking him with the very chain that bound her to him; Leia is also responsible for Grand Admiral Thrawn's death, since she turns the Noghri against him.
In popular culture[]
The "cinnamon bun hairstyle"[]
Lady of Elche
Leia's well-known hairdo in A New Hope has been affectionately dubbed the "doughnut hairstyle", or "cinnamon buns", by many science fiction fans. Carrie Fisher, in an appearance on the UK TV show Bring Back Star Wars, said she hated her character's hairstyle; she felt it made her face look rounder, and it took two hours every day to style. Miss Piggy of Jim Henson's Muppet Babies copied the hairdo with doughnuts in a Star Wars-themed episode of the series. Also, in one scene from Mel Brooks' Spaceballs, Princess Vespa also appears to have the hairstyle, but reveals that she is actually wearing a large pair of headphones. In the parody film Thumb Wars, the role of Leia was filled by a character named Princess Bunhead, who, as the name implies, had two cinnamon rolls for hair.
Hopi girl with "Squash Blossom" hairdo
The hairdo has also been compared to the Iberian sculpture Lady of Elche.
Young marriageable Hopi Indian women wear a very elaborate "Squash Blossom" hairdo that superficially resembles Princess Leia's. George Lucas, however, has denied a connection, saying: "In the 1977 film, I was working very hard to create something different that wasn't fashion, so I went with a kind of Southwestern Pancho Villa woman revolutionary look, which is what that is. The buns are basically from turn-of-the-century Mexico.
"Princess Leia's Theme"[]
"Princess Leia's Theme" is represented by the musical leitmotif in the Star Wars saga. The piece was composed by John Williams. It first appeared in A New Hope, heard when Princess Leia is captured by Darth Vader. Later, it plays as R2-D2 plays her holographic message to Obi-Wan Kenobi. The theme plays when Obi-Wan Kenobi is killed by Vader. Finally, it plays in the end credits.
In The Empire Strikes Back, the theme is developed into "Han Solo and the Princess". "Princess Leia's Theme" plays as Han Solo tells Leia that he must leave to settle his debt with Jabba the Hutt. The only other time it plays is at the end of the movie, when Leia and Lando Calrissian rescue Luke Skywalker from Cloud City and Leia and Luke are reunited.
In Return of the Jedi, the theme is heard as Leia shoots a stormtrooper on Endor. Earlier it plays as Luke mentions her name on Dagobah.
Metal bikini[]
- Main article: Princess Leia's bikini
Carrie Fisher posing in the Metal Bikini for Rolling Stone Magazine (1983)
The term "Metal Bikini" refers to the iconic slave girl costume worn by Princess Leia when she was held captive in Jabba the Hutt's palace, at the beginning of Return of the Jedi.
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." Philip Chien of the website Wired wrote 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."
Acknowledging the opinion of some that the "Slave Leia" iconography tarnishes the character's position as "feminist hero", Rosenberg argues:
| 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 concurs, 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 like Terminator, Aliens, Battlestar Galactica, and even video games like Metroid, you can see sci-fi has consistently promoted the strength of women more than any other genre."
Reception[]
In 2008, Princess Leia was selected by Empire magazine as the 89th of the greatest film characters of all time, with IGN listing her as the 8th top Star Wars hero. UGO Networks listed Leia as one of their best heroes of all time, stating that "even though she ended up hanging out with goofy teddy bears and making out with a doughy Harrison Ford, she always had that special something".
See also[]
- Skywalker family
- Solo family
- Woman warrior
External links[]
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