Why Leia's Holster Is So Important & Where It Is In The Original Trilogy

Warning! Spoilers ahead for Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Leia's holster in Obi-Wan Kenobi is secretly important to her overall Star Wars arc despite not being explicitly featured in the original trilogy. Lucasfilm brings back Ewan McGregor as Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi in his Disney+ series, which tackles his darkest days after the fall of the Galactic Republic and the rise of the Empire. Arguably the most surprising aspect of the Obi-Wan Kenobi show, however, is the revelation of Obi-Wan's secret history with young Leia (Vivien Lyra Blair).

A decade after the events of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, Obi-Wan Kenobi sees the titular Jedi Master keeping a low profile in Tatooine where Obi-Wan is secretly looking after Luke Skywalker (Grant Feely). His rather monotonous life takes an unexpected turn when he's asked by Bail Organa (Jimmy Smits) to rescue the kidnapped Leia — a secret ploy by the Inquisitor the Third Sister, Reva (Moses Ingram), to lure him out. Throughout Obi-Wan Kenobi's run, the pair develops a strong bond as the Jedi does everything to bring home the Princess of Alderaan.

Along their dangerous journey, Obi-Wan and Leia meet various new characters and some of them end up being devoted allies, including Tala (Indira Varma). In the brief time they spend together, Leia starts to look up to Tala for being brave and doing the right thing. Sadly, Tala sacrifices herself to ensure the safety of the other refugees as the Empire closed in on the small proto-Rebel cell hiding Obi-Wan and Leia. In the Obi-Wan Kenobi finale ending, Leia inherits Tala's holster, which she sports at the end of the episode. The holster seems inconsequential at this point, outside of a visual connection to her later belt and blaster. Yet it actually foreshadows her arc in Star Wars. She became the Senator of Alderaan bu,t despite her work with the Rebellion in bringing down the Galactic Empire, once word got out that she was the daughter of Darth Vader, she lost all credibility. This ended her political career, but she seamlessly made the transition from that to the Rebellion's founder. Inheriting Tala's holster serves as a reminder for her that there are other ways to instigate change other than being a politician. Leia's experience as a child with Tala and Obi-Wan opened up her eyes to a different kind of battle on the ground — something she decided to take on as she led the fight against the Empire and later the First Order.

General Leia Organa Star Wars 7 The Force Awakens

Interestingly, however, there hasn't been any mention of Tala's holster in future Leia stories after Obi-Wan Kenobi. In fact, the character was never referenced in either the original or sequel trilogies. Nonetheless, it's possible that she is the inspiration for Leia's decision to wear a proper holster with an actual gun in Return of the Jedi as she, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Han Solo (Harrison Ford), and the rest of the Rebellion fought the Empire in Endor. This was the only time she visibly wore a holster throughout the Star Wars original trilogy, but this makes sense in terms of the character's arc. She first followed Bail and Breha Organa's (Simone Kessell) footsteps by entering politics. As the fight against Emperor Palpatine became more intense, however, she transitioned to a different cause. Later on, she made that transition again when Leia founded and led the Star Wars Resistance and fully embraced being a boots-on-the-ground type of leader as General Organa.

It's safe to assume that Leia's experience in Obi-Wan Kenobi will make a lasting impression on her. Despite coming from a prominent family, she is able to see firsthand how dire the situation is for normal people and especially for the Force-sensitive under the Empire's rule. No wonder why, even in her early teens, she was already eager to participate in the burgeoning Rebellion despite the clear danger that came with it.

More: Why Darth Vader Gave Up Hunting For Obi-Wan Kenobi

Obi-Wan Kenobi season 1 is now available to stream on Disney+.

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