Leia Organa is one of the most important, influential, and iconic female characters in all of cinema. She is a hero like no other and has been beloved for over forty years as one of the many fantastic characters in the pop culture phenomenon that is Star Wars. It has always been a joy seeing Carrie Fisher portray her on-screen.
Of the main three protagonists of the original trilogy, Leia has perhaps the least amount of story and development, and there is not much to add to the character by the time of the sequels. Nevertheless, Leia does undergo some significant changes through her six film appearances, and we look at the ten biggest here.
LOST HER PLANET
The first time fans get treated to the Death Star in its full destructive ways is in A New Hope with the destruction of Alderaan. Alderaan being the planet of Leia, and her adoptive family.
Leia was known as Princess Leia due to her family, and when Alderaan and her family perished, Leia was firmly a general, not a princess. It marked the first instance of loss for Leia and left her without a real family.
LEADS A REBELLION & A RESISTANCE
General Leia played a massive part in bringing peace and prosperity back to the Galaxy and freeing it from the tyranny of the Galactic Empire.
She always was a crucial part of the rebellion, but as the films progress, she becomes more critical, more of a leader, and has more of an impact. Then as the sequel trilogy comes, she is vital in building the New Republic before getting thrust into the action again as leader of the Resistance.
FOUND FAMILY
Leia's lack of a real family did not last long. A huge theme in Star Wars is the idea of found family, and that is something Leia experiences throughout both trilogies of which she appears.
She loses her planet and adoptive parents but gains a family in Luke, Han, Chewbacca, Artoo, Threepio, and the rebellion. Luke even ended up being her brother by blood, with Han, of course, as her husband.
OPENS UP MORE
When fans get first introduced to Leia, she is very hotheaded, stubborn, and has her sights set on what she wants, freedom for the Galaxy from the Empire.
As the saga progresses, however, Leia starts to open up more, become more emotional in a different way, and lets herself be more vulnerable. She starts to care more about the people she would now consider family, and while Leia still strives for the same goal, she has a whole new set of priorities alongside this.
MATURES
Alongside becoming a character who is more open, Leia matures and grows up throughout the saga too. This may not be the most apparent or prominent change, given Leia starts as a character who is unbelievably strong and mature, but it is evident.
It can mainly be seen when we reach the sequel trilogy. Leia has aged a lot, and with that has become wiser, more of a leader, but she also loses all of her hotheadedness and is instead calm, with no use of mass emotions to get her points across.
FALLS IN LOVE
The most significant change that Leia goes through in the original trilogy is, of course, falling in love with everyone's favorite scoundrel Han Solo. The two had fantastic chemistry, and anytime they come on your screen, you cannot help but smile.
They have a very rocky relationship at the start, mainly due to Han's selfishness. But as we end A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back begins, it is clear the two have a lot of feelings for each other. Of course, they eventually admit their feelings, fall in love, and many an iconic scene are born.
SEPARATES
Of course, the most famed and beloved relationship from the Galaxy far, far away, did not last. Between Return Of The Jedi and The Force Awakens, the two part ways, with Han going back to smuggling, and Leia fulfilling her duties to the New Republic.
Their separation, in large part, was due to the fall of their son Ben Solo to the dark side of the Force as he took up the mantle of Kylo Ren. They have a heartbreaking reunion in The Force Awakens, and still, clearly love each other at that point, but are just not together.
EXTREME LOSS
Leia went through a lot in her life, always in a struggle for peace in the Galaxy, losing her planet and adoptive family. Being adopted and knowing her mother and father died in the first place is in itself a lot to deal with.
In the sequel trilogy, this does not get much better. She loses her son to the dark side of the Force, loses Han as they separate, and then he is killed, loses Luke as he vanishes, then dies, and sees her Resistance crumble to almost nothing. Leia was hurting, and it affected her health. She remained stable, but all this is a lot for anyone to go through. Imagine Chewbacca.
The Ways Of THE FORCE
The Last Jedi divisively confirmed that Leia was at least somewhat skilled in the Force, living up to what a lot of fans have known for years, that she has the potential.
The Rise Of Skywalker outright confirmed that Luke had trained Leia in the ways of the Force and that she even had her lightsaber. We also see her training Rey, continuing from what Luke had taught her in The Last Jedi.
BECOMES ONE WITH THE FORCE & REDEEMS BEN
A considerable part of Leia's character throughout the sequel trilogy is her son Ben Solo. Ben/Kylo Ren is the reason Han and Luke both disappeared, and both died, yet she never lost hope in her son, she always knew there was good in him.
Leia believed this literally until the end. When it as time, Leia used every last piece of energy she had to call out to Ben through the Force, to bring Ben back out from Kylo Ren. She succeeded, and because of it, she died. When Ben died later in The Rise Of Skywalker, Leia finally became one with the Force, reuniting with her brother, and presumably her son too.