When audiences all over the world were introduced to the world of a galaxy far, far away in 1977, it was clear that Star Wars aimed for Luke Skywalker to be the hero of its story. He fit many of the hero archetypes, followed many familiar hero's journey arcs, and reigned victorious by the trilogy's end.
But upon closer examination, it becomes clear that Luke is far from the trilogy's true hero. His arc is, in fact, the lesser of the complex and nuanced hero's journeys at work within the original trilogy of films. It's his twin sister Leia Organa, who fans should be revering as the true hero.
She's More Than Just A Princess
Though Leia might be best known as Princess Leia from the beginning of the original trilogy to the end of it, she quickly proves that she is so very much more than a princess.
She's a diplomat, an envoy, a military leader, a political genius, a sister, a lover, and a hero. She segues easily from one role to the next, code-switching like a natural in times of crisis and comfort alike.
She Faces Vader First
It takes almost two entire movies for Luke and Darth Vader to fully meet and face one another. Though Leia might not get the momentous and iconic "I am your father" reveal moment, she can lay claim to the fact that she faced the masked villain first.
In fact, more impressive than that, Leia stands her ground with Darth Vader in A New Hope's opening scenes. She bites back at Vader and his henchmen in equal measure, more than proving her worth.
She Heeds The Hero's Call Before Luke
While Luke Skywalker is busy whining about power converters and the Tosche Station on Tatooine, Leia has already gone above and beyond in the name of the greater good.
Working to secure the plans to the Death Star and deliver them to the Rebel Alliance, Leia quite literally risks her life in the process. She manages to secure the plans and transmit them, along with a message, via R2-D2, before Vader and his crew arrives.
Her Actions Start The Saga
And if it weren't already impressive enough that Leia was working on this fearless diplomatic and rebellious mission, it's not the slightest bit an overstatement to say that the original trilogy - and the saga at large - wouldn't have happened without her actions.
If Leia had never recorded the message for Obi-Wan Kenobi to be transmitted via R2-D2, Luke would never have received his own hero's call, and the galaxy would be a very different place.
Her Achievements Were More Impressive
Luke spends much of the original trilogy of films taking a backseat to the action, whether doing so literally in his time on the Falcon or through his meditative training exercises in the swamps of Dagobah. He becomes a Jedi in the blink of an eye, and that is what the saga uses to deem him the hero.
By comparison, Leia accomplishes so very much more. She saves herself and the boys from the Death Star. She makes major decisions on the Rebel base on Hoth. She goes undercover as a bounty hunter to save Han, and she kills the loathsome Jabba the Hutt.
She's More Likable Than Luke
No doubt about it, there's not a single moment in the original trilogy in which Leia's actions could be characterized as "whiny," "childish," or "selfish" - words that are often levied toward Luke for his outbursts on Tatooine and Dagobah alike.
Leia, by large contrast, is routinely selfless, mature well beyond her years, and incredibly witty. She is well-written, with genuine emotional capacity and maturity, and she develops and grows much more fully than Luke does.
The Entire Rebel Alliance Takes To Her As Leader
Even before A New Hope begins, it is clear that Leia Organa has an incredibly well-respected position within the Rebel Alliance. Why else, of course, would Mon Mothma and her associates have trusted her with the extremely crucial mission involving the Death Star?
But over the course of the films, Leia becomes even more well-respected within the Rebellion. She notably captures their attention and respect during a powerful command sequence in the Rebel base on Hoth - something that Luke never does.
She Had The Hero's Romance
Hero's journeys alike often include a grand, sweeping romance, regardless of whether they take place in a galaxy far, far away. Anakin Skywalker has his romance (though ill-fated) with Padme Amidala, and Rey barely begins a (controversial) romance with Ben Solo.
In the original trilogy, it's Leia who arguably receives the hero's romance. She is the one who falls in love. She is the one whose love interest is put in danger, and she is the one who gets to share the great big show-stopping kiss.
She Overcame Greater Loss
Though Luke undergoes trauma of his own when he returns to find the Lars Homestead and Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru burnt, it's clear that A New Hope contrasts this with an even bigger one, with Alderaan being lost.
Leia is forced to witness her home planet of Alderaan be destroyed in a display of cruelty by her own father, Darth Vader. Her planet, and all those she loved so fiercely upon it, are gone within seconds, and she is never given the time or space to deal with that trauma. Instead, she carries on.
Her Journey Affects The Saga's Future More
While Luke Skywalker goes on to have a role in his own right years following the original trilogy, it's clear that Leia Organa is the character whose influence extends so very far beyond her own circle and affects the galaxy as a whole.
Leia moves on to become a Senator and then a General in the new Resistance. She marries Han and gives birth to Ben Solo, who becomes Kylo Ren (and then Ben Solo again). Luke retreats into hiding, aghast at the thought that he could be fallible. Leia never once shies away from a fight.