Throughout the duration of the original trilogy, Princess Leia Organa is undoubtedly a strong leader. A bold, intelligent, and breathtakingly beautiful woman – there’s no denying that her mother’s blood flows through her.
That being said, why all the hubbub or recent naysaying regarding Hasbro’s Star Wars: The Black Series Princess Leia (slave outfit) Action Figure? Shouldn’t we be commending its representation of such a positive display of feminine empowerment? Oh, wait. It’s the metal bikini and chain choker that’s swaying the public to think otherwise – a bit late, like … thirty two years too late.
As a mother of two teenage daughters, I find it funny how parents seem to be ok with their little girls wearing ‘short shorts’ and ‘belly tops’ by the tender ages of 7-10 because it looks cute. Even more, dressing their little girls in bikinis for a day of fun at the local beach or pool. Now that’s just calling the kettle black, don’t you think? Or am I out of line? Perhaps I’m having a Han moment of ‘Delusions of Grandeur?’ Furthermore, you can see people more scantily clad than Slave Leia on any given day of the year and at any juncture or in any community – global wide.
“That’s pretty inappropriate,” he said. “I got two daughters I don’t need seeing that crap.” –Fred Hill from Philadelphia at a local Target via Fox News
Well, perhaps you should place them in a high tower like Rapunzel and bar their windows? But of course, that would be rather rash or a bit ‘over the top.’ Here’s a tidbit of Star Wars knowledge for the many Mr. Hills among us:
Princess Leia ‘Did Not’ wear said outfit by choice. She was forced into it and was humiliated by its demeaning appearance. The chain represents her enslavement and permits Jabba to bend her at his will, displaying her as his submissive subservient. Not unlike a Sultan with his many concubines or harem. Only this interpretation is on a galactic scale instead of cultural tradition. In other words, she is the victim here not the culprit.
In 1983, I was nine years old and saw Star Wars: Return of the Jedi with my family in the local theater. The moment Jabba discovered it was Leia under the bousch bounty hunter garb, my stomach dropped and my heart leapt into my throat. For the first time I thought, she’s in a lot of trouble and Luke’s not here to help her, nobody is – she’s all alone.
And then it happened, Leia was put on display; literally and well, figuratively. It was a character role shocker, to say the least. Up until that point, Leia had always been modestly robed and represented in a noble fashion. Jabba was making an example out of her. After all, he knew exactly who she was and where her stature ranked within the Rebel Alliance, but that meant absolutely nothing to him. He stripped her from regal caliber and disrobed her from her virtue – shackling her to obey or bend to his every whim, transforming her into his Slave Leia.
“I can’t believe there is still slavery in the galaxy. The Republic’s anti-slavery laws …”-Padme Amidala
“The Republic doesn’t exist out here … we must survive on our own.” – Shmi Skywalker
Granted, unlike her father and her grandmother, Leia was subjected to slavery for only a day, but she did endure some harsh brutality from her egocentric master, Jabba the Hutt.
“Bring her to me.” – Jabba
“We have powerful friends. You’re going to regret this.” – Leia
It has been said, but has never been proven as canon that the Hutts would kidnap beautiful females, preferably human like Leia and break their will. Forcing them into a bestial slavery. Supposedly, this behavior originates from Nal Hutta and has transcended over a thousand years of Hutt tradition. The Hutts are a perverse clan and their female captives either survived by enduring the animalistic acts deemed by their master or they were executed in a way that mulishly pleased them IE: Oola the Twi’lek slave.
I’m sure it’s safe to say that Jabba enjoyed the challenge that Leia presented before him. Much like her father, she was a spitfire and vocally defiant. To break such a strong spirit would not be an easy feat, not even for a Hutt of Jabba’s maliciousness.
With that being said, the raw idea of being literally stripped in front of an audience and redressed in such an outfit, would be enough for me to die of embarrassment a thousand times over. The bikini, itself, is a representation of humiliation by design. Looking closely at the metal plate that lays below her abdomen, the intricate details mimic that of the woman’s menstrual cycle and symbolically shows her fertility. So again, do you honestly think the original concept behind enslaving Leia was meant to demonstrate sexiness? Once again, it is a touchy subject and strictly based upon an individual’s point of view.
Leia was enslaved, yes. She was reduced and removed from her nobility, placed under the harshest of conditions that she was lucky enough to have never been exposed to … until then. She sacrificed her morality, her dignity, and herself literally, for those she loved. And in the end, she had her revenge.
Like Anakin, Leia had no second thoughts when it came to her sweet revenge. Do I blame her for choking the very life out of that disgustingly vile slug that robbed her from so much? No.
“It is only natural. He cut off your arm and you wanted revenge.” – Chancellor Palpatine
Interestingly enough, Leia is the only Skywalker child to choke another being to their death, like her father before her. The only difference, she used brute force and the chain that enslaved her dignity.
The moment Leia lets go of her grip from the lifeless Jabba, she’s changed. No longer a slave, enduring just to exist, but a survivor and through endurance – is set free …
The Cantina Cast
The wretched hive your Jedi Master warned you about!
As always, you can follow me on Twitter @urangelb or contact me directly via email at or
Fox 29 original article
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