Grand Councilwoman

The Grand Councilwoman is the leader of the United Galactic Federation in the Lilo & Stitch franchise. As the most powerful authority figure in the galaxy, others occasionally refer to her as "Your Majesty" and "Your Highness". On the whole, she is both reasonable and well-intentioned, but has little patience for criminals. Her actual name is unknown to viewers, as she is only referred to by her status.
==Background==
It seems that the Grand Councilwoman has a status as the supreme ruler of the Galactic Federation, and being a member of a council, it is reasonable to assume that she has been elected, though it is unknown how long her term lasts or when she was elected.
===Personality===
The Grand Councilwoman is a fair but firm and strict member of the Galactic Council who wishes to preserve order in the galaxy. She can be extremely temperamental at times, especially when those under her employment disappoint her. She does have moments where she shows mercy, however, being all about the rules.
When demoted to the position of secretary by Hämsterviel, she seems unfazed by it, but is clearly relieved to have her office reinstated after his defeat. Due to her limited knowledge of Earth and its various inhabitants (native or otherwise), she has had no qualms about either landing military forces there or even destroying the planet outright to prevent any threat to the federation. However, she would much rather spare Earth than destroy it if another solution can be found.
==Appearances==
===Lilo & Stitch===
The Grand Councilwoman was first seen in a courtroom/council chamber with the other Galactic Leaders during the trial against Jumba Jookiba. After asking Jumba's genetic creation, Experiment 626, if he could show some good in him – and his subsequent use of an apparent (alien) obscene phrase: "Meega, nala kweesta!" (which Jumba insists he did not teach him) in a show of refusal to do so – the Grand Councilwoman sentenced the Experiment to life in exile on a desert asteroid and Jumba to prison. However, 626 escapes in a police cruiser. At first, it seems he will land in the water, where he will sink and drown, but when she sees 626 will land in Hawaii, she suggests they gas the planet. Agent Pleakley tells her the planet is a protected mosquito preserve, and according to Pleakley's "research", destroying the island is out of the question, due to the mosquitoes food supply, humans, are all over the planet, not to mention so delicate, that after mass extinction due to asteroid strikes, life has to begin all over. He also shoots down the idea of the Federation's military forces just landing on the planet, due to humans having no knowledge of the existence of aliens and would most likely panic at the mere sight of them. Because a quiet capture would require an understanding about 626 that the Federation does not know, she makes a deal with Jumba; Jumba's freedom for 626's capture, even includes a plasma cannon to aid his mission. With the deal made, she sends Jumba and Pleakley to retrieve 626. During the course of the film, the Grand Councilwoman makes frequent calls to Pleakley, questioning what they are doing and why Experiment 626 has not been captured yet. In her last call to Pleakley, she loses patience and fires him and Jumba, sending Captain Gantu to finish the mission. At the end of the movie, the Grand Councilwoman arrives with her guards to capture Stitch herself. Gantu offers to explain, but the Grand Councilwoman finally plucks up the courage to tell him to be silent and plans to retire him for following orders in a brutal manner and endangering the lives of others along the way. She then blames Jumba for Stitch's mishaps. Stitch then states that he found his new family on Earth. After learning that Lilo and Nani paid money for 626 (now named Stitch), and therefore legally own him, she allows him to stay with them in exile on Earth and announces that the family is under the protection of the Galactic Alliance, saying they will be checking in on them every now and then. She also revealed she had previously met Cobra Bubbles during the Roswell case, commenting he used to have hair. She does not allow Jumba and Pleakley to board the ship with her and she returns to the Federation.
===Stitch! The Movie===
The Grand Councilwoman made a brief appearance near the end of Stitch! The Movie to assist in the capture of Dr. Jacques von Hämsterviel. She witnessed when Lilo put Experiment 221 (by then-christened Sparky) into the lighthouse, powering it up. Nevertheless, she thought having Jumba's remaining 623 experiments lose on Earth was too dangerous and voiced her decision to evacuate and destroy the planet. However, Lilo and Stitch managed to change the Grand Councilwoman's mind by convincing her to allow them the chance to find, capture, and rehabilitate the experiments.
===Lilo & Stitch: The Series===
The Grand Councilwoman made a special guest appearance in the episode "Finder". After Dr. Hämsterviel escaped from prison and landed on Earth, she contacted Jumba and Pleakley to have them apprehend the fugitive. However, after Jumba's latest experiment, Finder, had supposedly failed to track Hämsterviel, the Grand Councilwoman had no choice but to enlist Gantu in the mission. Gantu successfully captured Hämsterviel but also captured Mertle in the process.
Eventually, the Grand Councilwoman arrived to take Hämsterviel, but canceled her offer to reinstate Gantu to his former position after hearing from Lilo about Mertle's capture alongside Hämsterviel's. However, upon seeing Mertle sad to see Hämsterviel go, Lilo requested the Grand Councilwoman to leave the diminutive criminal on Earth at least until after show-and-tell at school, albeit in handcuffs.
===Leroy & Stitch===
She returned for Leroy & Stitch, seen making Stitch a Captain of the Galactic Alliance, briefly as Dr. Hämsterviel's secretary, then giving awards when she resumes her position at the end.
===Stitch!===
In the anime series, the Grand Councilwoman was mentioned in the Japanese version when Jumba spoke to Pleakley about being given the tasks of watching over Stitch during his sudden rampage. She later appears in an episode when Stitch's robotic counterpart began to cause trouble throughout the galaxy.
===Stitch & Ai===
The Grand Councilwoman appears more in Stitch & Ai. She first calls upon Jumba and Pleakley to monitor Stitch in China after learning that the Woolagongs and Jaboodies wish to use Stitch in their space war. She also checks in with Cobra Bubbles and his agency as another set of monitors of Stitch and the new experiments Jumba begins creating.
==Video games==
===Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep===
The Grand Councilwoman first appears during Terra's time in Deep Space, speaking with Gantu about a mysterious man's discovery as she witnesses an unconscious Terra in a prison cell. She is soon attacked by Unversed, fleeing along with Gantu.
She later appears during Aqua's first visit to Deep Space. Brought before the extraterrestrial by Gantu, Aqua is ultimately accused of being an intruder. The Grand Councilwoman was then about to scold Gantu for not attempting to capture Dr. Jumba and Experiment 626, when Aqua cut in stating that she had arrived to eliminate the Unversed that had prevented him from doing so. The Grand Councilwoman learned that her weapons did not work against the creatures, and asked Aqua to lend her strength. Aqua concurs Gantu upset when the Grand Councilwoman gives his mission to her instead. The Grand Councilwoman then places Gantu on standby until she has another mission for him.
As Aqua eliminated the Unversed, the Grand Councilwoman soon had her report back to her with news on Jumba and 626. The fugitives on the departure deck, Aqua, began to question the threat 626 really posed. When this was confirmed, Aqua did as told and came before the troublesome duo. As Aqua was later battling a vengeful Gantu, the Grand Councilwoman arrived to stop him from destroying the Keyblade wielder after watching their battle on her security monitors. Taking Jumba and 626 back with her, the Grand Councilwoman was asked by Aqua to spare 626's life. She said she would contemplate the matter without making any promises, but not before demoting Gantu back to patrol status.
==Gallery==
==Trivia==
*It is heavily implied that criminals disgust her. However, she still acts as a fair judge and always tries to see the good of the criminals. This is outright confirmed during the original opening of the first film.
*Despite wanting Stitch to be captured, as well as her relationship with Captain Gantu, the Grand Councilwoman isn't really evil or considered an antagonist.
*She shows indifference in her facial expression most of the time when speaking. She is, however, seen smiling on rare occasions, especially in the episode "Finder" when she congratulates Stitch for helping to find an escaped Hämsterviel, and in Leroy & Stitch when she rewards Lilo, Stitch, Jumba, and Pleakley for their success at capturing and rehabilitating all 625 of Jumba's genetic experiments.
*She is one of the few characters to appear in all three animated series.
*Carrie Fisher was considered for the voice role of the Grand Councilwoman, but Zoe Caldwell was ultimately cast.
==See also==
* Grand Councilwoman (Lilo & Stitch 2025)
==References==
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ja:議長
pt-br:Grande Conselheira
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