Leia Organa

Leia Organa is one of the main characters of the original Star Wars trilogy. The character was played by Carrie Fisher in the original and sequel trilogies, and as a 10-year old by Vivien Lyra Blair in the miniseries Obi-Wan Kenobi.
She is a character, like Tasha Yar, who is a flashpoint regarding fans' expectations and reactions regarding strong female characters.
==Canon Background==
In her first appearance, in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, Leia is introduced as the Princess of Alderaan and a member of the Imperial Senate. She is also part of the Rebellion against the Empire. The Empire Strikes Back contains a hint that she has Jedi powers, and in Return of the Jedi it is revealed that she is Luke Skywalker's twin sister. Return of the Jedi also features Leia wearing the infamous Slave Leia gold bikini as part of an undercover rescue mission.
In the first film, a love triangle is set up between Leia, Han Solo, and Luke, which ends with no comment after Luke and Leia discover they are siblings in the third film. 
Before Disney bought Lucasfilm, the tie-in novels (now collectively referred to as Star Wars Legends) were considered canon, so Leia canonically was instrumental in establishing the New Republic, married Han, and had three children, Jacen, Jaina, and Anakin Solo.
In the sequel film trilogy, she is a general in the Resistance, married Han and has one son, Ben Solo. She and Han are separated.
Leia's canon history is extensively documented on fan wikis such as Wookieepedia and Wikipedia.
==Early Fan Reaction==
Leia was a character that generated a lot of fannish discussion. Some fans found her delightfully straight-forward and refreshing, an assertive woman in a male-dominated set of movies. Other fans felt her to be cold, manipulative, and bitchy. Letterzines are filled with impassioned support and rejection of Leia, and the early fan fiction reflected these views.
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==Leia as "The Other"==
In The Empire Strikes Back when Luke Skywalker discontinues his training and leaves Dagobah to confront Darth Vader, Obi-Wan Kenobi says to Yoda: "That boy is our last hope." Yoda responds, "No, there is another." 
The answer was revealed in the next film in the series, The Return of the Jedi, which meant fans had to wait three years to learn the identity of "The Other." This gave them plenty of time for debate and speculation. 
* A fan wants Leia to be the Other: 
* A fan is distressed that Leia is really the only female (aside from the little seen Beru) in the movies: 
==The Luke and Leia Romantic Pairing==
Before George Lucas' reveal in Return of the Jedi that Luke Skywalker and Leia were brother and sisters, the two were paired as lovers in fanworks. 
See more at Luke/Leia.
==Fanworks==
===Some Examples of Leia Fanfiction===
===Cosplay===
* , New York Times, December 30th, 2016
=== Fan Art=== 
Image:Youarepegasus.jpg|You Are Receiving This Zine Because page from Pegasus #5 
File:Fanzine-idontcarewhatyousmell-10.jpg|Cover of I Don't Care What You Smell #10
Image:Maikeldas_SWars_Leia_gal23.gif|Princess Leia by Maikel Das
File:Fanzine-imperium-11.jpg|Cover of Imperium #11 by Nancy Stasulis
File:Fanzine-bloodstripe-03.jpg|Front cover of Bloodstripe #3 by Kate
Image:Timeframe6.jpg|Cover of Timeframe #6 by Karen River
Image:jundland2art3.jpg|Art from Jundland Wastes #2 by Wanda Lybarger
File:Fanzine-idontcarewhatyousmell-04.jpg|Cover of I Don't Care What You Smell #4 by Gerald Crotty
File:Fanfare1back.jpg|Back cover of Fanfare #1 by Katy Wolfe
File:Meltdown.jpg|Inside art from Bloodstripe #6 by Zawiah
File:Fanzine-skywalker-03.jpg|Cover of Skywalker #3 by Jeff Johnston
File:From5.jpg|Cover of From a Certain Point of View #5, artist unknown
 File:Barbaraleia.jpg| artist is Barbara Fister-Liltz 
File:Maikeldas lukeleiagal43.jpg|with Luke Skywalker by Maikel Das
===Fanart===
* Princess Leia Hairstyles by gradevus
* Star Wars Princess Leia by felurianscreations
* Thanks for everything, your highness. by Jordan Gibson
* Princess, General by crystalgraziano
===Fanmixes===
* I BREAK CHAINS ALL BY MYSELF by mxffin
* rabblerouser by rainglazed
* space buns by queerluke
* she's a rebel by huffle
* REBEL GIRL by popsyrocks
* your highness ; by braigwen
* DO AS I SAY by br0flovski
* dead flowers from my mother's palms by jostehns
* glance at her storm by geillis
* revolution is a civic duty by fandomfeminist
==Meta/Further Reading==
* "Princess Leia: An Analysis, or Running the Alliance is Not All Fun and Games" by Linda Stoops (1981)
* "The Female Hero: Personal Reflections on the Appeal of Leia Organa" by Pat Nussman (1982)
* "Leia, Lucas, and Fandom" by Sandra Necchi (1984)
* "Can We Talk About Why We Really Love Princess Leia?", by Emily Asher-Perrin at Tor.com (August 10, 2012)
* , Wired Magazine (2013)
* (2015)
* (2015)
==Archives & Communities==
* Works tagged Leia Organa at Archive of Our Own
* Works tagged Leia Organa at Fanfiction.net
*Leia's Metal Bikini, a fansite
==References==
Category:Star Wars Characters
Category:Star Wars: Sequel Trilogy
Category:Star Wars: Original Trilogy
Category:Star Wars: Disney Era
Category:Star Wars: Expanded Universe
Category:Star Wars Legends