Disney May Ban Leia's Gold Bikini From All Star Wars Merch

[Redvenge]

Jabba the Hut was always a conundrum. "How does one show how evil and terrible this alien is, in a series where everyone uses violence?". He fed the poor Twilek girl to the Rancor and enslaved Princess Leia. The outfit Leia wears is fanservice, but also a quick visual way to show how vile Jabba is. They had to wrap up the captured Han plot fairly quickly so we can get on to blowing up the Death Star (again).

What is the problem with selling "Slave Leia" toys? Barbie and similar toys can be stripped completely naked, so if the issue is with her being "scantily clad", that seems an odd double standard.

 

[hermes]

I don't particularly like the idea that Disney doesn't own up at the things that come with the old movies as elements of their time (what is next? Remove Watto because it is a Jewish stereotype?), but at least they are making the changes in merchandise, not the movies itself.

They didn't re-edit the movie to make her dress up in something less revealing, like other Star Wars examples... yeah, I am looking at you Christensen, and your presence in a 20 years older movie, which doesn't even make any sense.

 

[happyninja42]

Fine by me. I can get my titillation in many other ways, I don't need an action figure of a woman from 30 years ago to feel complete. As for why they would market that to kids, well, speaking from my personal experience, I learned that I liked naked women very early on, so toys like She-Ra, and Slave Leia, and other various scantily clad female action figures, helped me figure out my sexuality as a kid. So I can appreciate them making them, but I can also appreciate why they wouldn't want to promote that kind of hyper-sexualized presentation of an iconic female protagonist going forward.

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

It is quite surprising and alarming how many tinterweb people are overdefensive of their hypothetical toys. People that sound intelligent too. In trying to understand that state of mind, I am not sure what oppression, if any, they may have experienced in life. Maybe a grounding once for missing homework? Adults arguing over children's toys, it is disheartening to see such tunnel vision. Go out and explore past your comfort zones, please. You will see things differently. Try being a Turkish citizen, visit the Maldives right now. Hell, even the UK current goverenment in power is trying to weaken the Freedom of Information act currently. I urge you to take a step back here, for your own dignity's sake. Much love!!

 

[Diablo1099_v1legacy]

While I might be able to understand all the people who are saying that this is a bad move, I'm just reminded of all the people saying that George Lucas shouldn't have anything to do with Star Wars and they should give the rights to another party who won't "Ruin it".

I get that the Prequels were bad but I always disliked that line of reasoning, considering how much of his life he gave to making that series what it was that now he's the "worst thing" to ever happen to it.
So I guess I would like to imagine the irony of them now wanting Lucas to get the rights back because Disney wants to "Ruin" the series.

Personally, I never liked the first half of "Return of the Jedi", I mean, Leia was in charge of an entire army large enough to engage in a galaxy wide conflict.
You telling me that they couldn't spare a single military class ship or some spec ops unit to go knocking on Jabba's door and instead had to send one of their Important Military Leaders to go bust him out in person?
And considering that Jabba most likely had ties to the Empire, that's basically running the risk of a re-run of Cloud City.

I know, I know, they wanted that cool scene, but all Leia had to do was borrow some men and a cruiser, fly it over Jabba's palace and say "What's up? Gimme back my boyfriend before I wipe you off the face of the planet."
Instead, we got a bikini scene, a injured animator and several decades of justifing why Boba Fett didn't die when he was killed on screen.

 

[CaitSeith]

This is like 30 years too late to matter.

The rest of the comments would suggest otherwise...

 

[Erttheking]

This is like 30 years too late to matter.

The rest of the comments would suggest otherwise...

Let's be perfectly honest though. The people who are getting angry. Where they ever going to actually buy any Slave Leia toys or are they just getting mad on principle because "SJWs" or something. I get the feeling very few were planning on buying one in the near future.

I'm not saying they can't do that, I'm just pointing it out.

 

[Kahani]

Unless they decide to edit the scene in all releases of the film from now on

Presumably the next special edition of Star Wars will replace all bikinis with walkie-talkies.

 

[LordLundar]

You telling me that they couldn't spare a single military class ship or some spec ops unit to go knocking on Jabba's door and instead had to send one of their Important Military Leaders to go bust him out in person?

You underestimate the syndicate's influence. Sure they could run in, issue threats until they get what they want or wipe out the place if they don't. Then instead of having someone who was only in the Empire's pockets they get someone who will be loyal to the Empire picking up where Jabba left off and a populace who thinks the rebels are worse than the Empire. It's the same reason why the US military doesn't just just knock over a mafia lord's house to stop their operation. The results are far worse than letting them stay up and under reasonable control.

You have to remember, the whole plan was to strike a deal first with Jabba to let him keep his power base while getting Han back. It just didn't work and they had to fight for their lives. As for the whole Bobba Fett nonsense, that was fan fiction trying to claim that he's too "badass" to be killed that way.

 

[CaitSeith]

This is like 30 years too late to matter.

The rest of the comments would suggest otherwise...

Let's be perfectly honest though. The people who are getting angry. Where they ever going to actually buy any Slave Leia toys or are they just getting mad on principle because "SJWs" or something. I get the feeling very few were planning on buying one in the near future.

I'm not saying they can't do that, I'm just pointing it out.

In general, who knows? But something certain is the existence of the obsessed Star Wars merchandise collectors. Does this kind of news bother that people?

 

[Erttheking]

This is like 30 years too late to matter.

The rest of the comments would suggest otherwise...

Let's be perfectly honest though. The people who are getting angry. Where they ever going to actually buy any Slave Leia toys or are they just getting mad on principle because "SJWs" or something. I get the feeling very few were planning on buying one in the near future.

I'm not saying they can't do that, I'm just pointing it out.

In general, who knows? But something certain is the existence of the obsessed Star Wars merchandise collectors. Does this kind of news bother that people?

I'm pretty sure that they already would've gotten anything. That and you can still buy them from Amazon. Disney isn't exactly destroying all the merchandise that ever existed.

 

[CaitSeith]

This is like 30 years too late to matter.

The rest of the comments would suggest otherwise...

Let's be perfectly honest though. The people who are getting angry. Where they ever going to actually buy any Slave Leia toys or are they just getting mad on principle because "SJWs" or something. I get the feeling very few were planning on buying one in the near future.

I'm not saying they can't do that, I'm just pointing it out.

In general, who knows? But something certain is the existence of the obsessed Star Wars merchandise collectors. Does this kind of news bother that people?

I'm pretty sure that they already would've gotten anything. That and you can still buy them from Amazon. Disney isn't exactly destroying all the merchandise that ever existed.

They can't get what doesn't exists yet. This news is for future merch: new boxart, new packaging, possibly new models with different details, probably the same cheap materials...

 

[Something Amyss]

I tried, you dodged my attempts and continue to do so.

You're attempting to force a connection. You claim I implied things that I didn't (you assumed and held those assumptions against me), and that I must have meant things because ponies. At this point, I won't be reading responses from you even if they are on topic.

I dont know. I was more coming at it in a sense of 'If you're going to drop something, you need to look at the big picture.' As in, if this isnt suitable for merch, is the original material still worthy of its spot? And thats where my statement came from. Looking at it as 'Yes, the full scene with context is cool, but the merch is a little sleazy.'

From the bits I've read, I dont think you and I disagree, really.

Okay, fair enough. And no, I don't think they should be removing the scenes. In part because it'll probably look like the Count Dooku fight scenes or something awful. >.>

It's just a lot of people have reacted to things that aren't happening, and that kind of muddies the water in terms of what actually is, so...

 

[Erttheking]

This is like 30 years too late to matter.

The rest of the comments would suggest otherwise...

Let's be perfectly honest though. The people who are getting angry. Where they ever going to actually buy any Slave Leia toys or are they just getting mad on principle because "SJWs" or something. I get the feeling very few were planning on buying one in the near future.

I'm not saying they can't do that, I'm just pointing it out.

In general, who knows? But something certain is the existence of the obsessed Star Wars merchandise collectors. Does this kind of news bother that people?

I'm pretty sure that they already would've gotten anything. That and you can still buy them from Amazon. Disney isn't exactly destroying all the merchandise that ever existed.

They can't get what doesn't exists yet. This news is for future merch: new boxart, new packaging, possibly new models with different details, probably the same cheap materials...

It seems a little odd to say your collection won't be complete because of the lack of something that never existed...

Plus this is all unconfirmed at this point.

 

[Something Amyss]

In general, who knows? But something certain is the existence of the obsessed Star Wars merchandise collectors. Does this kind of news bother that people?

Don't collectors generally value the collection process?

The larger problem is that the negative reaction seems to be coming primarily from reactionaries who seem to react just to take a counter stance against something. I imagine most people simply don't care about it.

 

[Diablo1099_v1legacy]

You underestimate the syndicate's influence. Sure they could run in, issue threats until they get what they want or wipe out the place if they don't. Then instead of having someone who was only in the Empire's pockets they get someone who will be loyal to the Empire picking up where Jabba left off and a populace who thinks the rebels are worse than the Empire. It's the same reason why the US military doesn't just just knock over a mafia lord's house to stop their operation. The results are far worse than letting them stay up and under reasonable control.

You have to remember, the whole plan was to strike a deal first with Jabba to let him keep his power base while getting Han back. It just didn't work and they had to fight for their lives. As for the whole Bobba Fett nonsense, that was fan fiction trying to claim that he's too "badass" to be killed that way.

See, I get that, but even if that was the logic you were using, it's still akin to sending Obama in person on the Bin Laden raid.
And if they were to strike a deal (Which if I remember that wasn't the case, seeing how Leia tried to sneak Solo out at night after unfreezing him), I think the "Show up with a flagship cruiser" plan would have still been pretty valid.
Could have been more badass that way too.

Jabba: *springs his trap"
Leia: *holds up a radio "Hey, you guys in place for that Bombing run?...Cool, on my mark..."
Jabba: 'O_O;

It just seems like Leia grabbed the Idiot Ball there with her plan of posing as a Bounty Hunter then busting Han out Solo (PUNS).
Then when Luke showed it up, it seemed more like he was there to clean up the mess rather then that being all part of the plan.

 

[Veylon]

You forgot the part where they took the M-Rated video games out of the children's departments in Australia. I mean, if that's not Political Correct censorship, I don't know what is.

Oh my gosh, you're right!

And then there's that poor bomb-building kid. Back in the good old days, kids used to play with black powder and blow up stumps and such all the time. It was good wholesome fun. Educational, even. But now we make such a big deal about it. Let the kids play!

 

[runic knight]

I tried, you dodged my attempts and continue to do so.

You're attempting to force a connection. You claim I implied things that I didn't (you assumed and held those assumptions against me), and that I must have meant things because ponies. At this point, I won't be reading responses from you even if they are on topic.

No, because basic reading comprehension leads a reader to assume that when someone goes "these people can't understand toys are for children" and you reply "some people can't understand other people are out there", the only reasonable conclusion to draw is that you are talking about the same "people" there. And it is still a horribly flawed statement, as I demonstrated before and as you refuse to address.

I am sorry you have nothing to actually argue against the flaw in your statement, that your dismissive snark at people who share a different perspective is entirely false and demonstrably untrue. I'm sorry you seem to believe that by deflecting instead of addressing that flaw or re-clarifying the statement, you somehow save face, but please stop being disingenuous and trying to claim I am pulling things out of no where. I've explained a few times now where it comes from, what is flawed about it and why it is implied, and every time you avoid it like it is radioactive, even cutting it from your replies to me while still trying to claim it doesn't exist.

You made a statement that was full of holes and, I'll be honest, rather rude and dismissive. Burying your head in the sand because it got called out and then dishonestly representing things when it is called out and requested you address the flaws or re-clarify what you meant is hardly going to make it any less flawed.

 

[Cicada 5]

One of the earlier examples of a damsel literally saving herself by taking out the planets biggest known crime lord and they want to wipe it out? Is it that sexy stuff makes their special places feel all funny and they don't know what to do with those emotions?

Just doesn't make too much sense. It's a much beloved and emulated costume.

They're not wiping out anything. The scene with the outfit will still be in the movie but if the rumors are true it may simply mean that merchandise featuriong that outfit will not be produced.

Besides, it's not like any merch featuring Slave Leia showed her killing Jabba. She's either shown as scared or giving a "come hither" look.