Princess No More - Leia Has A New Title In Star Wars: The Force Awakens

[Fanghawk]

Princess No More - Leia Has A New Title In Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Carrie Fisher and J.J. Abrams revealed that Leia Organa no longer bears a royal title in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens' release date is rapidly approaching, which means we'll soon see Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Princess Leia together on-screen again. Well, except for one tiny detail: <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/tag/view/princess%20leia?os=princess+leia>Leia technically isn't a Princess, or any other kind of royalty. Actor Carrie Fisher and director J.J. Abrams recently discussed Leia's new backstory, revealing that between Episodes VI and VII she became General Leia Organa. And on reflection, <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/139786-Star-Wars-Princess-Leia-Marvel-Comics-Issue-1-New-Look#&gid=gallery_3811&pid=1>that seems far more appropriate and badass.

"She's referred to as General," Abrams said. "But ... there's a moment in the movie where a character sort of slips and calls her 'Princess.'" Feel free to guess who slips up and how Leia reacts. Personally, I suspect <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPxY8lpYAUM>Private Link will regret his words.

Long-time Star Wars fans will probably have trouble separating Leia from her royal title, but it makes quite a bit of sense. "Princess" was a position Leia received on Alderaan, a role rendered unnecessary when millions of her subjects were suddenly silenced. (Too soon?) After parting ways with Luke, Han, and Chewie, Leia stayed in a leadership role, but gained an appropriate new title that demanded respect.

That's not to say the transition was easy. Fisher herself describes General Organa as "solitary. Under a lot of pressure. Committed as ever to her cause, but I would imagine feeling somewhat defeated, tired, and pissed." But Fisher still wants fans to take a strong message from this version of Leia: "Never give up."

Sounds like Leia may not have changed that much after all.

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Source: <a href=http://www.ew.com/article/2015/11/11/star-wars-force-awakens-carrie-fisher-leia>Entertainment Weekly

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[Dragonlayer]

She won't be wearing the traditional Alderaan gold bikini either: complete break with the past, this film!

A more serious point: does Leia have any military experience to justify such a high rank, or is it simply a replacement title?

 

[Worgen]

Wait... I just realized that disney bought starwars and what that means. Leia is now a disney princess, I'm surprised they didnt change her title in movie to disney princess Leia.

 

[Albino Boo]

Welcome to pedants corner. This is where, I the pedant, point out that military titles do not supersede royal titles. The correct title is General the Princess Leia. As in Admiral the Lord Nelson or Field Marshall the Duke of Wellington.

 

[Scarim Coral]

So I guessing they can no lonager placed her with the other Disney Princess now then?

Even then wouldn't she bare the title Queen Leia prior to this news or was her mother wasn't on Alderaan?

 

[Zontar]

While I can understand doing away with the title of royalty on the grounds she's royalty of an asteroid belt, she never really came off as a military leader. She always did a role more akin to a diplomat, probably because of the fact she was a diplomat. One would think Senator or Governor or Minister, but General? When did she switch disciplines? Why? Wouldn't the New Republic have better use for her talents where she works best instead of where there's already a large number of competent people within the rebel alliance?

 

[Fanghawk]

Welcome to pedants corner. This is where, I the pedant, point out that military titles do not supersede royal titles. The correct title is General the Princess Leia. As in Admiral the Lord Nelson or Field Marshall the Duke of Wellington.

Except in the Star Wars universe, some royal titles are treated as political terms. Which is why Padmé went from Queen Amidala in Episode I to Senator Amidala in Episode II.

 

[RJ Dalton]

What? Disney is making a princess not a princess? What madness has come over the Disney marketing department?

 

[Fanghawk]

A more serious point: does Leia have any military experience to justify such a high rank, or is it simply a replacement title?

Well, they promote smugglers and city managers to General, even if they're still technically recovering from carbonite freezing. Don't see why Leia couldn't get the job.

 

[RealRT]

Hooray for faux-feminism, I guess.

 

[Albino Boo]

Welcome to pedants corner. This is where, I the pedant, point out that military titles do not supersede royal titles. The correct title is General the Princess Leia. As in Admiral the Lord Nelson or Field Marshall the Duke of Wellington.

Except in the Star Wars universe, some royal titles are treated as political terms. Which is why Padmé went from Queen Amidala in Episode I to Senator Amidala in Episode II.

If you wish to be extra pedantic,and why wouldn't you in pedants corner, in the case of an elective monarchy the current title holder maintains the title unless a new election can take place. The singular lack of electorate somewhat precludes a new election.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Hmmm...if she was still a princess, she'd be the only old one Disney had. Perhaps generals can be old, but not princesses.

A more serious point: does Leia have any military experience to justify such a high rank, or is it simply a replacement title?

Well, they promote smugglers and city managers to General, even if they're still technically recovering from carbonite freezing. Don't see why Leia couldn't get the job.

Also, they made Solo a general so he could lead a force of...how many? 12 rebels? If that's what a general does in that universe, Leia should be saluting Lieutenants.

 

[Space Jawa]

The General part I'm not concerned about.

What does, worry me, however, is what specifically they plan to do with her decision to correct someone who doesn't refer to her by her new title.

Or, for that matter, why they didn't think they could just get away with calling her "Generial Organa" (does this mean she never married Han in this continuity?) and skip the part where they feel a need to correct anyone who even accidentally calls her Princess Leia.

Because if they do wind up feeling a need to turn it into a message the feels like an attack against anyone who calls her "Princess Leia" anymore, I may feel inclined to keep calling her Princess Leia specifically as a dig at the people who felt addressing the issue specifically was a thing that needed to happen.

A more serious point: does Leia have any military experience to justify such a high rank, or is it simply a replacement title?

She had some measure of military leadership with the Rebellion during Empire and Jedi, given the amount of time between Jedi and VII I don't see it being out of the question that she'd have the kind of experience to qualify her as a general in some regard, especially depending on what the status of whatever the Rebellion has become this time around.

 

[Fox12]

She won't be wearing the traditional Alderaan gold bikini either: complete break with the past, this film!

A more serious point: does Leia have any military experience to justify such a high rank, or is it simply a replacement title?

Well, she helped Rieekan during the battle of Hoth, so she seems to know what she's doing. Moreso then Han or Lando, who apparently got promoted because of their devilish good looks and wicked smiles.

Spoiler

But who can blame them?

It makes more sense then being a princess, since her planet was, you know, destroyed.

 

[Fanghawk]

Welcome to pedants corner. This is where, I the pedant, point out that military titles do not supersede royal titles. The correct title is General the Princess Leia. As in Admiral the Lord Nelson or Field Marshall the Duke of Wellington.

Except in the Star Wars universe, some royal titles are treated as political terms. Which is why Padmé went from Queen Amidala in Episode I to Senator Amidala in Episode II.

If you wish to be extra pedantic,and why wouldn't you in pedants corner, in the case of an elective monarchy the current title holder maintains the title unless a new election can take place. The singular lack of electorate somewhat precludes a new election.

That depends on Alderaan's legal procedures for term limits, which is difficult to verify (we can't check any pre-existing constitutions for obvious reasons).

However let's say the legalese means Leia could continue her term indefinitely in lieu of an election. She could still willingly abdicate her role and any title, right, and responsibilities associated with it - which from the sounds of this interview, she appears to have done. Even if Alderaan customs don't allow for such a procedure, the government is so undermanned at this point they'd have no ability to enforce it.

In that case, she wouldn't be General Princess Leia Organa. She would be General Leia Organa, OR General Leia Organa, Fugitive of Alderaan.

 

[EyeReaper]

Since when does "Princess" or any other title of royalty not demand respect? And why can't princess be a badass title?

I'm just saying, I generally would rather be a princess than a general, especially in a fictional work. Then again, I guess as someone who isn't going to watch this movie, my opinion on Princess Politics doesn't matter.

 

[Maphysto]

Hooray for faux-feminism, I guess.

>Movie director makes a perfectly reasonable change to a character's title to reflect how she's changed over the last thirty-odd years

>Internet gets mad about feminism

Sounds about right.

 

[MonsterCrit]

Wait... I just realized that disney bought starwars and what that means. Leia is now a disney princess, I'm surprised they didnt change her title in movie to disney princess Leia.

Sadly because she is no longer a princess she no longer qualifies as a disney princess. AS for General.. that worries me. Generals are usually always evil o turn evil...

 

[Palindromemordnilap_v1legacy]

I always thought it was a bit weird they kept calling her princess in the film. I mean, her mother the Queen was dead so shouldn't she have inherited the role and been Queen Leia Organa? And if she wasn't the Queen because there was no Alderaan anymore then how does she still call herself Princess?

Also interesting that she's still calling herself Organa and not Skywalker or Solo as she sometimes did in the EU. If we're talking feminism then its nice she gets to keep a name of her own and not take one of the guys' ones