Star Wars: Rise Of Skywalker: 5 Reasons Why Leia's Role Was Perfect (& 5 Why We Hated It)
After Carrie Fisher's sad and sudden passing in December 2016, the team behind Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker were not only left devastated but were also left with a quandary. The movie was supposed to be Fisher's movie, placing her in the spotlight but now everything had to change.
In an interview with Vanity Fair after the wrapping of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, producer Kathleen Kennedy said “The minute she [Fisher] finished, she grabbed me and said, ‘I’d better be at the forefront of IX!’ Because Harrison was front and center on VII, and Mark is front and center on VIII. She thought IX would be her movie. And it would have been.”
The third member of the iconic trio of Han Solo, Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa, never got to walk onto that final movie set but yet her character still lived on, for a while at least. Here are the things we loved about her last moments on screen and those which we hated.
10 Loved: The Role She Played In Rey's Story
We first see Leia when she's on the rebel base, training Rey to use the force. The sequel trilogy has given us glimpses of Leia's force powers and we loved seeing her passing them on. She picks up where Luke left off and continues his legacy.
This is made even more poignant by the fact that we know she will be doing this so the next generation of Jedi can live on after she is gone. Her lightsaber being picked up by Rey and Luke's story behind its abandonment is also a beautiful moment. It feels like the torch has truly been passed on so the Jedi can remain in the Star Wars universe.
9 Hated: The Fact Leia's Part Is So Limited
Princess Leia Organa is a Star Wars icon and it's heartbreaking to think about the fact she took a backseat to Han and Luke during the first two movies but was unable to take her step into the spotlight.
We wanted to see more of her and while we are glad to see her, it's upsetting to think of what could have been. Fisher is such an amazing actress that she would have brought her all and more to this movie, and shaped it in an entirely different way.
8 Loved: Seeing Fisher's Genuine Performance
There was talk of a computer-generated Leia being used but this was quickly dismissed by the studio. Despite Fisher's brother speaking out about his belief that she would've given her full blessing, so long as it facilitated the story, and honored the legacy of the character, many felt it inappropriate.
In the end, they used cut footage from the previous two movies to facilitate her appearance and used other characters to fill in the narrative gaps. This meant every moment of Leia screentime was a genuine Fisher performance.
7 Hated: The Out Of Context Footage Affects Fisher's Screen Presence
While the footage is genuine, in some places it blends better than others. Overall it comes across as a stilted performance. We love that it is her but somehow it doesn't feel like her. In some places you can really tell the footage is out of context and it's upsetting.
Fisher is a legend and a solid but stilted performance due to the way it's pulled together leaves us wondering if this really was the best way to honor her legacy. It feels like an echo of Fisher, who always lit up a screen with her presence.
6 Loved: Leia's Dedication To Redeeming Ben
At the end of her life, Leia uses her last remaining life to reach out to her son. Already on the path to redemption, the input from both his parents helps him defeat Kylo Ren to become Ben Solo once again.
Ben's redemption arc has been key across the trilogy so it's great that Leia was still able to play a part in it, however small. The fact Fisher's daughter Billie Lourd is the one beside her when this happens is a beautiful echo between real life and the movie itself.
5 Hated: The Effect On The Narrative
The narrative was re-written to fit around the footage available of Fisher and it shows. Characters alongside her cram an unnatural amount of details into their lines in order to bridge the ever-widening gaps.
Fisher's lines remain static, short and very similar, some parts even feel exactly like we've seen them before. This is most likely because of the fact they are very obviously in keeping with The Last Jedi. The rewrite must have been very difficult but ultimately it has to be questioned. When it feels so off was it really the right choice?
4 Loved: The On-Screen Reaction To Her Passing
Leia's on-screen passing is peaceful and heartbreaking at the same time. Seeing the entire community mourn for her was likely very genuine. Fisher was known for talking to anyone and everyone on set and was a much-loved part of the cast.
No doubt her absence left a gaping hole in the hearts of the people involved and we saw a glimpse of this reflected on-screen when the world mourned the loss of its Princess and General, just like cast, crew, and fans have mourned Fisher's death.
3 Hated: Seeing Glimpses Of What Could Be
Watching Rey train was especially difficult. It was hard not to imagine Leia alongside her, giving encouragement and support. Having Leia be hands-off and absent while Rey was put through her paces just didn't sit right. She's never been one to shy away from getting alongside others.
It was also difficult to see her lightsaber be handed down without her doing it herself. A hands-off general gives an impression of Leia that just isn't accurate and doesn't show the character's true heart.
2 Loved: Her Legacy Living On
Knowing Leia's legacy lives on through Rey was fantastic to see. As Rey takes the Skywalker name it felt like a true passing of the Jedi from one generation to the next. While all three of the iconic trio are now gone they continue to influence the world in the legacy these movies set up.
The overriding arc throughout the Skywalker saga has always been on passing the baton to the next generation. The Rise Of Skywalker rounds out the arc by tying up the loose ends and leaving a peaceful galaxy and a new generation of heroes, just as Fisher leaves a legacy in the form of her talented daughter.
1 Hated: Knowing She Wasn't There
The most heartbreaking thing was knowing Fisher wasn't part of this movie, her movie. It was her time to shine but her light was extinguished before she got the opportunity. Every glimpse of her that didn't quite fit and each part of stilted dialogue just served to hammer home the point.
Carrie Fisher was a legend and an icon. Not only did she inspire a generation with her portrayal of Princess Leia but she also inspired a generation as herself with her brutal and refreshing honesty and her no-nonsense approach to life. The world has not been the same without her in it and the Star Wars universe won't be either.