Lit Epic Leia

Technically that guy's only about four years old- though his "soul" is much older.

 

I just thought I remembered some scene from the NJO where she was whirling stuff around and everything... but then I realized that was Jacen (I think) overcoming his scruples when Leia was threatened (unless I'm misremembering again).

Well what does that tell you about gender issues...

 

Describe her in a golden line, and I'll forgive you.

 

Neither does Palpatine- as expressed by his behaviour toward Yoda. And his own master, Plagueis.

 

Where are you going with this? Not that it isn't potentially interesting but this sort of area can be something of a minefield!

 

Erm... yes? Actually I was just trying to put my confusion into words, but I think what I was getting at is -- I try to remember Leia being awesome, and the first thing that comes to mind is a guy being awesome saving Leia-in-distress. Flipping the victim/savior sides in my mind. Meaning Leia being awesome seems to be so rare in EU lit that I couldn't think of an example and had to confuse one up, as it were.

Though I do remember Leia fighting Beldorion, but for reasons I've stated more than once I prefer to forget that one (Callista's weird swordplay advice).

Also, the Dark Empire example above kind of bugs me -- I liked Luke&Leia teaming up against the Emperor at the end, but a) Leia's most "epic" act being overturning an old man's hovercouch is kind of underwhelming, and b) "oh look, a mother's protective instincts compel her to be heroic for once"... again.

 

For all the flak she gets, I liked Hambly's handling of Leia - she actually has Leia be more introspective and reflective and it makes her character much better, then there's that duel with Beldorion too.

Leia's confrontation with the Emperor in his quarters, I wouldn't really see as a win, as she played right into Sidious' plan, though she did nick the Holocron.

Leia does seem trapped in the role of "snappy, verbally aggressive diminutive female" - with authors afraid to depart from that lest their portrait of her be deemed "weak"! Mara Jade also suffered similarly, with authors forever giving her an "edge", when I considered that, as she become more at ease with her self and her past, Mara wouldn't need it!

 

Be glad your Greek is better than Google, which gave me this for a translation:

"Booty Jell - is he the epic Vasilidῳ"

So, tell me, what exactly does Jell[o]'s Booty have to do with Leia?

 

Lit Board, you're welcome.

Jello, this totally makes me a patron of your arts. You get paid in "likes". And sig quotes.

 

Of course, it's all class in my sig. The other unspeakably tacky option would have been to -- [Name] you twice.

 

Apparently the Skywalker family has an tendency for those moments of "oneness" with the Force. I'm ready to see Leia have one of those, considering she has all the potential power of Luke.

 

Didn't she beat Luke in a sparring session once.

She also shot Dolph.

 

True, but Leia got all the political savvy, and arguably the brains. Luke's gotta have something all to himself

 

I never read the Dark Empire series... but didn't Luke and Leia turn Palpatine's first clone into dust with a burst of light when they become one with the Force together, at the end of the first volume?

 

No- they just broke his concentration, causing his Force Storm to turn and head for his ship- then ran for the launch bays before the ship was destroyed.

 

Are you calling Luke dumb, since Leia has the brains? ;p

 

The authors definitely want us to believe that Leia has the brains, though I think Luke tends to come away as the one with the level head on his shoulders...

 

Luke has plenty of smarts for a guy that grew up without much of a formal education. Being a grandmaster takes more than being level headed to do it well. I don't always go by what the authors want us to believe.

 

I wish we could see an example of just how strong she has become, like a sparring session against a fellow Jedi. I want to know that she can truly be the equal of Luke, if only for one moment.

 

Ambush at Corellia gave us that one scene- I kinda wish later books had kept to the notion of Leia and Luke being quite close in duelling ability.