ST Leia’s Force Use in Space - Yay or Nay?

Movies are art, they don’t need rational justification from people who don’t like them, or scenes within them.

I thought it was silly, I didn’t like it.

 

Beautifully staged. Well set up.

The only issue I had was that the effects work showed a bit too much.

I think some people take issue with it because it's Leia using the Force in such an obvious, ostentatious way. If Luke, Mace, Obi-Wan or Yoda had been blown into space and Force pulled their way back to the ship it would've passed without a lick of controversy.

 

In some ways I like it as a bit of a mirror of this gap but in space and truly life or death. Only now, with a lifetime of experience and more time with the Force, she’s truly able to save herself.

 

Wow. Bravo. Would've never seen it that way. And now I'll never be able to watch that scene without this context.

 

Good Scene

 

When I saw it in my first viewing I felt this IS Star Wars. No problem whatsoever. I immediately reflected on Vader’s “ the power to destroy....is insignificant to power of The Force”.

Seemed to make sense to me that way anyway.

MJ

 

Yep. I can understand execution issues.

But I don't understand bellyaches about the concept. We've seen FAR more over the top displays of Force powers. Why would anybody take issue with Leia, the daughter of the Chosen One, finally, after decades, displaying an impressive Force feat?

 

As the last chance for Carrie Fisher to ever portray Leia using the Force, I thought it was wonderful.

I especially liked the symbolism of Leia passing through the Supremacy's hologram, passing the exact area Holdo would later blast through with the Raddus.

 

I liked the idea of Leia using the Force to save herself. Sure the execution was a little cheesy and maybe they could've done it a little differently, but it still worked.

 

I might have shot it differently, and made sure she showed more injury from the experience (bruises from burst blood vessels), but I loved the scene.... Leia finally actively using the Force. YES!

 

I had no problem with her using the Force. She has the Force, has used telepathy before and could very feasibly use a Force pull.

However, to survive an explosion that destroys and depressurizes the bridge and pulls you into THE VACUUM OF SPACE is just atrociously written, cringy and facepalm-inducing.

Surviving that was the epitome of ridiculous and dumb. What's funny, too, is how the camera cuts away from them opening up to get her. Just abysmal.

 

I was fine with the concept, but the way it was filmed just looked dumb, like Superman done by SNL. The wire work was the weakest past of TLJ for me - the scenes of Rey being pulled around by Snoke struck me as a bit amateur.

 

Sorry for the confusion. "I'm Mary Poppins, y'all!" is from Guardians of the Galaxy 2 with Yondu.

It is the "I loved it" option. Just mentioned it that way because many people talked about GOTG2 when referring to Leia's Force use and being in the vacuum of space.

 

I just added "(I loved it)" to that option.

 

Ohhh. Yet another instance of not caring about Marvel being handicap in SW fandom.

 

I didn't like it. Just felt wrong to me (not science wrong, just SW universe wrong). I would have preferred something like this...

When the TIE fighters attack Leia does not freeze in space but instead uses the Force to hold back the imploding windows on the bridge long enough for many of the crew to escape before she is overcome by the effort and blown backwards through the doors which seal against the vacuum. Leia is still seriously injured.

 

Some people think it was poorly executed (which is fine), some people are applying what in their minds they believe to be absolute (which is wrong). I thought it was epic.

 

I know right? I mean we've never seen a Skywalker survive a certain-death situation before!

I like this idea, but it over powers Leia's conscious Force effort. RJ found a way to make her big Force moment purely instinctual.

If you suddenly had Leia be able to exhibit control enough to pull off that kind of feat then it leaves you wondering, why do they need Luke at all? Why didn't Leia train her own son? Rey? Why didn't she confront Kylo head to head?

Suddenly Leia's Force power challenges Rey's trajectory. Who needs Rey to have her important rock lifting moment at the close of the film if Yoda-cum-Leia can just tear down the whole wall?

 

It looked goofy (and not in a good way). And it'd have been nice if we'd gotten ANY indication that she could use The Force on that level before, whatsoever. I really don't like this "you can just pull high-level Force powers out of nowhere if you just, want to hard enough" idea that these films seem to be going with.

 

Not liking it and declaring that one is or should be mortified/scandalised/offended etc are different things.

 

Oh, “Mary Poppins Y’all” is from another movie, that makes sense to me now. Whenever I read that term being used I just cringed thinking it was insensitive, jerky, trendy millennial web surfers.

I love this scene. The whole sequence with the deft editing beginnning with Poe’s, “we need to get to the bridge” cutting to Akbar’s, “We need to what?” Leia’s Theme kicks in alongside the tense music and editing... fast action juxtaposed next to lingered shots between Kylo and Leia. There are real emotional stakes here in the battle instead of just technical wizardry.

The actual scene of her floating in space to me is just beautifully poetic. This is a fantasy world, far, far away... so the science of what happens in real life does not interfere in my enjoyment. We don’t know how space works in this galaxy... maybe it’s more akin to the oceans. I love the wide shot of her silhouette drifting like an angel while all the explosion and battle wages on. Love her arm outstretched like she is frozen still trying to control, save her men. Love the closeup on her face, seemingly at peace. But then the thrill for me is that the essence of the Leia character is encapsulated in the next moment. The fingers twitching, her face twitching....while there is still a war to win, Leia does not give up. With the swelling score and the epic ness, I was a seven year old again cheering. It also works for me as an enormous Carrie Fisher fan that it also shows the magic of film, even in real life tragedy our heroes can come back triumphant.

I imagine some think it is the frotank shot of her first pull back to the hull that is off putting. I can understand that. Still works for me. But the side angle shot of her gliding through the detstruction of the bridge to me is just sublimely gorgeous. There have been so many scenes of Leia through the decades of her standing next to blue light holograms and strategy readouts, it’s fitting that she pushes right through one, short circuiting it out, and a star destroyer, naturally! I love it.

Now in terms of story structure, my only problem... and in a perfect world where there was no real life tragedy and the trilogy proceeded as intended... is that Leia’s remarkable feat is not mentioned. I would probably would have liked a moment while on the escape pod, Poe says, “I have to ask, out there... how... how did you do that?!” Only for Leia to stop him, “I don’t know”. Or simply shrug. Or dismiss it as something she does not want to face. Or mutters to herself in quiet contemplation, “my father has it, I have it... and my sister has it...” still in keeping with a plot structure for the next film of her embracing her power fully in redeeming her son.

 

There are 30 some odd years between ROTJ and TFA.

TFA and TLJ finish and start on the same day.

Without any films in between when exactly was the audience going to be shown that Leia could use the Force on that level?

 

I enjoy the moment. My wife thinks it looks silly, but doesn't mind the idea behind it. I can definitely see how it comes off as a little hokey and I expect the scene won't age well from a technological perspective, but I enjoy it for what it is.

Although, I'm going to be honest, since Carrie Fisher's death I've pretty consistently gotten chills at hearing Leia's theme, so that might be part of it.

 

I'm actually shocked at the number of people who haven't seen GOTG 2!! Ha ha ha.

Spoilers for those who haven't seen the film, it's a 20 second clip below:

 

This poll starts off by slamming those who enjoyed the scene.

I never thought of Mary Poppins, not once.

Those who disparage the scene call it that.

No vote.