Lit Han and Leia in the EU - A Discussion Thread (Life Debt spoilers must be tagged)

unicorn
thank you thank you thank you.
I couldn't agree more with you about Han's character. I don't like how he's now made out to be the biggest swindler in the universe. I was prepared to give it some leeway in TFA and to see his "swindling" as a difference of opinion. But the comics seem to be making it an ingrained character trait.

 

Lando does call Han a "no-good swindler" in TESB - maybe that's where they're getting the idea that he is a swindler as much as a smuggler, from.

 

Both Han and Leia (especially Leia) were portrayed very out of character in the Marvel comics so far.

Can you imagine Han and Leia acting in the movies the way they act in some of the comics? Like if Leia would punch Han on Hoth and Han would then run her over with a speeder on Endor. I'm sure the audiences would love it...

Luckily it looks like their portrayal is getting better in the recent issues.

 

It wasn't too bad in the Immonen arc, Vader Down might have had a discordant note or two, but it's after that point it really seemed to hit overload - Han being punched by Leia in his miniseries, her kicking him in the shin in the Harbinger arc, so later Han runs her over with a speeder.

I can't recall anything bad in the opening Skywalker Strikes arc.

 

Lando's comment read to me more like he was bitter about losing the Falcon.

The comic writers seem to have taken "Han and Leia bicker!" to "Han and Leia physically fight!" because maybe it's easier to portray in visual form than coming up with witty banter? Also reducing them to bickering and bantering is getting old, especially when we're led to believe that dynamic continues after ROTJ when they spend almost zero time bickering with each other in ROTJ.

I did love the panel I saw of Luke and Leia gazing at the stars and Leia trying to find Alderaan. That was beautiful.

 

I thought Han and Leia were handled really well in the annual, mostly because Leia saw right through Han's attempt at a "romantic retreat" and then she's stuck saving his bacon as one of his random goons from his past pop up to kill him. Leia mostly took charge here, her using Chewie's bowcaster was kind of awesome and Ioved how determined she was at the finale. And Han in the last panels trying to convince himself he is obligated to stay when Leia knows that he wants to.

Kinda disappointed it wasn't Hoth. I really wanted Han and Leia to find Hoth.

 

Is it truly a conscious creative attempt to play this sort of dated comedy/relationship dynamic?

I'd much rather call it general ignorance, or at best someone's overworked the whole premise to try to appeal to a certain audience etc.
The fact there are good moments explains this - if there was some consistent angle of attack on this relationship it would be far easier to deride. As it stands, there is yet fun to be had.

 

I like Leia being strong and take charge, but I can't really see her throwing wine in Han's face. She'd roll her eyes and be like "Yeah right, Han, not in a million years" but not physically assault him.

Also:

Spoiler

http://www.starwars.com/news/11-revelations-from-claudia-gray-on-leia-princess-of-alderaan

“This is such an interesting period in Leia’s life for me because it’s literally the only time she will ever — ever — not be contending with the fate of the entire galaxy,” explains Gray. “She’s someone whose entire life is about duty, responsibility, and the bigger fight. It was fascinating to ask what Leia was like before she ever went to war, back when she was still somewhat sheltered and figuring herself out.”

I really liked this part of PLOA, that we got to see Leia who had a happy childhood who had the time to spend with her boyfriend, parents and friends her own age.

"When it comes to love, Leia finds herself attracted to another member of her circle of friends, Kier Domadi. “Although obviously neither Kier nor Leia can know this yet,” Gray explains, “Kier is basically the anti-Han: He’s totally suitable for her, smart and stable, totally dedicated to Alderaan, and a pacifist. That said, he has one thing in common with Han: The belief that Leia ought to get to have a personal life instead of living her duty every hour of the day. But there’s a right way and a wrong way to go about that, and in the end, I think Kier’s idea of Leia’s duty may be very different from her own. However, he’s still someone who cares for Leia deeply, and her first big romance.”

I know some Reylo fans are going to have field day with Kier being described as "suitable" and the anti-Han, but I think what Claudia (a Han/Leia fan) meant was that Kier was someone you expected Leia to end up with (well educated, from a good family, good upbringing) vs. Han's scoundrel self. Also liked that Claudia explicitly says here that Kier and Leia weren't compatible long-term.

 

I haven't read the comics, but it's pretty shocking to imagine that anyone could think that sort of behavior is in character for her. Part of what I love about Leia is that she is SO damn fiery and yet even when she "loses her head," she's still good-hearted, articulate, and intelligent about her anger. I can think of a really good example in Bloodline but it might warrant a spoiler tag? It's below just in case. Anyway, it's disappointing to me to hear that she is being portrayed as petty and violent with her pettiness. Just because Han's a "scoundrel" doesn't mean all of her court training gets thrown out the window in an instant... she's been taught how to deal with people who make her insanely frustrated and I just can't accept that even when it's more personal and she's not interacting with another senator/government official that she would stoop so low. That kind of behavior is the sign of someone who is weak... and that's the last word I would use to describe Leia.

Spoiler

For example in Bloodline when she is raging FURIOUS with Casterfo and throws the imperial guard helmet... it's destructive for sure, but she still doesn't direct that violence at a person. And it's hard for me to imagine that Han, even with their much more intimate connection, could make her angrier than being totally stripped of political power and having your darkest secret revealed to the entire senate/world by someone you trusted and thought was an ally.

 

Star Wars Forces of Destiny : Trailer #2 | Disney






https://sleemo.tumblr.com/




http://hanorganaas.tumblr.com/post/165837103418/hanleia-in-forces-of-destiny-x

 

It looks sweet!

 

Hey - anyone know Claudia Gray's handle when she was writing fan fic? Is it still out there?

thanks!

 

I think unicorn knows

 

OMG, that Forces of Destiny clip looks so awesome! Can't wait for it - Yes I'm such a H/L fan that seeing them for two seconds makes me so happy haha.

Here's the H/L ones, I believe she writes under a different name on A03:

Luke's Girl: http://www.thechicagoloop.net/yahtzee/brackets/bracketfic/LukesGirl.htm

Estimated Time of Departure: http://yahtzee63.livejournal.com/136203.html

Frozen: http://www.thechicagoloop.net/yahtzee/brackets/bracketfic/Frozen.htm

 

She wrote Lukes Girl? Omg, that's an absolute classic. I had no idea, seriously!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Yes, and you can actually see a lot of the parts of Luke's Girl in Bloodline! Like Han teaching her to play Sabaac and Leia telling Han about Vader right after ROTJ ends.

Spoiler

Although she contradicts her own fanfic in LPOA where in Luke's Girl she tells Han that she started falling for him because he was the first person to tell her to put herself first, while in LPOA Kier tells her to haha.

 

Thank you!

 

Read Annual #23, and it starts off good with some UST between Han and Leia with Han falling on top of Leia. But then it gets terrible with Leia kicking Han in the shin, throwing hot soup at him, and then Han running Leia over with a speeder, ugh. Did like the interaction of Leia telling Han "I want you" and then Han needling her about that though.

The nerfherder storyline was cute and it was good to see some Han/Luke interaction, but Han sort of looked like an irresponsible idiot gambling away all the Rebellion money.

Now I'm up to the Dr. Aphra part and that's pretty cool.

Other than the Annuals is there something else I should be reading? Sometimes I'm going through them and feel like I'm missing large swatches of information.

 

Ah, the infamous Star Wars #23, whose reputation truly precedes it.....

 

AJ LoCascio ‏Verified account @AJLoCascio Oct 2
I can finally announce: I voice younger Han Solo in @starwars #ForcesofDestiny coming out 10/29! THX @dave_filoni for this dream come true!

 

In the FACPOV book,

Spoiler

Bail and Breha think Leia was killed aboard the Tantive before they died

Was that a thing in the old canon?

 

Vader does say in ANH:

"Send a distress signal, and inform the Senate that all aboard were killed."