While Star Wars continues to expand its universe with TV shows like The Mandalorian, they’re also making sure that characters like Carrie Fisher’s Princess Leia will continue to be at the heart of the franchise.
Carrie Fisher’s Leia Organa featured in the original Star Wars movies and then to the delight of her many fans, returned for the most recent sequel trilogy.
After Carrie’s death, it was unsure how Lucasfilm would continue the saga without her, however, they managed to bring her story to a close thanks to unused footage of the actress on the set of The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi.
Now, Leia has been given an animated tribute that may have you in tears.
The video highlights just how important Leia was to the entire franchise, especially in her role as a mentor in the most recent trilogy.
Given both Leia and Carrie Fisher have passed away, it brings even more meaning to the tribute.
The tribute is part of Star Wars Kids, which has been creating animated shorts of some of the franchise’s most iconic moments.
In the novelisation of The Rise of Skywalker, we’re given a little more insight into why Leia died during the film.
In the book, there’s a scene where Leia and Maz Kanata have a conversation about giving Rey Luke’s old lightsaber. Maz thinks Rey should have the weapon as Leia “grows weaker and weaker” by the day.
The book then references Leia’s Force flight scene in The Last Jedi, “Leia sighed. Being blown off the bridge of the Raddus into the vacuum of space had taken a toll. She had saved herself that day through the power of the Force, but her body had paid a steep price.”
So, the flight had serious longterm consequences because it used up so much strength which is the real reason she passed away in the film.
It is no doubt frustrating to viewers, however, that this was given more background in the book rather than in the movie.
The Rise of Skywalker does very little to set up the fact that Leia is physically weakened because of the Force flight and it makes her death seem very rushed.
One of the many problems with that movie.