This past spring, Disney brought to life some of the story of a much loved character in theObi-Wan Kenobiseries. While it doesn’t give backstory for the titular character, it fills in some of the several years long time gap betweenthe underrated Episode III, when the Jedi fall, and Episode IV, where he starts Luke on his long journey to becoming a Skywalker. Very little was known of what he did during these years other than the fact that he settled on Tatooine to keep an eye on Luke before the series, and now a new adventure fit for the popular Jedi begins to fill in the blanks.
The show gave us more insight into another popular character too:Princess Leia. Her backstory comes to life as she turns into one of the main characters of the show, bringing us the younger version of the princess before she became the general we know her as. However, when the show was still going to take on the form of a movie,the plot was centered around Lukeand Obi-Wan, not Leia. Many people will agree that this change was for the better, as it not only had a great cast, but brought to life many stories fans have wanted to see.
Leia Was a Necessary Plot Device
After the fall of the Jedi, Obi-Wan took up residence in the dunes of Tatooine to keep an eye on Luke, hoping to train him to be a Jedi when he was old enough. That was, of course, after passing his sister, Leia, off to be watched over by his friend Bail Organa. Therefore, it was a smart decision to make at least one of the twins play a large role in the show, as it would be one of the few things that could get Obi-Wan involved as much as he was. While Luke could have still fit the role, choosing Leia meant it was something Obi-Wan never would have been able to prevent, and gave him more urgency to leave Tatooine for even a short while.
Related:5 Things You Didn’t Know About the Cast of Obi-Wan Kenobi
She was important for Obi-Wan’s character development too, as many who watched would be able to tell he became more open and trustful with her as time went on. The unruly princess took little time to get on his nerves, and just as he had to gain her trust, she had to earn his.
From talking their way out of situations to being the problem in others, Leia helped Obi-Wan open himself back up and discover himself and his Jedi ways again, finally overcoming the trauma he had gone through in seeing Anakin turn to the dark side. Of course, none of this would have really been the same if someone else was cast as Leia other thanVivien Lyra Blair. Leia won his heart over by being herself, and Blair had just the right amount of childish charm and dignity to do the trick.
Blair Brought Leia To Life
When we first met Leia, it was at the beginning ofEpisode IV: A New Hope, already showing her as a princess who cares for her people, and then revealing that she’s also a general in the rebellion. However, we didn’t know much else about her backstory, and it wasn’t touched on a lot either, as the story focused more on its main character, Luke.
Giving usa younger Leiahelped to show off her roots that we didn’t get to see, not only bringing Alderaan to life in the few shots we see there, but showing her resilience, knack for getting into trouble, and quick thinking. The foundation thattheObi-Wan Kenobiseriesprovides makes her feel well-rounded, showing the traits we see her with when she’s older still just as present when she’s young. Setting up her character with her younger self really hits home more of the diplomatic and royal side of Leia too, which is often overlooked in the middle of the wars the movies focus on.
Related:Obi-Wan: How the Star Wars Series is a Prequel Fan’s Dream Come True
While no one could ever replace Carrie Fisher as Leia, Blair comes very close with hersimilarities to the actress and characteralike. You might almost believe she’s a young Carrie Fisher with the way she carries herself. From making mistakes you would expect of a child while still keeping them in line with the character, to showing those well known traits in someone who isn’t mature yet, there’s a lot Blair brings to the role.
Perhaps some of the most iconic scenes really showed two different sides of Leia: when she was talking to her cousin, and when she was being interrogated inside Fortress Inquisitorius. When her cousin began to treat her like she really wasn’t a part of the family simply for being adopted, she was quick to verbally tear him apart, a shocking moment but one that fit the character and that Blair delivered beautifully. Her time with the Inquisitors proved how resilient she was too, with Blair doing her best to come off as brave but still show that, deep down, Leia was scared. It’s moments like this that really show how important Blair was in the cast.
