As we march closer to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, more rumors are surfacing about what the movie contains. There have been teases about the Emperor and even news from Carrie Fisher's brother that Leia Organa was set to be a full-blown Jedi in the trilogy capper. Some are calling the news a "what if" scenario, though it's worth noting there's still a chance Leia's Jedi status could come into play in the upcoming movie.
Which could be met with a mixed response given the volatile state of the Star Wars fandom. While we still have yet to see if it will happen, I'm taking the stance that if Star Wars does plan on making it known Leia is a Jedi in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, it's actually a good thing for the sequel trilogy and the franchise in general.
Jedi Leia Can Still Totally Happen
Before Carrie Fisher's brother came forward with the plans for Carrie Fisher's Leia Organa to be "The Last Jedi," he mentioned that Star Wars had a decent amount of unused footage from Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Star Wars: The Last Jedi that featured Leia. That too was mentioned by J.J. Abrams, who confirmed they found a way to work in old Carrie Fisher footage into Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
In my mind, if there was a plan to make Carrie Fisher's Leia "The Last Jedi," then it feels extremely likely there was footage shot that implied the general was a Jedi. I could be wrong, but considering there was no indication of this in the prior trilogy, Leia being a Jedi just feels like one of those reveals you couldn't really hold off. Remember, people flipped when Leia used the Force to fly through space in The Last Jedi.
So now imagine fan reaction if, two movies in, Leia started chucking around a lightsaber? We can't really speculate if that would've changed things for fans too much, though it'll certainly be interesting to see peoples' reactions if she wields a lightsaber in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
How Leia's Jedi Reveal Would Help Strengthen The Last Jedi
What's funny about the news from Carrie Fisher's brother is that the originally discussed Jedi storyline explains Leia's sudden insane Force control. That feat, while still incredibly impressive, would've at least made a bit more sense had the audience known she had Jedi training prior. Would the same still be true if this information was revealed in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker?
I say yes, because it means that Luke trained Leia before he went off and trained Ben. If Leia had her brother teach her the ways of Jedi and the Force, then it isn't so crazy to think she'd gather a quick and powerful understanding of the Force. I mean, we all know that bloodline can produce some crazy strong Force users with enough training.
Will it fix every problem some people have with The Last Jedi? That's probably impossible at this point, but legitimizing Leia's command of the Force would be some progress. It's not Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker's responsibility to do this, but if the opportunity presented itself while giving Carrie Fisher a curtain call and bulkier role in Episode IX like she wanted, than more power to Star Wars for being able to pull it off.
Leia Dedicating Herself To Force And Lightsaber Training Is Within Her Character
Leia may be billed as the damsel in distress in Star Wars: A New Hope, but she proved herself to be more capable down the stretch. For example, her attempt to rescue Han in Return of the Jedi, while ultimately unsuccessful, took some real guts. She later strangled Jabba to death and played her part in getting everyone out of what seemed like the end for our heroes.
If Leia ever thought there was any chance of an entity/organization with the strength of the Empire coming back, she'd want to be ready. If you have a brother who's strong with the Force, and you're in tune with it, why the hell would you not hit him up about being trained in the Force as well? This just seems like common sense, and Leia is always the one using common sense in Star Wars.
Now, I'm not saying Leia has to be one of the best Jedi in existence, but considering the gap between the end of Return of the Jedi and the start of The Force Awakens, it's not too wild to think she'd be capable of some pretty impressive Force abilities. Still, she's no Luke, and taking on her own son would be insanely difficult. Therefore she sits on the sidelines and only utilizes her Force powers when absolutely necessary.
Leia's Jedi Status Would Be A Nod To Past Legends Canon
As some of the Star Wars community may be aware, the pre-Disney Star Wars canon story for Leia post-Return of the Jedi included her becoming a Jedi. Not just any Jedi either, as Leia trained with Luke and Saba Sebatyne and became a full fledged Jedi Knight. She also gave birth to twin children who became Jedi, so we're well aware only parts of the Legends continuity will ever make a comeback.
There are elements of Legends Leia that may never enter the official canon post-Carrie Fisher, but making her a Jedi is still one that can happen. Of course, I'm still speculating that Star Wars shot some footage of Leia using the Force and possibly wielding a lightsaber or something, but that's just going off stuff we've heard.
If Leia becoming a Jedi was cool with Star Wars fans then, I can't imagine it'd be out of line now. Confirming Leia's Jedi status in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker would be a fantastic send off to the character in actress, who we'll likely never see on camera in a Star Wars adventure again. Han and Luke got major exit scenes, so shouldn't Leia get her big chance to shine?
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is in theaters Friday, December 20. Stick with CinemaBlend for more on the franchise, and for the latest news in television and movies.
