*Relationship spoilers, if you need a spoiler warning for the original trilogy.*
As I said when I revisited the original trilogy, the characters are what do it for me. As cool as the aliens and lightsabers and Sith lords are, for all the iconic design and music, I wouldn’t appreciate it so much were it not for this trio right here (along with Chewy, R2, C-3PO, and Lando, of course!) At some point, I may circle back to these three and look more specifically at the individual pairings – platonic, familial, and otherwise – but for now, I want to talk about all three of them together.
A New Hope obviously kicks off with the mission to recover Leia. Luke is a goner from the moment he sees the holomessage she left with R2 – “smitten” doesn’t begin to cover it, and what’s more, I’m sure the thought of rescuing a beautiful princess appeals to both his innate goodness and his own desire to get off Tattoine and do something more exciting with his life. Han, however, isn’t invested in Leia as a person, not at first. No, his investments are more literal, focusing on the reward money he’ll get for helping to rescue her. When things get dicey, Luke is the one to remind him of that. “She’s rich,” he points out, dangling the words like a tasty treat. On the surface, this sets up their dynamic: Han is in it for himself while Luke is in it for honor and because it’s The Right Thing to do (and hey, if it gives him a chance to be a hero and win the favor of a beautiful princess, who is he to argue?)
But what’s on the surface isn’t who these characters are, not really, and Leia just further reinforces that when she joins the group. She may be captured, but there’s nothing damsel-ish about her. She doesn’t fall down faintly in gratitude to the brave (short) hero who comes to save her, she continually throws shade at Luke and Han’s rather improvised escape plan, and she’s immediately an active participant, brainstorming alternatives when things go awry. Likewise, while Han is the first to point out that he doesn’t care about these people or the rebellion and he’s just there to collect his money and go, somehow he keeps sticking around, finding his inner hero despite himself. And Luke is noble and heroic and cares deeply about his friends, but calling him the golden boy to Han’s scoundrel is too simplistic – there’s a darkness in him that he has to reckon with if he’s gonna to walk the path of the light with the Jedi.
From there, it’s just moment after moment of stuff to love. I like how Leia and Han argue over tactics when they’re in trouble, but when the moment is really heated, these two people who both like very much to be in control are able to take a beat and trust each other. I like that Leia finds herself drawn to Han, even if he is a “stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy-looking nerf herder,” but her first priority is to the rebellion and so she doesn’t let her feelings get in the way of what needs to be done. I like that Han braves the dangerous climate of Hoth at night when Luke is in trouble, that he moves heaven and hell to recover his friend and keep him alive against the elements. I like that Luke would be considered a “failed” Jedi for running out on his training to protect his friends, but we instantly know that of course Luke wasn’t going to leave them in trouble. I love the way they cheer and celebrate together when things go right, and I love how Leia learns to feel Luke through the Force.
Three friends – a pair of siblings, brothers in arms, and a couple – traveling a galaxy far, far away together in a beloved, rickety old ship. All the trappings and coolness are a ton of fun, but that right there, that’s Star Wars to me.
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