tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post1282048326537614315..comments2024-03-28T10:18:00.370-05:00Comments on Gentlemen of Leisure: Force in Focus: Carrie FisherAustin Gortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-89044879403710080262017-01-28T22:05:44.181-06:002017-01-28T22:05:44.181-06:00This is the first time I've sat down and reall...This is the first time I've sat down and really THOUGHT about what Carrie Fisher meant to me as a kid...so bear with me, this will take a while.<br /><br />I'm a child of the early-to-mid 80s and beyond, so Star Wars was already pervasive in pop culture by the time I was old enough to understand what was going on in the movies. They were still some of the first films I was ever shown, and I feel the same way about Leia as you...except the bit about the celebrity crush. For me, THAT was Han Solo.<br /><br />It's interesting, being a gay Star Wars geek. In most action movies of the period, the woman is the "feisty", but ultimately functionally useless plot device to be rescued by the big, strapping hero with big, strapping weapons strapped to every inch of his big, strapping physique. <br /><br />Star Wars flipped that around. Han Solo is VERY pretty, serves a function in the story, but ultimately throughout the trilogy is much more 'distressed' and much less useful than Leia, whose gumption, political clout, and mix of keen intellect and untarnishable idealism are key factors to the success of the Skywalkers' little corner of the rebellion. Seriously, her entire *planet* blew up and she just soldiered right on through it.<br /><br />Even the old Expanded Universe materials (retconned out as of "Force Awakens", but still a source of inspiration for Disney to draw upon) portray her as smart, skilled, and super-competent, as well as being an amazing mom and loving partner to her spouse.<br /><br />I soured on Star Wars for a long time during the dark age of the prequel trilogy; to me, the Jedi are not the most interesting part of that universe, Han and Leia are. Because I discovered Star Wars and X-Men at roughly the same time (and as a tyke had already been a fan of She-Ra and Bewitched), I am perfectly happy seeing Leia in the same light as I do the likes of Storm, Jean Grey, Psylocke, Rogue, and Kitty Pryde: a symbol of equality. Thanks to Leia, and heroines like her, I didn't have to be "awakened" to the idea that girls could kick ass; I was raised with it.<br /><br />RIP Carrie Fisher. You're one with the Force now.Ingonyamahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17767964255684263275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-14381876254094529792017-01-02T20:22:16.741-06:002017-01-02T20:22:16.741-06:00She was amazing, and brought so much to her charac...She was amazing, and brought so much to her character. Her latest memoir is terrific as well.Bobnoreply@blogger.com