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Leia Organa

princess, senator, and general

Leia Organa was the adopted princess of Alderaan and secret daughter of Anakin Skywalker. She became a leader of the Rebel Alliance, a founder of the New Republic, and the general of the Resistance against the First Order.

By Josh

Leia Organa was a Force-sensitive human female who served as a princess of Alderaan, a senator, and a military leader across three galactic conflicts. Born the daughter of Anakin Skywalker and Senator Padme Amidala, and twin sister of Luke Skywalker, she was adopted at birth into the royal House of Organa and raised by Senator Bail Organa and Queen Breha to keep her hidden from the Galactic Empire. She devoted her life to the restoration of democracy, opposing both the Empire and the First Order, and her dying act helped bring about the final defeat of the Sith. (Revenge of the Sith; Return of the Jedi; The Rise of Skywalker)

Princess of Alderaan#

Leia was born in 19 BBY on Polis Massa, where her mother died in childbirth. To shield the twins from the Emperor and from their father, who had become Darth Vader, the infants were separated and hidden. Leia was adopted by Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan and his wife, Queen Breha, becoming the heir to the Alderaanian throne and growing up amid the pacifist traditions of the Core Worlds planet. (Revenge of the Sith; Leia, Princess of Alderaan)

At the age of ten she was kidnapped by mercenaries acting on the orders of an Inquisitor, and was rescued by Obi-Wan Kenobi, who had fought alongside her adoptive father during the Clone Wars. She never forgot him, and years later it was Kenobi she sent R2-D2 to find. Following in her father's footsteps, she eventually represented Alderaan in the Imperial Senate while secretly aiding the growing Rebellion. (Obi-Wan Kenobi, "Part I" and "Part II"; Leia, Princess of Alderaan; A New Hope)

The Galactic Civil War#

Carrying the stolen technical plans for the Death Star, Leia was captured by Vader aboard her ship and imprisoned on the battle station, but not before she hid the plans and a plea for help inside the astromech droid R2-D2. The Empire destroyed her homeworld of Alderaan to force information from her, killing its population and the royal family. She was rescued from her cell by Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Chewbacca, and delivered the plans to the Rebel base on Yavin 4, leading to the destruction of the Death Star. (Rogue One; A New Hope)

Now openly committed to the Rebellion, Leia became one of its most capable leaders. She survived the Imperial assault on Echo Base on Hoth and fled aboard the Millennium Falcon, falling in love with Han Solo during their flight. When Solo was frozen in carbonite and taken to Jabba the Hutt, Leia infiltrated the criminal's palace in disguise and killed him during the rescue. At the Battle of Endor she was part of the strike team, led by Han, that destroyed the shield generator protecting the second Death Star. (The Empire Strikes Back; Return of the Jedi)

The New Republic and a fractured family#

With the Empire shattered, Leia married Han Solo and briefly trained in the Jedi arts under her brother Luke. She set that training aside when she gave birth to their son, Ben Solo, in 5 ABY. Like his grandfather before him, Ben was strong in the Force, and his parents sent him to be trained by Luke. The boy's seduction by the dark side ended that effort in ruin and strained Leia's marriage. (Return of the Jedi; Aftermath: Empire's End; The Force Awakens; The Rise of Skywalker)

As a leader in the New Republic Senate, Leia warned of the danger posed by the remnants of the Empire reorganizing as the First Order. When her colleagues dismissed her warnings, and the revelation that Darth Vader was her father wrecked her standing in the Senate, she took up the military rank of general and founded the Resistance to oppose the rising threat directly. (Bloodline; The Force Awakens)

General of the Resistance#

Leia led the Resistance through the war against the First Order, never abandoning her hope that her son might be turned back from the dark side as her father had been at Endor. The First Order destroyed the New Republic, and her estranged son, now called Kylo Ren, killed her husband Han Solo. Through these losses Leia held the Resistance together, and she took the scavenger Rey under her guidance, passing on what she knew of the Jedi. (The Force Awakens; The Last Jedi; The Rise of Skywalker)

As her own strength failed, Leia reached out one last time across the Force to her son, calling him toward the light. She died on Ajan Kloss in 35 ABY. Her final act stirred Ben Solo to abandon the dark side, and her example carried the Resistance to victory over the reborn Emperor at Exegol. Her legacy passed to Rey, to the pilot Poe Dameron, and to her son, who returned to the light before his own death. (The Rise of Skywalker)

Frequently asked questions

Who was Leia Organa?
Leia Organa was a Force-sensitive human who served as a princess of Alderaan, a senator, and a military leader across three galactic conflicts. Born the daughter of Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala and the twin sister of Luke Skywalker, she was adopted into the royal House of Organa and devoted her life to the restoration of democracy.
Why was Leia Organa hidden from the Empire?
Leia was born in 19 BBY on Polis Massa, where her mother died in childbirth. To shield the twins from the Emperor and from their father, who had become Darth Vader, the infants were separated and hidden, and Leia was adopted by Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan and Queen Breha.
What happened to Alderaan?
After Leia was captured by Vader while carrying the stolen Death Star plans, the Empire destroyed her homeworld of Alderaan to force information from her, killing its population and the royal family. She had already hidden the plans and a plea for help inside the droid R2-D2.
How did Leia Organa form the Resistance?
As a leader in the New Republic Senate, Leia warned of the danger posed by the remnants of the Empire reorganizing as the First Order. When her colleagues dismissed her warnings, she took up the military rank of general and founded the Resistance to oppose the rising threat directly.
How did Leia Organa die?
Leia died on Ajan Kloss in 35 ABY. As her strength failed she reached out one last time across the Force to her son, calling him toward the light, and her final act stirred Ben Solo to abandon the dark side and helped carry the Resistance to victory at Exegol.

Sources

  • VideoStar Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, Lucasfilm, 2005
  • VideoPart I, Obi-Wan Kenobi, episode 1, 2022
  • VideoPart II, Obi-Wan Kenobi, episode 2, 2022
  • VideoRogue One: A Star Wars Story, Lucasfilm, 2016
  • VideoStar Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, Lucasfilm, 1977
  • VideoStar Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back, Lucasfilm, 1980
  • VideoStar Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi, Lucasfilm, 1983
  • BookLeia, Princess of Alderaan, Claudia Gray, Disney Lucasfilm Press, 2017
  • BookAftermath: Empire's End, Chuck Wendig, Del Rey, 2017
  • BookBloodline, Claudia Gray, Del Rey, 2016
  • VideoStar Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens, Lucasfilm, 2015
  • VideoStar Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi, Lucasfilm, 2017
  • VideoStar Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker, Lucasfilm, 2019

Spotted a factual error or a primary source we missed? Email a correction. Every flagged claim gets reviewed.

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