It was inevitable that Star Wars: The Last Jedi would be dedicated to Carrie Fisher – the woman who inspired generations of girls with her 40 year portrayal of Rebel Leader Leia Organa. But the expectation of such a text within the end credits of the film does not detract from its devastating power when it finally appears onscreen. It ‘s the final reminder – at the end of a movie in which Leia positively shines – that we shall see her no more.
What gives this dedication (seen in the gallery below) its punch, though, is the content of her scenes in the movie itself – and it’s something that now stands as a strange testament to the life of art. It brings home to us the fact that stories draw their real power from the projections of the audience, as much as the plot threads they contain.
Carrie Fisher’s death was sudden and unexpected. Within the context of the resurging Star Wars franchise, it was a seismic event that literally fractured the planned narrative. General Organa, we know, had a significant, fully completed role in The Last Jedi, and was all set to be the focus of Episode IX – in the same way that Luke Skywalker was the focus for Episode VIII.
That means that writer-director Rian Johnson had written scenes for Fisher to deliver that properly utilized the legendary character of Leia, while setting her up for being centred in the next instalment. None of those scenes in The Last Jedi changed when she died, but Episode IX will now head in a different direction.
And so, as we sit in the darkened theatre and find ourselves once more drawn in and enthralled by the Rebellion’s “precious Princess,” her scenes take on a new meaning. It’s clearly a different meaning than was intended by Rian Johnson, but it still absolutely works within the story of the film.
There are clear visual and verbal references to Leia’s role in the original trilogy. There are moments of earned reverence that highlight her attempts to ‘pass the torch.’ There are even lines of dialogue that are intended to light the way for Leia’s big Episode IX story, but now feel like a strangely prescient goodbye.
At the recent premiere of the film, Rian Johnson spoke briefly about his lost star, saying:
“I want to dedicate tonight to Carrie, who is up there right now flipping me the bird, saying, ‘Damn it Rian, don’t you dare make this night a solemn tribute. So let’s all have a blast tonight for Carrie.”
To be clear – and without giving anything away – time spent watching Star Wars: The Last Jedi is indeed “a blast,” and Fisher’s General Organa is a very big part of that. As fans around the world continue to wrestle with the idea of their hero being gone, it’s a great comfort to know that Leia’s last appearance is officially enshrined within one of the best Star Wars films of the franchise.
