Leia Organa Solo



Leia Organa Solo (born Leia Amidala Skywalker) was at various stages of her life a legendary politician, diplomat, revolutionary and, eventually, a Jedi Knight of the New Jedi Order. The daughter of Jedi General Anakin Skywalker and Senator Padmé Amidala of Naboo, Leia was the younger twin sister of Luke Skywalker, and shortly after her birth she became the adopted daughter of Bail Organa and Queen Breha of Alderaan, making her a Princess of Alderaan. An accomplished Senator, Leia was most famous for her strong leadership during the Galactic Civil War and other subsequent galactic conflicts, making her one of the galaxy's greatest heroes. Later she married Han Solo and became the mother of their three children: Jaina, Jacen and Anakin Solo. Around the start of the Swarm War, Leia unknowingly became a grandmother through Jacen's daughter Allana.

One of the most important figures in galactic history, Leia could have been simply another galactic denizen had she not been adopted by Bail Organa. Politician, fighter, and spy were the roles that awaited her instead. She had a forceful personality and bright intellect, having accomplished much in her youth: she was a strong proponent for the Rebel Alliance, the youngest Senator ever of the Galactic Empire at eighteen standard years of age, and a member of the Royal Family of Alderaan. Years later, she was instrumental in the creation of the New Republic, and was elected to the position of Chief of State, serving twice in that office.

Due to her powerful Force heritage, Leia, following her family's legacy, became a Jedi Knight in the New Jedi Order. She was partially trained by her brother Luke and later by Jedi Master Saba Sebatyne, who declared her a fully trained Knight at the end of the Swarm War. This training would serve her well as the galaxy teetered on the edge of collapse into civil war once more during the Second Galactic Civil War, although it complicated her allegiance. During this conflict, Leia's son Jacen turned to the dark side of the Force, becoming the Sith Lord Darth Caedus. Leia and Han became determined to destroy Caedus, feeling that their son was already dead. However, it was their daughter Jaina who ended his life in a lightsaber duel that also concluded the war.

In the aftermath of Caedus' death, the Solos became the guardians of their granddaughter Allana, at the behest of her mother, Tenel Ka of Hapes, and remained two of the galaxy's most important figures, standing with the Jedi Order amidst the tensions that arose between it and the government of Chief of State Natasi Daala. Leia Organa Solo (born Leia Amidala Skywalker) was at various stages of her life a legendary politician, diplomat, revolutionary and, eventually, a Jedi Knight of the New Jedi Order. The daughter of Jedi General Anakin Skywalker and Senator Padmé Amidala of Naboo, Leia was the younger twin sister of Luke Skywalker, and shortly after her birth she became the adopted daughter of Bail Organa and Queen Breha of Alderaan, making her a Princess of Alderaan. An accomplished Senator, Leia was most famous for her strong leadership during the Galactic Civil War and other subsequent galactic conflicts, making her one of the galaxy's greatest heroes. Later she married Han Solo and became the mother of their three children: Jaina, Jacen and Anakin Solo. Around the start of the Swarm War, Leia unknowingly became a grandmother through Jacen's daughter Allana.

One of the most important figures in galactic history, Leia could have been simply another galactic denizen had she not been adopted by Bail Organa. Politician, fighter, and spy were the roles that awaited her instead. She had a forceful personality and bright intellect, having accomplished much in her youth: she was a strong proponent for the Rebel Alliance, the youngest Senator ever of the Galactic Empire at eighteen standard years of age, and a member of the Royal Family of Alderaan. Years later, she was instrumental in the creation of the New Republic, and was elected to the position of Chief of State, serving twice in that office.

Due to her powerful Force heritage, Leia, following her family's legacy, became a Jedi Knight in the New Jedi Order. She was partially trained by her brother Luke and later by Jedi Master Saba Sebatyne, who declared her a fully trained Knight at the end of the Swarm War. This training would serve her well as the galaxy teetered on the edge of collapse into civil war once more during the Second Galactic Civil War, although it complicated her allegiance. During this conflict, Leia's son Jacen turned to the dark side of the Force, becoming the Sith Lord Darth Caedus. Leia and Han became determined to destroy Caedus, feeling that their son was already dead. However, it was their daughter Jaina who ended his life in a lightsaber duel that also concluded the war.

In the aftermath of Caedus' death, the Solos became the guardians of their granddaughter Allana, at the behest of her mother, Tenel Ka of Hapes, and remained two of the galaxy's most important figures, standing with the Jedi Order amidst the tensions that arose between it and the government of Chief of State Natasi Daala.

Biography
Early life (19–1 BBY) [edit] Birth and adoption into the House of Organa

"It's a girl." "Leia." ―Obi-Wan Kenobi and Padmé Amidala[src]

Leia shortly after birth.

Leia was born on the asteroid colony of Polis Massa in 19 BBY, shortly after the start of the Great Jedi Purge and the foundation of the Galactic Empire. Mere seconds after her birth, her mother Padmé Amidala died, effectively orphaning Leia and her older twin brother Luke.[2]

Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda knew that the children, both strong in the Force, had to be protected from Emperor Palpatine. Deciding it would be best if they were separated, the two Jedi Masters agreed to send the infant boy to live with his father's stepbrother Owen Lars and his wife Beru on Tatooine. Leia was adopted and raised by Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan and his wife, Queen Breha Organa.[2] Through adoption, Leia Amidala Skywalker became Princess Leia Organa.[15] Nineteen years would pass before the twins saw each other again.[5]

"My wife and I will take the girl. We've always talked of adopting a baby girl. She will be loved with us." ―Bail Organa to Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda, referring to Leia[src]

Baby Leia with her adoptive parents, Breha and Bail Organa.

The orphaned daughter of the Naboo Senator and a fallen Jedi Knight was given a loving home within the House of Organa, one of the galaxy's so-called Ancient Houses.[16] Her adoptive parents could not have children of their own,[17] so Leia became the heir of the Royal House of Alderaan. Although the Organas were not trying to hide the fact that Leia was adopted,[1] they never informed the Princess of her true parentage, nor did they reveal the existence of her twin brother.[18] However, during the short time between her birth and her mother's death,[2] Leia gained a faint memory of her mother as a beautiful and kind, yet sad woman.[18]

Leia had a large extended family to take part in her upbringing. It included Silya Shessaun, a mentor and a friend of Amidala,[19] Queen Breha's sister Deara,[20] and Bail Organa's three sisters Tia, Rouge, and Celly, whom Leia described as "three redoubtable dowagers" that "made her girlhood an intermittent burden."[16]

Even though Leia was rather advanced for her age, having learned to speak and walk before the age of one, she did not show any signs of Force potential—much to the relief of her father, who knew that being a Force-sensitive in Palpatine's Empire would be a heavy burden. However, she had inherited her real father's gift, which surfaced for the first time in 18 BBY when her caregiver Memily was about to lean on a weakened fence. Leia threw a laserball at it, alerting Memily and saving her life.[20]

Because of the incident, Leia became a target of the Galactic Empire for the first, but certainly not the last time. Word of a child with extraordinary reflexes had reached Coruscant, and Inquisitors Ferus Olin and Hydra were sent to investigate. Olin, a former Jedi apprentice, was in fact a double agent trying to save as many Force-sensitives as possible, and had come to Alderaan on Obi-Wan Kenobi's behest. Even though the Inquisitorius was not aware of the child's gender, Kenobi feared the toddler might be Leia and wanted to turn the Empire's eye away from Alderaan. Olin covered up the incident, stating it was nothing more than a rumor, and Leia's heritage remained a secret. The Imperial informer turned out to be Deara Antilles; Queen Breha had mercy on her sister, but exiled her from the royal family forever.[20] Following the incident, Olin settled on Alderaan to watch over Leia and protect her from the dark side and the Empire, even though she remained unaware of her protector.[21] [edit] The tomboy Princess

"The line between the life I want to live and the life I'm expected to live is about as thin as a Hutt after a buffet." ―Leia in her diary in c. 9 BBY[src]

The Princess, nicknamed Lelila,[22] grew up with the two years older Winter, an orphaned daughter of one of Bail Organa's aides. Ever since being adopted by the Organa family, Winter was Leia's best friend and companion. With a natural grace and poise, she was often mistaken for the Princess of Alderaan by court visitors, while the tomboy Leia was regarded as a domestic girl.[7]

Leia exhibited little of the upper-class gentility, which was a constant source of despair to her aunts Tia, Rouge, and Celly. Nevertheless, they were determined to turn her to what they called "a Proper Princess," and hired deportment teachers to drill into her a behavior fitting for the heir of an Ancient House.[16] The Princess with her aunts and father.

One part of making her a lady was to learn how a princess dresses up and does her hair. According to Alderaanian customs, Leia's hair was allowed to grow long[22] and arranged into elaborate hairstyles. Ironically, one of Leia's trademark symbols—her signature "bun" coiffure—was inherited from her mother's homeworld of Naboo,[15] although a long time passed before she came to know it. To avoid the tiresome hairstyling, she even cut her hair once—only to be forced to wear a wig, even though she argued that she did not need earmuffs in the summer.[23]

While Leia disliked being "everyone's dress-up doll,"[23] her bright and outspoken nature blossomed out when she had a chance to learn diplomacy, government and languages.[24] Like her birth mother before her, Leia had the benefit of palace education: best equipment and the finest tutors,[25] among them Arn Horada, who instructed her in galactic politics and history,[26] and Sabé, the former handmaiden of her birth mother.[27]

Wanting to expose her to as many experiences as possible, Bail often took his daughter along to trips to other worlds,[25] such as Ithor, where he attended the Time of the Meeting as the representative of the Imperial Senate. About six years old at the time, the Meeting was an unforgettable experience for Leia.[16] She also visited Alderaan's secret Caamasi colony in her childhood.[28]

Besides receiving palace education, Leia attended the Alderaan Select Academy for Young Ladies under the tutelage of the strict Madame Vesta. Together with other daughters of Alderaanian nobles, the Princess learned etiquette, table manners and many other useful (and to her mind, rather boring) things that a lady needed to know.[23] During this time, Leia saw the downside of the upper class as well: one of her school friends used drugs,[29] many of the girls had a condescending attitude towards ordinary people, and expensive parties were thrown in the court even though many in the galaxy were hungry and suffering.[23]

Despite knowing that she was loved, Leia sometimes felt an outsider to her family. Winter was like a sister to her, but the young Princess still wished she had a brother or a sister of her own, someone she could truly feel close to.[23] In her growing years, she often felt that she was just slightly different, without exactly knowing how,[16] and that a part of her was missing. It can only be assumed that this was an indication of her latent Force-sensitivity and of the lingering twin bond with Luke Skywalker.[23] Leia and Winter as young girls on Alderaan.

Winter remained a comfort to Leia, despite the differences in their personality. Though the pair's physical resemblance was tempered by Winter's stunning white hair, the two friends soon learned to employ similar looks for tactical advantage, a practice they would continue throughout their lives. Winter sometimes disguised herself as Leia so that the Princess could escape the Aldera Royal Palace to create mischief and visit inappropriate boys.[23] Leia also befriended Neena, a musically talented girl about her age who lived in the Organa household.[30]

Once she reached her adolescent years, Leia became friends with Heeth and Raal Panteer. She and Raal fell in love soon after, but the relationship failed to last. Organa and the Panteer brothers would meet again during the Galactic Civil War.[31] [edit] A senator in the making

"I'm grooming her to take my place in the Imperial Senate." "Perhaps you should wean her first." ―Bail Organa and Wilhuff Tarkin, discussing 13-year-old Leia[src]

Leia showed promise in politics and from early on, Bail Organa began grooming her to one day succeed him in the Imperial Senate, encouraging her to attend Alderaanian debates and palace receptions for offworld personnel.[25] In this Leia unknowingly followed the footsteps of not only her adoptive father, but her late birth mother, who had entered politics at an early age and became a Senator. Indeed, Leia resembled Padmé Amidala in many ways: she was confident, poised, and a had a quick political wit.[24] Leia runs away from Madame Vesta while Bail Organa and Wilhuff Tarkin watch.

When Leia was thirteen, she met Wilhuff Tarkin for the first time when he came to visit Bail Organa on Alderaan. She had heard a lot about the Moff from her father, none of it good. She instantly disliked him, maintaining that he represented everything that was wrong with the Empire. Leia was particularly disgusted with the idea of Tarkin having a slave, as she did not understand how it was possible that the Emperor allowed slavery. She even dropped a water balloon on his head while "watering her plants." The visit made Leia seriously contemplate what kind of galaxy she lived in, and what she could do to change it.[23]

At the age of 16, Leia attended the University of Alderaan together with Winter, whose holographic and audiographic memory, as Leia would joke, was very useful with homework. They studied history and art, two subjects the Empire seemed eager to suppress, which in Bail Organa's opinion was all the more reason to study them.[23] Leia also began training with Giles Durane, a mercenary her father had hired to teach her self-defense and marksmanship.[32] True to her tomboyish nature, she enjoyed these lessons far more than those of Madame Vesta, and showed considerable talent in both areas.[23]

Around this time, Leia began to realize that her father was preparing her for something more than just becoming the next Senator of her home planet. A month before turning 17, she accidentally overheard a secret HoloNet meeting Bail Organa was having with fellow Senators Mon Mothma of Chandrila and Garm Bel Iblis of Corellia, where the name Alliance to Restore the Republic came up. Leia's hatred for the Empire had been growing over the years—she certainly found their treatment of non-Humans and women atrocious and their desire to control everything appalling—but this was the first time she heard anyone discuss an open rebellion. She decided not the tell her father what she had heard, but promised herself to make him proud and do whatever it took to restore the freedoms the Empire was systematically taking away.[23] Leia, about to meet Emperor Palpatine for the first time.

Among the old Houses, it was customary to bring the daughters to Coruscant when they finished school at seventeen—or even sixteen, if the parents were ambitious—to start the long and complex search of a suitable groom candidate at the Imperial Court. The Princess's aunts would have been glad to see their niece marry someone from one of the other Ancient Houses; Leia, however, regarded their heirs as "brainless twerps" and refused to be presented to the Emperor until she could do so as a Senator in her own right, not simply as a young girl in the Court marriage market. Her aunts were horrified, doubly so when Leia's decision was backed by Bail Organa.[16]

The time for Leia's introduction at the Imperial Palace came soon enough, though. At the age of 18, she became the youngest Imperial Senator ever elected,[16] and Bail Organa formally presented her to Palpatine shortly before she assumed her Senatorial post. Having witnessed earlier a Caamasi being arrested by two stormtroopers for simply trying to buy a meal at a restaurant, Leia firmly decided that she would bring up the issue to Palpatine at the same time.[33]

When she met the Emperor, however, she became frightened by the dark side radiating from him and was unable to do anything more than mutter thanks to his compliments as Darth Vader watched. Following the reception, Bail assured her that there was nothing to be ashamed of, as it was a common reaction to seeing Palpatine, especially for the first time. To make her feel better, Organa told Leia how proud he was of her, and related a piece of good news—he had arranged for the Caamasi she saw arrested to be released. Happy, Leia went to meet the Caamasi, who introduced himself as Eg'Ros Akala.[33] [edit] Imperial Senate and involvement in the Rebellion (2–0 BBY) [edit] The rebel senator

"You have your father's fire. I look forward to seeing your pretty young face in the Senate." ―Palpatine to Leia on their first meeting[src]

The birth of the Rebellion

Sometime after turning 17, Leia had shared with her father her disgust of the Empire and how it treated its citizens, as well as her desire to make a difference with him. Her fire and abilities were noted by some Imperial officials because, as of 2 BBY, Leia was being held captive on the planet Kashyyyk to keep her out if the way. She was not harmed, but rather treated as a dignified "guest" as the Imperials in charge did not wish to provoke a galactic incident by harming the daughter of a powerful and wealthy Senator. Still, she was not allowed to leave, nor was she permitted to communicate with the outside world. Also, Captain Ozzik Sturn threatened to have her be an "unfortunate victim in a Wookiee uprising." While on the planet, Leia collected data on the Skyhook that was being used to take Wookiee slaves from the planet in mass numbers. She stored this data in her droid, R2-D2. When Darth Vader's secret apprentice, Galen Marek, arrived to save her in order to enlist the trust and cooperation of her father, Leia refused to leave until the skyhook was destroyed. Marek promised to destroy it if she would go leave the planet and fly to safety, which she did.

A few weeks later, Leia participated in the meeting on Corellia to establish the Rebel Alliance with her father, Mon Mothma, Garm Bel Iblis, Jedi Rahm Kota, and Galen Marek. However, while the other attendees of the meeting were present in person, Leia participated via holo. Her physical absence turned out to be beneficial as that her holo transmission was able to be terminated before her involvement could be discovered when the meeting was raided by stormtroopers led by Darth Vader. Thus her direct involvement with the new Rebellion was unknown to Vader and the Emperor.

Leia was also present on Kashyyyk for the meeting that did officially establish the Alliance to Restore the Republic. Because Marek had sacrificed his own life to save her father, Kota, Mothma, and Bel Iblis from the Emperor so that they might live to establish the Rebellion, she suggested the adoption of his family crest as the symbol of the fight against the Empire.

In 1 BBY, Bail Organa—now a known enemy of the Empire—stepped down as Senator of Alderaan, a position he had held for thirty-one years, and Leia took his place. A keen political thinker, Leia knew that her diplomatic immunity and consular ship would be perfect for running covert missions for the Alliance. Bail agreed, and thus began Leia's double life as a Senator and a Rebel.[23] While a diplomat at her core, Leia was not afraid to use "aggressive negotiation."

Young Senator Organa inherited her father's diplomatic cruiser, the Corellian corvette Tantive IV. Her uncle Raymus Antilles, who had served under Bail Organa as well, continued as the captain of the ship, and Leia's cousin Corla Metonae was also part of the vessel's crew.[34] Winter accompanied Leia to Coruscant as an aide; she was aware of the Princess's involvement in the Rebellion, and participated in many of the Alliance's operations herself in the following years.

During her time in the Senate, Leia worked with Senator Pooja Naberrie of Naboo, her maternal cousin. The two became good friends, completely unaware of their familial relationship.[35] Not everyone was pleased with the young Senator, however. Despite her first intimidating encounter with Palpatine, Leia became one of the leading voices of criticism towards the Emperor's policies.[25] Being somewhat of a political firebrand, her outraged sense of justice made some people feel threatened, while others viewed her as pathetically idealistic. Drost Elegin, head of the Ancient House Elegin and a notorious playboy at Palpatine's court, mockingly called her "Madame Senator" and "Little Miss Inalienable Rights."[16]

Shortly after becoming a Senator, Organa began working with fellow Senator Mon Mothma on the Rebel war effort against the Empire. During her years in the Alliance, Leia was taken by Mothma as her political protégé and groomed Organa for eventual leadership. [edit] Mission to Ralltiir and the Battle of Kattada[36]

Prior to the Battle of Yavin 4 Leia went on a diplomatic mission to Ralltiir, a world subjugated by the Empire. It was here that she discovered a wounded Rebel who possessed vital information on the Death Star. While in the process of rescuing him, Leia encountered the Moff of Ralltiir, Lord Tion. After getting the information, Leia rescued the Rebel. Later, Leia killed Tion in self-defense, making her an enemy of the Empire. After discovering the Imperial superweapon, Rebel spies were able to steal the Death Star's blueprints, sending them to the Rebel Alliance before being killed. Leia during the Battle of Kattada.

Following the trip to Ralltiir where they retrieved the Ralltiir rebel, Basso, Princess Leia and her uncle Raymus Antilles traveled on the Tantive IV to Kattada's main space port in Haloeda. Upon arriving, they were greeted by Haloeda's ruler Madam Mia Ikova, a sympathizer of the Rebel Alliance. Later, at the spaceport, Leia and Mia Ikova received word from a messenger that an Imperial patrol ship was landing. By then, Leia and her crew had realized that it was too late to escape and that they could not leave Mia Ikova and her people to deal with the Empire alone. Shortly after, a force of stormtroopers and scout troopers departed from the landed on the planet under the command of Commander Karg, who announced that all who were present were under arrest in the name of Emperor Palpatine. After refusing to surrender Karg ordered his legion of stormtroopers to shoot, injuring Mia.

"Please, your highness, put away your sorrow. Mia died for a cause she believed in, and the victory to which you led us would have made her proud." ―Mia Ikova's father[src]

Enraged at her refusal to surrender, Karg attempted to shoot Leia. Luckily, Leia was saved when the Tantive IV turbolaser turret opened fire on Karg, wounding him severely. The Tantive IV's crew then retrieved Leia, Ikova and Karg and brought them to the medical bay. Unfortunately, Mia wasn't able to overcome her injuries and died. Leia blamed herself for what had happened and wished she had never come to Kattada. Ikova's father responded by reminding Leia that she had come to seek help for the rebels on Ralltiir who needed their aid badly and that she should not let what had occurred sway her from her purpose, before presumably dying. Later, Organa lead a ground assault, successfully neutralizing the imperial threat on the planet. Following the battle, Leia left for Alderaan on the Tantive IV after saying farewell to her Kattadan allies.

After the disastrous Battle of Kattada, Organa was contacted by her father, giving her an important mission to track down Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and bring him to Alderaan. Leia set a course to the planet Tatooine with the stolen Death Star plans in tow. [edit] Early Galactic Civil War (0 BBY–4 ABY) [edit] Death Star I campaign[5]

"General Kenobi, years ago you served my father in the Clone Wars. Now he begs you to help him in his struggle against the Empire. I regret that I am unable to present my father's request to you in person, but my ship has fallen under attack and I'm afraid my mission to bring you to Alderaan has failed. I have placed information vital to the survival of the Rebellion into the memory systems of this R2 unit. My father will know how to retrieve it. You must see this droid safely delivered to him on Alderaan. This is our most desperate hour. Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope." ―Leia Organa[src]

"Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope."

In 0 BBY, Organa was captured along with her ship, the Tantive IV, by Darth Vader. The Sith Lord sought to recover the plans for the Death Star I, which Imperial Intelligence suggested had been stolen by Rebel spy Kyle Katarn.

Unknown to Vader, the young senator had hidden the plans inside an R2 unit, R2-D2, and sent the droid to find the legendary Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi on the planet Tatooine. Leia attempted to hide from the stormtroopers in her ship, but was found and stunned after shooting one of them with her sporting blaster. She was brought before Lord Vader, who accused her of treason, although Leia denied any connection with the Alliance.

Vader brought her to the Death Star I, where he personally interrogated and tortured her, seeking the location of the plans and the hidden Rebel base from which the Empire suspected the Alliance was striking. Remarkably, she managed to keep silent, despite Vader's Sith powers and the use of an interrogation droid. Darth Vader interrogates Princess Leia.

Wilhuff Tarkin, Leia's old acquaintance and now a Grand Moff, threatened Organa with the destruction of her homeworld, Alderaan, if she did not reveal the location of the Rebel base. She lied, giving them instead the location of a long-since abandoned base on Dantooine. Tarkin proceeded with the destruction of Alderaan regardless, one of the most infamous acts of the Empire and a shocking example of the Tarkin doctrine of rule by terror. Leia was then placed in a holding cell and scheduled to be executed, while the Imperial Navy deployed scout craft to investigate Dantooine.

Princess Organa's message had reached Obi-Wan Kenobi by this time, and he set out from Tatooine with Luke Skywalker, intending to bring R2-D2 to Leia on Alderaan. Kenobi had hired Han Solo as a pilot. Arriving in the Alderaan system shortly after the world's destruction, the Millennium Falcon was captured by the Death Star's tractor beam.

Surprisingly, this small group managed to avoid immediate capture. Finding that Organa was on the station, they set out to rescue her. Killing a number of stormtroopers they succeeded in rescuing Leia. Tarkin had by this point discovered that Dantooine was indeed abandoned. In order to find the true location of the hidden base, he ordered his soldiers to allow the small band to escape with Leia, after planting a tracking device on the Falcon. Darth Vader, meanwhile, set out to find Obi-Wan Kenobi, whom he later killed in a duel.

Organa realized that her escape must have been deliberately permitted by the Empire, and surmised that the ship was being tracked. However, she nonetheless decided to return to the base on Yavin 4. Leia on the Death Star I with Luke Skywalker and Han Solo.

Presumably, she would have been arrested immediately had she tried to land on any inhabited Imperial world, and finding another place to trade ships would have been complicated and dangerous. (Locating the tracking device would have been virtually impossible, given how small such a device could be.) This was a risk, of course: if no weakness could be found, or if the discovered weakness could only be exploited by, for instance, a saboteur on board the Death Star, it would be necessary to stage a massive evacuation.

Returning to Yavin 4, Princess Organa found that her gamble had paid off, as the plans did in fact reveal a weakness that starfighters could potentially exploit. At the Battle of Yavin, the Death Star was destroyed by Organa's twin brother, Luke Skywalker (although this familial relationship was unknown by both twins at this time). This marked a turning point for the Rebellion.

Following the Rebel victory at the Battle of Yavin, Leia held a public ceremony, rewarding Luke Skywalker and Han Solo for their accomplishments and heroism during the battle. She gave Han the rank of Captain and Luke the rank of Commander. [edit] Hero of the Rebellion

"I am a member of the Imperial Senate on a diplomatic mission to Alderaan." "You are part of the Rebel Alliance and a traitor!" ―Leia Organa and Darth Vader[src]

Leia during the early years of the Galactic Civil War.

Several days after the Battle of Yavin, Leia received reports that Han Solo was stealing Sith treasure from the ancient temples on the forest moon. She, along with Luke, raced out to catch him, but he rocketed away in the Millennium Falcon just as they got to the temple. Furious, she denounced Solo, despite his efforts at the major battle, and issued a warrant for his arrest, should he return to Yavin 4. When he did return, she found out that the treasure was sold to finance the Alliance, and she forgave him. Subsequently, she went with him on a mission to the Incom Factory to negotiate the purchase of new X-wings with Vors Voorhorian.[37]

A week after the Battle of Yavin, Leia, R2-D2, and Luke traveled to Rebel base of Akuria II to insure against a sudden Imperial counter-attack on Yavin. But because Artoo wasn't properly repaired the ship went off course. After a near-miss with an Imperial fleet, Organa and Skywalker encountered four android children, who had the power to control the elements, and a computerized "Keeper" on a formerly war-torn world who helped them to escape the Imperials.[38]

When the Galactic Empire destroyed Alderaan the Rebellion lost a lot of his funds. Therefore Jan Dodonna sent Leia to Muunilinst where she should meet the Muun Mak Luunim. That Muun had codes for some secret accounts of the Rebellion and although Leia wanted to travel to some survivors of Alderaans destruction by Delaya she agreed to the mission. Together with Luke, Chewbacca, Han und the droids she flew to Muunilinst but they were attacked by an imperial TIE fighter before they could meet Mak Luunim. In the fight an unknown pilot came to their aid and adjacent he crashed on a moon. Leia and the others found his empty fighter and by the searching of him they met a reek which Luke could beat. After that they discovered the pilot in a cave where they were attacked a second time by a reek and Han shot with his blaster for their defense so that they were surrounded in the cave. Only Luke could disburden them and with the Falcon the group and the pilot who said that his name had been Tobin Elad could leave the moon. Because he told Leia that he had been a warrior who had lost his home and family she got some sympathy for him. They took him with them to Muunilinst nevertheless Han and Leia weren’t sure whether they could trust him. On Muunilinst Luke must drive a race for the Muun Nal Kenuun so that he gave him the codes of the Rebellion which he took after the death of Mak Luunim. Without the others Leia and Luke made an emergency plan and before the race began the two seemed to have a controversy. Leia left the group and appropriate the krayt dragon Urgiluu of Nal Kenuum. So she had a pressurizing and could change the freedom of the group against the dragon when Kenuum wanted to get the head money of Han und Tobin. With the codes of the Rebellion they went back.[39] Leia directing a Rebel briefing.

Against Luke's better judgment, Leia sought the help of Raal Panteer, a childhood friend from Alderaan, in finding a new location for the Rebel base. Raal did not care for the Rebellion much, though he did care for Leia, and proposed that she stay on the moon with him and together they could preserve a bit of Alderaan together. When Leia accompanied Raal on a tour through the wild preserve, they crash-landed on planet where Panteer was bitten by a creature and died. Enraged Heeth ordered Leia to leave the planet, refusing to help the Rebellion.[31]

Shortly after the loss of their base on Yavin 4, Leia, Nera Dantels, and Jorin Sol accompanied Luke to Jabiim where they discovered that the locals had a personal vendetta against Anakin Skywalker after he abandoned them to the Confederacy of Independent Systems during the Clone Wars. They were captured by the natives shortly after. Having managed an escape from the rebel group who wanted revenge for their father's actions during the Clone Wars, Leia, Luke, and the droids fought their way through Imperial stormtroopers and encountered Nolan Gillmunn, a local resistance leader and son of Orliss Gillmunn. Becoming allied with Nolan and his band of rebels, Organa and the others participated in the Second Battle of Jabiim.[40]

In 0 ABY Organa traveled to Metalorn on a mission to spread the message of hope to its residents. Metalorn, a factory planet, had been controlled by the Empire, under the direction of Governor Corwyth with no information of the Rebellion reaching its citizens. Leia managed to evade Imperial stormtroopers long enough to contact her former instructor Arn Horada in order for him to spread the word that the Rebel Alliance actively opposed the Empire's tyranny. Soon after Organa was confronted by Baron Orman Tagge before she was able to establish any details, but managed to escape with the help of a youngster named Tammi.[26] Leia is directing Alliance troops.

Short time later, she was forced to land on an unidentified planet while escaping from Imperial forces. Leia soon found the remains of Imperial stormtroopers that had been lying there for thousands of years and twisted her ankle. She then met four spirits—Tilotny, Horliss-Horliss, Cold Danda Sine and Splendid Ap—and three stormtroopers. The spirits, curious about the "tiny movers," decided to play with them. Tilotny turned one stormtrooper into a diamond and then transformed Leia's heart into a diamond as well, killing her. Meanwhile, Tilotny killed the remaining stormtroopers and ordered Splendid Ap to clean the mess. He resurrected Leia and the stormtroopers, but placed the latter eight thousand years in the past. After regaining consciousness, Leia somehow managed to return to Yavin base.[3]

During the time period shortly after the Battle of Yavin, Leia was assigned to go Shelkonwa to meet with an Adarian named Chivkyrie to see if she could integrate three separate Adarian groups into the Rebel Alliance. Originally, Luke and Han were going to go with her, but a series of pirate attacks on their supply lines caused the Alliance to send them to investigate, and Han's attention had been annoying her anyways. She would later regret that decision, though. Arriving on Shelkonwa, Leia met with the leaders of the resistance groups, and later with Administrator Vilim Disra, who she had been told wanted to seek to join the Alliance. However, Disra, upon seeing her, double-crossed them, locking down the spaceports and starting a search for her. Leia took cover in a small lower-income neighborhood, posing as a tapcafe waitress. While there, she foiled a burglary attempt on a nearby tenement, causing the local populace to not tell patrollers of her presence. Eventually, Vader and the 501st Legion arrived in search of her, but Han, Luke, and Chewie arrived on Shelkonwa, having heard that she was in trouble. Using an ISB freighter that had been appropriated by the Hand of Judgment, who were working with Han, Luke, and Chewie, they made their way back to the Falcon, where the Rebels and rogue stormtroopers parted ways.[41]

With Organa now exposed as a Rebel, she took over the Alliance's diplomatic efforts. At the Conference of Uncommitted Worlds on Kabal, she won the Alliance the support of Silver Fyre and her Aquaris Freeholders.[42] She also encouraged sedition among the planets of the distant Minos Cluster.[30]

Just before the Evacuation of Yavin, a transport filled with Alderaanian refugees, Bail Organa landed at the Rebel base. As Leia went out to greet them, she was reunited with Darlen, a friend from her life as a Princess on the destroyed planet.[43] Leia during the Battle of Hoth.

Sometime after the Battle of Yavin 4, Leia, accompanied by Luke, crash-landed on Mimban. On Mimban Leia and Luke encountered Halla, a Force-sensitive. They struck a deal with the Halla, promising to find the Kaiburr crystal if she aided in their escape. During their search, Leia and Luke confronted Darth Vader. Darth Vader managed to injure Skywalker and would have killed him if it weren't for Leia. Using Luke's lightsaber, Leia briefly dueled the Dark Lord and was quickly defeated due to her inexperience with the weapon. Luke was able to heal her wounds with the Kaiburr crystal and defeated Vader, with the help of Obi-Wan Kenobi's spirit. Leia subsequently secured funding from the Circarpous IV business underground after revealing an illegal Imperial mine on Mimban.[44]

Shortly after the disastrous mission to Mimban, Leia was able to access lost Organa resources of money and capital on Ord Mantell greatly needed for the Rebel war effort. Leia also focused her efforts on rallying planets to help them defeat the Empire. On one occasion she traveled to the Minos Cluster, where she helped unify Rebellion against the Empire. Leia begins to fall in love with Han Solo.

Around 2 ABY, the Rebels began to move their base to the ice planet Hoth after their base on Yavin 4 was discovered. Leia helped establishing the base since it was but a small outpost. In 3 ABY, Luke went missing while on a patrol. Worried, Organa sent Han to look for him. Fortunately Han returned with an unconscious and badly injured Skywalker in tow. Luke was immediately put into a bacta tank and recovered from his encounter with a wampa. When Han confronted Leia on the issue of their relationship, an incensed Organa kissed Luke, causing a love triangle between the three friends.[45]

When Darth Vader and the Empire discovered the base, Organa helped coordinate the evacuation of the Rebel base from Hoth. Despite the ongoing battle, she remained composed and issued commands from the crumbling base. Luckily, she was able to escape any danger and flee with C-3PO, Han Solo and Chewbacca on the Millennium Falcon. Pursued by Imperial fighters, and hobbled by a non-functional hyperdrive, they escaped by flying into an asteroid field.[45] [edit] Crisis at Cloud City

"You look absolutely beautiful. You truly belong here with us here in the clouds." ―Lando Calrissian[src]

Princess Organa's initially adversarial relationship with Han Solo around this time evolved into a more romantic one. Not long after their escape from Hoth, Leia, Han, Chewbacca, and Threepio went to Cloud City, then owned by Han's friend, Lando Calrissian, to get help with the Falcon. Soon after they landed, C-3PO went missing, and worst of all, Lando betrayed them by bringing them to Darth Vader. Han was soon tortured and Leia and the Wookiee were thrown in the dungeon. Moments later Lando came to the dungeons to tell the group that he did what he needed to and informed them of Vader's trap for Luke Skywalker.[45] Leia senses Luke's distress.

Solo was then used as a test subject for the carbonite-freezing process which Darth Vader intended for Luke Skywalker (Solo survived the freezing process, and was taken to Jabba the Hutt by the bounty hunter Boba Fett.) Before he was frozen, her parting words were "I love you," to which Solo responded "I know." (Listen (help·info)) After Han was frozen Leia unsuccessfully warned Luke of the incoming danger before being taken as Vader's prisoner. Fortunately Lando managed to rescue Leia, Chewbacca, and Threepio.[45]

"Hear me…Leia." "Luke. We've got to go back. I know where Luke is." ―Luke Skywalker's telepathic plea to Leia, and her response[src]

Leia displayed latent telepathy, despite having never been trained in the use of the Force, when she sensed Luke's distress as he hung from a weather vane after being defeated by Darth Vader. She led the Falcon back to rescue him, and together they departed for a secret rendezvous point where the Rebel fleet was hiding.[45] [edit] Rescue of Han Solo

Main article: Rescue of Han Solo

As the war continued, Leia, C-3PO, R2-D2 and Rebellion finance minister Viscount Tardi traveled to the banking world of Aargau to complete the financing of a sale of X-wing fighters to the Rebellion. However, they were unaware that Darth Vader and his entourage of paid assassins were also on the planet.[46]

Vader's assassins made several attempts on Tardi's life, but Leia's quick wit not only saved the Viscount, but destroyed the assassins as well. Ultimately Vader was forced to play his hand and cut Tardi down with his lightsaber, only to discover that Viscount Tardi was actually just a droid made in his image and the real Tardi had died months ago. Leia had R2-D2 record video images of the "murder" and transmitted them to C-3PO who was at police headquarters in order to prevent Vader from exposing their ruse to the authorities. Leia needed the fake Viscount to secure the loan, and used the Crown Jewels of Alderaan as indisputable collateral. As a precaution, Leia had to manipulate Vader into destroying the duplicate droid of Tardi.[46]

Unbeknownst to Organa, Darth Vader had manipulated her as he really had no interest in preventing her financial deal for the starfighters; he only wanted to take possession of the priceless Alderaanian jewels. He bribed an officer at the local customs station and acquired the treasure, having only played along with Leia's plan to ensure he could leave the planet without the jewels being missed by the authorities. Nonetheless, Leia secured the funding for the starfighters.[46]

In the months that followed, Leia divided her time between missions for the Alliance and the search for Han. At one point, she was forced to stop the search as Skywalker was infected with a lethal disease called "Crimson Forever" after boarding an Imperial vessel, finding its crew members crimson-colored and dead. Suspecting a red-glowing stone aboard the ship to be the source of whatever killed the Imperials, Luke rushed back to the Rebel headquarters, but he was already infected. In a short time, Luke was lying comatose, his eyes turned scarlet red. Leia remembered a story Han Solo had told her about the Red Nebula that featured a pair of stones similar to the one that infected Luke. Chewbacca regaled the tale, and the group came to the conclusion that the "Crimson Forever" stone was indeed one of those Chewbacca and Han had encountered—when the two stones were separated, they were extremely lethal. After summoning Lando Calrissian and Chewbacca to the Rebel base on Golrath, the trio set out in the Falcon and ventured to the Red Nebula. Leia and Lando boarded the vessel while Chewbacca waited in the Falcon and immediately saw victims of the "Crimson Forever". Convinced that it was nearby, they started looking for the second stone. Their search was cut short, however, when they were captured by a gang of bounty hunters employed by Domina Tagge.[47]

Tagge explained that the stones were part of her plan to kill Luke Skywalker as revenge for the death of her brother, Orman Tagge, which Darth Vader had falsely accused Luke of being responsible for. She had hired the bounty hunters to retrieve the stones once word of the deadliness of the red-glowing rocks reached her. Bombing the planet where the stones had been held, she soon had them in her grasp. Shortly afterwards, an Imperial warship loaded with Imperial stormtroopers boarded the Nebula unaware that Tagge had tinkered with the canister of their stone, making it burst open when it was placed under the pressure of hyperspace travel. Tagge managed to coax them into leaving by revealing the location of the Rebel base on Golrath. By the time they arrived near Golrath, they were all dead, and the ghost ship trap was set for Skywalker. However, priest, one of Tagge's prisoners, released the stone in Tagge's ship from its canister as well, killing many. Domina and a few bounty hunters were able to seal themselves away on the ship, avoiding certain death, but lacking space suits to shield themselves from the disease, they were trapped.[47]

Escaping Tagge and her crew by jumping through an airlock, Leia and Lando were picked up by the Falcon. Realizing that they needed the stone to cure Luke, Leia struck a deal with Domina—the Rebels would save her and her bounty hunters from the "Crimson Forever"-infested ship, and in return, she would hand over her stone so they could stop the plague. As the crystals were reunited on Golrath, Luke was cured. Domina and her accomplices flew off in an escape ship per the agreement, and the stones were loaded aboard the Imperial ghost ship, which was sent straight into Golrath's sun. The Rebel base, however, was destroyed by Leia to avoid discovery by the Empire.[47]

Shortly afterwards, Leia and Captain Chedaki went to investigate Imperial activity in the Shiva system, but as the two entered a shuttle to go down to the planet Shiva IV, the ship was damaged by a space mine that caused an explosion that killed Chedaki. Leia was forced to launch the damaged shuttle in order to protect the ship and the rest of the crew from harm.[48]

The shuttle crashed on Shiva IV, soon after Leia was immediately attacked by a savage raiding party. A group of natives led by Aron Peacebringer and Kéral Longknife repelled the raiders and rescued the princess. After her encounter with the raiding party Leia returned to the capital Illyriaqüm with Aron, and tried to warn him of the danger that the Galactic Empire posed, but the warlord was not convinced that such an empire existed. But during a gala of Calian nobility, Aron and Leia were both secretly captured by Imperial stormtroopers and brought before General Sk'ar as prisoners.[48] However, Leia and Aron escaped.[49] Leia knees Prince Xizor in the groin.

Some time later, Organa sought assistance from Prince Xizor of the Black Sun criminal syndicate. In order to get past Imperial security, Leia was disguised as the Ubese bounty hunter Boushh, and Chewbacca took on the identity of the Wookiee bounty hunter Snoova. From there the two became guests of Black Sun's leader, the Falleen Prince Xizor. Xizor also became enamored of Leia, and attempted to seduce her. He used his pheromones upon her and was succeeding when he was interrupted by Chewbacca, who revealed Xizor's scheme to her. Upon returning to Xizor's presence, she stalled for time and then quickly rebuffed his advances by kneeing him in the groin, leaving an enraged Xizor who locked her up. Leia was able to escape due to the efforts of Luke, Chewbacca, Lando Calrissian and Dash Rendar.[50]

Upon discovering that Han was being held captive in Jabba's Palace, Leia once again posed as the bounty hunter Boushh and entered into Jabba's demolition games in order to increase her credibility with the Hutt as well as to prove that she is in fact the notorious bounty hunter. It was because of this that she was able to perform the role of Chewbacca's captor in order to infiltrate Jabba's Palace. She played her role well, for the urging of more money led the Hutt to believe "he" was his kind of scum. However, in order to convince the ruthless Hutt, Leia coldly held an armed thermal detonator ticking down its time until it blew unless Jabba agreed to a higher bounty.[18] Leia disguised as the bounty hunter Boushh.

That night she freed Solo from carbonite but Solo and Leia were caught by Jabba. Han was thrown into a cell with Chewbacca, while Jabba had better plans for her. To Leia's discomfort, he licked her face with his over-exocentric tongue. She was then forced into replacing Oola as Jabba's favorite slave girl. Several of the dancers stripped her of her costume and put her slave costume on her in front of the audience.[51] During this time she was forced to wear a skimpy metal bikini costume and endure the shame and humiliation of being one of Jabba's slaves. She was kept beside Jabba on his large throne, kept on a metal leash.[18] The night after her captivity, she was offered to Boba Fett by Jabba. However, Fett was not interested in the princess and went to sleep after arguing with her.[52]

"Just relax for a moment. You're free of the carbonite. You have hibernation sickness." "I can't see." "Your eyesight will return in time." "Where am I?" "Jabba's Palace." "Who—who're you?" "Someone who loves you." "Leia…" ―Leia Organa and Han Solo[src]

Leia strangling Jabba the Hutt.

Leia's spirits rose when Luke arrived to rescue everyone but were temporarily dashed when Jabba tried to kill Luke by putting him into the rancor pit. To her relief, Luke killed the monster, however Leia was rewarded by being choked and hassled around by a furious Jabba. Leia, unlike her friends was to be kept alive and remain serving Jabba. During the ride on Jabba's sail barge, she was made to drink a grotesque drink and was kept close to the crimelord. After Luke escaped once again and as Jabba's skiff guards fell into the sarlacc, Leia made her move. She crushed the light that lit up the barge and turned it into a pitch-black frenzy. As everyone was too preoccupied to help Jabba, Leia hopped over him and choked him with the very chain that held her captive, dealing with the vile gangster once and for all. R2-D2 then cut her chains and she joined Luke on the top deck of the sail barge. From there she pointed the deck gun at the barge and swung away to safety with Luke.[18] [edit] Endor and a shocking revelation Leia during the Battle of Endor.

"Luke, don't talk that way. You have a power that I don't understand and can never have." "You're wrong, Leia. You have that power, too. In time, you will learn to use it as I have. The Force is strong in my family. My father has it. I have it. And…my sister has it. Yes. It's you, Leia." ―Leia Organa and Luke Skywalker[src]

After leaving Tatooine, Leia joined the gathered Rebel fleet near Sullust, and accompanied General Crix Madine's commando force to the forest moon of Endor where the Death Star II's shield generator was located. Soon after Leia accompanied Luke and Han to Endor. On Endor, Leia and Luke confronted stormtroopers. In order to make sure their arrival was kept secret, Leia jumped on a speeder bike, with Luke in tow, and chased them throughout Endor's dense forests. Leia was able to shoot down one but was also shot down herself and collapsed. After falling off of her stolen speeder bike, she was found by a curious Ewok named Wicket Wystri Warrick, a local to the sanctuary moon of Endor. Soon after a stormtrooper attacked them, but Leia and Wicket were able to subdue him. To keep her safe, Wicket took her to his village where she was considered a princess to the Ewoks. Wicket and Leia during their first meeting.

Worried, Han, Luke, Chewbacca, R2-D2, and C-3PO searched the forest, only to be captured by Ewoks, however, the Ewoks saw Threepio as a god. Taken to Bright Tree Village as a feast to honor Threepio, Leia reunited with her friends and tried, unsuccessfully, to convince them to let her friends go. Fortunately Threepio was able to persuade them to let Han, Luke, Chewbacca, and Artoo go, with the help of Skywalker. Later on, the Ewoks accepted them as part of their tribe.

The night before the battle, Organa received news that forever changed her life. Her long-time "friend", Luke Skywalker, revealed to her that they were brother and sister, and that the fallen Jedi, Darth Vader, was their father. After Luke revealed to her of their relationship, Leia told Luke that she had somehow knew that Luke was her brother. During the conversation, Leia revealed to have memories of her real mother, but they were only "images" and "feelings." She recalled her mother as being "very beautiful, kind, but sad". When Luke told Leia that he had to confront Darth Vader, still stricken with shock, she tried to convince him to just "run far away" instead, but Luke had already made up his mind and left her deeply shocked. Leia learns the truth.

"…he's my brother." ―Leia to Han on Endor referring to Luke[src]

Leia fought alongside Han in the battle that followed, though she was injured with a blaster wound to her upper arm during the fighting. Even with this injury, Leia was able to shoot dead two stormtroopers who attempted to capture her and Han at the shield bunker. The mission to Endor was eventually a success, and the Death Star II was destroyed in the epochal Battle of Endor when Lando Calrissian and Nien Nunb, piloting the Millennium Falcon, flew into the station's core and destroyed it from the inside. Following the battle, Leia informed Han of her familial relationship with Luke, and the two shared a kiss as the explosion of the Death Star lit the skies above. [edit] Founding of the New Republic (4–8 ABY) [edit] Truce at Bakura

"Maybe Vader had died heroically, but ten minutes of contrition did not make up for years of atrocities." ―Leia, after her first and only visitation from the Force ghost of her father[src]

Leia, sealing the historic Bakura Truce with Imperial Governor Wilek Nereus.

Immediately after the Battle of Endor, the Rebel Alliance answered a distress call from Bakura, which was under invasion by the Ssi-Ruuk. Leia and Han Solo also struggled to find some time together and hash out their newly-formed relationship. Leia discovered that Bakura chafed under Imperial rule. The remaining Imperial forces were outnumbered and outgunned by Ssi-Ruuk invaders, and the result was a truce between the Imperials and the Rebels. While meeting with sympathetic Bakuran Senate officials, Leia was arrested for sedition by Imperial governor Wilek Nereus and was imprisoned in an out-of-the-way complex. She was rescued by a typically crazy stunt by Han Solo. Returning to orbit in the Falcon, the Alliance forces helped beat back the Ssi-ruuk but were then betrayed by Nereus. As Han grimly prepared to ram the Falcon into an Imperial vessel to allow the other Rebels to escape, he ordered Leia to an escape pod, but she refused. Fortunately, Luke was able to convince the Imperial fleet commander Pter Thanas to surrender. Leia then aided the short, swift Bakuran overthrow of the government and was present at the surrender of Nereus. While on Bakura, the spirit of Anakin Skywalker appeared to Leia to beg for her forgiveness, which she would not or could not grant at that time since she had just learned of her parentage and the fact that he was Darth Vader.[53] Shortly afterwards the Alliance of Free Planets was formed.[11] [edit] Nagai-Tof War

"Run back to your friends, little Leia…but you have worse things to worry about than stormtroopers. Before long, you and everyone you hold dear will learn just how "pretty dangerous" a foe I can be." ―Lumiya[src]

Leia encounters Lumiya.

As the Empire was crippled and the Alliance of Free Planets was founded, Leia embarked on several missions to secure the new order. But before Leia and the newly formed Alliance of free planets could reverse the changes done by the Empire, she was caught up in the Nagai-Tof War.

Traveling to several worlds with Mon Mothma, Leia became embroiled in the events surrounding the Battle of Herdessa. Almost immediately after Leia had pledged her support, she was thrust into an open conflict between Lumiya's forces and the Herdessan Rebels. Personally leading a large group of Herdessan shocktroopers, Lumiya burst into the Rebel's base. Nearly all the Rebels were incapacitated by stun beams in the firefight, but Leia and the Herdessan resistance leader Suzu were able to escape from the battle. Realizing that Leia and the Rebels were a threat Lumiya ordered the residents to track her down.[54]

The Herdessan Rebel Finn was soon detained and Lumiya prepared to execute him. Luckily, Suzu and Leia created a diversion that delayed the execution and allowed Leia to ambush Lumiya's guards. As Leia distracted the guards, Suzu released the rest of the prisoners and a final fight broke out between Lumiya's men and the now armed rebels. As the Rebels and the Imperial exchanged blaster fire, the remaining Herdessan citizens seized the opportunity to rise up against Lumiya and her corrupt allies. Attacking the Imperials from the rear, the Herdessan citizens quickly subdued their former oppressors and ended the battle.[54]

After the Battle of Endor and the formation of a new government, certain members began to talk amongst themselves about the manner in which the leadership of the Alliance was run, claiming it was too oppressive. The leaders of the discontent parties gathered on Kabray to share their concerns with one another. Admiral Ackbar dispatched Princess Leia and Han Solo, along with four Zeltrons as an escort, to the gathering to listen to their concerns and show them the leadership was not aloof, not deaf to their concerns.[55]

The Nagai leadership targeted this gathering as an opportunity to disrupt the Alliance's diplomatic base and dispatched 13 Nagai warriors, led by Knife, to round up the non-combatants. The Nagai arrived before the Alliance reps and easily captured the party of diplomats. When Leia and Han finally arrived they walked right into a trap and were captured without a fight. While they tried to formulate a plan involving Leia pretending to faint, the Zeltron boys set their own trap. They hoisted Jahn up to the ceiling where he wedged himself in the corner above the door. When a Nagai guard entered the room, he jumped on him, knocking him to the ground. The remaining Zeltrons rushed out of the cell and attacked the remaining Nagai in a fierce brawl. Leia and Han appropriated blasters from downed Nagai and joined in on the fighting. Eventually, the Nagai were all rounded up and captured by the Alliance team.[55]

Things went from bad to worse when Princess Leia's transport was caught in the crossfire and forced to make an emergency landing on Trenwyth. There she found the injured Nagai soldier Tai, whom she nursed back to full health, before both parties made their separate ways, leaving the planet in the clutches of the Tof.[56] Unaware of an oncoming Nagai assault, Leia and the others had rendezvoused on Zeltros, where they were hoping to persuade the Zeltron leaders, Arno and Leonie, to join the war effort. To celebrate the arrival of the Free Alliance heroes, the Zeltron leaders threw a grand party. However, Nagai lieutenant Den Siva and the Nagai forces gate-crashed the festivities, capturing Leia and her friend Dani.[57] The Tof also happened upon Den Siva, and blackmailed Siva into leading his Nagai forces and their prisoners into a Tof ambush—leaving Leia and Dani in the clutches of the Tof.[58] Fortunately, Leia and Dani's sneak attack gave the prisoners a chance to strike back at the Tof. Rallied by Lando, the prisoners were able to defeat the Tof forces, and in the aftermath of the carnage, Den Siva emerged, with an offer to join the Alliance.[59]

The final battle of the war came at the Battle of Saijo after the Alliance allied with the Nagai against the Tofs. It was during this battle that Leia would again encounter Lumiya, formerly Shira Brie. The war ended when the prince of the Tof, Sereno, surrendered and Lumiya being betrayed by a the Tof soldier Bey.[60] [edit] Leader of the New Republic

Princess Leia Organa was a founding member of the New Republic, which was formally promulgated in 5 ABY. Her first New Republic position was Minister of State, which she served as during the taking of Coruscant by the New Republic. Also, she served as Councilor during the Thrawn crisis. She went on to succeed Mon Mothma as its Chief of State, and later filled other offices, such as Minister of Defense, and various diplomatic posts. Although most of her life was devoted to such matters of state, she engaged in limited study of the Jedi arts, with her twin brother Luke Skywalker as her teacher. Notably, she wielded a blue lightsaber that she built herself, and then Luke gave her a ruby-red lightsaber to complement the weapon she had constructed earlier. Because of her duties as leader of the New Republic, Leia became more of Jedi Consular than a Jedi Guardian. Leia in 5 ABY.

Right after the founding of the New Republic, the false Prophet of the Dark Side known as Kadann foretold that the chosen heir to the Galactic Empire would present himself bearing the glove of Darth Vader. An Imperial Grand Moff, Bertroff Hissa, heard the prophecy and used it to proclaim Palpatine's son, Trioculus, as the new Galactic Emperor. Now Emperor, Trioculus asked for Leia's hand in marriage. Leia accompanied her brother on his mission to locate the Glove of Darth Vader, a rare gauntlet once owned by her father.[61]

Sometime after 5 ABY, Zorba the Hutt was set free from his prison holding cell, after his prison on Kip was infiltrated. He found out about his son Jabba's death and vowed revenge on Leia, Han, Luke and the others responsible. He had one of his hunters, Cobak, kidnap Princess Leia, who was vacationing at the Fun World. Zorba, finally face-to-face with Leia, introduced himself as Jabba the Hutt's father, and vowed to take her to the Great Pit of Carkoon, where he would feed her to the Sarlacc. En route to Tatooine, the Zorba's Express was captured by the Imperial Moffship, and both Leia and Zorba were captured. They dropped Zorba into the Pit, but were spit out, and Leia got a low priority bounty on her head in the years to come.[62]

Soon after, Leia was kidnapped by Kadann, who planned to turn her to the dark side and make her Queen of the Empire. Fortunately Leia was rescued and with her help, Luke and the others were able to find Palpatine's real son, Triclops, and subdue Trioculus and Grand Moff Hissa.[63]

As the New Republic grew in size and legitimacy, Organa sat on its Provisional Council as a representative from Alderaan. Her brother designed a regimen of Jedi training exercises for her, although she rarely found the time or the peace of mind to do them. While the military prepared itself for a conquest of Coruscant, Organa made attempts through numerous channels to contact the Imperial Warlord Zsinj, including the Imperial holonet and several levels within Zsinj's own organization. Wanting to gauge how strong the New Republic was, Zsinj rebuffed her every time. With no permanent headquarters, the Provisional council convened on Noquivzor at the request of Senator Borsk Fey'lya, holding a meeting that Wedge Antilles was permitted to attend. Organa sought out Antilles after the meeting, and caught up with her old friend before being called away by Mon Mothma.[64]

Coruscant was soon after taken by the New Republic, and became the permanent headquarters for the previously mobile Provisional Council. As Councilor Sian Tevv had been exposed to the Krytos Virus, the council's meetings were punctuated by a light bacta mist circulating through the air. At one such meeting, Antilles appeared before the council, and pleaded with them to drop murder charges leveled against Tycho Celchu following the death of Rogue Squadron pilot Corran Horn. Remaining silent while he pled his case, Organa proposed a recess, and remained in the chamber with Antilles during the break, informing him that the spread of the Krytos Virus had nearly bankrupted a fragile New Republic, and that Celchu's trial had to proceed in order to keep public opinion of the government from collapsing. With the New Republic close to falling apart, Organa secretly headed to the Hapes Cluster in order to ask their ruling Consortium for aid.[65] [edit] Disastrous courtship Leia during her wedding.

Leia, now busy with Minister of State duties while Han was away for a few months fighting Warlord Zsinj, caused a significant rift between the two. During this time, Leia had been conducting negotiations with the Hapes Consortium and was visited by the Hapes delegation at the time of Han's return. They presented Leia with a total of 63 different gifts—one from each Hapan world—including a Hapan Gun of Command, rainbow gems from Gallinore, a plant which promoted longevity and intelligence, several Star Destroyers, and last, the hand of the Hapes cluster ruler Ta'a Chume's son, Prince Isolder, in matrimony—which Leia seriously considered, as Isolder was handsome, well-mannered, and, most importantly, would provide both the New Republic and the Alderaanian exiles a great deal of benefit.[66]

Jealous, Han kidnapped Leia and took her to Dathomir, a planet he had won in a high-stakes sabacc game. During the flight, Leia was hostile and icy towards Han for abandoning his responsibilities. To make amends, Han promised to return and accept whatever punishment was deserved if she would spend a week with him and did not love him by the end. However, they found out that the planet was owned by Zsinj and were shot down onto Dathomir, which was interdicted. They encountered the Singing Mountain Clan of Dathomiri witches and set to work repairing the Millennium Falcon. They met up with Luke and Isolder, who had come to rescue them but were also trapped on the planet, and sparks flew between Han and Isolder again. However, the Nightsisters had a plan to capture the Falcon and get off the planet, so Leia had to put all her effort into getting off the planet rather than over which man she should marry. Soon afterwards a battle broke out, which resulted in the end of Zsinj and his army and the marriage between Han Solo and Leia Organa.[66] Leia and Han on Tatooine.

After the near-disastrous courtship, Leia married Han Solo in 8 ABY. Mon Mothma officiated the wedding.[66] To start their honeymoon, Han Solo took Leia to see the Corphelion Comets and even managed, albeit in a typical unorthodox manner, to get the romantic view all to themselves.[67] At first, she did not want to have children, as she feared they would turn out like her father, however she would soon discover the truth. Right after the wedding Leia and Han went on an important mission to Tatooine to retrieve Killik Twilight and the Shadowcast key hidden within it. It was here that Leia discovered her father's friend Kitster Banai in the Valley of the Spirits. With Kitster's help, Leia had discovered her grandmother Shmi's diary and the location of the moss painting. After speaking to her father's childhood friends Kitster and Wald and reading her grandmother's diary, Leia discovered her father hadn't been born or raised as the evil monster she had known, and decided that there was nothing inherently evil in the Skywalker bloodline.[68] Soon afterwards, she became pregnant with twins. [edit] Return of the Empire (9–19 ABY) [edit] Thrawn campaign

"They're up to something, Han—I can feel it. Something big; something dangerous. But I can't for the life of me figure out what it could be." ―Leia, to Han Solo[src]

Leia was pregnant during the Thrawn campaign.

A year later during the Thrawn Crisis, Grand Admiral Thrawn ordered Noghri commandos to kidnap the pregnant Leia in exchange for Joruus C'baoth's help, who attempted several times to capture her. C'baoth had planned to turn Leia and her brother Luke to the dark side and make them his apprentices. To avoid capture she hid on the planet Kashyyyk, but her would-be kidnappers tracked her. She later learned that Darth Vader once landed on the Noghri home planet Honoghr and tricked the Noghri into serving the Empire by promising to help their planet recover from the ecological disaster that it suffered during the Clone Wars. Because of this, they were fiercely loyal to Vader and later to Thrawn, his successor. The Noghri discovered Leia was the biological daughter of Darth Vader by her bloodline scent, and went to Honoghr and convince the Noghri of the Empire's deception. They left the service of the Empire and became allies of New Republic. Leia was addressed as "The Lady Vader" among the Noghri and both she and her family became revered figures in their society, to the point where Leia, known to the Noghri as the Mal'ary'ush, or "Daughter of the Savior", was granted a permanent bodyguard of lethal Noghri warriors. Leia with the infant Solo twins.

Also, during the Thrawn crisis, Leia gave birth to the twins Jaina, named after Han's mother,[69] and Jacen on Coruscant. Despite her pregnancy and later her newborn children, Leia continued to play a pivotal role in the fledgling New Republic as Thrawn's depredations threatened the security of the galaxy. Leia helped get Garm Bel Iblis the command of Coruscant's defense forces after Thrawn laid siege to the planet and also helped root out the mysterious Delta Source that had given the Imperials so much vital intelligence. Finally, Leia helped procure the aid of Talon Karrde to the New Republic, authorizing payments to the smuggler to get his help and information. Karrde would later ask Han Solo, after Solo said it took Leia to bring him to the Alliance, if she had any sisters. During the later part of the Rebel Alliance and the early part of the New Republic, Princess Leia was highly popular among both the rank-and-file Alliance fighters and the leaders. After the twins were born, prior to the deaths of Thrawn and C'baoth, Imperial Intelligence agents staged one last unsuccessful attempt to apprehend Leia and the twins. [edit] Return of Palpatine

In 10 ABY, she discovered to her horror that Palpatine was alive and that her brother had turned to the dark side. After learning of Palpatine's return, Leia went to Nar Shaddaa where she encountered the old Jedi, Vima-Da-Boda, who told her the tale of her fall and bequeathed to Leia a box containing a 10,000 year old lightsaber discovered on Ossus nearly 850 BBY. Leia and Palpatine on Byss.

Traveling to Byss to rescue Luke with Han, Chewbacca and C3-PO, she got the four of them captured. Palpatine was quick to try taking advantage of this and attempted to turn her. Showing her the ancient Jedi Holocron of Bodo Baas to tempt her, and stirring her anger by revealing that he intended to make her unborn child his next receptacle, his attempt backfired and Leia flipped over his bed and fled, stealing the Holocron. She then encountered Luke.

Luke revealed that he had faked his turn and had been working to sabotage Palpatine's plans from the inside. Aiding in the escape of her, Han, Chewie and C3-PO, he sent R2-D2 back with them, having downloaded the master control codes for the World Devastators ravaging Mon Calamari into him. He then said that he would remain on Byss to attempt to assassinate the Emperor. After they fled, Luke went through with the attempt and failed.

After the battle of Mon Calamari, Palpatine and a broken Luke arrived at Pinnacle Base where the New Republic was celebrating in his flagship, Eclipse. Palpatine demanded the presence of Leia and the return of the Holocron. Leia met with the Sith onboard Eclipse. Luke then implored for Leia's help in shaking off the Dark Side. Leia aided him and Luke managed to return to the light. Palpatine was enraged and engaged Luke in a brutal lightsaber duel. As Leia observed their duel, she gave energy to Luke through the use of battle meditation and together they were able to subdue Palpatine. When Palpatine summoned a Force Storm against the New Republic fleet in retaliation, Luke and Leia summoned a wave of Light Side energy and enveloped Palpatine in it, cutting of his control of the storm. While the storm destroyed Eclipse and Palpatine, they fled.[70] Leia probes the holocron of Bodo Baas.

After the death of Palpatine's clone on Byss, Leia returned to Nar Shaddaa to remove Vima and extract from her knowledge of the holocrons and the destroyed Jedi Order.[71]

After fleeing to Nespis VIII, her second son was born and was named Anakin after his grandfather.[71] Leia, who had been hesitant to tap into her Force potential, learned the valuable techniques from Vima, including how to shield the newly born Anakin. This skill allowed Leia to save baby Anakin from being possessed by the spirit of Palpatine. With the reborn Palpatine's clone body rapidly deteriorating, she was forced to flee to Onderon to hide Anakin Solo from him. The Emperor did eventually find her, but he was shot in the back, and a sacrifice from Empatojayos Brand saved them from Palpatine's spirit.[14]

"Mom and Dad never act that weird unless they're worried about us three little darlings." "That's for sure. They sure do worry." "Come on, Jacen. If you were our parents, wouldn't you worry?" ―Jaina and Jacen Solo talking about their parents[src]

Leia loved all three of her children dearly, but because of her position as Chief of State, she had barely enough time to devote to her family. As a result of kidnapping attempts, Leia sent the children to various safe worlds where they were put in the care of her most trusted friend, Winter. Though they were safe, the children, especially Jaina, missed her dearly. However, when they returned to their parents, the children viewed Leia as a stranger and wanted to believe that Winter was their mother. Jaina would begin to notice her distance from her family, leading to a big rift between them years later. Palpatine's spirit tries to enter Anakin.

Although her sibling relationship to Luke Skywalker (and their relationship to Darth Vader) became public knowledge, she remained known as the heir to Bail Organa, and thus a member of the Royal House of Alderaan. She played an important role for those Alderaanians who still lived, having been offworld at the time of the planet's destruction. She founded New Alderaan, over which the Royal House of Alderaan, in the person of Leia Organa Solo and her children, continued to hold sovereignty. The government on New Alderaan also administered their former Alderaan system. [edit] Jedi search

"You will be our leader, Leia." ―Mon Mothma[src]

Leia and Han during their search for Jedi children.

In 11 ABY, when her brother Luke was disabled by Kyp Durron and the spirit of an ancient Sith Lord named Exar Kun, Leia and the family went to visit the Jedi Praxeum on Yavin 4 and were baffled by his condition. During the dinner that followed, Leia, along with the twins and the students felt a great disturbance in the Force when the planet of Carida was destroyed by Kyp Durron. Leia helped the Jedi students make plans to deal with Exar Kun to save Luke.[72]

Also during this time, Terpfen was being used by the Empire to locate Leia's youngest son on Anoth. During which she also had the twins with her and had to chose between the twins and Anakin. Cilghal, said she would help take care of the twins and so Leia and Terpfen set off to see Admiral Ackbar, since he was, along with Luke, the only person who knew where Anoth was.

After having the Admiral with them, they set out to Anoth to find Imperials searching for Anakin. Leia sought to the Force and found out that her son was still on the planet along with her best friend Winter, who had been exiled there. After she landed, Leia confronted the Admiral who was taking her child. She was very menacing toward him, although he had started to strangle her son. When the Admiral tripped, Terpfen grabbed the baby and handed him to Leia. Leia was so relieved, she could do nothing else but cry and rock her son.

Mon Mothma's health began to decline that year. No one could discover the source of her illness until Terpfen, Admiral Ackbar's chief mechanic, told her that the Caridan Ambassador Furgan had poisoned her. With that knowledge, the Jedi Healer Cilghal healed her by removing the poison drop by drop. Leia replaced Mon Mothma as Chief of State at this time.

The next year as Luke began the process of restoring the Jedi Order, Leia, Han, and Chewbacca set out on a mission of their own, vital to the survival of the fragile New Republic. They begin searching for the long-lost children of the Jedi. The quest took them to the Jedi planet of Belsavis, a nearly forgotten frozen world. Having heard tales of a Jedi exodus from the dark crypts below the planet's surface and also hearing that since the time of the exodus no one entering the crypts has returned alive, Leia went to Belsavis to start her search.[16]

It is requested that this article section be expanded. Please improve it in any way that you see fit, and remove this notice once the article section is more complete. [edit] Planet of twilight Leia on Nam Chorios

During the Death Seed plague crisis in 13 ABY Leia was kidnapped by Seti Ashgad and was taken to Nam Chorios, the home of Tsils and the strange alien lifeform, droch. She was held captive by Beldorion, a Hutt Dark Jedi. Beldorion told her stories of the ancient Jedi Masters such as Thon and Yoda, whose power he admired, if not their principles. Despite the fact that his Force abilities were greatly boosted by the planet, Beldorion was killed by Leia in a lightsaber duel. Leia managed to escape and was reunited with Han, Chewbacca, Luke Skywalker, and Lando Calrissian.[29]

Ashgad and Moff Getelles had planned to devastate the Meridian Sector through the use of the Death Seed. However, their efforts were foiled by Leia and Luke. Soon afterwards Leia participated in the Battle of Nam Chorios. The battle ended when Luke managed to convince the Chorian crystal mind of the threat that Ashgad posed to the galaxy if his plans succeeded. As a result Ashgad was killed, though Getelles still survived.[29] [edit] Waru Leia during the Empire Reborn movement

During the Empire Reborn movement of 14 ABY, while on a diplomatic mission to the planet Munto Codru, Jaina, Jacen and Anakin were kidnapped by Lord Hethrir, the Imperial Procurator of Justice, in a fiendish plot to take advantage of their Force powers and sacrifice young Anakin to the creature Waru. To get them back, Leia disguised herself as a pirate, assuming her childhood nickname Lelila as her alias. Along with Chewbacca and Artoo, she followed the kidnappers' trail to a disabled refugee ship, from which children were also missing. It was here that she learned of Hethrir's twisted plan to restore the Empire.[22]

As she followed the path of her children across space, Luke and Han arrived on Crseih Station in order to discover the secret of Waru's sinister cult. While in the process of rescuing her children, Leia freed Hethrir's mate Rillao, whose son Tigris was with Hethrir. She arrived on Hethrir's worldcraft on her yacht Alderaan, rescued the twins and then loaded all the other children aboard the ship before leaving for Crseih Station to rescue Anakin. In the end, Waru destroyed Hethrir before vanishing from the known galaxy following a confrontation with Leia, Han and Luke.[22]

Also in 14 ABY, Chewbacca was seen in Mos Eisley in a diplomatic mission for Leia. She, however, was not present in Tatooine at the time, and it is not known if Chewbacca retrieved any useful information during the mission.[73] [edit] Black Fleet Crisis

Chief of State Organa Solo guided the New Republic through a number of dangerous external crises from post-Imperial warlords. As the threat of Imperial warlords shrank and the New Republic's growth accelerated rapidly, she also faced a number of internal political conflicts in the Third Electoral.

During the Black Fleet Crisis in 16 ABY, Leia faced a ruthless leader of the Duskhan League, an arrogant Yevetha who seemed bent on a genocidal war that could shatter the fragile unity of the New Republic. To end this threat Leia called upon the Senate to take a stand and eliminate the Yevetha threat, even at the cost of Han's life. Leia during the Black Fleet Crisis.

Using the New Republic's lack of intelligence on the Dushkan League and Senatorial political infighting to his advantage, Nil Spaar extended his negotiations with Chief of State Solo over a period of weeks. Pressured by military and intelligence advisors who sought answers, and potentially an ally against the Core Imperial strongholds, Organa Solo entered the discussions, only to find herself on the receiving end of a political plot to throw the New Republic into confusion. These two forces came to a head, Leia had no choice but to invoke the Article Five of the Common Charter to forestall a recall vote against her office and declare war against the Yevetha. Cracks in Leia's widespread popularity began to show during this period, cracks that would accelerate with the political ascendance of Borsk Fey'lya. [edit] Almanian Uprising

However, these "cracks" would soon resurface in the Almanian Uprising. Leia Organa Solo, Chief of State of the New Republic and President of the Senate, had been under intense pressure from the Black Fleet Crisis political situation. As a result there were many attempts on her life. Leia, however, was determined to put it behind her. Her new term of the Senate added several new ex-Imperial Senators and ex-Imperial worlds, such as the Senator for Exodeen. Despite reassurance from Mon Mothma, she was unsure of the situation. As Leia took the podium and started into an inspired speech, powerful bombs rocked the Imperial Palace Senate chamber. Leia was knocked off her feet, over a hundred Senators were dead or wounded and Leia herself had lost her hearing.[74]

More disturbingly to Leia, as she recovered she sensed Luke, in trouble and injured. She had planned to find him incognito, but Mon Mothma sent along a fleet under the command of Wedge Antilles to help her. She found Luke on Almania, where they along with Han, confronted the fallen Jedi student Kueller. Leia accidentally left her brother behind after she rushed ahead not realizing that Luke was still weak. In those moments when they were apart, Kueller found Luke and forced a lightsaber duel. Leia came back to find both locked in combat. Terribly weakened, Luke abruptly decided to give up. As Kueller raised his lightsaber to strike Luke down, he lost his connection to the Force. Kueller tried to use his anger to tap into the Force, but doing so was useless, since a thernbee that had swallowed an ysalamir nutrient frame had wandered into the general vicinity. He had one last trick up his sleeve, though: he used a remote to send the signal to self-destruct his remaining droids. However, Kueller's last gasp of malice was thwarted thanks to the efforts of R2-D2, C-3PO, and young mechanic Cole Fardreamer. As Kueller had attempted to activate his remaining bombs, Leia shot him. She removed the death mask from his lifeless body, revealing Dolph's boyish face.[74] [edit] First Corellian Insurrection Leia during the First Corellian Insurrection.

In 18 ABY Leia and her family took a vacation to Han Solo's home planet of Corellia. While the dust of the defeated Empire settled, Chief of State Leia Organa Solo announced a major trade conference on Corellia, the President of the Senate determined to bring Corellia back to its previous state. Once there they learned of the Human League, headed by Han's cousin Thrackan Sal-Solo and the Sacorrian Triad. The Human League and the Sacorrian Triad joined forces causing the First Corellian Insurrection.[75]

Thrackan managed to imprison Leia and Han while he kidnapped their children. During her imprisonment, Leia met with Mara Jade and the two plotted their escape from the Corona House. With the help of Jade's ship, Jade's Fire and their own ingenious plan, the two successfully decided to retreat to Selonia, hoping the children were safe with Chewbacca.[75]

On Selonia, Leia, Mara and Han attempted to convince the Selonians to change their mind—and they too were imprisoned for a short time. Sinisterly, Thrackan dropped the jamming field long enough to show Leia a hologram of him with her children in custody—to the immense outrage of the Selonians. The Overden immediately released the three just as Luke arrived and began planning a course of action. Meanwhile, Leia's youngest son Anakin managed to stop the destruction the Centerpoint Station was causing.[76]

Despite Leia's brave actions throughout the crisis, the Senate entered a new phase of criticism for her letting the Insurrection get as far as it did, many seeking to oust her from her position. [edit] Caamas Document Crisis Leia in 19 ABY.

During this time she became involved in the Caamas Document crisis in 19 ABY, in which Thrawn presumably came back from the dead. While on Wayland during a leave of absence from the position of Chief of State, Leia became entangled with a Devaronian who had found a datacard and wanted to keep it under the Debble Agreement. He claimed to be working for Talon Karrde, but did not recognize the smuggler chief. After offering to sell it to her for a ridiculous price, he threw a smoke grenade and tried to escape, but was caught and forced to land by the Wild Karrde. That datacard turned out to reveal that Bothans had been involved in the attack on Caamas. She served as a Councilor on the New Republic High Council during the leave of absence. Ponc Gavrisom served as New Republic Chief of State during her leave.[28]

Leia was also irritated to learn that Han had taken her place in negotiations between the Ishori and Diamala, which he characteristically handled with his usual subtlety and diplomatic skill—next to none. Leia also visited Bothawui with Han to investigate the Bothan Clans to try and find the names of the Bothans involved as well as the financial well-being of the clans. During their stay, Han was blamed for a riot instigated by Imperial Intelligence and the Solos left the planet.[28]

While still on her leave of absence to spend more time on her Jedi training, Han arranged a vacation to the sleepy Pakrik system. When traveling near the backwater world of Pakrik Minor, the Millennium Falcon was attacked by assassins. However, they were rescued by a sleeper of cell of clones, including Carib Devist, that Thrawn held left on Pakrik Minor. In exchange for their silence, they helped fix the Falcon and allowed Han and Leia to leave. Shortly afterwards, a shuttle containing Elegos A'kla and Ghent arrived with news that Admiral Pellaeon wanted to discuss a peace treaty. Leia immediately left with the Caamasi and Ghent, along with her Noghri bodyguard. Leia had successfully managed to discuss the treaty preliminarily with Pellaeon, but returned to find fleets of warships facing off over Bothawui.[77]

Leia was on board one of the Ishori ships in place around Bothawui as part of the hostile standoff over the planet when Imperial saboteurs successfully lowered the shield around Drev'starn and used a captured weapons cluster on one of the ships to bombard the planet. Then the Imperials lured each of the fleets into attacking the other. As full scale battle threatened, Leia sensed danger and worry from Han in the Falcon, who had been trapped by an Imperial Star Destroyer that was cloaked. She started moving the Ishori ship towards the threat, which absolutely incensed the Ishori captain. However, just as Leia was about to charged with mutiny under Ishori war-law, President Gavrisom stepped in and nationalized the warship using an obscure New Republic law. The Imperial ships, expecting to surprise the Rebels after the fleets had already battered each other, were surprised to find a united fleet attacking them led by Lando Calrissian, who Leia had selected.[77]

After receiving the Caamas Document, Leia began talks with Admiral Pellaeon that led to Pellaeon-Gavrisom Treaty and an end to the Galactic Civil War.[77] Once the Caamas Document crisis was dealt with, Leia, along with Mirax Terrik Horn and Iella Wessiri Antilles, took some time off to help Mara Jade prepare for her wedding to Luke. Leia along with her family attended Luke's wedding on Coruscant, where she helped stop an assassination attempt.[78]

All three of her children were trained as Jedi at Luke Skywalker's Jedi Praxeum from 22 ABY, and would defend the galaxy from the Yuuzhan Vong War as part of the New Jedi Order. In 24 ABY Leia and her children, Jaina and Jacen, were able to stop the Diversity Alliance, an anti-Human organization, from wreaking havoc. Unfortunately, Leia's role as Chief of State came to an end when Borsk Fey'lya succeeded her as the leader of the New Republic.

Personality
Princess Leia.:"Charming to the last."
 * ―Wilhuff Tarkin [src]

In her youth Leia had a fiery attitude and was headstrong, though not as much as her brother and father. As a child, Leia wasn't fond of her role as the Princess of Alderaan. She was often seen by many, especially her family, as a tomboy and was sometimes mistaken for a domestic girl rather than a princess. As she matured her outspoken nature blossomed and her dislike of her title ceased. Leia also had a strong personality and a bright intellect. Unlike her brother, Luke Skywalker, and her father, Anakin, Leia never looked for adventure or rushed into things without thinking. Like her mother, Leia avoided the corruption of politics, and instead concentrated on helping others. When she was not serious Leia also possessed a great sense of humor. Leia Organa Solo's signature.Despite growing up on the peaceful world of Alderaan, Leia never became soft. Throughout the Galactic Civil War, Leia proved to be the leader that everyone was willing to follow. Her fierceness and determination to restore freedom to the galaxy helped the Rebel Alliance get through even the toughest of battles. Leia had always put duty before her own personal needs, making her the perfect leader for the New Republic. However, this would be a burden as she had to be away from her young children. Over time her strong stance on political matters ceased and by the time of the Black Fleet Crisis many were seeking to oust Solo from her position as Chief of State.

Powers and abilities
Leia uses battle meditation to shield Anakin from Palpatine.:"Your mother is a powerful Jedi—az strong in her way as you are in yourz."
 * ―Saba Sebatyne to Jacen Solo about Leia [src]

Though Leia would originally follow in her mothers footsteps, becoming a shrewd politician, she possessed many other talents. Indeed, Leia would eventually follow the path of her father and brother, becoming a Jedi of considerable skill; both with the Force and a lightsaber.

During her first term as senator, she was taught self-defense and combat skills by Giles Durane, a weapons master and friend of Bail Organa.[32] Leia was an excellent marksman, missing rarely, if ever, with a blaster.[102]

Leia was a skilled tactician who was involved in the planning of several important engagements during the various galactic conflicts of her time.[102]

As of 2 ABY, Leia Organa admitted she did not know how to swim.[44]

Though hesitant about her Jedi training, Leia was later taught various Force techniques, and she eventually became a full-fledged member of the New Jedi Order. Being the daughter of Anakin Skywalker, it was theorized that her full Force potential might have been the same as her brother Luke's. Under Jedi Master Saba Sebatyne, Leia dramatically increased her Force powers and skill with a lightsaber, to the point that Sebatyne believed her to be the equal of any Jedi Knight.

A short time after having learnt of her Force-sensitivity in 4 ABY, Leia was able to use the Force to sense her brother's presence, confirming he had survived the destruction of the second Death Star. During the Swarm War, Leia was able to use her much increased connection to the Force, having become the student of Master Sebatyne, to sense the whereabouts of Alema Rar by distinguishing between the powerful Living Force presences on the planet Tenupe, which contrasted sharply with Alema's hidden presence.

In 10 ABY, Leia helped her brother defeat Palpatine through the use of her natural talent with battle meditation; at this time Leia had little Force training and her ability to use such a powerful Force power is indicative of her strength in the Force.[70]

Still untrained, Leia was able to shield her infant son Anakin, from Palpatine's disembodied spirit, preventing the Sith Lord from possessing the child.[14]

Romances
"I happen to like nice men."
 * "You like me because I'm a scoundrel. There aren't enough scoundrels in your life."
 * ―Leia and Han Solo [src]

[edit] Raal Panteer
Raal Panteer was a childhood friend of Leia's, who, even after the destruction of their homeworld, seemed to be interested in a relationship with the Princess. His death ended any such possibility, however.[31]

[edit] Luke Skywalker
Leia and Luke about to kiss in 3 ABY.During the Galactic Civil War, Leia was one third of a love triangle as Luke Skywalker and Han Solo both harbored feelings for her. She seemed to have shared these feelings for both men to some respect. However, after Luke and Leia discovered they were siblings, their relationship evolved into that of brother and sister, and Leia's love for Solo was realized.

[edit] Jabba Desilijic Tiure
When Han Solo was frozen in carbonite and taken to Jabba's Palace on Tatooine, Leia went there disguised as the bounty hunter Boussh to free him. Shortly after she freed Han from the carbonite, they were captured. Han was taken to the palace's cells, while Leia was brought before Jabba Desilijic Tiure. She told him he would regret his treatment of her and her friends. Jabba made her his new slave girl, chaining her to his dais and forcing her to wear a skimpy costume. In this role Leia was forced to accompany Jabba and his court to the Pit of Carkoon on his sail barge Khetenna to watch her friends' execution. When Luke enacted his plan to escape, Leia took advantage of the confusion to sabotage the sail barge's power. With the barge's interior plunged into darkness, Leia choked Jabba to death using the chain that imprisoned her, killing him.

[edit] Fenn Shysa
When Han was frozen in carbonite, Leia spent most of her time looking for his whereabouts. During her search she came across Mandalore Fenn Shysa, who had planned to assassinate her as he thought that Leia was her deceased mother, Padmé Amidala. Eventually Shysa joined Organa in her search for Han and as a result the two developed a relationship. However, the relationship did not last.

[edit] Prince Denid
During a mission to the planet Velmor, Leia had a brief relationship with the planet's pro-Alliance ruler, Prince Denid, and masqueraded as his betrothed, Lady Loren of Alderaan. Nothing came out of it, however, and it was apparently discontinued after the completion of the mission.[103]

[edit] Prince Xizor
Then there was Prince Xizor, who was the leader of the Black Sun criminal organization. However, this relationship was one of seduction and not love. Xizor was a member of the Falleen species, who were known for their special ability to attract members of the opposite sex by using their pheromones, which he used to his advantage by seducing Organa. The relationship was short-lived though, as Leia was able to overcome his seduction and delivered an embarrassing kick to Xizor's groin.[50]

[edit] Trioculus
During his campaign against the New Republic, Trioculus became infatuated with Leia Organa. Though the feeling was not mutual, Trioculus believed he could convince her to betray the New Republic and turn to the dark side of the Force. His attempts to do so included telling her to accept her own darker aspects, and explaining that evil acts and murder were sometimes necessary, and did not diminish his own capacity to love.

Trioculus's obsession with Leia would ultimately lead to his downfall: first when he tried to kill Zorba the Hutt for wanting her dead, which led to his capture and the rise of Kadann, and finally when he married Project Decoy's human replica droid, believing it to be Leia, which killed him.

[edit] Prince Isolder
In 8 ABY Prince Isolder of Hapes asked for Leia's hand in matrimony. At a formal reception he presented many gifts which Leia accepted, nearly saying yes to his proposal. However, Han intervened and during a trip to Dathomir Isolder fell in love with the Dathomiri witch Teneniel Djo.[66]

[edit] Han Solo
Leia and Han.:"I love you!" "I know."
 * ―Leia Organa and Han Solo — Listen (file info) [src]

When they first met, the two got off to a rocky start; however, as they worked together during the Galactic Civil War, Leia and Han Solo developed a relationship that would last throughout the war. Though Leia did not admit at first, she had feelings for Han, but she also had feelings for Luke. However, when Han became frozen in carbonite, Leia realized that she loved him.

In 8 ABY, the two were married and had three children, Jaina, Jacen, and Anakin Solo.