Princess Leia’s top 20 bravest moments

Still from The Empire Strikes Back (1980). Image is a screengrab via 20th Century Fox/Lucasfilm

14. That time she was still right even though she was wrong

In the continuing saga of Han Solo, Princess Leia has to find new ways to corral him. At the beginning of The Empire Strikes Back, he is being very aggressive with his pickups. In my opinion, too aggressive. To any men reading this site: do not take any pages out of Han Solo’s Dating Advice book.

Now, there are plenty of moments in this film in which I honestly think Leia is indulging Han Solo too much. To me it reinforces the idea of “no means yes” and therefore continuing to destroy future generations of straight men, and in turn women, and their children, etc. However! It is also fun to see the different way she gives herself the advantage.

On a basic level, she side-eyes him and makes fun of him in the best ways, from his delivery to the way he flies the Millennium Falcon (my favorite criticism: “What? No light speed?”).  On a more complex level, Luke becomes a bargaining chip of sorts when Leia gives him a big wet kiss in the rebel base infirmary after he’s rescued from the storm. That really shut Han up! And was really confusing for Luke later, I’m sure!

So while the idea came from the right place… she still maybe French-kissed her twin brother. Which is maybe not cool. But it made Han Solo mad and that is great to me.