Editorial #10 (Pop Culture) - My Thoughts on Leia in Episode 9

Editorial #10 (Pop Culture) - My Thoughts on Leia in Episode 9

It's no secret that after the mourning period for Carrie Fisher, Rest in Peace, passed, many turned to their attention to Lucasfilm and Disney; what were they going to do? The Last Jedi came, and lo and behold, Fisher's General Leia was seen on the Falcon flying away into space with Rey. So what was going to happen?

In July of 2018, we finally have our answer, and frankly, it was one that not many of us saw coming. J.J. Abrams, the director of the upcoming sequel, and Disney/Lucasfilm were going to reuse footage from Episodes VII and VIII to put Leia in the film, with her daughter, Billie Lourd's blessing. 

What do I think? I think this is brilliant IF they can pull it off.

There is a lot to be said about having one director direct an entire trilogy of films. When Rian Johnson was announced to take over for J.J. Abrams it cane as a pleasant surprise as fans. However, as VIII came and went, it became increasingly apparent that Abrams had a slightly different vision for the trilogy and Johnson may have ignored some subtle cues that Abrams was planting and had gone in his own direction. But now that Abrams is back, he is free to take the reins.

Of course, no one anticipated that Fisher would pass so soon; we all held our breath as the heart attack came but were hoping for the best. Ultimately, she passed on and we would never see another live performance from our princess ever again. 

And yet, Johnson held his course. Whether or not this was what Abrams intended for originally, Johnson held fast and kept Leia alive at the end of Episode VIII. And now Abrams has to deal with the ramifications. 

Many were thinking about the possibility, with the idea that Meryl Streep would step in and take her place. Streep and Fisher had worked together before and were considered friends in the Hollywood industry. The idea, while having its positives, also had negatives; we were so captivated with Fisher specifically, and while an actress the caliber of Streep would have done an excellent job, it was Fisher's role to finish. 

Another possibility being thrown around, especially after Rogue One did it, was a complete CGI Leia. This idea was maligned as well, as the technology was not quite there. 

But Disney and Lucasfilm did the right thing in my opinion; they are letting Fisher take her own legacy and finish it off in the final installment. This, I believe amid all the different possibilities that I'm sure Disney was contemplating, was the one that I think makes the most sense on paper. Obviously, none of us know how much footage that they have of Leia, but it must have been enough for Abrams and Lourd, as well as Kathleen Kennedy (President of Lucasfilm) to give the go ahead. 

This is so wonderful because I think it allows Fisher to finish her own story, while working around the problem of her passing. Now, granted, I think that this could go wrong in a few scenarios. I think that there is a distinct possibility that this could be Abrams trying to force whatever extra footage there was and try to shove it into the film just as a desperate attempt. This could be the case. This could be a case of having footage that doesn't even fit the story, but putting it in there anyways. But regardless, as it stands, almost a year and a half before the film even hits theaters, I believe that Disney and Lucasfilm made the right choice.