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Star Wars: The Last Jedi’s Leia ‘Mary Poppins’ scene one of the greatest moments in Star Wars history

By Neil Harrington

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Leia Organa’s Mary Poppins moment in Star Wars: The Last Jedi is breathtaking and one of the greatest moments in Star Wars history.

There is much discussion on what’s next for Leia, after the untimely death of Carrie Fisher — with a fan petition floating around urging Meryl Streep to finish what she started. With all of this future of Leia talk, not much is said about Leia in Star Wars: The Last Jedi — and that’s a shame.

Carrie Fisher’s performance in The Last Jedi is flawless, where she even wrote many of her own lines in the process — including Admiral Holdo’s farewell “May the Force be with you,” moment. To me she is royalty, and that’s shown in spades in The Last Jedi. 

A moment from The Last Jedi criticized dramatically is when Leia uses the Force, known on the Internet as her “Mary Poppins” moment. Honestly, it’s more of a Superwoman moment, a more worthy title of that great feat.

But, wait, I thought Leia wasn’t a Jedi. How can she use the Force without training? According to  The Last Jedi novelization, Luke Skywalker intended for Leia to become his very first student.

“The Force is strong in my family.” 

Even though she chose a life of service through the political realm instead, Luke teaches her in the ways of the Force — with both the Aftermath trilogy and Bloodline canon novels revealing such truth. It’s unknown how much training she had, but evidently, enough to use it as a Jedi would.

In the original trilogy, Leia uses the Force without training, as an instinct. She’s able to withstand the mind probe of Darth Vader, due to her strong Force-sensitivity.

Photo Credit: Lucasfilm

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In The Empire Strikes Back, Leia senses Luke Skywalker through the Force, establishing a deep connection through her immense power. Days after the Battle of Endor, Leia visits Naboo and detects Darth Maul’s presence — shown in the Shattered Empire comic.

Saving the best for last, Rian Johnson and the Lucasfilm provide Leia with a Force moment truly (and literally) one of the stars. Leia using that mighty Skywalker blood of her to float through space, saving her own life — that’s as bad ass as it gets! I don’t understand the complaints. Leia grandly uses the Force on screen, for crying out loud!

Others saw this as an opportunity to “kill off” Leia’s character, but I believe honoring her legacy the way The Last Jedi does is even better. Plus, we receive a Luke and Leia farewell, and an accidental tribute to Carrie Fisher at the end of the film.

Leia’s Superwoman is one of the greatest moments in Star Wars history, a moment that is overlooked — unjustly criticized, even.

Thank you Rian Johnson and the Lucasfilm story group for having the stones to take this risk; one that paid off immensely.

The Force will be with you, Carrie. Always. Thanks for the memories.

“No one’s ever really gone.” 

Next: TLJ is the ultimate letdown movie

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is available on Blu-“Rey” now!

Order your copy here. 

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