Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia Organa’s romantic story arc in the originalStar Warstrilogy remains one of the most awkward aspects ofStar Warsmovies and TV shows, but the original script forThe Empire Strikes Backreveals it was almost even worse. Leia and Han Solo may have eventually become one ofStar Wars’best couples, but there’s little denying that Luke, Leia, and Han were initially established as a love triangle. In fact, composerJohn Williams wrote a love theme for Luke and Leia, as even he believed their story was a romance.
This storyline came to a head inThe Empire Strikes Back, in which Luke and Leia shared a kiss. Yes, Leia was kissing Luke to prove a point to Han, but Luke’s satisfied smile after the fact can’t be interpreted in any other way.Star Warseventually tried to walk this back for obvious reasons, but it turns out that,originally, the Luke and Leia romance was even more overt, and it would have made this already uncomfortable story inStar Warsso much worse.
The Empire Strikes Back’s Second Draft Doubled Down On The Luke-Leia Romance
Luke And Leia’s Awkward Romance Was Almost Even Worse
Luke and Leia’s kiss inThe Empire Strikes Backwas the most explicit the romance between the two had been inStar Warsthus far, althoughA New Hopehad already heavily hinted that Luke was attracted to Leia. It’s true that Han and Leia’s feelings for one another were much more obvious, but, evidently,The Empire Strikes Backwas initially going to make Luke’s romantic feelings for Leia so much more direct.
The first draft ofThe Empire Strikes Backwas written by Leigh Brackett, and it’s very different to the one we know and love. She passed away after completing that first draft, and Lucas himself took over, incorporating many classic elements into it. But - as revealed by J.W. Rinzler inThe Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back- Luke’s confrontation with Darth Vader was very different. Forget “I am your father” - Vader had a very different line for tempting Luke to the dark side:
“You’re in love with Leia. You don’t want to lose her to Han Solo…. But you will, if you lack the courage to use the strength that’s in you. A strength as great as mine, Luke.”
Not only would this have made Luke’s feelings for Leia explicit, butit’s even creepier because this was (unknowingly) Luke and Leia’s own biological father who was using their romance to manipulate Luke.
At the end of this version of the script, Leia was going to reveal that it was Han, not Luke, who she loved (and, interestingly, Han was going to fly off in the Millennium Falcon rather than get frozen in carbonite), but this change still would have been bad enough. Let’s face it, the twin reveal would never have worked in light of this. As difficult as it was forReturn of the Jedito walk this romance back, this line would have arguably made it downright impossible.
Poor Luke Never Got The Girl In Any Version Of ESB
A Romance Just Wasn’t In The Cards For Luke
Although it’s hardly the biggest takeaway from this change toThe Empire Strikes Back, it’s also notable that, even in this early version, Luke was never destined to ‘get the girl,’ as it were. In both the final version ofThe Empire Strikes Backand this first draft, Luke was the one who really had feelings for Leia, and although she may have briefly entertained it, she was always going to choose Han in the end. This is perhaps a slight improvement on the two being outright in love with each other, given they’re siblings, but it’s still very uncomfortable.
Ultimately, this helpedStar Warsto introduce the idea that the Jedi were forbidden to have romantic attachments. This was explored in theStar Warsprequel trilogy, and it seems to be something that will be upheld inStar Wars’upcoming movies, including Rey’s newStar Warsmovie, rumored to be titledStar Wars: New Jedi Order. Even withThe Empire Strikes Backavoiding an outright romance between Luke and Leia, though, the massive sibling plot twist/retcon inReturn of the Jedimade this storyline rather horrifying all the same.
Lucas' Luke-Leia Romance Became Really Disturbing After Return Of The Jedi
The Return Of The Jedi Sibling Retcon Made This So Uncomfortable
AfterThe Empire Strikes Back’smajor reveal that Darth Vader was Luke Skywalker’s father, George Lucas repeated the idea of a significant family plot twist inReturn of the Jediby making Luke and Leia long-lost siblings. Unfortunately,this plot twist meant that Luke and Leia, as brother and sister, had kissed each other. It seems likeStar Warswanted to then play off that kiss as weirdly platonic, but that’s far from how Luke and Leia’s relationship was presented inA New HopeandThe Empire Strikes Back.
Star Warswanted to then play off that kiss as weirdly platonic, but that’s far from how Luke and Leia’s relationship was presented inA New HopeandThe Empire Strikes Back.
What’s more, this first draft ofThe Empire Strikes Backproves that the plan was for Luke, Leia, and Han to be a love triangle. Even with the explicit callout by Darth Vader being removed from the movie, the intention behind this relationship remains clear. Thankfully, this specific scene was taken out ofThe Empire Strikes Back, but the wince-worthy nature of Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia Organa’s relationship remains an awkward part ofStar Wars, to say the least.
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back
Cast
The Empire Strikes Back is the second installment in the original Star Wars trilogy, directed by Irvin Kershner. Released in 1980, it follows Luke Skywalker as he trains under Jedi Master Yoda, while Princess Leia, Han Solo, and the Rebel Alliance face ongoing threats from the Galactic Empire and Darth Vader.
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi
Return of the Jedi concludes George Lucas’s original Star Wars trilogy with Luke Skywalker and his allies seeking to rescue Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt and facing a renewed threat as the Emperor attempts to obliterate the Rebellion through a second Death Star, broadening the epic battle between good and evil.
