Official Leia Organa Episode VIII Discussion Thread

The plan may have been to kill Leia in Episode IX. We know as some point this story was going to lead to Leia facing Kylo Ren. The rumor is that Leia is injured in Episode VIII and mostly likely coming out of a coma towards the end of the film. I suspect she reunited with Luke in the last act. If they decide to use that incident to kill her off it would rob of us a great moment with Luke and eventually with Ben.

So what will they do? They could do the CGI route. I thought they did a fabulous job in Rogue One. People who didn't know it was CGI didn't' know. I've heard this from numerous casual fans. It's mostly diehard Star Wars fans complaining "they could tell." Might be a bit of a placebo effect going on.

The other route they could go is that Leia could be badly disfigured by what happens to her in Episode VIII. If that happens she could be recast. It would also offer a strange parallel with her father and the ability to be portrayed much easier in Episode IX.

 

FYI everyone.

No scenes of 9 have filmed yet.

 

As much as it sucks to lose the Leia/ Luke reunion scene, the Leia/Kylo confrontation scene, or both - in my opinion, without Fisher, those scene are already lost.

I don't object to CGI recreations, but I don't think it would work with scenes requiring a high level of emotion nuance. And let's face it, the general awareness of the effect would be too distracting for the audience at those key moments.

I also don't think recasting is an option. If she had died prior to TFA, it might have worked, but not now. I know the Harry Potter movies recast Dumbledore mid-series, but that character existed prior to his theatrical incarnation, the fan-base wasn't emotionally attached the the actor, and his look was such that there wasn't a striking difference in his appearance. None of those things would be true with Leia.

As much as I hate it, the best thing really seems to be re-writing the story so that Leia's death manages to impact the remaining characters in such a way that their development arcs remain the same. It's completely conceivable that Kylo could be affected just as much by the death of his mother as he could be by a confrontation with her - with either positive or negative results.

I certainly would have preferred to see Luke and Leia reunited, but that's how life goes sometimes, and sometimes a truer reflection of life gives us better artistic results.

 

though i don't want to see this happen, kudos for coming up with something original that's actually pretty interesting. i think it would be difficult emotionally to see Leia recast (for the fans), but i think it's harder still to see her killed off prematurely. i don't know how i want them to do it, but i want Leia to survive the ST. i want her to be happy at the end.

 

This is along the lines of what I was thinking as well. Have Leia's injuries in Episode VIII be severe enough that she has to wear a mask of some sort in Episode IX. Seems to me to be the best compromise available.

 

PLEASE! No mask! Having a recast, mask or CGI is a borderline insult towards Carrie Fisher! (IMHO)

 

At this point, I guess I'd rather leave it in Lucasfilm hands to decide. There will be a lot of alternate scenarios we will live thinking "oh that would have been a better choice" but it's up to TPTB to decide, and I hope they do the best for Carrie's legacy and her family, for Princess Leia and for Star Wars.

Or maybe it is too soon for me to try to speculate about it.

 

Depending on the narrative for EP8, they could leave the majority of the film, and maybe pull a Leia scene or two out, but still have her survive at the end of the film. This possibly leaves the chance for a Luke/Leia reunion and keep changes to the overall story to a minimum. A real life death and character death is, I think, way too much. This leaves some options for EP9. Maybe take those deleted scenes and utilize them somehow so they fit within the storyline. It is possible her death could come in EP9 or as some have suggested, "in-between films" where either Rey or Luke mention her demise. I think a lot of what Leia was going to do may be left with for Luke. That COULD make a very powerful/emotional story between Kylo Ren and Luke/Rey as Luke I'm sure would be determined to save him in honour of his sister and close friend Han. Luke, I'm sure, could not live with himself without rectifying what has happened to Kylo Ren and not having his parents die in vain. They could really rework Leia's part in this way and still honour Carrie. Just my thoughts.

 

yep, this would really honor our beloved OT characters the most. Using existing older or cutted footage of Carrie to fill missing scenes + minimal cgi usage + reworking the storyline and give some parts to Luke&Rey who fight for Leia's dying wish to get her son back to the light.

 

If some rumours are true it could be that Leia is taken captive at the start of the film or that she is badly injured.
My guess is that come the end of the film she recovers/is rescued and then meets Luke.
Now, if Luke is to look the same in IX as he does in this movie, they could simply keep Leia out of the way for a bit longer and cut in the scene where Leia recovers or is rescued into IX. A lot of variables there and it's all conjecture until we know what the story.

I would personally avoid CGI Leia scenes in IX at all costs. It will destroy the film. Far better to try and reuse what has already been shot, move things around a bit and maybe use CGI to flesh out scenes.

 

I don't think having a recast as an insult. I think it would be an insult to not give the character what it she is due, either reediting what they have, or getting another actor. The real Carrie and the fictional Leia did blend a bit, her giving some of herself to it, and not doing service to the character, even if it's recasting is insulting.

 

It's not insulting. It would be very obvious and a bit too soap-opera-like. Changing actors in prequels is (barely) acceptable but doing so in sequels is just not right. And how one would explain Leia's new looks? Plastic surgery? Not bringing that change at all? Either way, such an attempt would be laughable and if such an option is considered, it should be tossed away as quickly as possible. Leia is Carrie, if you want it or not.

 

But she is now sadly gone. Does that mean they have to short change the story and the character, who deserves to have her story completed?

 

Story of Leia Organa obviously deserves a closure. The only way which in my opinion is respectfiul, involves little to no CG necromancy and creates some interesting story opportunities is Leia's capital ship being destroyed in a space battle at the beginning of Episode IX (unless the whole coma plot in Episode VIII is true.) This way, Leia gets a sendoff that fits her character (she'll die in the middle of action,) doesn't require showing her too much and thanks to that, some additional stakes are raised in the Resistance. Additionally, this death is sure going to affect Kylo Ren and to be honest, that is the most interesting aspect of this discourse - how Kylo's future is going to change?

 

Kylo obviously resented his father and killed him which puts him down the path further into the darkness. If he still has feelings for mom and she is killed at the hands of the FO without his involvement, it could create an interesting dynamic between the FO and him

 

I agree a "safe" way to write Leia out of IX, obviously depending on her status at the end of VII, is to have her ship destroyed right after the opening crawl. Come to think of it, that is how we were introduced the character in IV- ship being chased down by the evil empire - only this time there is no escape for the princess.

Yes, especially if Snoke or a KOR, ordered her death. Could be what finally turns him back to the light. Also, if they wanted Leia to be in IX- They could have Kylo experience brief visions or voices from her, using cut scenes etc.

 

I'm speculating of course but it would make the most sense that Luke and Leia have their reunion in VIII and the big confrontation with her and Kylo happens in IX.

So I am going off the big assumption this reunion scene is filmed.

You could rewrite things to have her die between VIII and IX or early in IX, and I think you could easily make the confrontation with Kylo be her simply speaking to him through the force. Yes, I know she's not Jedi or technically shouldn't have that ability but your average audience member doesn't care. It seems to me this would be the most respectful way to do this without altering too much of the story.

To me, CGI is a big no because any future scenes are going to require too much emotional nuance. The audience is also going to be hyper aware of the fact that it's CGI and I can't ever see Lucasfilm going with something like that.

 

This is my thinking, too. It could be a huge (if depressing) catalyst for him abandoning the Dark Side and the First Order.

 

I don't want a CGI Leia. If there were big sequences involving her in Episode IX, better to re-work them with a different character.

At the end of the day (presuming Kylo is redeemed and goes back to his family) all you need is a shot of Leia in hologram form telling him "Come home." If they build up to it well, that would be a powerful moment and not require much beyond playing around with some existing footage.

 

Just seems so Carrie. I am sure it was one of those things that gave them some comfort. http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/news/carrie-fishers-ashes-placed-in-prozac-pill-urn-w459559