“I am inside your mind.” These are the first words that the phony Jedi Haja Estree speaks in the second episode ofObi-Wan Kenobi,pretending to read the thoughts of a customer he’s conning. And later, he gets a sort of comeuppance, as the Third Sister performs the same feat on him for real. Throughout theStar Warscanon, the Force has longgranted mental powers to its practitioners, from the ability to read others' thoughts to the classic “These aren’t the droids you’re looking for.” And in the franchise’s latest series, one essential character is showing audiences what these abilities look like in a raw, untrained state.
In the show’s first episode, we meet Princess Leia Organa at ten years old. Young actress Vivien Lyra Blair Even nails the character’s sass and free-spirited nature, undoubtedly making the late Carrie Fisher proud. As a child, Leia is already something of a rebel, fitting forthe alliance that she’ll lead one day. Despite young Leia’s insistence that she doesn’t want a noble role, she’s already showing qualities that will make her a great leader. She’s clever, brave, and incredibly perceptive — the latter to an almost uncanny degree. Considering her parentage, it’s not too great a stretch to guess that Leia’s heightened empathy, her ability to read the feelings of others, stems from sensitivity to the Force.
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Leia was raised an Organa and considers them her family — even her mother says she takes after her father, Bail, in personality. However, she still has Skywalker blood running through her veins. In theStar Warsuniverse, some individuals have a deeper connection to the Force, and this sensitivity runs in the Skywalker line. Not all Force-sensitive individuals train as Jedi, but that doesn’t mean they can never utilize their abilities. And inObi-Wan Kenobi, Leia has already begun to do so in a subtle way, likely without even knowing it herself.
Leia’s Extraordinary Perception
One of Leia’s first establishing character moments in the show takes place at aformal gathering on Alderaanwith her family. Her cousin scoffs at her, and she claps back, to which he responds by belittling her and telling her she’s “not a real Organa.” Leia, clearly furious, keeps her cool and retaliates by reciting a list of her cousin’s faults and insecurities. Not only is she incredibly articulate for a child her age (a mark of her high status and education) but she clearly strikes a nerve when she tells him he’s afraid of his father and will never live up to his expectations. Judging from her cousin’s reaction, Leia wasn’t just lashing out with random insults; she hit on something real.
If there is any doubt surrounding Leia’s keen perception, she erases it in the second episode. It could have been easier to write off her read on her cousin as a fluke, had she not done the same thing with Obi-Wan upon meeting him. She knows intuitively thatObi-Wan is hiding something, knows that there’s a part of himself that he’s pushing down. This leads her to distrust him — but of course, that in itself forms a counter-argument. If Leia is truly able to read Obi-Wan as a Jedi would, why would she believe that he posed a threat to her?
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The answer is quite simple, and in fact tells the audience even more about Leia’s force powers: they’re not fully developed yet. Were Leia fully able to reach into someone’s mind and read their intent, she would know that Obi-Wan meant her no harm. Most likely, in her untrained state, Leia’s Force sensitivity only allows her to see what’s on the surface. In Obi-Wan’s case, it’s his determination to stay hidden as they escape Daiyu, to avoid being recognized for who and what he truly is. Concealing himself is at the forefront of his mind, in order to protect himself and the princess. This was likely the case with Leia and her cousin too: bullies pick on others to deflect their own insecurities, and therefore his were clearly visible to Leia.
In addition to the more obvious examples, there are plenty of little moments in which young Leia demonstrates her keen perception and intuition for the inner workings of others' minds. Evenafter Obi-Wan gains Leia’s trust, she continues to pester him with questions, as children are wont to do — and when she makes guesses about his past and his regrets, she seems to hit close to home, just as she did with her cousin.In episode three, her interaction with Tala on the planet Mapuzo is similar. She asks the undercover rebel if it’s scary having to pretend, but seems to already know the answer. Despite her youth and her limited understanding of the politics involved, Leia understands the risk that Tala puts herself through, and clearly shows empathy with her.
What Can We Expect To See From Young Leia?
If this emotional intuition is indeed a manifestation of Leia’s Force sensitivity, the question arises: will it continue to develop as the series progresses? Fans know that the princess did not have Jedi training when she appeared in the original film trilogy; however, she does show Force sensitivity in these films, most notably in her ability to mentally connect with Luke — andin the expanded universe,she eventually did become a Jedi. InObi-Wan Kenobi, will Obi-Wan recognize the Force potential in Leia Organa? Will she receive any sort of training in her youth, or will her parents opt to hide her Force powers to protect her? Will Leia’s keen perception play a pivotal role in the series' story?
With only three episodes, it’s hard to predict just yet. Regardless, youngLeia is a powerful character and a driving forceinObi-Wan Kenobi.Whether her Force sensitivity becomes a key plot point or not, this iteration of the Princess is one fans will remember for a long time.
