Star Words: Episode VI, Part 44

[matril]

Ewoks are dying, the brute force of Imperial weaponry is overwhelming, and Han's attempt to hotwire the door has the opposite effect. But then, bit by bit, the tide begins to turn. Chewie and a pair of Ewoks take over a chicken walker, and some ingenious handmade traps dispose of other walkers. The sheer numbers and creative determination of the natives are more than the Imperials ever expected.

Victory, however, is far from assured. The apparent invulnerability of our heroes (or the tremendously bad aim of stormtroopers?) is tested when Leia gets shot in the arm. And when a trooper approaches and demands their surrender, Han fears they have no other choice. Until he notices Leia quietly readying her weapon out of the trooper's sight. Wounded or not, she keeps fighting. You can practically see Han's eyes turning into hearts.

"I love you."
"I know."


An excellent callback, as well as the perfect way to showcase how their relationship has grown and matured. Han is the one to say it this time, no longer reluctant to express his feelings. Leia's reply is fully as self-assured and cocky as people tend to imagine Han being when he first says the line in Episode V. In fact, Han's tone with the original line was gentle and reassuring, a comfort in a moment of desperate confessions. But there's no desperation here. They're completely and utterly safe with each other, and Leia can grin and maybe gloat just the teensiest bit as she tosses Han's famous words back at him. The following instant, she blasts away the trooper and brings the Rebels one step closer to victory.

Next time, a different pair deals with their shifting relationship...

Comments

[krpalmer]

Seeing an analysis of this moment with differences from the one it's calling back to pointed out (beyond the most obvious one, anyway) was quite welcome for me. I suppose I'm reminded of a particular (and lengthy) online video with an emphasis in one section on "Star Wars quoting itself."

[matril]

Thanks for the link; that video was well worth the watch!

[krpalmer]

I am interested in that video by Rick Worley in part because it goes in a slightly different direction than a lot of discussion (even discussion I agree with) and looks at "cinema" as a specific kind of storytelling. Now that we're on the subject of online videos, I do sort of want to bring up a newer (and shorter) video that looks at Luke's "Hero's Journey" all the way through Return of the Jedi, although it might not be making exactly the same arguments you've been.