Summary
Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Star Wars #48!Leia Organastood as a beacon of hope for the entire galaxy duringStar Wars’ original trilogy, as she was the living embodiment of the galaxy’s collective strength against Palpatine’s tyranny, even after the destruction of her home planet, Alderaan. And while Leia was committed to all the galaxy’s citizens, one reason stood above all others as to why she was so motivated to defeat Palpatine - and now,Star Warsfans know what that is.
InStar Wars#48 by Charles Soule and Jethro Morales, Leia is plagued by nightmares of Alderaan’s destruction. She blames herself for what happened, believing that maybe there was something she could do or say to Vader or Tarkin to keep them from using the Death Star. After discussing these dreams with Luke, he assures her that there was nothing she could do, and that the evil deeds of the Empire weren’t on her. Moments later, Leia gets an alert from Lieutenant Evaan Verlaine aboutthe status of Alderaan’s only survivors: the Survivor Fleet.
The Survivor Fleet consists of everyone who made it off-world before the Death Star destroyed Alderaan, and the only point of contact between them and the Rebel Alliance is Evaan. After Alderaan’s destruction, the Empire went on a crusade to find and kill any survivor, hammering home the lesson of total annihilation. That’s why the Survivor Fleet had to always stay on the move, and that’s also why it was imperative that the Empire be defeated. So long as the Empire reigns, the Alderaanians will never be safe - and Leia is making sure the Empire will fall.
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Leia’s Real Motivation to Destroy the Empire is to Save the Last of Her People
Leia Organa has always represented the best interests of the entire galaxy as a unified democracy standing against a dictatorship, but aside from that (and maybe vengeance for what happened to her planet), she lacked a personal stake in the matter. Obviously, someone like Leia is above needing personal stakes to fight for what is right. But, now that she has one with the reveal of the Survivor Fleet, her die-hard commitment to seeing the Empire crumble has become something far more personal, raising the stakes even higher than they already were.
If Leia and the Rebellion fail to destroy the Empire, then the last of what remains of Alderaan will be completely erased from the galaxy. The Survivor Fleet moves as one, staying off the radar enough to be relatively safe, but always in danger. If the Empire beat the Rebellion, there’d be no one to keep the Survivor Fleet safe, and eventually, the Empire would find them. This is what’s always in the back of Leia’s mind while plotting to destroy the Empire, and it’s why Leia never faltered in that fight, even for a moment.
Destroying the Empire was Leia’s Only Chance at Finding Peace
As this issue confirms, Leia blames herself for the destruction of Alderaan. Leia is haunted by nightmares and riddled with guilt, leaving her in a state of perpetual anguish. Her only shot at finding peace was to bring the Empire down, not for revenge over what the Empire already did to her people, but for the sake of what remained of the Alderaanians. The only way she could forgive herself is by protecting the Survivor Fleet at all cost, which is what Leia’s doing in this issue, and, indeed, what was driving her throughout the Galactic Civil War.
As it stands in this currentStar Warsstoryline, the Survivor Fleet has gone missing, and the issue ends with a major cliffhanger that puts Leia herself in grave peril. Only time will tell if the Survivor Fleet even makes it through the Galactic Civil War. But, what fans do know is thatLeia Organawill never stop fighting to ensure their safety, as the Survivor Fleet was her real motivation to defeat Palpatine in theStar Warsoriginal trilogy.
Star Wars #48by Marvel Comics is available now.
Leia Organa
The daughter of Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala, Leia inherited her mother’s political skills and her father’s Force power. She was raised on Alderaan as a member of the royal family, and followed in her father’s footsteps by becoming a senator who secretly worked alongside the Rebel Alliance. Alderaan’s destruction changed everything, and Leia became a leader in both the Rebel Alliance and its successor government, the New Republic. She served there for decades, eventually leaving to found the First Order when she sensed its darkness growing. Leia gave much for her ideals, but eventually gave her life to redeem her son Ben.
