THANKFUL FRIDAY

My coworker friend’s only child is now a senior in high school. While he’s turning into a fine young person and transitioning a little bit closer to adulthood, he still likes to collect action figures and sets up little battles with them. I find this delightful and wonderful and hope he continues to do this practice of imaginative play well into his eighties. The coworker mentioned that he’d moved on from Star Wars because he had collected everything he could with the exception of a Princess Leia. So I asked her “What sort of Princess Leia is he looking for?” She said “Not the bikini one.” and then went on to describe another version of the Leia action figure set. I told her that I might have the one he’s looking for and that I’d bring it in the next day for him.

Chris may have been one of the biggest Star Wars fans to have walked the planet. It’s a tie between him and our friend Jen, but I can’t give him all the fan credit. I’m a bit of a fan too. Sure some of my fandom came through osmosis, but while Chris was really into the space crafts of the Star Wars world, I leaned into the women of Star Wars. Over the years, any time I’ve come across a Star Wars action figure of any of the female characters, I’ve snatched it up. I have four different sizes/versions of Rey and one Jessica Pava. I’d love a Captain Phasma and a Princess Leia from the Force Awakens, but I’ve yet to come across those. I also have five versions of Princess Leias and none of them are the bikini clad version.

That’s by design.

One year, as a Christmas present, I gave Chris an F.A.O Schwarz Barbie edition Princess Leia in the bikini. It was one of his favorites in his collection. I can’t blame him. She really was stunning and sexy. This is what young teenage boys dreamed about, Leia the sex symbol. I both admired and hated this doll, knowing that I would never be able to pull off that bikini look. I sold her on EBay after Chris died. Maybe it was a hasty choice, but I still stand by it. That version of Leia represents repression. She didn’t choose that outfit. It was forced upon her during her enslavement as a sex prop. Actually, I didn’t realize until typing this up just how angry that version of Leia makes me and how it is that version that is always the most popular. Leia was in the process of rescuing herself when those yahoos mad-camped their way onto the Death Star. She escaped a planet minutes before its destruction and kept vital information a secret while being tortured by her father. Leia never stopped fighting. When Luke and Han gave up the fight because of their feelings, Leia was still fighting.

She never gave up.

Some might question why I would give up one of my Leias from my collection. I will admit to having a moment of tearful nostalgia before I placed the action figure on my coworker’s desk. Then there was the question of whether or not the kid would even want that version. I told her to take it home; if he likes, he keeps it. If it’s not the one, bring it back. She texted me that evening to tell me that he loves the action figure and hesitated for about two minutes before removing it from the box. Any doubts about handing over my Leia were completely erased. I gave her away to someone who will appreciate and fully enjoy every aspect of owning this toy. I gave her to someone who wanted the version of Leia that is the most real, the fighter.

Not the sex symbol.