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Abstract

Star Wars: A New Hope is a culturally significant American film. For this reason,

Princess Leia and her portrayal of femininity is also culturally significant. Previous research has

shown that female characters in fantasy and science fiction tend to either be placed on the

sidelines or be used as an object to increase a male protagonist's heroic image. Research on

Princess Leia in particular has come to conflicting conclusions. Some saying that Princess Leia is

responsible for kind of feminism that allows women to both be empowered and embrace

femininity. Others have found that Princess Leia is often dominated by her male counterparts.

This study seeks to contribute to research by analyzing to what extent Princess Leia challenges

or conforms to traditionally feminine portrayal of women in media. This study utilizes content

analyses of Princess Leia and male protagonist Han Solo and qualitative interview in order to

analyze to what extent Princess Leia conforms to or challenges traditionally gendered portrayals

of women in science fiction and fantasy. This study found that Princess Leia’s masculine

displays outnumbered her feminine displays, but that her ratio was more feminine than that of

Han Solo. Interviewees also believed that Princess Leia simultaneously subverts some traditional

toxic ideals of femininity, while also remaining feminine and embracing femininity. These

findings, when taken together, suggest that Princess Leia both challenges and affirms the

traditional gendered portrayal of women in media.

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Star Wars: A New Hope for Women in Media?

Introduction

The portrayal of gender norms in media has been a point of interest for many years–

particularly how females have been portrayed in media. In this study, Star Wars: A New Hope is

analyzed to explore the portrayal of female protagonist Princess Leia when compared to male

protagonist Han Solo with regard to gender norms and gendered characteristics. This study

examines which characteristics of female lead Princess Leia were present in the film-- both

feminine characteristics and masculine characteristics. Further, determining how often these

characteristics were present allows for a comparison of gender representation of a female lead in

the film (Leia) and how much she deviates from the traditional female character in a film that

centers around a male protagonist.

This two part study contains a content analysis of both film scenes and interviews with

both female and male participants to explore Leia’s portrayal and identify the way gender norms

are presented through her. The film scenes explored offer insight into the characteristics that

shape her character, and the interviews aim to offer insight into how viewers perceive her today.

For a film that first premiered in 1977, it’s transcendence of decades is a significant feat

and thus, it is still an important film to study in 2021. Princess Leia has been incredibly

influential in the media since her debut– and still holds her place in popular culture today. For a

science fiction feature of it’s time, Leia’s strong personality held viewers captive from the first

film’s premiere. This study aims to examine the characteristics present in the film that create this

perception of her. Through the qualitative interviews conducted in this study, the perceptions and

influence of Leia’s female representation to viewer’s today may be observed. Quantitative results

of this study aim to show the representation of Leia as portrayed in the original film. Though
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many interpretations can be made for both good and poor female representation, our analysis of

her portrayal attempts to surface what creates these interpretations, and what aspects are

dominant in her character’s role.

Literature Review

Gender Portrayals in Science Fiction

In the genre of science fiction, scholars have found common themes in the way that

female characters are portrayed. During the women's liberation movement, the science fiction

genre was quicker to change than many other genres. This change reflected the changes of

socio-economic conditions for women in the United States (Chetia, 2017). Despite this positive

change, female characters did not transition into the spotlight. Even to this day, female characters

in the science fiction genre tend to be placed on the sidelines. Female characters are often used to

increase the male heroes' valor (Kac-Vergne, 2016). To combat this, many science fiction films

have begun to introduce female characters in positions of power. This commonly places them in

positions of high governmental power or the high echelons of business. However, even when

female characters are found in these elevated positions, the character is an antagonist or tends to

be “eliminated from the story” (Kac-Vergne, 2016). Science fiction films have made an attempt

to place women in a position of power, but female characters still remain in the shadows.

Princess Leia’s Gender Portrayal

Recent studies give insight into Princess Leia’s portrayal and how she has influenced

culture. Leia’s character combats female gender roles while embracing feminine qualities.

LeBlanc (2017) claims that Leia's character creates a new form of feminism in which “liberated,

strong females… demonstrate leadership qualities, fight back against being sexually objectified,

stand up for themselves, while balancing between being a bitch and sharing their emotions.”
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LeBlanc’s study calls this “Princess Leia Feminism.” This wave of feminism encourages women

and girls to speak their minds, take control over situations, and use authority, but also to fall and

love and show emotions.

Princess Leia’s physical appearance and wardrobe also contributes to her unique

character. In Star Wars: A New Hope, Leia wears a long, white robe and fashions her hair into

two “donut” buns on each side of her head. When designing her outfit, Director George Lucas

was inspired by the “Squash Blossom” hairstyle of young marriageable Hopi Indians. These corn

maidens were symbols of fertility and wisdom and served as “soldaderas” in Pancho Villa’s army

(Brode, 2012). Leia’s style conveys both beauty and great strength. In contrast, Star Wars:

Return of the Jedi depicts the princess as a sexual object, adorning her in a bikini outfit with a

chain around her neck. Leia is being held captive by Jabba, who uses the chain to restrict her

movements-- symbolizing male control. This outfit, however, becomes an “antithetical symbol of

female empowerment” (LeBlanc, 2017). Leia takes control over her sexuality by using the chain

as a weapon instead of it being a symbol of men’s control over females.

Leia’s status as a princess also contributes to her role in the Star Wars films. Due to her

powerful position of royalty, she is regarded as important. Aside from Leia and her royal mother,

Padme, there are only four female characters who have speaking roles in the original Star Wars

trilogy (Eberl, 2016). The rest of these women play minor roles in the films. For example, Aunt

Beru is responsible for the upbringing of male protagonist Luke Skywalker. However, she is only

seen in brief scenes with few talking points. The women of Star Wars are very marginalized, and

the women who do get attention may do so because they are prominent political figures. Critics

may find that Leia does not represent the female population as a whole, rather, she demonstrates

the capabilities of women in power.

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Adding to the literature that has discussed how the women of Star Wars are marginalized,

many have noticed the strong personality and wit that Leia has is a positive and breaks through

the “princess” stereotype– however the downfall is how little she is seen in the film. In a book

review about women in science fiction, Derks (2020) states that even with better representation

like strong personalities and wit– the genre lacks a more important feature which is that it still is

not about women’s stories. Ellis (2003) argues even more strongly that despite the efforts to

make Leia a seemingly “strong” female character in Star Wars: A New Hope, it is always

squashed by one of the male protagonists taking control. She examines the multiple scenes in

which Leia is present, yet always overtaken on the screen by a male jumping in to fight for her or

do the more important part of a battle. In particular, Ellis (2003) mentions that the underlying

liking of Leia by Luke and Han sexualizes Leia and takes away from her being seen as a hero.

Both Derks and Ellis make arguments that a female character with stronger and more progressive

characteristics than expected will still be overrun in science fiction films by the male narrative,

and the need for presenting male characters as stronger in their characteristics.

Research done on gender portrayal in the science fiction genre and the character of

Princess Leia gives insight to what has already been discovered about this topic. Studies show

that the science fiction genre has attempted to portray female characters as powerful, but does

not consistently put them in main roles. Research on Princess Leia’s portrayal has been more

promising, as she introduces a new type of feminism that embraces her femininity and places her

in a position of power. However, there is still a lack of representation among females in Star

Wars and Leia is often dominated by her male counterparts. The quantitative and qualitative

findings of this study aim to explore the portrayal and perception of Princess Leia among modern

viewers.
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Hypothesis and Research Questions

Hypothesis 1: We expect Princess Leia's masculine characteristics to outnumber her feminine

characteristics.

This hypothesis will be tested through our quantitative analysis of the feminine and

masculine characteristics shown by Princess Leia in various scenes she appears in. If supported,

this finding would suggest that Princess Leia challenges traditional gendered representations of

women in fantasy and science fiction. If the hypothesis is not supported, this finding would

suggest that despite the effort to portray Leia as a strong female lead– her character still exhibits

traditional gendered representation in the science fiction genre. This hypothesis, and later its

results, are important to add to the academic discourse about female characters in science fiction

films, whether it supports an argument that she does push back against traditional gendered

representations or just the opposite– that she is still outnumbered in feminine characteristics.

Hypothesis 2: We expect Princess Leia to have more feminine characteristics than the male

protagonist Han Solo.

This hypothesis will be tested through our qualitative analysis as well, however this time

with the addition of analyzing scenes Han Solo was in as well. If supported, this finding would

suggest that, while challenging traditional gendered behavior in media, Princess Leia retains

characteristics that are distinctly feminine. If the hypothesis is not supported, this finding would

suggest that Princess Leia, while she may challenge traditional gendered behavior, does not

portray feminine characteristics as often as Han Solo. This hypothesis, and its results, are

important to add to the discourse exploring what ways a female and male protagonist share or

outnumber eachother’s gendered characteristics.

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RQ1: How do audiences perceive Princess Leia's representation of women in film?

In this part of the qualitative study, this research question will be explored through

various questions about Princess Leia’s representation as a female character. This is an important

question because it explains how the portrayal of Leia has a direct impact on viewers. Despite

the way that the movie attempts to portray her character, viewers of the film may perceive her

differently. Exploring the answers to this question may help in understanding how (or if) Leia’s

gender impacts the way that she is perceived.

RQ2: How do audiences perceive the relationship between Leia and Han Solo?

In the second part of the qualitative research, this question will be investigated

through questions about the relationship between Leia and Han. This question aims to show the

ways in which the relationship between Leia and Han Solo impacts gender portrayals. Although

audiences may perceive Leia’s individual character in a certain way, they may have a different

view when comparing her to male protagonists. By analyzing the relationship between Leia and

Han Solo, this research may discover how differing portrayals and interaction between characters

impacts perceptions.

Method

Content Analysis

The media text analyzed in this study is Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope which is the

first movie of the Star Wars franchise ever made. It was released in theaters 1977 in the United

States. Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope is an American epic space opera film written and

directed by George Lucas. It follows a farmboy’s quest to fight against an evil empire. This
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media text was purposefully sampled due to the influential nature of the Star Wars franchise. 26

scenes of the movie were coded in this study, every scene in which Han Solo or Princess Leia is

present was coded. Altogether this totals about 35 minutes of screen time. Princess Leia and Han

Solo were coded separately.

Codebook

This study coded for eight coding categories. The first four coded for traditionally

feminine characteristics, the latter four categories coded for traditionally masculine

characteristics.

Helplessness: Coded for any time that a character was not in control of his/her own

situation in a given scene. An example of helplessness would be a character being captured and

unable to do anything to get away.

Dependence: Dependence coded for any time a character was forced to rely on another

person for help in a given scene. An example would be asking another character to do something

to help their own character.

Shows Emotion: Coded for any time a character overtly displayed emotion in a given

scene.

Physically Weak: Coded for any time that a character was shown to be physically

incompetent in a given scene. This would include getting defeated in combat or failing to achieve

a physical goal.

Confidence/Assertiveness: coded for a character's general display of active confidence

in a given scene. This would include things like making decisions on where to go or what to do.
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Independence: Independence is coded for a person's control over his/her own situation

without having to rely on other characters. An example of this would be getting out of a situation

without being rescued or running off on one’s own.

Witty/Funny: as a way of measuring a character's displayed cleverness in the form of

humor. This would include calling Chewbacca a walking carpet or calling a dangerous and

wicked alien a “wonderful human being.”

Physical Ability/Combat: Intended to code for how apt a character is shown to be at

moving or fighting. An example of this would be shooting a stormtrooper or charging into a

battle.

The coders were undergraduate students at a christian liberal arts college in Illinois. The

coders were trained in their 424 Gender and Society Class in preparation for this content

analysis.

Interviews

In person interviews were conducted during the week of November 14, 2021. There

were a total of four interviewees; two of which were men and two of which were women. The

inclusion of both genders allows the study to examine potential differences in the way that men

and women view Princess Leia and Han Solo. The interviewees were college students at a

Christian liberal arts institution in Illinois. These interviews were conducted in a public yet quiet

setting on the college campus.

One of the interviewers grew up in a household where the mother was the primary

breadwinner, and had one brother. Another interviewer grew up in a household that had a stay at

home mother, as well as five sisters. A third interviewer grew up in a household with two parents

working full-time and one brother. The fourth interviewer grew up in a divorced household with
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one brother and the father was the primary caregiver. Both parents worked full time. These

demographic factors could potentially impact the perception of what a feminist figure should

look like and may influence the results of the study. The researchers attempted to find interview

places that were as quiet as possible, yet public, and tried to avoid crowds as much as possible.

This was done to mitigate the potential for cautious responses. However we cannot be certain as

to whether or not the interviewees felt comfortable in the environment, as it was public. The

interviewees were also close enough to be found on short notice. This means that they would

necessarily have had a relationship with the interviewers prior to the interview. To mitigate any

possibility of bias, the interviewees did not disclose anything on the nature of the study to the

subjects.

The interviews began with a question of consent. The interviewees consented to an

audio recording that would be used by the interviewers only, with an understanding that the

recording would be utilized for research purposes only. Then the interviewer asked warm-up

questions where we asked questions about how the semester was going. A specific question that

was asked was, “What movies/TV shows have you watched recently? Anything you particularly

enjoy? Why do you enjoy watching it?” These questions are designed to get the interviewee

comfortable providing in-depth answers to the researchers. After the warm-up, the main

questions were then asked. These questions were designed in order to understand the

interviewees perception of Princess Leia and Han Solo. One question that was asked was, “What

are characteristics that come to mind when talking about Princess Leia?” After the main

questions were asked, demographic questions followed. One set of questions asked, “What was

your home like growing up? Do you have siblings? Are you from a 2 parent household? Did

your parents/guardian work? If so, how many?” These questions were designed to get a sense of
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the homelife in which these students grew up in and to see how their upbringing may have

played a factor in the formation of their perceptions of gender roles.

Results

Content Analysis Results

All coding categories had at least a moderate intercoder reliability, the only

categories with a kappa value lower than .6 was coding category 3 “shows emotion” for princess

Leia (see Table 1), and coding category 6 “independence” for Han Solo (see Table 2). Coding

category 3 “shows emotion” may have been too open to interpretation for coders to be in

consistent agreement, this may account for the lower kappa value.

Table 1. Coding Category Frequencies and Intercoder Reliability- Princess Leia

Coding Category (Leia) Frequency (out of 17 scenes) Intercoder Reliability

Coding Category 1 3 .71

(Helplessness)

Coding Category 2 3 .65

(Dependence)

Coding Category 3 (Shows 3 .47

emotion)

Coding Category 4 1 .76

(Physically weak)

Coding Category 5 7 .71

(Confidence/Assertiveness)

Coding Category 6 2 .71

(Independence)
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Coding Category 7 6 .88

(Witty/Funny)

Coding Category 8 (Physical 3 .82

activity/combat)

Total Masculine Frequency 18

Total Feminine Frequency 13

Table 2. Coding Category Frequencies and Intercoder Reliability- Han Solo

Coding Category (Han Frequency (out of 20 scenes) Intercoder Reliability

Solo)

Coding Category 1 0 .95

(Helplessness)

Coding Category 2 0 .85

(Dependence)

Coding Category 3 (Shows 1 .65

emotion)

Coding Category 4 0 1

(Physically weak)

Coding Category 5 9 .60

(Confidence/Assertiveness)
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Coding Category 6 3 .40

(Independence)

Coding Category 7 13 .70

(Witty/Funny)

Coding Category 8 (Physical 7 .80

activity/combat)

Total Masculine Frequency 32

Total Feminine Frequency 1

H1: In our first hypothesis we expected Princess Leia's masculine

characteristics to outnumber her feminine characteristics.

This hypothesis was affirmed in our findings. Princess Leia had 18 masculine displays and 13

feminine displays (see Table 1). Her most frequent masculine display was

“confidence/assertiveness.” This suggests that Princess Leia was not the traditional passive

princess that is seen in other science fiction or fantasy media. She also scored very high in the

“witty/funny” category. This suggests that Princess Leia is displayed as having a certain level of

intelligence that she expresses with humor.

H2: We expected Princess Leia to have more feminine characteristics than the

male protagonist Han Solo.

We found this to be resoundingly true. Han Solo only had one display of the feminine

characteristics that we measured for, while Princess Leia had 13 feminine characteristics

displayed. This suggests that, while Princess Leia challenges the traditional gendered portrayal of
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women in science fiction and fantasy, she still has many distinctly feminine behaviors in A New

Hope. We also found that she had fewer displays of masculine characteristics in every category

we measured for which further affirms that Leia both challenges and conforms to stereotypical

female gendered representation.

Interview Results

In this study, 4 interviewees were selected by researchers. All interviewees were

students from a Christian liberal arts college in the Midwest. Participants had some level of

relationship with the researchers, but had no prior knowledge of the study. To represent an equal

number of males and females, researchers intentionally selected two males and two females. All

participants initially viewed Star Wars: A New Hope as adolescents, and have rewatched it at a

more recent date. Participants represent various regions of the country, including the Northeast,

Midwest, East Coast, and South. Refer to Table 3 for detailed demographic information on the

interviewees.

Table 3. Interviewee Demographic Information

Names Demographic Demographic Demographic Demographic Info (race)

(Pseudonyms) Info (Gender) Info (age) Info (origin)

Rebecca Female 21 Florida White/caucasian

Mary Female 20 Maryland White/caucasian

Richard Male 20 Illinois Black

Ben Male 20 New York White/caucasian

RQ1: How do audiences perceive Princess Leia's representation of women in

film?
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In the interview results, two recurring themes addressed this first research question. The first

theme encompasses the idea that Leia is not like other princesses. Participants were asked to

define “Princess,” followed by the question, “In what ways does Leia fit into that definition for

you?” Most of the participants acknowledged that she did not always fit the definition they used.

After giving her description of what a princess is, Mary stated, “She almost doesn’t fit into that

definition, except for sometimes when she’s very feminized… or like, dressed up or looking

super pretty. But usually she doesn’t fit that definition.” Mary also made the comment, “I feel

like as a young girl (to see her in combat) it’s almost empowering… because the rest are men!”

This response acknowledges that Leia sometimes fits the stereotype of a princess based upon her

physical appearance, but her actions place her into a different category.

This research question was also addressed by a second theme found in multiple

responses. The theme of female-identification with Leia was commonly noted by female

participants. Participants were asked which character they identify with (either Leia or Han

Solo). Rather than focusing on specific personality traits, participants focused on the gender of

the characters. Rebecca stated, “I would identify more with Leia, in her femininity.” Similarly,

Mary answered with, “Probably Leia, just because I’m a girl.” Further, while not specifically

addressing Leia’s representation– male-identification with Han was noted by the male

participants. On the males’ side, Ben answered, “I guess Han because he is a man,” and Richard

said, “Personally Han. Is neither an option? I just don't have the characteristics of either.” Even

though Richard acknowledges the characteristics of the two characters, he still identifies more

with Han simply because of his identity as a male. This may alter the perception of Leia, as it is

more difficult to relate to her. If female viewers identify themselves as being similar, they may
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perceive Leia as relatable. The identification with certain characters based upon gender may have

an impact on the way that audiences perceive Princess Leia’s representation of women in film.

RQ2: How do audiences perceive the relationship between Leia and Han Solo?

The interviews conducted, resulted in two larger themes to discuss how audiences’

perceive the relationship between Leia and Han Solo. The first theme highlights a perceived

unhealthy relationship between them. When asked about Han and Leia’s relationship, Mary

stated, “I was always like ‘Huh, they don’t seem to like each other very much.’ They’re always

at each other’s throats.” This response was echoed by other interviewee’s as well. Ben

responded, when asked about the flirting between Han and Leia– “[Han and Leia’s

relationship]... It felt a little too flesh based, very looks based” This too indicates that the

relationship presented in the film is not necessarily perceived as a healthy or positive one by

audiences. Another interviewee however, when asked about having had a relationship like Han

and Leia’s, gave further confirmation that the relationship wasn’t one that is necessarily to be

desired– Richard replied, “No...I've never been in a situation where I’m rebellious and someone

else is and we grow to like each other” However entertaining Han Solo and Leia’s relationship

may be, audiences may not perceive it as something realistic or healthy.

The second theme highlighted through the interviews was the clearly intense power

dynamics between Han and Leia. When asked about the relationship between Han and Leia–

Richard responded, “[The relationship] it’s abrasive at first. But then they grow to like each

other. They're both similar in that they both are stubborn and sarcastic. Then they are both

empathetic going forward and grow into that.” This response indicates that to some viewers the

intense power dynamics may be attributed to Han and Leia’s respective attitudes and

personalities rather than a true disliking of the other. Both female interviewee’s when asked
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about having had a relationship like Han and Leia’s responded similarly. Mary stated, “I think a

lot of my relationships [are like Leia and Han’s] because I tend to have more masculine

characteristics and leadership roles… So at times I think that comes at odds with men who are

more like Han Solo.” Rebecca stated in response to the same question, “One of my guy friends

from home, he doesn’t always take me seriously to be capable. He just thinks he’s all that. But

we have a good relationship” Mary and Rebecca’s responses indicate that audience members,

particularly women– may be able to relate to the power dynamics between Han and Leia.

Particularly in regard to how Han Solo’s strong masculine personality clashes with Leia’s strong

personality. It is clear that the power dynamics between both Leia and Han’s personalities stands

out to audiences as a clear clash of strong personalities.

Discussion

Hypotheses

Both hypotheses were affirmed. The first being that Leia would have more masculine

characteristics than feminine. This hypothesis was supported as evident through the content

analysis revealing that Leia displayed 18 masculine characteristics and only 13 feminine. Some

examples of these masculine displays included Leia actively participating in combat during her

rescue, responding with defiance towards authority such as Darth Vader, and firing back

comments at Han Solo. These examples exemplifying the larger number of masculine

characteristics Leia portrays– supports the finding that Leia pushes back against the traditional

princess role.

The second hypothesis was that Princess Leia would have more feminine characteristics

than male protagonist Han Solo. This hypothesis aimed to determine the extent of Leia’s

character pushing back against traditional gender roles. Examples of this included Leia
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displaying helplessness when captured, showing emotion when her home planet is destroyed, and

dependence on her male counterparts when trying to escape. Results showed that while Leia does

push back against traditional gender roles with her masculine displays, she also still displayed

distinctly feminine traits that conform to stereotypes. This hypothesis determined that Leia still

conforms to traditional gender roles, even though she does push back against them in some ways.

Research Questions

Both research questions revealed themes that speak to audience perceptions of both

Leia’s representation of women and the relationship between Leia and Han. The first research

question asked about Leia’s role in representing women in film. Interviews revealed two themes

that address this: Leia being a different kind of princess and female identification with Leia.

Responses regarding Leia as a different sort of princess included, “I feel like she almost doesn’t

fit into that definition, except for sometimes when she’s very feminized… or like, dressed up or

looking super pretty. But usually she doesn’t fit that definition.” and “She’s on the better side of

things with the way I view princesses. She is better than the “mean” personality wise. She’s a

little rude, very self righteous.” Although for the time it premiered it challenged traditional

gender roles in terms of female leads– today it may miss the mark when considered in

comparison to more recent films with female protagonists that embrace a variety of masculine

characteristics. The second theme identified was female identification with Leia (as well as male

identification with Han). Participants responded that they related to the character of their same

gender. Responses included, “I would identify more with Leia, in her femininity. I am capable,

but I’m not someone to put myself out there in the same way as the males in the film do” and

“Probably Leia, just because I’m a girl. And, I’m not as harsh and brute as Han Solo.” From the
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theme of female identification, it is clear that there is a need for female and male leads to identify

with both women and men.

The second research question regarded audience perception of Han and Leia’s

relationship. From participants' responses indicating an unhealthy relationship between Han and

Leia, it can be determined that their relationship appears to not be the sort of relationship a group

of religious participants considers to be healthy. Responses included, “I was always like ‘Huh,

they don’t seem to like each other very much.’ and “[Han and Leia’s relationship]... It felt a little

too flesh based, very looks based.” This indicates that audiences from different religious

backgrounds might view this differently, leading to a perception difference of both Leia and Han.

From the power dynamics participants noted, we can learn that audiences perceive a clear

difference between the strong aspects of Leia and Han’s personalities. Responses included, “I

would describe their relationship as having sexual tension, confusion about power dynamics, that

kind of relationship” and “I think a lot of my relationships [are like Han and Leia’s], because I

tend to have more masculine characteristics and leadership roles. When I’m in a situation where I

want my voice to be heard, I’ll speak up and be demanding and slightly harsh. So at times I think

that comes at odds to men who are more like Han Solo. It causes more ‘at each other’s throats’

kind of situations.” Both indicate that the strong personalities of Leia and Han contribute to their

perceived intense power dynamics. Implications of these findings may be that having a strong

female and male personality on screen may result in the audience perceiving an unhealthy or

intense power dynamic between them.

Quantitative and Qualitatives Results Together

There was an interesting connection between the qualitative and quantitative studies. In

the interviews, interviewers found that Princess Leia differed from participants’ conception of
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the typical princess. Most interviewees affirmed that, while Princess Leia fit into some of the

traditional princess stereotypes, she deviated from the normal princess model in significant ways.

Participants made statements such as, “I feel like she almost doesn’t fit into that definition,

except for sometimes when she’s very feminized… or like, dressed up or looking super pretty.

But usually she doesn’t fit that definition.” Others had a more negative view of princesses, but

when talking about Princess Leia said, “She’s on the better side of things with the way I view

princesses. She is better than the ‘mean’ personality wise.”

This sentiment echoes the findings of the content analysis. When comparing the numbers

of Princess Leia’s masculine or feminine displays it was found that she has significantly more

masculine displays than she does feminine displays. These findings suggest that Princess Leia

challenges the traditional portrayal of women in science fiction and fantasy. However, when

compared to Han Solo’s feminine and masculine displays, it was found that his ratio is

significantly more masculine than Leia’s. This would suggest that Leia retains a markedly

traditionally feminine disposition in Star Wars Episode IV when compared to male leads. These

findings, when taken together, suggest that Princess Leia simultaneously affirms and challenges

traditionally gendered portrayals of women in media.

Limitations
Due to the nature of this study, there were multiple limitations that were found

unavoidable. Since this study was conducted at a Christian liberal arts institution, all of the

subjects had a similar religious background. Also, due to the short time frame in which the study

took place, there was a limited sample size of 4 individuals. This meant that interviewers were

unable to conduct follow-up interviews with the participants. The study could not control the

time in which the participants had last seen the film. Demographically, three of the participants

were white and there was no latino/a or asian representation in the study. Additionally, the coding
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categories were ambiguous in some aspects. Specifically, “shows emotions”,

“independence/dependence”, and “witty/funny” were ambiguous terms that could have

influenced the coding viability. While these factors could not have been avoided, there were

additional steps that could have been taken in order to ensure a more viable study.

Directions for Future Research

Given the opportunity to conduct this study again, participants of the study should watch

the film at a specified date prior to interviews. This may ensure that their recollection of the

characters is as accurate as possible. Seeing how this study could have been different if it was

conducted in a non-Christian/religious setting could yield different results that could be looked at

in further research opportunities. Additionally, increasing the age diversity could yield varying

results, as well as ideas of gender roles evolve over generations. Conducting a study that focuses

on Leia’s evolution as a character in regards to feminized traits could also produce a wider range

perspectives, as Leia is portrayed as a slave in episode 6 of the series. Future studies could also

focus on perceptions of Leia’s representation in comparison to other characters within the Star

Wars universe.

Christian Perspective

In observing the findings of this study, one may draw connections between Princess

Leia’s character portrayal and the portrayal of females in the Bible. Leia goes against common

female stereotypes while maintaining her femininity. Many of her strongest traits are paired with

the fact that she is a woman (i.e., her leadership qualities come from her role as a princess). This

may also be observed in various stories of women throughout the Old and New Testaments. In

the book of Joshua, a prostitute named Rahab is responsible for hiding two spies sent from Israel.

Due to her role as a prostitute, it would have been normal for men to enter her home. This
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allowed safe hiding for the Israelite spies. Her virtuous deed brings safety and protection to her

family, and Rahab is commonly recognized as an honorable character throughout the rest of

scripture. As Christians, it is important to remember that female characters in media should be

affirmed for both their strength and femininity. It must not be overlooked that these two qualities

often go hand-in-hand.
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References

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Derks, J. (2020). [Review of the book Space Sirens, Scientists and Princesses: The Portrayal of

Women in Science Fiction Cinema, by Dean Conrad]. Science Fiction Film and Television

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Eberl, J. and Decker, K., 2016. The ultimate Star Wars and philosophy. Chichester, West Sussex,

UK: Wiley Blackwell, pp.159-171.

Ellis, K. (2003). New world, old habits: Patriarchal ideology in Star Wars: A new hope.

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Leblanc, S. S. (2017). Taking Back the "P-Word": Princess Leia Feminism, an Autoethnography.

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