Madere: Leia as Goddess and Temptress

In this photo from Star Wars: A New Hope, Princess Leia is very clearly the Goddess that Joseph Campbell discusses. She is dressed in white (as she is for most of both the first and second movie), she looks regal and, with the light cast down upon her in this scene, she looks almost angelic.

Leia's role as Goddess carries over from A New Hope into The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. She is still very much a driving force behind the Rebellion, as seen in the beginning of the movie in her role as executive of the Rebels' movements on Hoth. She also serves as Goddess for both Luke and Han personally. For Luke, as in A New Hope, she gives him a means and reason to fight and fulfill his role as Campbell's Contemplative hero in the story. In Han's case, she provides a search for something more fulfilling than just material wealth, which eventually blossoms into love. In this way, she becomes Han's savior in his quest for a more meaningful life and fulfillment of his role as the Civic hero. She also actually is Han's savior when she poses as a bounty hunter in order to rescue him from death at the hands of Jabba the Hutt.

However, in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, Leia becomes, both literally and figuratively, a Temptress. For both Han and Luke, Leia is an object of lust and reason for competition. However, this role changes in her interactions with Luke once they learn they are brother and sister. He then must overcome this loss and others associated with his family and past in order to continue on his quest. For Han, he must overcome the reasons for his original attraction to Leia--lust, money, greed, power, the winner over Luke in the battle for her affection--in order to achieve something more pure and wholesome with her.

HENRY: A New Hope IV

Starwars: A New Hope was a very good movie! There were so many scenes full of suspense and I enjoyed them very much. From the beginning, Luke encountered adversary in regards to his uncle and getting to the ship to save Princess Leia. Now, Han was such an interesting character and trouble or tough situations seemed o follow him everywhere. Princess Leia is very tough and smart as well. She ran into conflict once she was captured by Darth Vaders, yet she still kept the faith. But once the three of them get together, there is a lot of trouble ahead and behind them. Han, Luke, the droids, and Obie Won arrived on the ship to save Princess Leia but they got into a lot of trouble! One obstacle that the trio faced while on their journey to save the Rebels was getting out of sight from the guards on the ship. First, Luke was such a baby but he starts to come around and take his powers seriously. His seemed a bit intimidated by the Princess and Han, but he let his guard down and helped them to escape. Han who seemed to be selfish, was one of the main reasons they were not captured. He decided to take control of the situation and follow the guards in hopes of destroying them. But, this did not work so he allows the Princess, Luke , and Chewy to retreat into the hiding place while he fends off the guards by himself. Now, the real story is Princess Leia and the way in which she behaved. She is such a firecracker and shows it every step of the way. When they first started to run away from the guards, she seemes to become frustrated and takes the gun from Luke and finds a hiding place. Well, she creates a hidding place by shooting intothe wall. But at that moment I saw the leader come out of her. Which seemed like a natural instinct to her, rather than an action for the moment. Overall, all three of these characters evolve in this two hour movie and contriubute to saving the rebels.

Ruffino-New Hope

In Star Wars: A New Hope there was one scene that stuck out to me and that is the incredibly exciting rescue scene. This is the first scene that Han, Leia, and Luke are thrown together and they certainly have an interesting dynamic. Han and Luke are acquainted but do not get along very well and Leia is not at all what they expected her to be. It seems that as soon as Han, Leia, and Luke are united the trouble beings. However before long they are working together like a well-oiled machine, one could almost forget that they have just met.

After Leia’s rescue, the main goal of the trio is simple to make it out of the Death Star alive. So they begin to look for an exit, which they find in the form of trash chute. Of course things are not that simple for the trio, going down the trash chute only lands them in more trouble. Through the chute they discover a trash monster, and walls hell bent on flattening them.

The danger in the trash compactor really shows that Han, Luke, and Leia have grown to like each other or at very least worry for each other. For instance as soon as Luke is submerged Leia and Han are worried and do everything in their power to help him. As soon as Luke is safe, above water and with his friends the walls start moving, yet again bringing them together in their hopes to keep their lives.

All in all no matter what if you go through a life changing event with someone you will have bonded with them in a way the will last a life time. Through this struggle they have found comrades in each other and they will be bonded in a way that will never fade.

Cutler: Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope

In the second act, Luke Skywalker (the contemplative hero) and Han Solo (the civic hero) dress up like Imperial Storm Troopers on the Death Star. Princess Leia is captured in the Death Star and is scheduled to be terminated. It will be very difficult to reach her to rescue her and Han does not want to rescue her. When Luke tells him that Leia will be killed, Han replies "better her than me" which indicates his selfishness and status as a civic hero. Luke tells Han that if they save Princess Leia, there is a large money incentive for him ("she's rich"). Han agrees and they rescue Leia.
This particular part of the film shows an obstacle for Luke, Han, and Leia. Luke wants to rescue Leia because she has the droids that hold the plans for the Death Star, equalling a shot at success for the Rebel Alliance. Leia is captured and the Empire plans to execute her. Han does not care about the Princess until Luke tells him that there will be a reward if they rescue her. He agrees and when they rescue her, he gets paid. However, towards the end of the film, he comes back to help Luke destroy the Death Star and becomes a Captain in the Rebel Alliance. Luke needs to rescue Leia because he is fighting for the Rebels and wants to destroy the Empire. He tells Han about the reward in hopes that he will agree to rescue her, which he does. Leia is trapped and relies on Luke to rescue her with Han Solo and Chewbacca.
This scene shows Han's initial transition from civic hero and smuggler who is just in it for the money to a contemplative hero and someone who wants to help the Rebels and his friends. While he agrees to rescue Leia only because of the money, he also agrees because he wants to help the Rebel Alliance. At the end, he is totally committed to the Alliance.

Lazo - Star Wars: A New Hope

"There are some things you can’t share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them." - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

This is the first thing I thought of after re-watching the rescue scene from Star Wars: A New Hope. Once Luke and Han break Leia out of her cell, they are faced with the stiff challenge of getting out of the Death Star alive. Storm troopers are closing in on them, so they take the most logical course of action: jump into the trash chute. Not a pretty plan, but one that would have worked, had it not been for that trash monster or the walls trying to flatten them.

Unlike the wizarding trio referenced above, this is the first time Luke, Han, and Leia are all together. Luke and Han are familiar with each other (though hardly friends at this point), but these two scenes are the first time either encounter Leia, who is far from the damsel in distress Luke and Han probably expected her to be. Despite all this, their bickering during the blaster fight on the detention level is reminiscent of a group that's been together quite a while.

The crisis in the trash compacter is what really pulls the trio together. Han and Leia are both genuinely concerned for Luke's safety when he is dragged underneath the filthy water by the unknown creature. Once he's safe, the walls start moving. Once again, all three are clearly stuck in the same bad situation and have the same goal: stay alive. They may have their different reasons (from saving the Rebellion to money), but their united struggle binds them together. These shared experiences and ordeals are ultimately what cements their trust and friendship in each other. Just like knocking out a mountain troll.