Welcome to the fourth episode of the only Star Wars podcast that would just as soon kiss a Wookiee! Join us and our first special guest, Jenn Johnson!

Jenn is a childhood friend of Patrick's. When we invited her to appear on the show and began brainstorming a topic involving "women in Star Wars," we realized we couldn't begin to scratch that particular surface without first discussing Leia Organa. We follow this iconic character's development through the Original Trilogy, the novel "Bloodline" by Claudia Gray, and The Force Awakens.

Among our discussion points:

• What made her such an exceptional character?
• Does Leia act with agency?
• The creepy romance of The Empire Strikes Back
• How Leia makes Han a better man
• The "Slave Leia" controversy: the outfit's conception & reception, and why we should call it the "Huttslayer" outfit instead
• George Lucas' tendency to give female characters flawed arcs
• The recasting dilemma: what to do with Leia in Carrie Fisher's absence

Princess? General? Huttslayer? Whichever title you prefer, she will always be royalty to us.

(For more information on the concept of a character's agency, check out the blog of Tricia Barr, prominent Star Wars writer & podcaster: http://fangirlblog.com/2013/08/agent-of-my-own-destiny/ http://fangirlblog.com/2017/03/mon-mothma-and-the-agency-of-rebellion/)

Our Facebook page is The Quarter Portion Podcast, and you can find us on Twitter @kyberclub. Episodes are available on SoundCloud and the iTunes Store. If you enjoyed this episode, please Like it, tell your friends, and consider leaving us a review! We are looking for topics and questions to discuss on the show, and are filing away all submissions – so please ask away, and we’ll mention you in upcoming shows! Your opinions and questions are worth sixty portions to us.

The Quarter Portion Podcast is sponsored by Heroes, southwestern Ontario’s largest comic book & collectibles store.

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