One thing about ROTJ that’s often overlooked is how it thematically sets up Luke and Leia’s sibling relationship.
In ESB Luke rushed off hotheadedly on his own to save his friends, and got his right hand cut off by Vader as a result. In ROTJ Leia rushes off hotheadedly on her own to save Han, and is unmasked and implicitly raped by Jabba as a result.
Skywalker hotbloodedness in both cases. But since the Leia bit of that parallel is told mostly through implication, few viewers pick up on it.
Can’t say I ever picked up on any implications that Leia HAD been raped, sure it could be an extrapolated possibility if you took that view that at some stage she would be but by whom I don’t know as looking at Jabba he doesn’t seem compatible with humans and being her captor and master of the palace, it’s not like anyone else has access to her without his permission and there’s no implication in the movie as to any of this.
Basically I am saying - what makes you think (from in movie implications and cues) that she has or would be raped simply because she is sitting there in a bikini? It’s a possibility if your mind really delves down that line of thought but I don’t feel the movie allows for this, ultimately just showing as another part of Jabba’s entertainment in humiliating his captives and displaying his power over them (like carbonite Han hanging as a wall display).
.Val
It’s in Kasdan’s second-draft screenplay, which contains everything in the finished film but also uses the phrase “fate worse than death” to describe what happens to her offscreen.
That isn’t any evidence to say it is rape. Rape alone isn’t worse than death as after rape there is still life no matter what trauma came beforehand. Death is final, there’s no going back or alternative outcomes…though I suppose the topic is somewhat debatable for Jedi Knights that become force ghosts 😉
ATMachine said:
The nuEU also apparently had this in mind, because it specifically invalidated the Legends claim that Hutts were all hermaphrodites.
No offense if you do, but I really don’t care what any sort of EU has to say on original OT canon and I never will.
ATMachine said:
I wonder how many people would be lining up for photos with Jabba at Star Wars conventions if they knew?Two words: tongue action.
Those two words said, I don’t think Leia was raped. I think she’d exhibit signs of PTSD had she been.
She does! Leia is uncharacteristically silent throughout the whole scene where she’s in the bikini. Basically the idea is she’s in shock after being assaulted. As Carrie Fisher said, normally Leia would be first to crack wise about that skimpy outfit. But she’s silent, because she’s traumatized by what happened offscreen.
Definitely not how I read the scene. She is a captive at the time with a chain around her neck, a wise crack would get her nothing but punishment from Jabba (with the knowledge that there’s a master plan to free them all instead of at the start of ANH when she’s openly defiant in the face of certain torture and death at the hands of Darth Vader or the Empire, constantly spitting in their face to try and force their hand for a quick death and not risk giving up the rebel base location). She does let loose a furtive smirk though at Luke’s seemingly boastful offer to Jabba, showing her rebellious spark is still there but held in close check lest she draw the ire of Jabba or potentially show her contempt for her current situation and therefore possibly give away some hint as to a larger rescue plan in action. She gets a good yank on the chain anyway, Jabba showing his power over holding her captive but I can’t see any other inferences.
That’s what I read into it anyway if I want to start examining the scene and extrapolating of screen events.
.Val