Yes, by modern film standards the kiss is problematic I guess. Of course that kind of behavior doesn’t fly in real life, but in the context of a fantasy film made 40 years ago, it’s fine. We know that Leia has feeling for Han and that she’s simply protesting too much, because she’s a princess and a politician or whatever. How do we know this? Because it’s opera and these are our two romantic leads and the score starts swelling as Han leans in for the kiss.

ESB is I think the most operatic of the OT and that’s what makes it great. It’s all personal drama and romance and mysticism and music. It’s not about space battles or politics half so much as the other films. That’s just the window dressing. And like all great serious opera, it ends tragically.