Originally posted by: JennyS1138
I agree that there were a ton of cringeworthy moments in the prequels. The only thing that's cringeworthy in the OT is watching Luke drool all over Leia and then make out with her.... Yuck. It's funny to think that when Empire came out, the kissing scene between Luke and Leia was probably met with cheers and applause. When I saw the SE in the theatre, that moment was of course met with laughter and groans. Way to go Georgie!

People always make a big deal over that, but there's really nothing there. There's no love triangle in the OT and "The Kiss" is little more than a closed mouth joke put upon by Leia to piss off Han. Even Luke is playing along to get Han's goat. Luke doesn't have more than one or two conversations with Leia in the first two movies and its about Han. I think we were all fooled into believing that Luke and Leia might happen so we're grossed out by the kiss in retrospect, but a closer study of the films shows that they telegraphed Han and Leia from the start. They even "meet cute" (she rescues HIM- into a trash compactor).

They couldn't have done a triangle, anyway. Luke's destiny was to go to Dagobah and become a Jedi. If the movies had played up the Luke/Leia/Han angle, then we would have been uncomfortable with Han making time with Leia while Luke was training. We were supposed to root for Luke to stay and finish what he started. Also, it would have made Han a less likable character if we thought Luke should have ended up with Leia. Heck, they were even on the poster in a "Gone With the Wind" pose.

So, watch the Kiss again. It's much ado over nothing. There's not even the slightest bit of incestuousness in it other than what we bring with us, because it's not in the films.

Now, I do have a further argument that says they originally intended such, but cut it out for story reasons (already said by me) and took advantage of it when they made them siblings.