Features Sep 9, 2015 at 4:00 am

How Should a Victim Be Costumed?

Is she gorgeous because she appears so helpless, or in spite of it? Suzi Pratt

Comments

1
But why does it need to be perceived as sexual slavery? Jabba's a gangster, one who likes trophies and symbols of his wealth and power. Perhaps Jabba's proud to have the famous Princess Leia under Jabba's control and Jabba's showing her off like a bauble. Forcing her to wear a humiliating outfit at Jabba's discretion is an excellent means for showing strong-willed royalty Who's In-Charge Now. Just like he keeps Han Solo frozen on his wall, unable to worm his way out of a situation, he keeps Leia in bondage, unable to talk her way out.
"Even so, it's unclear whether Leia would've moved on her own, or if she needed the presence of male saviors to propel her"
OR perhaps she needed the confusion of chaos when no one's paying attention to the Almighty Jabba. Any other moment and she'd have been caught and punished. In the chaos she's able to take charge.
Sex and gender objectification is NOT always the answer.
2
A homosexual version of the sex slave was cut from the original release of the 1960 film Spartacus, but restored in the 1991 release.

Laurence Olivier's Roman general Crassus makes it clear he has a taste for his actual slave, the tasty Tony Curtis, and Curtis takes to the hills to join Spartacus' slave rebellion.
3
@1 i think the sex slave thing is hinted at a bit. The scene Jabba lick's Leia's face. I mean, that's as racy as SW gets.
4
Was reminded of this Slog post when I read this today:
http://groundedparents.com/2015/09/11/fe…
6
I believe more than a few young women fantasized about this scene too, discovered an element of same-sex attraction with it...
7
Princess Leia is such a badass she can hold her own in a desert fire-fight, wearing nothing but a bikini -- and her weapon is a goddamned chain which is almost as heavy as she is. Even Imperator Furiosa had a fully-armed War Rig and plenty guns.

Just like he keeps Han Solo frozen on his wall, unable to worm his way out of a situation,

Best one-line description of Han Solo EVER.
8
I'm reminded of Kate Bush's Babooshka video from around that time
9
I always thought that Oola and Lyn Me, the other dancers in Jabba's castle, were hotter... and somewhat kinkier too. Leia's outfit is relatively plebian compared to the alien fashions the other two wear.
10
As @9 points out, Jabba seemed to have a thing for keeping humaniod females revealing outfits around, which definitely seems pretty perverse for a slug.
11
She is gorgeous because she is gorgeous, and for no other reason.
12
Two useful notes:
-Hutts are hermaphroditic (at least in the Expanded Universe, which has been basically thrown in the trash) and present as a certain gender depending on their own personal whims.
-Leia rescuing Han but needing Luke and Han's help to make the escape (Episode VI) closely parallels Luke and Han rescuing Leia but needing her help to make the escape (Episode IV)
13
Jabba and Leia had better sex than Anakin and Padme based on the dialogue in the movies
14
Concurring with @1; Leia is such a powerhouse that she transcends whatever clothes she happens to have on. Don't you remember her utter disdain for Jabba's attempts to humiliate her? Sure she winced when he licked her, it was gross. But she was never a victim, only biding her time.
15
Leia’s bikini may be skimpy, but isn’t Jabba stark naked? Are we to assume that the shamefulness/degradation of nudity is directly corollary to one’s sensuality? Compared to Jabba’s massive bare nakedness Leia’s bikini is practically prudish…
16
Mrs Peel did it better, and 20 years earlier! Scientist, CEO, super spy, Master martial-artist and fencer, fashion setter. PeelPower!
17
Better at kicking ass, I mean - Mrs Peel was never a victim! Nor was Leia, except by Hollywood.

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