A new Star Wars book titled The Princess and the Scoundrel has given even more meaning to an emotional quote from the franchise. The novel, written by Beth Revis, picks up shortly after Return of the Jedi ends and follows Han and Leia’s honeymoon aboard the Halcyon (also known as Disney World’s new immersive Galactic Starcruiser hotel). Minor spoilers continue!
The book covers Han and Leia’s marriage ceremony on Endor, officiated by Luke Skywalker. In the emotional scene, he begins by talking about when he first saw his sister Leia in the holographic message delivered by R2-D2 to Obi-Wan Kenobi. As he proceeds, Luke remembers something the Jedi Master once told him: “Those we love are never truly gone.”
That’s very similar to something Luke says to Leia in The Last Jedi, when he thinks his son Kylo Ren can’t be saved. “Nobody’s ever gone,” Luke tells him before giving him Han’s gold dice from the Millennium Falcon.
Thanks to the Obi-Wan Kenobi series on Disney Plus, we know that Obi-Wan and Leia have a deep bond thanks to their adventures together on the run from the Inquisitors, enough that Leia even named her son Ben after the Jedi.
Bringing a line about Kylo Ren’s full circle of redemption to Obi-Wan, then, gives that moment and those words even more meaning. It’s also a testament to the impact the Jedi had on both of the Skywalker twins, with Luke still citing wisdom from him long after Obi-Wan’s death.
The quote also doubles as a reminder that Han’s memory lives on, thanks to Luke handing over the dice in The Last Jedi and the line being part of Han and Leia’s wedding ceremony. It’s a belief that is also demonstrated in the movies: Han Solo’s memory helps Kylo Ren redeem himself in The Rise of Skywalker.
We don’t have to wait much longer from the galaxy far, far away. Next on the release schedule is Andor, which is coming to Disney Plus a little later than expected on September 21. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows for everything the galaxy far, far away has in the works.
