Why She Could Live: Leia isn't just an iconic character, but an iconic female character, so there's little chance the filmmakers will attract undue controversy by killing off such a beloved mainstay of the franchise. Why She Could Die: Aside from the obvious surprise element of her dying, it would certainly be a way to light a fire under Luke and bring him squarely back into the fold for future movies. After all, what better motivation does anyone need than the death of their sister? Prediction: It doesn't seem terribly likely that she'll die: let's go with lives.