New Star Wars Novel Hints At First LGBT Character In The Last Jedi
Finally, a positive move for representation.
It's been a long time coming, but it looks like Star Wars: The Last Jedi might finally be making a positive move towards better representation for LGBT people - at least according to details dropped in a new Star Wars novel.
Claudia Gray's new novel 'Leia: Princess of Alderaan' heavily implies that new The Last Jedi character Amilyn Holdo (played by Laura Dern) is going to be the first openly LGBT character in the Star Wars movie universe. That follows on from JJ Abrams' open expression of wanting to see the LGBT community reflected in Star Wars movies after there have been some already in EU novels.
The novel - which is set before A New Hope - includes a passage that seems to suggest that Holdo is bisexual, as she and Leia talk about interspecies relationships:
“A pair of pretty dark eyes.” Then Amilyn thought about that for a moment. “Or more than a pair, if you’re into Grans. Or Aqualish, or Talz. Or even – ”
“That’s all right! Leia said through laughter. “It’s just humanoid males for me.”
Advertisement“Really? That feels so limiting.”
“Thank goodness it’s a big galaxy.”
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Now, this is clearly open to interpretation (and it isn't entirely correct to conflate inter-species sexuality with bisexuality), but the symbolism is definitely there in the comment on limitations. And even that sort of overt expression is a positive one.
Whether we'll actually see Holdo express her sexuality in The Last Jedi remains to be seen for now, as she's still shrouded in mystery, but if this is the first step towards a more inclusive, representative Star Wars galaxy, then it's no bad thing.