Leia Organa, portrayed by Carrie Fisher, was more than a leader, a strategist, and a symbol of resistance. Born to Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala, Leia was not just royalty; she was a Skywalker, a being naturally strong with the Force. Unlike Luke Skywalker, who embraced the path of a Jedi, Leia chose a different road. However, this did not mean the power of the Force was absent. The connection remained strong, lingering beneath the surface, surfacing in subtle ways throughout her life.
During the rise of the First Order, Supreme Leader Snoke manipulated Ben Solo, turning the grandson of Darth Vader into Kylo Ren. Snoke focused all efforts on bending Ben to the dark side, ensuring that Luke’s Jedi Order would be destroyed before it could be rebuilt. However, Snoke made no attempt to sway Leia. Despite knowing that she was also a Skywalker, a Force-sensitive individual with a bloodline as powerful as Ben’s, Snoke never sought to turn Leia or eliminate her directly. This raises an important question—did Snoke fear Leia’s potential as a Force user?
Snoke’s Focus on Ben Solo
Snoke’s primary concern was shaping Ben Solo into Kylo Ren. The Supreme Leader targeted the young Jedi from an early age, influencing thoughts, emotions, and perceptions long before Ben knew he was being manipulated. Snoke fueled Ben’s doubts, pushing him away from Luke and toward the dark side. Every move was calculated to ensure that Ben would abandon the light completely.
Yet, Leia was not subjected to the same corruption. Snoke made no attempts to exploit Leia’s emotions or test the limits of her Force sensitivity. This absence is strange, considering that Leia was the last remaining Skywalker other than Luke. If Snoke’s goal was the complete destruction of the Skywalker bloodline, why was Leia not a target?
Unlike Luke, Leia’s role in the war was deeply political. As a senator, a general, and the leader of the Resistance, she commanded influence across the galaxy. Leia was never trained as a Jedi in the same way Luke was, but the raw power within her was undeniable. If she had chosen to develop those abilities, she could have been as dangerous as her brother—perhaps even more so.
Leia’s Hidden Power and Snoke’s Possible Fear
Leia’s connection to the Force was not always visible, but moments of extraordinary power revealed the extent of her potential. The most notable demonstration occurred when the bridge of her command ship was destroyed by a First Order attack. Instead of perishing in the vacuum of space, Leia instinctively reached out through the Force, pulling herself back to safety. This act, often called the “Force Pull” or “Leia’s Flight,” was proof that her strength had not faded.
This moment alone suggests that Snoke may have underestimated Leia’s true abilities. If Leia had embraced her power fully, the battle against the First Order could have taken a different course. Snoke likely understood this possibility. A fully trained Leia Skywalker would have been a greater threat than Luke himself.
Leia was different from Luke and Anakin. Where they were warriors, she was a leader. Where they struggled with emotional conflict, she maintained control. Luke and Anakin were shaped by their personal battles with attachment, anger, and self-doubt. Leia, however, remained steady. The dark side preyed on fear, rage, and pain, but Leia did not succumb to those weaknesses.
The Political Power of Leia Skywalker
Snoke did not only fear raw power—Snoke feared influence. Leia was not just a Force-sensitive individual; Leia was a unifying figure. The Resistance followed her, the remnants of the Rebel Alliance remained loyal to her, and even those in the New Republic who doubted her warnings about the First Order still respected her legacy.
A powerful Force-wielding individual who also commanded the hearts and minds of people across the galaxy was an unprecedented threat. Even Emperor Palpatine, the true mastermind behind Snoke’s creation, had failed to control Leia. Despite all efforts, Leia never fell into darkness, never wavered in her commitment to the light. That alone made her dangerous.
Palpatine once feared Anakin Skywalker’s potential and sought to control or destroy him. The same could be said for Leia. If Snoke had tried to corrupt Leia, failure was the most likely outcome. Unlike Ben Solo, Leia had no inner darkness to exploit.
Why Snoke Never Attacked Leia Directly
If Snoke feared Leia’s power, why did the Supreme Leader never attempt to eliminate her outright? The most likely reason is that Snoke believed Kylo Ren would do it. Turning a Jedi to the dark side often required an act of complete devotion, usually in the form of betrayal.
Darth Vader proved loyalty to Palpatine by hunting down and slaughtering the Jedi Order. Kylo Ren was pushed toward darkness by the murder of Han Solo, but that was not enough. If Kylo Ren had killed Leia, Snoke would have secured his apprentice’s complete commitment.
However, this plan failed. Even in moments of darkness, Kylo Ren could not bring himself to kill Leia. That connection, the bond between mother and son, remained unbroken. Snoke may have sensed this hesitation, which is why he later pushed Kylo Ren to strike down Rey instead. The inability to sever ties with Leia proved that Snoke had failed in fully corrupting Ben Solo.
Snoke’s Death and Leia’s Lasting Influence
Snoke’s death at the hands of Kylo Ren marked the beginning of the Supreme Leader’s downfall. However, Leia’s presence continued to shape the future. Even without direct confrontation, Leia outlasted Snoke, proving that his fear was justified.
In the final moments of the conflict, Leia reached out to Ben Solo one last time. That act, a simple yet powerful message through the Force, was what ultimately led to Kylo Ren’s redemption. This moment completed the destruction of everything Snoke had worked to create.
Snoke sought to manipulate the Skywalker bloodline, but Leia remained the one element that could not be controlled. Whether Snoke feared her raw power or her ability to resist the dark side, one fact remains—Leia was the greatest threat to everything Snoke had built.
Legacy of Leia and Snoke
Leia Organa’s strength was more than lightsaber combat or Force abilities. The true power of Leia Skywalker was unwavering resilience, unshakable hope, and the ability to inspire others. While Luke Skywalker fought as the last Jedi, Leia fought as the leader of the Resistance, ensuring that hope never died.
Snoke’s failure to corrupt Ben Solo was, in part, due to Leia’s enduring presence. The Supreme Leader’s plans unraveled because Leia never gave up on her son, never surrendered to fear, and never allowed darkness to define her.
The legacy of Snoke faded into obscurity, but the legacy of Leia Organa lived on in the hearts of those who fought for freedom. The Skywalker lineage, once feared by the Sith, survived not because of power alone, but because of love, hope, and resistance against tyranny. Snoke may have feared Leia’s potential, but in the end, that potential changed the fate of the galaxy forever.
