Blue Milk Special

Forced seduction. Rape. Is there a difference? Why is Star Wars making me ask this question? That’s the worst part about this. Although we can often be a little edgy with the humor, I do know we have some younger readers. But I want to comment on this scene rather than ignore it. So cover your children’s eyes!

The novel side of Shadows of the Empire is written by Steve Perry, and thus it is arguably the core of the cross-media epic. It also features the above scene, though in a much more serious light. Remember, Prince Xizor, along with his alien race the Falleen (Phalleen would seem more appropriate), have the power to release intoxicating pheromones that cause the opposite sex (apparently regardless of species) to open their legs. A few months ago, I asked Jeremiah Baker, one of our esteemed readers, to summarize the scene from the novel version for me.

JB:
Okay, he kisses her, she pulls away, he kisses again, she put her arms around him, kisses back…he kisses her neck, moves down her shoulder, and slides off her dress strap. Okay, this is so much creepier than I remember when I read it some 14 years ago. She “shudders with pleasure.” Chewie knocks to interrupt and she snaps out of her, I dunno, horny curse…kind of. She wants the Wookiee to stop interrupting quite badly. Chewie fully snaps her out of it. “You don’t rid yourself of my biological magic that easily, little one,” he thinks. That’s…so gross. The spell breaks and she returns and it’s pretty clear that he intends to rape her. Makes her remove her see-thru dress. Comes at her again, she nearly wavers, then knees him in dick. I feel all kinds of dirty typing this. Hope it helped. I’m off to the showers.

Blue Milk Special:
LOL. Okay, so she is wearing see-thru dress? Which he makes her take off?!

JB:
No, she’s got this bodysuit on underneath. So, like, a neglige over yoga gear situation. I think he provided the clothes and wanted her to essentially be naked but she threw the suit on as a compromise.

I’ve heard that George Lucas once said that he liked Shadows of the Empire so much, that he would have filmed it had it been written back in the day! That hardly surprises me, given his odd tastes. For example, Marion Ravenwood, from Raiders of the Lost Ark, was intended to be underage when she and Indiana Jones had their pre-film relationship. Leia makes out with Luke in Empire Strikes Back (to goad Han, but still…) and then Lucas decides, almost on a whim, that she will be his sister in ROTJ because he’s wrapping up all this nine movie saga stuff about “the other”. The result is that Leia’s full on kiss is now unknowingly incestuous with her brother. So, when Lucas says he loves Shadows, I doubt he had any problem with Xizor’s near rape of Leia. After all, Xizor didn’t get to home base, and technically, his pheromones caused Leia to be “up for it”, right? So forcing someone to willingly give it up is technically okay… right Steve Perry? As far as I’m concerned, it was attempted rape and something I could have done without, especially since there’s a sense that the author was enjoying himself (the artist seems to be).

But then, I suppose Lucas just wanted to say positive things during the promotion of Shadows of the Empire. Who knows what he really thought about this scene?

Hasbro / Kenner toys seemed okay with it… or perhaps they simply turned a blind eye altogether?

Yes, they ACTUALLY went ahead and released an action figure two-pack of rape-ready Leia, and Prince Xizor. There’s only one reason she was given this outfit… so Xizor could remove it! Fun for all ages!

Personally, I’m really uncomfortable with the scene and just don’t feel we should even be going down the road of Leia being forced to have sex with someone. I’ll leave any further comment until next strip. Yes, there’s another strip for this scene.

On a lighter note… Kevin Conn, our co-host on the BMS podcast has posted his latest G.I. Joe PSA video. Snake-Eyes appears in a special Knowing is Half the Battle PSA about underage drinking. I burst out laughing, which is exactly what I needed! Check it out and spread the word by sharing the video if you like it!