Anghraine

Ooh, I'm glad my read on Leia's expectations of advanced citizenship makes sense--- and yeah, that is definitely something that could be expected of the Jedi. Also the whole "will of the Force" thing would add an interesting twist to the whole process.

the original plans I was working off of actually involved a repentant Vader as the Atoner. This could have been canon gah.

OMG DO WANT.

I didn't see much of a change in Han and Leia's relationship in terms of the combativeness (which I see in ANH too), but for me it's a lot skeevier in ESB and that's really my issue with it. Newsflash, Han: no means no.

Ah, gotcha! I felt like there was the lovely bonding moment at the end of ANH and then in ESB they've... backslid. Like they haven't actually had the relationship mature any in all that time and that in fact it's regressed--- like you said about Leia becoming a politician after ROTJ, it's a backsliding in the character arc. The no-means-no thing--- I always read that scene as involving a lot of non-verbal cues and being about two people who do know each other well enough to understand the subtext: Leia not snarking at Han and Han backing off on the "Your Worship" stuff is a coded form of communication. But, honestly, "no means no, dammit, Han" makes a lot more sense than a reading that involves that much subtlety.

I think I have read your ESB-love post! And I remember thinking it was awesome.

Yeah, I never got all that into Anakin/Vader in the OT, and then ROTS came around and I was just SQUEEEEEEEEE about him. But, yeah, if I'd been all about the character beforehand... not so much with any of the PT.

And oh, the movies definitely leave stuff dangling. Everywhere. Whether it's poli sci or psych or any of the social-science issues that come up with that kind of worldbuilding. (Instead we get a half-hour long lightsaber duel montage. Which I love for the eye candy but really.) But I like it because it gives me space to play. And because even if the complexity isn't intentional, there's enough there for me to play with.