Carrie Fisher — a Symbol for Empowerment and Strength

Christmas Eve 2016, Carrie Fisher was on her way home to Los Angeles from London when she started having a massive heart attack. She was administered CPR and was rushed to the in intensive care unit of the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical center where the humorist, actress and renowned author died four days later.

Best known as the iconic Princess Leia from “Star Wars”, Carrie Fisher was destined for stardom. Her mother was actress, singer and humanitarian, Debbie Reynolds, and her father was the notorious singer and actor Eddie Fisher.

She was 21 years old when the 1977 film “Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope”, originally titled “Star Wars” was released, thrusting her into the spotlight of fame.

As Princess Leia, Fisher became a beacon of girl power by showing that the damsel-in-distress can also be the heroine of her own story. She was a woman on a set surrounded by testosterone and could hold her own with her execution of Princess Leia, whose wit, bravery, and strength helped make the movie popular in pop culture.

Fisher created a generation of young women who were not afraid to be powerful and confident. Before Katniss Everdeen, Hermione Granger or even Rey from “The Force Awakens”, there was Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan, the original pop culture queen of adventure and heroism. Girls around the world sported the famous cinnamon-bun rolled hair and imagined battle “in a galaxy far, far away.”

Fisher displayed her tenacity off and on screen when questioned on her other iconic “Star Wars” look, a metal bikini forced upon the Princess when enslaved by a grotesque, slug-like alien called Jabba the Hutt.

After much uproar from parents about whether the outfit should be featured on film merchandise, Fisher told the disgruntled parents in a Wall Street Journal article to “tell them [the children] that a giant slug captured me and forced me to wear that stupid outfit, and then I killed him because I didn’t like it. And then I took it off. Backstage.”

She defended her character who was more than a two-dimensional sexual icon, she was a warrior that didn’t allow her injustices to go unpunished.

Even after the original trilogy was over, the battle was not. Princess Leia had in fact continued to fight the good fight, becoming General Leia Organa in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”, again, showing the world that a strong woman does not have to sit in the corner for her male counterparts. She exhibited that women must stand up for what is right, and need to remember that they have the strength to fight for their beliefs.

With the resurgence of the franchise, new generations and audience will be able to once again identify with the character and be able to once again believe in their own courage.

Even after four decades, Fisher is influencing those who have felt silenced and unable to fight injustices.

The recent Women’s March is evidence that Fisher’s legacy lives on. As a woman who led a rebellion against oppression, Princess Leia was a symbol for marchers, some of whom dressed up like the character; others used her face on their signs or even posed her as Rosie the Riveter.

Princess Leia is a landmark for empowerment and strength. Carrie Fisher was able to embody all of her intelligence, humor and power into this character. She created a new hope.