Some controversial aspects of Han and Leia's relationship

Very true. Though it makes some sense from a certain point of view. The Male and Female had been estranged from each other for so long at that point - they've each been pummeled by the Empire without the support of the other for so long, the trust has atrophied.

Also, I feel it is appropriate for Leia's character, is it not? She and Padme both hold their cards close, and are not afraid to set boundaries ("Don't look at me like that, it makes me uncomfortable"). Similar constiutions, but Leia had to adapt to the corrupt, hostile Empire in which she has been surrounded by overt corruption and oppression. She had to adopt a combative front to assert her place in the galaxy. Padme could afford to be more demure and possess a more neutral posture. Also Anakin was not aggressive towards her like Han was to Leia. Once she set her boundaries, there were no aggressions, only diplomacies.

It's almost as if Han represents the culture of the Empiral-infuenced galaxy at that time. Han, like Anakin, the Male, had become somewhat corrupted. And Leia represents the the good left in the human heart - it had to form an armed resistance. Then the two proceed with their dance of striking and defending. Once war had broken the galaxy, it manifested in the Male/Female dynamic.


Their's was also a popular style of movie romance of the time. Following on the heels of the Women's Liberation movement. It was a product of it's time, which is unusual for SW, so perhaps I'm assuming incorrectly here. Anakin & Padme's was obviously very far removed from modern romance styles, which we know has led to negative fan reactions. I mean, Han & Leia's still feels appropriate and consistent with their characters, I just wonder how much of that was coincidence and how much was tailoring to current trends.

So, what I would say is; the broken connection and alienation is the point. It's the tragedy, which we witness being slowly reversed, through them. And Luke while he's simultaneously becoming the vessel through which the Light of the Force returns to the galaxy.
As cringe-worthy as it can be seen, ultimately, despite this, I feel, during this time of war, it is fitting in it's own beat-poetic way. Yes, it's the Episode of the OT with the love story, but it's also the "dark one".

Above all though, my final answer is always; take in the music. There is a sweet tenderness to their music during certain scenes that underscores the true core underneath their facades. Wonderfully contrasting, in it's fleeting moments, the thunderously amped up, bombastic, Imperial March themes taking up so much of the musical landscape of the film.
And in the end, just like her mother, Leia confesses her feelings only when a moment comes when she feels she may not see him again.

The music letting us in on their secret inner tenderness for each other prepares us for their non-aggressive moments, which provide relief from and contrast to the destructive conflict erupting in the galaxy at the time. "Join me, and we can end this destructive conflict."

Speaking about music, my favorite piece of OT is the March of the Empire and I always liked it more than the main theme. The Empire has no fashion (as Lucas said) but at least taste for good music.
But if we speak seriously, yes I agree that the tenderness is the key. I miss it in this part of the story. I know that the times of the Empire are rough and even Leia no matter that she is princess, should look the less tenderly possible to survive ( I completely understand that) still I miss the tenderness of Shmi and Padme in OT. TO a degree, aunt Beru had it, but she appeared for a very short time in the movies.

That's really reaching. Honestly, talk of any sort of sexual predatory behaviour in these movies is reaching. To classify Han's behaviour as sexual predatory, one would need to ignore all the context and build up that led to that scene.

I wouldn't observe any of the courtship interludes from Star Wars, PT (Victorian), OT (Hawksian) nor ST (Gothic), as being "predatory". Such is one of those terms that's lost too much of its meaning now days, having been fanatically inflated and therein reduced to a stigmatic standard (don't even get me started on the term "rapey" ...ugh). Han with Leia for instance is certainly antagonistic, yes, but not predatory. The latter verdict merely extrapolates a few vague, interchangeable characteristics while dismissing the context of the whole. It's projection. Human intimacy has not the luxury of pamphlet guideline simplicity but, rather, makes for an inherently complex and challenging thing. People have their hangups, even Star Wars characters; they wouldn't be characters if they didn't. The thematic setup at work here is that Leia -- brassy, fast-talking, princess freedom-fighter of the Rebellion -- resides emotionally behind a hard exterior. Han provokes her, imposes himself upon her at times, by virtue of the only language he knows, that of a scoundrel-romantic, but also in attempt to break through said exterior. Yet such constitutes only an identity breach, not an ethical one: Leia's position is not being exploited nor her integrity compromised. She is depicted in slight as longing for Han while stuck fast in her armor. Han's game is finding the chink.

All of this could be dismissed as but the rationalization of any predator. But only in theory. What we are afforded here is the full story view, accounting for both sides. And nowhere do I for one think the premise of predation applies.

Thanks!

I see Han and Leia's romance as representing the dialectic between individualism (Han) and collectivism (Leia).

Han has to learn how to make individual sacrifices for the good of the collective, while Leia has to learn how to differentiate herself from the collective so she can flourish as an individual. Their union represents a sustainable synthesis of the two seemingly conflicting values, reflected outward in the new society they help bring forth. 

Their successful relationship is in a way a redemption of Anakin and Padme's failed relationship, which represented the same conflict but could not achieve true synthesis, which led to the downfall of their society. 

As final result -if I can say so-, Leia-Han relationship succeeds but because both of them change a little. Or more precisely said, Han changes a lot and Leia not so much,e except that she decided to be open to her personal feelings. The real connection between them begins when Han decided to make a step back and let Leia be with the one she had chosen to (according to Han). This is something that Han the smuggler would never do. So for me this is where their love truly begins. I still fail to understand how exactly Leia fell in love with Han of ep.5. yes she is attracted to him, but that is not enough especially for Leia who is ready to suppress her feelings in the name of the common good. I still think that the scene 'I love you/I know' exists to create dramatic momentum in TESB regarding Han potential death in the carbonite, but it is in complete contradiction with Leia confused behavior about Luke after this scene (I mean still in TESB, not to to mention Ep.6) if she is not sure about her feelings, well, Leia is not the type who will say words like 'I love you' just like that.

For the record, I wouldn't consider Anakin-Padme relationship as failed. The one who failed is Anakin and he failed so deep that he had lost all, including the meaning of his life, Padme, so this is his punishment, the price he paid. Is not that the relationship itself wouldn't work of he didn't fail. The relationship indeed was doomed for Anakin actions and choices that's why in the end he looses it all.

I'm guessing Tony is referring to Leia appearing to have unresolved feelings toward Luke until the bridge conversation ("Do you remember your mother? Your real mother?") in Episode VI. But this, for me, doesn't invalidate Leia blurting out that she loves Han when he's about to be frozen. In fact, it explains why Han rather stoically says, "I know". Han can't be sure that Leia truly loves him at this point in their story, and he's trying to spare her dignity (in addition to having insecurities of his own) by not echoing her love pledge unconditionally -- not on Bespin, not yet. The Force is strong with them, but they are not a couple yet.

In Episode VI, we see Han's fears and doubts rising to petulant anger when he feels excluded by Leia in favour of Luke: "Could you tell Luke? Is that who you could tell?" This tension is only resolved after Han says he is prepared to step aside if Leia loves Luke, but then he hears something totally unexpected when Leia tells him, "It's not like that at all. He's my brother." All of a sudden, moments after the Death Star has been destroyed and fear and hate have been conquered and the galaxy freed, Han and Luke are no longer love rivals, and this is confirmed when Luke returns to Endor for the Ewok celebration and they embrace one another -- as if for the first time -- as true brothers and equals. 

It obviously didn't emerge just because of the bridge conversation. The bridge conversation merely showed his fear/jealousy reaching a crescendo or release point.

Han's rivalry with Luke, and the mixed emotions stirred within Han because of it, are shown in two pivotal scenes in the preceding films. 

Note the change in tone between these two scenes. In particular, note how the long, heavy stare Han makes as Luke walks off on Echo Base is in total contrast to the final shot of Han in the Falcon cockpit in the earlier scene in ANH. A shadow has fallen between them by TESB (it is a "darker" film, after all), and that shadow is Leia, or Han's jealousy toward Luke (or Han's fear that Leia likes Luke more and that Luke is more suitable for her):