EPISODE VIII: MAINTAINING THE LIGHT!

Having only just escape the threat of the First Order fleet thanks to the brave but doomed Admiral Holdo, General Leia Organa recognises the potential leadership skills of her friend and Resistance comrade Poe Dameron, in this great posed image from The Last Jedi.

'THE FORCE AWAKENS' AT 45: THE FISHER FACTOR!

A lovely shot of Carrie Fisher as Leia, being tended to by make-up artists for an ultimately deleted scene.

She was one of the key figures in bringing down the Galactic Empire that brought so much death, misery, death and tyranny in its wake, but thirty years of relative peace and stability with the New Republic, of which she was one of its prime leaders, was sadly not to last. With the emergent First Order making its ploy to take over from the Empire, General Leia Organa has no choice but to lead an all-new Resistance against such a powerful and potentially overwhelming threat that has been ignored too long by her soon dead political colleagues. And this battle is even more personal now, what with the disappearance of her brother, and fellow Jedi, Luke Skywalker, alongside the loss of her only son, Kylo Ren, to the Dark Side and to the First Order's leader, Snoke. And then comes the soon and tragic murder by Ren of her ex-husband, his father, Han Solo...

"Together again!" Ford and Fisher reunited in a publicity image.

Carrie Fisher's return to the Star Wars Saga with The Force Awakens was most welcome, of which she delivered a fine performance in her memorable scenes alongside Harrison Ford...

Leading the Resistance.

Monitoring oncoming dangers with Admiral Statura (Ken Leung) at the Resistance Base.

Finding new hope with the newly arrived Rey.

Leia sends Rey off to find her brother, whilst preparing the Resistance for new conflicts.

'JEDI' AT 40: SPEEDY PURSUITS!

The chase is on for Luke and Leia as they commandeer a speeder bike to pursue and stop Imperial Scout Troops from giving away the Rebels secret arrival on Endor, during one of the many highlight action sequences beloved by fans worldwide from Return of the Jedi.

Check out this great from-animatics-to-shooting comparison of the exciting sequence from filmmaker Luke Asa Guidici. 

EPISODE VIII: MYTHIC MARVELS!

Celebrating the fifth anniversary of Rian Johnson's unique vision for The Last Jedi, here are the lovely pieces of publicity/merchandise portrait art by Steve Anderson celebrating most of the saga's then key characters. Some of the images also ended up being used on TOPPS Cards of the time.

TOPPS exclusive card.

Another TOPPS rarity.

CLASSIC ART: DARKNESS FALLS, AS AN 'HEIR TO THE EMPIRE' IS REVEALED...

Deservedly acclaimed sci-fi novelist Timothy Zahn's epic relaunch of the Star Wars saga post ROTJ with The Thrawn Trilogy back from 1991 onwards hasn't diminished either in its imaginative and thrilling storytelling power or via its enduring fan popularity. The thrilling tale of the Empire's fight back, led by iconic alien tactician Grand Admiral Thrawn, certainly made for a great transfer to comic book series adaptation, from Dark Horse, back in 1996. Here's one of the great cover spreads for the Heir to the Empire compilation, featuring stunning art by Mathieu Lauffay.

Lucasfilm, isn't it about time that The Thrawn Trilogy was finally made into a (non-canon if necessary) animated mini-series for Disney+? In general, what is stopping the two companies from making the kind of exciting animated adventures for the Classic Trilogy era that we all want to see? Or is the upcoming Ahsoka series, with our main hero's search for Grand Admiral Thrawn, planning some kind of alternate live-action version of Heir?

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: EXPLORING BESPIN!

On their way to a special meal that they'll never forget, our heroes are given a guided tour of sorts of Cloud City by their friend and benefactor Lando Calrissian. 

With only a few sets able to be created on one of the smaller stages of Elstree Studios, the filmmakers redress Cloud City's corridors as much as possible to look different to viewers. A variety of human/alien residents are barely seen in the finished sequence (the shot footage having been cut for time), including a small group of children, with adult supervision, roaming the main corridor in an early scene (likely hired from a London stage school for background use), but some are presented here...

Ugnaughts confer whilst a Bespin Guard (Alan Harris) watches the scene.

Ugnaughts with their human work colleague.

A reference image for future Kenner toy figure usage.

Carrie Fisher has fun with the smaller actors on set.

Seen in the distant background, alien masks reused from the original Star Wars Cantina/Mos Eisley UK filmed scenes: Snaggletooth and a Mosep.

Cathy Munroe (as Snaggletooth) and actor colleague on set.

The never seen on screen alien humanoid Cloud City security guard (actor unknown).

Make-up test images, or part of filmed but deleted footage?

EPISODE VII: THE HEART OF THE RESISTANCE!

The ultimate Star Wars heroine returns in this memorable digitally-enhanced key art for The Force Awakens.

The galaxy is in building crisis once again, its New Republic struggling to cope, of which only the strength, wisdom and continued leadership of General Leia Organa can prevail as she rallies friends old and new to her cause - the new Resistance - against the emergent threat of the building-in-military strength First Order, coming in from the Unknown Regions.

A terrific and iconic publicity shot of Carrie Fisher as Leia Organa, from The Force Awakens, used as important character key art for the film and signifying the return of the Classic Trilogy's most popular heroes.

Original stills image.

EPISODE VII: AWAKE AND FORCE-FUL!

A new destiny for a young and spirited scavenger girl on a world far away from anything, and the beginning of an epic adventure bringing new and old universes of the Star Wars saga together for a triumphant and acclaimed resurrection of the epic franchise in 2015. The Force truly awakens in this terrific fan composition celebrating the film's key characters and revised icon hardware for fans old and new to savour.

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: CORRIDOR CHAOS!

As Threepio races to catch up behind them, Han and Leia make their way through the wrecked Rebel base corridors for escape. But soon enough cataclysmic damage cuts them off from the final transport vessel...

EPISODE VIII: A ROYAL TASTE TEST!

The ever up-for-it Carrie Fisher is getting a different kind of lip service than usual on the set of The Last Jedi at Pinewood Studios, from daughter Billie Lourd no less- the pair would make the most of any quality time for gags, and for another goofball behind the scenes image.

Enjoy the blooper reel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAi3GgwhDR0&feature=youtu.be

Billie Lourd on EPISODE IX:
https://www.etonline.com/why-billie-lourd-says-star-wars-episode-ix-is-magical-exclusive-113697

EPISODE VII: STILL A PRINCESS, STILL A SCOUNDREL!

They may have grown apart with the loss of their son to the Dark Side, but Han and Leia's love for each other remains strong in difficult times, as seen when the pair say goodbye at the beginning of another dangerous, ultimately fatal mission for the smuggler, in this great image from The Force Awakens.

EPISODE IX: OF BELIEF AND COURAGE!

Bidding her dedicated and spirited Jedi pupil Rey a subtle and knowing goodbye in her mission to find the deadly realms of Exegol, General Leia Organa is equally aware that the next phase of her own life destiny in the Force will soon be determined, in a memorable and emotional moment from The Rise of Skywalker, out now on US Home Entertainment formats.

More on how Carrie Fisher/Leia was resurrected for EPISODE IX:

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2019-12-20/star-wars-rise-of-skywalker-leia-carrie-fisher-brother

https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2493553/star-wars-the-rise-of-skywalker-originally-gave-leia-another-fight?fbclid=IwAR2KZlnW6VvIvZv3xVRS_Vd6YM4EWt0TnDiufX7DdF7OT79MXmFbTGxc4vU

EPISODE IX: PASSING THE TORCH!

Finally, the Skywalker lineage is fully represented on this lovely movie poster art promoting The Rise of Skywalker's upcoming arrival in IMAX.

STARWARS.COM official cast Q and A:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJSNn7wGiIo&t=3s

People TV celebrates:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prCzzwO4OOA

NEW: 'Adventure' TV spot:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9E4yxmserwg

New 'Celebrate' TV spot:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlb0aUZKQpk

New 'Hold On' TV spot:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEMYlPA5Q7g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zsp8iOt76YU&list=PL148kCvXk8pA7e3BmCGqQLTnVTZ9-GrYC&index=6

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/carrie-fisher-knew-jj-abrams-would-direct-star-wars-film-1258075

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-7754487/Star-Wars-Daisy-Ridley-confesses-struggled-filming-scenes-late-Carrie-Fisher.html

Carrie Fisher as Leia Organa, holding Luke's repaired lightsaber, as seen in the new EPISODE IX trailer.

EPISODE IX: THE ORGANA LEGACY!

The time has come for General Leia Organa to partially step back from the fight against the First Order in some respects, but not before launching her friends, her comrades, her new family, on a critical search mission at the start to EPISODE IX.

Back in 2018, AFICIONADO made an online blog request asking for the Star Wars/Lucasfilm movie team to find some way of using deleted footage and CGI wizadry in somehow bringing Carrie Fisher and General Leia Organa into the epic conclusion that is EPISODE IX. They likely never saw a word of what was written regardless, but we're glad and say 'Thank you!' that J.J. Abrams and company, alongside the Fisher family/estate, were able to find that special and surely emotional on screen way of doing so.

https://screenrant.com/star-wars-9-princess-leia-last-jedi-carrie-fisher-death/

https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/star-wars-rise-of-skywalker-leia-lightsaber-jedi/