Luke Skywalker Was Supposed To Train Leia Before Star Wars Sequel Trilogy

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

Who better to have as your first Padawan than your twin sister?

Star Wars fans can run through the events of the series' original trilogy (and even its much-maligned prequel collection) with ease, rattling off all the minute details leading up to Lucasfilm's sequel trilogy that kicked off with The Force Awakens, in which we learn that Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) previously opened a Jedi Academy and trained his nephew Ben Solo/Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) to be an expert fighter. In writer-director Rian Johnson's The Last Jedi, fans watch as Luke teaches (albeit reluctantly) the head-strong Rey (Daisy Ridley) the ways of the Force. 

But as it turns out, neither Kylo nor Rey were supposed to be Luke's very first Padawan. That spot was reserved for Luke's sister, Leia (Carrie Fisher). 

Lucasfilm Story Group head Pablo Hidalgo revealed in his newest book Star Wars: The Last Jedi – The Visual Dictionary that Luke propositioned Leia to be the first would-be Jedi he trained when he established his academy between the events of Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens. Leia declined, as she had bigger fish to fry in tending to her responsibilities amongst the new Galactic Republic. 

As Hidalgo explained (via ScreenRant), "Skywalker's first student was to be his sister, Leia. However, she ultimately decided that the best path for her to serve the galaxy left no room for the extended isolation of Jedi training."

And so, the two Skywalkers embarked on different journeys. Leia focused on her "new family and senatorial politics," while Luke disappeared from galactic view, gathering "disciples who would go on to become his first true students." These, of course, include Ben Solo, who eventually succumbed to the temptation from the dark side of the Force, despite his best efforts to find and maintain balance. 

Though Luke never formally trained Leia, she isn't entirely without Force powers of her own. In The Last Jedi, she displays a strength that left most viewers stunned, but caused plenty more Star Wars loyals to cry out in confusion. It happens during scene in the film where the First Order obliterates the bridge of the Resistance ship Raddus, instantly killing everyone (rest in peace, Admiral Ackbar) within the explosion's radius. Leia miraculously survives the attack–and then uses the Force to pull herself back into the ship. 

Sadly, considering Fisher passed away in late 2016, we know that Leia's story will come to an official end in director J.J. Abrams Star Wars: Episode IX, thus meaning we likely won't ever get to see the character's full Force potential. Ah, what could have been...