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In the world of Star Wars, some plot points will never stop being the butt of endless jokes. And the one that started it all was the fact that before they were revealed to be brother and sister, Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia shared what would become an infamous kiss in The Empire Strikes Back. And after 41 years, even Mark Hamill himself can’t stop cracking wise about this moment that fans have never let go of.
Coincidentally, it was thanks to the 41st anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back that Hamill was even given another opportunity to raise the subject. Fellow Star Wars alum Stephen Stanton celebrated the day himself, thanks to a post that showed off a rather rare trailer for the second film in the classic trilogy. As the avid tweeter himself, Mark Hamill shared that very post on his Twitter, talking up Harrison Ford's narration, but also could help but take a jab at the polarizing kiss:
Now, before some of you in the audience start asking questions, yes, the moment from this trailer that shows off Luke and Leia’s kiss is a deleted scene. With Mark Hamill’s moon jockey definitely trying to put a move on the Alderaanian princess he’d met back in Star Wars, there was almost even more of a romantic undercurrent included in The Empire Strikes Back. Ultimately, that scene would be cut, and the finale to Luke and Leia’s “innocestuous” relationship in this film would play out in a moment of comedy gold:
So technically, we can ignore the part where Luke makes a move on Leia in this trailer for The Empire Strikes Back, as it’s debatable whether a deleted scene is canon or not. Which leaves things audiences cannot ignore in the long run: and that first thing is the fact that the kiss eventually did happen, by the hand of Carrie Fisher’s iconic Star Wars character. It’s more lighthearted, and way less shocking than it would have been originally, but it’s still something that can be discussed in light of that original trilogy apparently following the important franchise rule of “having a plan.”
However, the other thing that can’t be ignored is the fact that Harrison Ford’s voiceover in this original version of The Empire Strikes Back’s trailer is absolutely astounding. Embodying the old-timey flare that George Lucas sought to bring back to life with the Star Wars saga, Ford absolutely brings down the house with energy and salesmanship, as he sells a piece of sci-fi history as it was happening. You have to wonder if the folks in charge of giving Blade Runner a voiceover made that decision after having seen this trailer.
Even in the light of Mark Hamill’s constant jokes about certain aspects of the Star Wars legacy, it’s a saga that stands the test of time. And part of the reason it does is because of moments like this deleted scene in a rarely seen trailer that get fans and actors alike talking. Of course, the other parts of that legacy are the results of the finished films themselves, and those “other” stories that folks like Hamill will “never kiss and tell” about.
You can enjoy it all for yourself on Disney+, as the entire Star Wars saga, past and present, is available for your viewing pleasure. Should you not already be a subscriber, you can sign up using this link, which will get you access to that platform, as well as ESPN+ and Hulu as part of the bundle.
