Editing Princess Leia (section)

===Metal bikini===
[[File:Carrie Fisher aka Princess Leia figure at Madame Tussauds London (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright|Princess Leia figure wearing the metal bikini costume at [[Madame Tussauds London]]]]
Leia's slave costume when she is held captive by [[Jabba the Hutt]] at the beginning of ''Return of the Jedi''—made of brass and dubbed Leia's "Metal Bikini" or "Gold Bikini"—immediately made the character (and Fisher) a "generational [[sex symbol]]" celebrated by [[pin-up]] posters,<ref name="EW Schou"/><ref name="Merlock 79">{{cite book |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fHgKDWAZ0SIC&dq=princess+leia+slave+costume+copper&pg=PA79 |title=Sex, Politics, and Religion in Star Wars |chapter=Lightsabers, Political Arenas, and Marriages |first1=Ray |last1=Merlock |first2=Kathy |last2=Merlock Jackson |date=2012 |page=79 |publisher=[[Scarecrow Press]] |editor-first1=Douglas |editor-last1=Brode |editor-first2=Leah |editor-last2=Deyneka |isbn=978-0-8108-8515-8 |access-date=November 19, 2020 |via=[[Google Books]] |archive-date=July 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230715035210/https://books.google.com/books?id=fHgKDWAZ0SIC&dq=princess+leia+slave+costume+copper&pg=PA79 |url-status=live }}</ref> and later merchandising and [[cosplay]].<ref name="WP Bikini"/><ref name="Blastr Merch"/><ref name="SWCA"/><ref name="Townsend">{{cite news |title=Princess Leia's Gold Bikini in ''Return of the Jedi'' |first=Allie |last=Townsend |date=July 5, 2011 |url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2081310_2080985_2081016,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110709010359/http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2081310_2080985_2081016,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 9, 2011 |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |access-date=August 15, 2013}}</ref> Philip Chien of ''[[Wired (website)|Wired]]'' wrote in 2006, "There's no doubt that the sight of Carrie Fisher in the gold sci-fi swimsuit was burned into the sweaty subconscious of a generation of fanboys hitting puberty in the spring of 1983."<ref name="Wired">{{cite magazine |last=Chien |first=Philip |date=July 11, 2006 |title=The Cult of Leia's Metal Bikini |url=http://archive.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/2006/07/71267 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161227174837/https://www.wired.com/2006/07/the-cult-of-leias-metal-bikini/ |archive-date=December 27, 2016 |access-date=March 14, 2019 |magazine=[[Wired (website)|Wired]]}}</ref> Fisher said in 2015, "I am not a sex symbol, so that's an opinion of someone. I don't share that".<ref>{{Cite interview |date=October 28, 2015 |title=Daisy Ridley |url=https://www.interviewmagazine.com/film/daisy-ridley |access-date=June 1, 2024 |website=[[Interview (magazine)|Interview]] |first=Daisy |last=Ridley |subject-link=Daisy Ridley |interviewer=[[Carrie Fisher]] |archive-date=August 25, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240825001026/https://www.interviewmagazine.com/film/daisy-ridley |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=McMillan |first=Graeme |date=October 30, 2015 |title=''Star Wars'': Carrie Fisher Tells Daisy Ridley 'Don't Be a Slave Like I Was' |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/star-wars-carrie-fisher-tells-835546/ |access-date=September 18, 2022 |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |language=en-US |archive-date=September 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220920170805/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/star-wars-carrie-fisher-tells-835546/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Allie Townsend of ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' wrote in 2011 that the so-called "slave Leia" outfit has gained a cult following of its own.<ref name="Townsend"/> Rosenberg noted that "the costume has become culturally iconic in a way that has slipped loose from the context of the scenes in which Leia wore it and the things she does after she is forced into the outfit."<ref name="WP Bikini"/>  Acknowledging the opinion of some that the "slave Leia" iconography tarnishes the character's position as "feminist hero",<ref name="WP Bikini"/> Rosenberg argued:
{{Blockquote|Leia may be captive in these scenes, but she's not exactly a compliant fantasy. Instead, she's biding her time for the moment when she can put that fury into action, carrying out a carefully laid plan to rescue her lover. And when that moment comes, the bikini doesn't condemn Leia to passivity. She rises, and uses the very chains that bind her to strangle the creature who tried to take away her power by turning her into a sex object.<ref name="WP Bikini"/>}}

Science fiction filmmaker Letia Clouston concurred, saying "Sci-fi has had a long history of strong female characters. Yes, Princess Leia was in a gold bikini, but she was also the one who single-handedly killed Jabba. When you take into account movies and TV shows like ''[[Terminator (franchise)|Terminator]]'', ''[[Alien (franchise)|Aliens]]'', ''[[Battlestar Galactica]]'', and even video games like ''[[Metroid]]'', you can see sci-fi has consistently promoted the strength of women more than any other genre."<ref name="EW Schou"/> Peter W. Lee argues that the bikini connotes Leia's hopelessness and helplessness, but even in that demeaning costume she retains her dignity and remains an icon of feminism.<ref>{{cite book |first=Peter W. |last=Lee |title=A Galaxy Here and Now: Historical and Cultural Readings of Star Wars |pages=68–69 |publisher=[[McFarland & Co.]] |date=2016 |isbn=978-1-4766-2408-2}}</ref> Noah Berlatsky argued in ''[[The Guardian]]'' for a deeper significance to the costume beyond its function as a sex symbol, stating that the outfit represents an important stage in Princess Leia's complicated relationship with [[Han Solo]].<ref>{{cite news |work=[[The Guardian]] |title=The 'slave Leia' controversy is about more than objectification |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/nov/05/slave-leia-controversy-star-wars-objectification |first=Noah |last=Berlatsky |date=November 5, 2015 |access-date=December 29, 2016 |archive-date=October 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231004104109/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/nov/05/slave-leia-controversy-star-wars-objectification |url-status=live }}</ref>

The outfit was created by [[Aggie Guerard Rodgers]] and [[Nilo Rodis-Jamero]], costume designers for ''Return of the Jedi''.<ref name="Wired"/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Princess Leia Slave Costume |url=http://www.padawansguide.com/leia_bikini.shtml |access-date=May 26, 2024 |website=The Padawan's Guide |archive-date=May 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210516201307/http://www.padawansguide.com/leia_bikini.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> According to Rodgers, the design was inspired by the work of fantasy illustrator [[Frank Frazetta]].<ref name="Wired"/> Author [[Rikke Schubart]] suggested the design was also inspired by the work of science fiction illustrator [[Earle K. Bergey]].<ref>{{cite book|first=Rikke|last=Schubart|title=Super Bitches and Action Babes: The Female Hero in Popular Cinema, 1970–2006|page=225|publisher=[[McFarland & Co.]]|date=2007|isbn=978-0-7864-2924-0}}</ref> The outfit featured a sculpted metal [[string bikini]] top, paired with a bottom consisting of sculpted metal plates in the front and back covering a red silk [[loincloth]]. Fisher wore leather boots, serpentine jewelry and a collar and chain that bound her to her captor, which she ultimately uses to strangle him.<ref name="Merlock 79"/> Multiple versions of the metal bikini were created to accommodate different scenes in the film, including metal pieces by sculptor [[Richard Miller (visual effects)|Richard Miller]] for scenes in which Fisher remained still,<ref name="Wired"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2022/12/richard-miller-dead-sculptor-behind-princess-leia-gold-bikini-1235195768/|title=Richard Miller Dies: Sculptor Behind Princess Leia's Gold Bikini Was 80|first1=Armando|last1=Tinoco|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|date=December 10, 2022|access-date=December 11, 2022|archive-date=June 3, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240603040400/https://deadline.com/2022/12/richard-miller-dead-sculptor-behind-princess-leia-gold-bikini-1235195768/|url-status=live}}</ref> and a rubber version she and stuntwoman Tracy Eddon could wear comfortably while performing stunts.<ref name=Wired/> The costume designers made a mold of Fisher's torso so it could be designed to a custom fit.<ref name="Wired"/> Fisher quipped that the bikini was "what supermodels will eventually wear in the seventh ring of hell."<ref name="Newsweek"/>

Fisher posed in the costume for a 1983 cover story in ''[[Rolling Stone]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.giantfreakinrobot.com/scifi/carrie-fisher-talks-feminism-gold-bikinis-vintage-return-jedi-rolling-stone-interview.html |title=Carrie Fisher Talks Feminism and Gold Bikinis in Vintage ''Return of the Jedi'' ''Rolling Stone'' Interview |website=GiantFreakinRobot |date=November 29, 2013 |first=David |last=Wharton |access-date=November 28, 2015 |archive-date=June 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240603050413/https://www.giantfreakinrobot.com/ent/scifi/carrie-fisher-talks-feminism-gold-bikinis-vintage-return-jedi-rolling-stone-interview.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Wild|first=Chris|title=1983: The Gold Bikini at the Beach, Because that Makes Sense|url=https://mashable.com/2016/01/04/princess-leia-beach/|access-date=July 22, 2020|website=[[Mashable]]|date=January 4, 2016|language=en|archive-date=July 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200723011332/https://mashable.com/2016/01/04/princess-leia-beach/|url-status=live}}</ref> The costume has been parodied in various TV series and films, including ''[[Friends]]'' (1996), ''[[Family Guy]]'' (2000) and ''[[Fanboys (film)|Fanboys]]'' (2009).<ref name="EW Film+TV"/><ref name="Wired"/><ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/movies/princess-leia-pop-culture/|title=Princess Leia Costumes in Pop Culture|first=Breanne L.|last=Heldman|date=December 28, 2016|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211123075143/https://ew.com/movies/princess-leia-pop-culture/|archive-date=November 23, 2021|access-date=June 2, 2024|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Yvonne Strahovski]]'s appearance wearing the costume in ''[[Chuck (TV series)|Chuck]]'' (2009) prompted ''[[Wizard (magazine)|Wizard]]'' to rank her No. 24 of the 25 sexiest women on TV in 2008.<ref>{{cite web |work=[[Wizard (magazine)|Wizard]] |date=February 18, 2008 |url=http://www.wizarduniverse.com/02180825hottvwomen.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080225195555/http://www.wizarduniverse.com/02180825hottvwomen.html |archive-date=February 25, 2008 |title=Top 25 Sexiest Women on TV |access-date=December 1, 2015 |first=Jake |last=Rossen |author2=''Wizard'' Staff}}</ref> ''[[IGN]]'' gave Strahovski the top honor in a similar list.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://stars.ign.com/articles/852/852183p5.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080225213611/http://stars.ign.com/articles/852/852183p5.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 25, 2008 |website=[[IGN]] |title=25 Boob Tube Babes |date=February 15, 2008 |access-date=December 1, 2015}}</ref> Comedian [[Amy Schumer]] wore a replica of the outfit for the August 2015 cover of ''[[GQ]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gq.com/gallery/amy-schumer-photos-star-wars-trainwreck#1 |title=Photos: Amy Schumer's Sexy ''Star Wars''-Themed ''GQ'' Shoot |work=[[GQ]] |first=Mark |last=Seliger |date=July 15, 2015 |access-date=November 28, 2015 |archive-date=November 17, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117160627/http://www.gq.com/gallery/amy-schumer-photos-star-wars-trainwreck#1 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.ew.com/article/2015/07/16/amy-schumer-star-wars-gq-cover |title=Amy Schumer's sultry ''Star Wars'' cover wasn't authorized by Lucasfilm |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |first=Anthony |last=Breznican |author-link=Anthony Breznican |date=July 16, 2015 |access-date=October 26, 2015 |archive-date=October 26, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151026081346/http://www.ew.com/article/2015/07/16/amy-schumer-star-wars-gq-cover |url-status=live }}</ref>

An original rubber version of the costume sold for $96,000 at auction in 2015,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/princess-leias-star-wars-bikini-829279/|title=Princess Leia's ''Star Wars'' Bikini Costume Sells for $96K at Auction|first=Natalie|last=Stone|website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date=October 3, 2015|access-date=June 1, 2024|archive-date=January 27, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230127192952/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/princess-leias-star-wars-bikini-829279/|url-status=live}}</ref> and another version sold for $175,000 in 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2024-08-01 |title=The Notorious Gold Bikini Worn by Princess Leia in 'Star Wars' Is a Hit at Auction |url=https://news.artnet.com/art-world/star-wars-princess-leia-bikini-sale-2519177 |access-date=2024-08-06 |website=Artnet |language=en-US |archive-date=August 6, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240806015321/https://news.artnet.com/art-world/star-wars-princess-leia-bikini-sale-2519177 |url-status=live }}</ref>
Despite its iconic status among many fans of the franchise, the slave Leia outfit has sometimes incited controversy.<ref>{{cite book|first1=Carl|last1=Silvio|first2=Tony M.|last2=Vinci|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VVKQBQAAQBAJ&q=bikini&pg=PR4|title=Culture, Identities, and Technology in the Star Wars Films|page=117|publisher=[[McFarland & Co.]]|date=2007|isbn=978-0-7864-2910-3|via=[[Google Books]]|access-date=May 27, 2024|archive-date=May 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527101543/https://books.google.com/books?id=VVKQBQAAQBAJ&q=bikini&pg=PR4|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="fox 29">{{Cite web|url=https://www.fox29.com/news/2029186-story |date=July 13, 2015 |first=Chris |last=O'Connell |title=''Star Wars'' Action Figure Has Parents Furious |publisher=[[WTXF-TV]] Fox 29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160205205854/http://www.fox29.com/news/2029186-story |archive-date=February 5, 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref> In response to a 2015 news segment in which parents described difficulties explaining toys featuring the costume (including a chain around Leia's neck) to their children, Fisher said, "Tell [the kids] 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."<ref name="fox 29"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/carrie-fisher-on-her-return-to-star-wars-1449088590|title=Carrie Fisher on Her Return to ''Star Wars''|first=Michael|last=Calia|website=[[Wall Street Journal]]|date=December 3, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151203042728/https://www.wsj.com/articles/carrie-fisher-on-her-return-to-star-wars-1449088590|archive-date=December 3, 2015|url-status=live|url-access=subscription}}</ref>