Leia retained the surname “Organa” in Star Wars, a family name that has far deeper meaning than just hiding the fact she was a Skywalker. Obi-Wan Kenobi and Master Yoda may have done their best to hide the young Luke and Leia from the Empire, but they don’t appear to have been particularly imaginative. Luke was brought up with family, although Obi-Wan Kenobi explains that decision; the Jedi believed Anakin dead after his defeat on Mustafar, meaning they never thought the Empire would head back to Tatooine.
On the face of it, Leia was better hidden. She was adopted by Breha and Bail Organa, the queen and senator of Alderaan. Leia’s new homeworld of Alderaan had historic links to Naboo, which likely meant Bail and Breha could find ways to honor Leia’s heritage. But even this was a gamble, because the Empire was sure to put pressure on Bail, meaning there was the potential Darth Vader would sense Leia’s Force-sensitivity. Still, at least Leia wasn’t brought up with the surname “Skywalker” – but her new surname was more than just a way of hiding from the Empire.
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Leia Was Adopted Into House Organa
Leia was formally adopted by Breha and Bail Organa, who presented her as one of countless infants to have been orphaned during the Clone Wars. As Bail noted in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, his wife had been unable to bear a child. This was particularly important because the Organas were the royal line in a matrilineal society, one where the succession ran through the female child. They needed a daughter, explaining Bail’s decision to adopt Leia rather than Luke.
It is striking that the Alderaanians were willing to accept an adopted child as the heir to the throne. As noted in E.K. Johnston’s novel Queen’s Hope notes, the Clone Wars changed Alderaan, with the planet accepting refugees from across the galaxy. Breha and Bail’s decision to adopt a supposed Clone Wars refugee would have been a powerfully symbolic act, representing just how welcome refugees were on their world.
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For Leia, the surname “Organa” represented more than just her adopted family. It cemented her position as a core part of Alderaan’s culture, the heir to the throne. Although Leia learned her true family history in Return of the Jedi, she would never disown her ties to the surviving Alderaanians. She would always choose to honor both her adopted parents, and the royal line they had been part of.
Leia Considered Bail & Breha Her Parents, Not Anakin & Padmé
As seen in Claudia Gray’s novel Bloodline, Leia always considered Bail and Breha her true parents. They were the ones who had raised her, who had loved her, who had been there for her all her life. Their morals had profoundly shaped Leia; Bail had been a founding member of the Rebel Alliance, and Leia followed her father into the rebellion. Everything Leia stood for flowed from her adopted parents.
In contrast, Leia had only the faintest memory of her mother, and her memories of Darth Vader were the stuff of nightmares. Darth Vader had overseen Leia’s torture on the Death Star, and then even attempted to probe her mind using the power of the Force. He had then been stood by her side as Alderaan was destroyed. Leia wanted nothing to do with Darth Vader; frankly, claiming his name would have felt like another way of eclipsing her adopted Alderaanian heritage.
Although Leia’s motives were very personal, they were also political. Leia feared her true identity would bring an untimely end to her political career. Even her closest confidants did not know the truth, although some – such as Mon Mothma – had suspected. Leia’s fears were eventually proved correct, when she discovered a secret recording left by Bail and Breha, one that told her everything. This was obtained by her political enemies, and used to end Leia’s run for Chief of State. Sadly, the Star Wars galaxy is an unforgiving one, and the legacy of Darth Vader could not be overlooked.
