Calamari Admiral More Acceptable Than Human Woman with Purple Hair in Leadership: A Star Wars Story

Another day, more The Last Jedi wank. Truly it has gotten to the point where you’d think causing an actress to flee the internet due to racism would make people want to re-think making sexist comments about female characters, but no. Instead, let’s talk about how there is no way that woman with purple hair in a  “prom dress” became “admiral of an army in any universe?” Unfathomable in a world where The Grinch’s great-grandpa was a master warrior.

Plus, in that dress, she was able to disarm members of the rebellion and undermine Poe’s attempt at a coup. Not to mention she gave her life to destroy a first order fleet. Leaders are supposed to be able to do that. Not to mention there were plenty of women throughout history who have led armies in gowns that were way more restricting than Holdo’s dress.

What I find most funny about this is how it crosses into the book Leia, Princess of Alderaan by Claudia Gray. In it there is a piece of dialogue between Leia and Bail Organa that goes as follows:

“Then there’s this girl from Gatalenta named Amilyn Holdo who is…let’s say, a little odd.”
“I trust your judgement, Leia, but don’t be too quick to write people off. Sometimes they can surprise you.”

Also, let’s not forget that Holdo was a vice admiral and only took over the command of the resistance because after the deaths of most of the commanders and Leia getting put in an Odinsleep. So she was forced to step up to the plate and got the job done, despite people not trusting her because she didn’t look the part. Wow, it’s almost as if that’s a lesson you were supposed to learn or something. Look there are valid reasons to criticize The Last Jedi, many reasons, but this is petty.

It is truly hilarious to me that The Last Jedi uses a hyper-feminine character to call out Poe’s internalized misogyny and yet the inclusion of said character has only led to a loud section of “fans” deciding to be misogynistic. But these are the same gems who decided to “rebel” against Disney and Lucasfilm with an actual manifesto because they feel “purposefully shunned, insulted, and tossed aside by those at the head of the Franchise.”

It’s as if they’ve had to experience the only characters resembling themselves being sidelined, over-sexualized, being cut from screen time or largely non-existent. Oh, wait that was all the female, people of color and queer fans of Star Wars. My mistake.

Sidenote: we don’t need to drag Admiral Ackbar so hard guys, he can’t help being Calamari!

(image: Disney/Lucasfilm)

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Princess Weekes

Princess (she/her-bisexual) is a Brooklyn born Megan Fox truther, who loves Sailor Moon, mythology, and diversity within sci-fi/fantasy. Still lives in Brooklyn with her over 500 Pokémon that she has Eevee trained into a mighty army. Team Zutara forever.

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