Slave Leia's Secret

Have you been wondering why dozens of attractive young women are showing up at Cons (science fiction conventions, comics conventions, etc.) half naked, chained and collared? Well, I have, because it's really happening, it's not just a fanboy wet dream.

The women are appearing dressed as Slave Leia, an outfit foisted upon Princess Leia when she was held captive by the gangster Jabba the Hutt. It should be noted that the Slave Leia garb only appeared for about two minutes of total screen time in "Return of the Jedi," the only movie in which the costume appears. Most of the time, Leia appears in the white robes of a Senator or the crisp uniform of a Rebel Alliance commander (or whatever her rank was). But the two-minute appearance of Leia in slavegirl garb made much more of an impression than any other costume she has ever worn, to judge from the way it absolutely dominates Leia cosplay at cons.

Why has Slave Leia become so popular 30 years after her initial appearance? I have a theory, and I propound it at length, with lots of visual evidence, in my article on the topic. But I am required by the American Psychological Advancement Association that if you are not already smitten with Slave Leia prior to reading my article, by the time you finish it, you will be. So be forewarned.