It’s widely believed that The Empire Strikes Back is the best Star Wars movie ever made, but 45 years later, the franchise itself has completely forgotten one crucial George Lucas rule from this revered film. The Empire Strikes Back has everything that makes a sequel so great, especially with its main cast split into their own storylines.

While Luke Skywalker is off completing his Jedi training with Yoda on Dagobah, the audience also gets to follow Leia Organa and Han Solo’s escape from the Empire, an adventure that forces them to come to terms with the feelings that are brewing between them. Han and Leia’s romance, however, is now a long-lost art for Star Wars.

Star Wars Has Completely Forgotten The Importance Of Romance

45 years after Han and Leia’s romance story in The Empire Strikes Back, it’s clear that Star Wars has completely forgotten just how important romances like theirs truly are. While it’s true that not every story needs a romantic relationship, it can also be a very powerful element to include, and it’s always been a key part of Star Wars.

The entire Skywalker saga is built upon Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala’s relationship, a love that bore both Luke and Leia and also became the driving force behind Anakin’s fall to the dark side as the sinister Darth Vader. Lucas might come under fire for his “cheesy” romance moments, but there’s no denying how powerful these relationships truly are.

These types of relationships haven’t been prevalent in any recent Star Wars media, save for the animated Star Wars Rebels series with Kanan Jarrus and Hera Syndulla and Andor season 2 with Cᴀssian Andor and Bix Caleen. The Star Wars sequel trilogy seemed as if it couldn’t decide what romance it wanted, and by the end, it opted for none.

The Empire Strikes Back Proves How Crucial Romance Truly Is

The Empire Strikes Back is undoubtedly the pinnacle of Star Wars romance. Han and Leia’s relationship is crucial to everything that takes place in their storyline, building up the perfect amount of tension at the most pivotal moments – culminating in the iconic “I love you… I know” scene.

Furthermore, Han and Leia’s relationship only adds to the narrative; it doesn’t take anything away. The bond between the three core characters is still just as strong, even if Han and Leia’s specifically has changed. It’s an important part of what’s happening, but the overall story doesn’t have to stop or suffer because of it.

The clarity and boldness of their relationship and their feelings is what truly makes it work. The attempted romances in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, for example, lacked that definition in any potential romantic pairings, and it ultimately led to confusion amongst audiences and, quite infamously, Rey and Ben Solo’s “kiss of friendship.”

Star Wars Has Had Some Great Recent Attempts At Romance

That’s not to say Star Wars has completely failed with romances in recent projects. As mentioned before, Rebels’ Kanan and Hera and Andor‘s Cᴀssian and Bix are two wonderful examples of beautiful Star Wars romances that have accomplished similar goals as Han and Leia in The Empire Strikes Back. Still, however, there’s something missing.

Part of that has to do with Star Wars’ misguided belief that all romances must end in tragedy. Both Kanan and Cᴀssian die fathers without knowing it, leaving Hera and Bix to raise their children alone. This continues to happen time and time again with recent Star Wars romances, having one character die before their relationship can truly blossom.

Recent Star Wars books and comics have also had some incredible romances, but we need to actually see them on the screen once again. Enhancing potential on-screen romances in supplemental materials, as was the case very recently with Star Wars: The Bad Batch‘s Tech and Phee Genoa, gives me hope, but we definitely need more.

Star Wars Needs To Get Comfortable Adding Romance Again

Han and Leia in The Empire Strikes Back remain the prime example of why Star Wars has to get comfortable with romances once again. There has to be clarity and purpose in the relationships that are formed, and a dedicated growth between them that won’t always end in tragedy. Star Wars must learn how to build something that lasts again.

It’s unclear when Star Wars will have a true chance to accomplish something like this in the near future, given that its next movie, The Mandalorian and Grogu, is focused around the father-son relationship between Din Djarin and Grogu, which likely won’t add romance to the mix – though it’s not impossible.

As for TV shows, Ahsoka season 2 could see the fan-favorite relationship between Sabine Wren and Shin Hati come to fruition, although that seems like a risk Star Wars unfortunately won’t take. Either way, The Empire Strikes Back proves why romance needs to return to Star Wars in full effect, and it must happen sooner rather than later.