Why Didn’t Leia Forgive Vader, Even Though He Is Her Father?

I’ve always thought Leia’s reaction to Vader being her father made a lot of sense. People love to talk about Luke’s forgiveness, how he believed there was still good in Anakin. But Leia? She didn’t go down that path. And honestly, when you really look at what she went through, it’s hard to blame her.

He Hurt Her In Ways Most People Forget

Leia didn’t grow up hearing stories about a brave Jedi named Anakin Skywalker. She grew up in a time where Vader was the most feared man in the galaxy. And she didn’t just hear about what he did – she lived it.

He tortured her with an interrogation droid. Not metaphorically – like, he literally had her tied up and let a machine inject her with who knows what. That’s not something you forget.

Then there’s Alderaan. I know Tarkin gave the order, but Vader was right there. He didn’t stop it. He didn’t even try. He just stood by while her entire planet – her family, friends, everyone she grew up with – was wiped out. And it wasn’t just a military target. It was home.

When someone does all that to you, and then you find out later, “Oh, surprise, he’s your dad,” that doesn’t make it easier. It makes it worse.

Bail Organa Was Her Real Father

I get that Anakin is her biological father, but that’s all he was. Bail Organa was the one who raised her. He protected her, guided her, and helped shape her into who she became. That was her dad.

So when people say she should’ve forgiven Vader because he was her father, I think – what father? He wasn’t there. He didn’t love her. He didn’t even know her.

If anything, finding out that the man who destroyed everything she loved was also the man who gave her life? That would’ve made things harder, not better.

Forgiveness Is Not Automatic

Not everyone wants – or needs – to forgive someone who’s hurt them. Forgiveness isn’t something you owe. It’s something you choose. And for Leia, that choice wasn’t there.

What Vader did wasn’t just personal. It was massive. Whole worlds suffered because of him. She had every reason not to forgive. And that’s okay.

People act like because Luke forgave him, Leia should too. But their experiences were completely different. Luke met Anakin. He saw the conflict inside him. Leia didn’t. All she saw was the man in black who tortured her and helped destroy her world.

Saving Luke Didn’t Fix Anything

Yeah, Vader saved Luke in the end. It was a huge moment for Luke, and it mattered to him. But one good choice at the end of your life doesn’t erase everything else you did.

Vader spent years hunting down Jedi, helping the Empire rule through fear, and causing pain to millions. He was part of every horrible thing the Empire did. Throwing Palpatine off a ledge doesn’t fix that.

Leia didn’t see a redeemed hero. She saw the man who broke her world. And she had no reason to suddenly change her feelings just because he made one good decision – for his son, not for her.

Leia Wasn’t A Jedi Like Luke

This is something that really stands out to me. Luke had Jedi training. He was taught to let go of anger and see the good in people. Forgiveness was part of his path.

Leia didn’t go through that. She wasn’t raised to be a Jedi. She wasn’t expected to forgive the people who hurt her in order to “find peace” or whatever. She was a fighter, a leader, and someone who had lived through real trauma.

She didn’t need to let go of her anger. That anger gave her strength. And honestly, she had every right to feel it.

One Thing That Happened In Legends…

So, in Legends, Leia does eventually start to understand Anakin a little more. There’s this book, The Truce at Bakura, where Anakin’s Force ghost appears to her – and she’s still too angry to forgive him.

Later, in Tatooine Ghost, she learns more about his past and what he went through. That helps her soften a bit. And eventually, she even names her son Anakin, hoping the name could mean something better.

But even in that version, it wasn’t easy. It took time, reflection, and a lot of pain. She didn’t just forgive him because she had to. She did it because she chose to, on her own terms.