I had understood it was common knowledge that Leia was adopted into the Organa family. But I cannot cite exactly how I know that...

MTFBWY

I too feel that Leia knew she was adopted into the Organa family. Also since she answered Luke when he asked " your REAL mohter." To me that justifies that she knew she was adopted. This one will remain one of those UNANSWERED questions....

This one will remain one of those UNANSWERED questions

i agree angel, unless someone can show me otherwise

again, it depends on how you take it, gffa is flexible

I agree with angel...this will remain one of those unanswered questions we all have been searching an answer for. I also agree that Leia knew she was adopted, just not the details of her biological parents. If she knew that, can you imagine the scandal, the talk, especially since she was in such close proximity to both the Emperor and Vader? How nobody else found out about her parentage, I do not know.

Luke was actually born before Leia. Luke should remember better than Leia.

May the Force be with us all! God bless!

There have been many blogs on this subject, with all sorts of possible ideas. One of them is that Leia felt her mother through the force while still in the womb. Another is that Leia is actually thinking of her adopted mother. Personally, I don't know what to think. I'm going to leave it as another unanswered question.

I read in the storyline book (not Matthew Stover...) that Leia's eyes were open and Luke's were not when they were born, so Leia could see her, but Luke couldn't.

thank you miniforcex, i didn't know that, that could be it

I wish I could remember where I might have read it or heard it (a book or, maybe, the SW radio drama), but, for some reason, I recall that Leia knew she was adopted. However, since she had no contact with nor knew of her real parents, she definitely thought of Bail and his wife as dad and mom.
This is the one concept in SW that I always have had trouble believing on blind faith - that a newborn infant would remember such details, though vague (very beautiful and sad). . .even given the fact that Luke, and Leia to some extent, were strong in the Force.
MTFBWY

I think it was a combination of a Force connection and imagined memories built up from years of asking her adoptive parents about Padme.

This is just a thought I don't know at all. Perhaps Padme for some reason made a hologram of herself for her kids. I don't know. I always thought that she was talking about her adoptive mother.

The "standard" answer is that Leia knew Padme through the force. Remember in Jedi when she says something like "feelings" or "images" is what she knows of her mother. I suppose in the Star Wars Universe that can solve all dilemmas. I wish that when Padme looked on Leia to name her that she would've burst into tears or something--that would instantly draw our attention to the scene in Jedi (like when she says to Obi Wan "there's still good in him.)

I think this is my first visit to your blog...sorry I've taken so long to come and see you...."I have no excuse..."

From a practical point of view, since the PT was made so many years before GL decided to create the PT, I don't think at that time he had thorougly thought about WHEN the twins would be seperated, so there are some inconsistencies between the two sets of movies (this being only one in a long list). Perhaps he did it on purpose so all of us would have something to ponder and debate After all, GL IS a genius!!! (cont...)

...cont...

From a pure "SW philisophical view," I agree with MikeSolo1974: The "standard" answer is that Leia knew Padme through the force.

I never really had a better answer than that, either. It may even have been a Force-related vision, just as Ani, Luke and other Jedi were able to have visions. Leia just never knew the source of those visions until she found out she was born Force-sensitive (being the daughter of the chosen one, of course!)

Maybe it could be her memories are through her father's eyes before he became Vader. In the ROTS novelization, Anakin is sure it is a girl. Perhaps he has a strong connection with Leia in the womb and she sensed his dismay over Padme's fate and could also "see" what he saw. Padme was pretty upset during the events of ROTS!
MTFBWY

In the ROTS novelization, Anakin is sure it is a girl

I had forgotten about that one . And Padme' was sure it was a boy. It seems to me that both Padme' and Anakin had a "connection" to one of the twins, and this "connection" was passed on to Luke and Leia, with Luke connecting more with Padme's beliefs and Leia connecting more with Anakin's beliefs/visions. This, I believe, would explain some of what we ponder on this issue.

I find it interesting how much Luke is like Padme and Leia like Anakin. In order for this scene in ROTJ to mean anything, Leia has to be referring Padme. Why would Luke ask her about her adopted mother? He specifically says "real" to indicate that he means her birth mom. Luke now knows who Leia is. He wants to find something out about his mother of whom he has no memory. Personally, I suspect that Leia knew a little bit about Padme given her position in the Rebellion. Public record would not have indicated that she was married. Perhaps the Force indicated a connection between her and Padme, just as Luke had seen Dagobah before.

thank you qui tom servo

that does make sense, that luke would want to know about padme

and they would have, you would think....maybe they too were destoryed

I've submitted a similar question to the "Ask a question" link here online. So far, no "official answer" has been forthcoming. My belief is that Bail told her a bit about her mother and she saw a picture or two, but that's just my opinion.

i believe that luke should have had some memory of padme. he was born first.i just dont understand why leia would remember,maybe bail spoke to leia about her mother i dont know om guessing.

cita, that's possible, maybe bail told her about padme

shes talking about her adopted mother

she didnt know she was her daughter

bails wife died when leia was young