Does birth order matter? There are numerous studies I'm sure which can tell you how you react, respond, or reason your way through certain situations all stems from your place in the birth order of you & your siblings.

Luke & Leia: fraternal twins, brother & sister, friends.

I'm not sure I can say with 100% confidence that I ever assumed Leia was born before Luke, but I can say that 2 years ago I was a little shocked to see Luke born first in ROTS. Maybe it's because I am the oldest of 2 kids that I always see brothers as the younger one, but I wasn't sure of my reasoning until just this afternoon.

Yesterday, May 16, my journed to Las Vegas ended - my brother & I had driven all 2700 miles in 4 days, enjoying those days of family togetherness before he went off & got himself married a couple months later. But our relationship has always been a good one. Often, on the blogs, I refer to my brother as Luke. In no way shape or form does he look like Luke, he's at least a foot taller & much more hocker-player-ish in build (prolly because he played hockey...). As kids, we always got along. He was my best friend in many respects and until I met my husband, he was the most important boy in my life. For the record, I am 2 1/2 years older than him. And after he saw ESB in 1980 as a 3 year old, he started calling me "Leia" just because my name wasn't as fun for his Star Wars programmed brain.

Not that I assumed the role of "leader" of the pack, but my brother often followed wherever I went. Not in an annoying "I wish my brother would stop tagging along" way, but if I suggested something he was the first to vote yes. If I wanted to try something new, he was right there to egg me on. He was like my shadow but in a good way, I enjoyed his company but I also liked the fact that he listened to me & wanted to make me happy.

This is not to say that I took advantage, no no no. In fact, I was always so excited for every accomplishment he had, every idea he threw out there, he was wise - keeping his opinions to himself until they were fully formed. If I were the spontaneous one with my foot in my mouth, then he was the one with both feet securely on the path to greatness. As an adult, people look up to my brother where he works. Everyone knows "Luke" and it's really cool to see. He's charismatic & thoughtful, sensitive & strong. If you couldn't tell, I love my brother to pieces.

So I was remembering our Road Trip to Vegas & realizing that our relationship is why I assumed Leia was the older twin. Luke didn't "tag-a-long" or worship her, he admired her & looked up to her. He treated her like she was older - deferring to her when in doubt. Calling to her when in trouble. Leaning on her when troubled.

In ANH when they first meet, Luke storms into her prison cell feeling so full of himself - like he's always dreamed of rescuing a damsel in distress, but what does he find? A woman who immediately takes control of the situation & runs from her prison cell - Luke following along at her heels. After the rescue goes wrong & they are trapped in the corridor, Leia is the one who decides she's had enough of the boys' shenanigans. She takes the blaster & makes an escape route. Without a trace of doubt that the men will follow, she jumps down the garbage chute. And who is the first to go after her? Luke. After a quick quip from Han, Luke is right in after her. In essence, didn't Luke just decide that Leia is the leader of the group, not the "older" more "seasoned" Han?

Toward the end of the movie, as Luke is bumming about Han not joining the fight over the Death Star, Leia is the one who calms Luke, who sets his eyes firmly on the goal. Leia has spent her whole career with her eyes firmly on the goal of liberating the galaxy from Palpatine, convincing her hot-headed brother to "stay on target" shouldn't be too difficult.

In ESB, Luke dangling from the underbelly of Cloud City, who does he call for? Leia. Not Han. Not Chewie. Leia. Why? Does he know that Leia is strong in the Force? NO! He does not. In his darkest moment, staring death in the eye, Leia is the face that comes to him. And he calls to her. And she answers. I like to think that there's something beyond words going on here. Like it feels cheap to say "it was the Force" because sure, it was a bit of the Force, but wasn't it also a bit of proof that they go beyond that? Could Anakin have called to Obi-Wan like that & gotten an answer in the PT?

If there's any moment, though, that sums up the sweet brother/sister relationship, it's the two of them standing together yet so alone on the medical frigate. No matter how many times I try to bring up this scene in my blog, I can never adequately describe it. Perhaps those women out there with a little brother can understand what I'm driving at.

My favorite Luke-follows-big-sister is in ROTJ. Leia RUNS that bike speeder chase - not "awesome pilot" Luke. Nope. Leia, without a care, runs for the bike speeder & Luke yells, "Wait, Leia!" Again, tagging along. I'm pretty certain Leia could have handled herself - either taking out the scouts or turning around & coming back. But Luke, in typical (for my experience) little brother fashion is right there behind his sister. She drives. She survives. She rocks.

And even when Luke tells Leia the truth about their relationship on Endor. "I know. Somehow I've always known" is of course her response. Because of the Force? Because of their friendship? Because of they way they are? Again, beyond words and such a wonderful moment. Because for the first time, Luke can't follow Leia, he has to go it alone on his own path. She has to go alone, too, this time with her future husband in tow instead of her brother. They both grow up in that moment, don't they?

So this returns me to my original statement of the blog: I'm surprised that Luke turned out to be the older twin. Why? Because Leia acts like the older one - not in her actions alone (e.g. her career or the rebellion) - when they are together. Just because girls are sometimes called "more mature" growing up, it's not always the rule.

I'm just surprised is all.