[ it isn't that leia's not optimistic; she is — but she often can't afford to be blinded by the kind of wistfulness that comes with it. too many important decisions rest on her (young; everyone always forgets that leia is so young) shoulders for her to risk that. a realist is what she is, because that's all she can be.
but she's not home, is she? she's not leading armies, not giving displaced alderaanian refugees a strong leader to look to, not holding other people's lives in the palm of her hand. maybe she can be a little more optimistic for a change. ]