"Epic woe," indeed! That really sounds about right. Leia is really more clearsighted than Luke, I think, despite all of his power. (I haven't read all of the SW books that have come out over the last however long, just a few, so I'm really going by my own instincts here). She is the politically and socially savvy one; she knows when to cut losses and move on, and I don't think Luke has that skill. It leads him down a lot of painful paths, and that has to frustrate Leia to no end.