That ’90s Show Fan Theory Suggests Leia Isn’t Eric’s Daughter
A fan theory says That '90s Show character Leia Forman is actually the biological daughter of Randy Pearson (Josh Meyers).
There is no shortage of revivals, reboots, sequels, and spinoffs for some of the most beloved series of all time; as a matter of fact, if you list your top five favorite shows, there is a better-than-decent chance more than two have had the treatment. And, of course, with all of those treatments building on, expanding, and in some ways contradicting the originals, there is no shortage of fan theories that go deeper into the lore of the series. That ’70s Show is no different as, according to MovieWeb, That ’90s Show is hiding the secret that Leia is not Eric’s biological daughter, but that of Randy Pearson (Josh Meyers), a character introduced in the final season of That ’70s Show.
According to the theory, the daughter of Eric Forman (Topher Grace) and Donna Pinciotti (Laura Prepon), Leia Forman (Callie Haverda), may not have the parentage that is implied. The theory states that there is some evidence in the timeline that suggests that her being born in 1980 makes it difficult for Eric to have fathered his beloved daughter. As the theorist reminds us, Eric had returned from Africa on New Year’s Eve as it turned over to 1980, and with Leia being born in 1980, there is a chance that Leia had a different father, one that disappeared just as Eric returned.
After the seventh season of That ’70s Show, Topher Grace and Ashton Kutcher had elected to move on from the series and pursue other roles. The writers decided to cast Josh Meyers as a replacement, initially to play Eric Foreman, with the change in appearance being explained away by saying Eric had returned from Africa as a changed man. Thankfully, the writers decided against this, and the character of Randy Pearson was created for Meyers, and therein lies the possibility for this theory to develop in That ’90s Show.
Randy served as a replacement for both Eric Foreman and Michael Kelso, with the sense of humor held by the former and the suave chemistry with the ladies, and the good looks of the latter. With these qualities, it was only natural for him to become a love interest for Donna, and he served that purpose for the entirety of the final season of the series. It isn’t until the end of the season that Donna dumps Randy, preceding the return of Eric from Africa, setting in motion the chain of events that would lead to their happy ever after, That ’90s Show, and Leia.
However, the timeline of Leia’s birth in 1980 means that if Eric is the father, then she was born a few months early and had a rough entrance into the world. The only other option is that Randy is her true father, and Donna lied to Eric about it when she became aware that she was pregnant right after taking Eric back and starting their life together. The theory also suggests that Red and Kitty are aware of this, but Kitty loves being a grandmother and keeps the secret to allow her son to be blissfully ignorant.
That ’90s Show is only one season in, and so far, the response from the fans suggests that there will be more. There is no true evidence or story-building that would suggest this theory is accurate. But if it is, it makes for good drama in upcoming seasons.
