We knew going in that this weekend’s Star Wars Celebration would feel a little different after Carrie Fisher’s death, but there was still no way we could’ve prepared ourselves for this tribute hitting our emotions like a ton of bricks.
At the end of the “40 Years of Star Wars” panel, George Lucas said a few words about Fisher, noting that her character—after his earlier talk of the main trio really being an ensemble—was the one in charge. He said “Leia was the boss. It was her war,” and described how Fisher was perfect for the role because she embodied it in real life. He said, “She was very strong, very smart, very funny, very bold, very tough.”
He’s right, and of course, being Carrie Fisher, the tribute montage they put together for the event drew both sadness and laughter, thanks to the wonderful person that Fisher was. Afterward, her daughter, Billie Lourd, appeared to talk to the fans in attendance (and watching online) about her mother, saying, “Nothing about her was a performance. She loved you,” and “In our world, Star Wars became a religion and a way of life. I wanted to be here with you because I know you feel the same way.”
If you haven’t done enough crying over the tribute above, here’s Han and Leia’s theme playing in the theater to really drive things home:
Han and Leia’s theme conducted by John Williams. All the tears right now. #SWCO pic.twitter.com/54EqGT5FLj
— michelle @ SWCO (@michelledeidre) April 13, 2017
After all that, we’ve still got “Mark Hamill’s Tribute to Carrie Fisher” from 5:30-6:30PM tomorrow, where we expect to have yet another roller coaster of emotions.
They’re passing out these posters and I can’t even #StarWars40th #SWCO pic.twitter.com/iydElAgFy3
— Chris Taylor (@FutureBoy) April 13, 2017
(image: Disney/Lucasfilm)
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