Summary
Mark Hamill offered a touching reflection on Carrie Fisher’s tragic passing and the impact this loss had onStar WarsduringFan ExpoChicago this weekend. Carrie Fisher passed away in December 2016, and the entire franchise mourned her loss; however, this was undoubtedly much harder on Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford, who became close with Fisher at the very beginning ofStar Warsmovies and TV showsnearly 50 years ago.Hamill spoke beautifully and sadly about this, making clear how profound the impact of Fisher’s death really was.
During his panel, “Mark Hamill Live,” at Fan Expo Chicago this weekend, Hamill spoke about the moment he learned of Fisher’s passing and how long-lasting his sadness has been since that day. In a video shared byva.va.veraon TikTok, Hamill can be heard explaining that, after Fisher died,“the heart was gone"fromStar Wars, and this terrible loss forever changed the way he reacted toStar Wars.
While it isn’t necessarily surprising to see how deeply Carrie Fisher’s death impacted Mark Hamill, it is nevertheless heartbreaking to hear Hamill put it into words.
All 14 Force Powers Used By Princess Leia (In Star Wars Canon & Legends)
Leia Organa was one of the most naturally gifted Jedi in both Star Wars canon and Legends, and she had a wide variety of Force powers at her disposal.
Leia Organa
It’s difficult to grasp that Carrie Fisher has been gone for nearly a decade, and part of that is likely the wayPrincess Leia Organa remains central toStar Wars. Not only is Princess Leia easily one ofStar Wars’best characters, but also, Leia’s (and Fisher’s) legacy simply cannot be overstated in the franchise. Yes, Leia was one of the three major heroes amongthe original trilogy cast and characters, which would make her significant enough on its own, but she also stood for so much in the franchise.
Leia’s (and Fisher’s) legacy simply cannot be overstated in the franchise.
In many ways, Leia was the face of the Rebellion. Whereas Han Solo was initially an unwilling participant in the fight against the Empire and Luke was a wide-eyed Jedi-in-training, Leia was skilled, fierce, and determined. She really did take charge all the way back inA New Hope, and she continued to play that same role throughout the original and sequel trilogy.
Beyond Leia’s character inStar Wars, Fisher was absolutely beloved. As Mark Hamill went on to explain during the same Fan Expo Chicago panel, Fisher was an incredible bright spot in the franchise—there was simply no one else like her. All these years later, that remains true. More than perhaps any other character,Star Warshas struggled with a direction following the deaths of Fisher and her character in-universe. That was clear enough inStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
Clearly, Hamill continues to feel the sting of this loss as much as anyone. In fact, Hamill also mentioned that he still doesn’t like to talk about it because he doesn’t like reliving it; it still hurts too much. It’s possible that Fisher’s passing may always have this effect on the franchise, and that would make perfect sense. It will be difficult forStar Warsto ever truly fill the hole that Carrie Fisher’s tragic death left behind.
