Star Wars: The Last Jedi includes a touching tribute to Carrie Fisher
The newly-released Episode VIII will be the last appearance of Princess Leia
The release of Star Wars: The Last Jedi will be bittersweet for many Star Wars fans. The film features the final performance of star Carrie Fisher as Leia Organa, following her death last December aged 60.
Fisher’s death has already affected the last film in the current Star Wars trilogy, 2019's Episode IX. In early drafts of the script, she was reportedly set to play a major role which will now be cut, and while the storyline of The Last Jedi remains unchanged (Fisher having completed filming on the story prior to her passing) the filmmakers did still include a touching tribute to her legacy.
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Appearing at the end of the film, a simple credit reads: “In loving memory of our Princess, Carrie Fisher.”
Meanwhile, the film itself is a brilliant unintentional tribute to Fisher’s most famous role, revealing new sides to Leia never seen before in Star Wars, while also giving her a heftier part to play than in 2015’s The Force Awakens and hearkening back to her very first appearances in the franchise.
The end result is that fans may leave Episode VIII with a confusing set of emotions about Leia’s final journey. We can only wait and see how it comes to its final conclusion in 2019’s Episode IX.
Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi is in UK cinemas now
Authors
Huw Fullerton is a Commissioning Editor for Radio Times magazine, covering Entertainment, Comedy and Specialist Drama.
