How 'Star Wars' made Carrie Fisher's appearance in 'The Last Jedi' special
WATCH 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' star Mark Hamill talks the return of Luke Skywalker
"Star Wars: The Last Jedi" has now been out for over a week and has grossed over $700 million worldwide.
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But Wednesday marks the first anniversary of Carrie Fisher's untimely death last December at the age of 60. Fans didn't know what to expect heading to see Fisher's last appearance as Leia in "The Last Jedi," but they were treated to something very unique indeed.
Read: 'Star Wars' history you need to know before seeing 'The Last Jedi' Related: 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi': 5 burning questions about film Read: Lucasfilm president says Carrie Fisher will not be in 'Episode IX'
Fisher's Gen. Leia did not meet her demise as expected in the film to match her real-life passing, but fans did see her use the Force physically for the first time.
Aside from attempting to communicate with her brother, Luke (As we've seen in previous films and see again here), Leia, the only daughter of former Jedi and Sith Lord Darth Vader, was blown from her ship early on in the film to what looked to be her death on screen.
??Carrie Fisher – Star Wars??
A New Hope – 1977
The Empire Strikes Back – 1980
The Return of the Jedi – 1983
The Force Awakens – 2015
The Last Jedi – 2017 pic.twitter.com/cHPJrgGEw6— amelia (@Hey_Its_Amelia) December 19, 2017
As the former princess floated lifeless in space, Leia looked as though she would meet her end, frozen in the vacuum of the galaxy where she has spent her life traveling and fighting for justice. But that's not what happened.
Instead, Fisher reaches out her arm and uses the Force to pull herself back to the ship. Leia would later recover from her injuries and live to fight another day.
"because the princess is not a victim, she's very strong, and it's good because there aren't a lot of strong women in film right now" – carrie fisher (1978) pic.twitter.com/guHeC7Lc2l
— our princess carrie (@lRONMARVEL) December 19, 2017
Fan reactions online were split as well. Some were pleasantly surprised to see the powerful Skywalker ancestor finally show her abilities in this way, while others didn't like this late addition to her character's illustrious history.
Fans also wonder how "Star Wars" will now say goodbye to Fisher when "Episode IX" rolls around in 2019.
"The Last Jedi" ends with Fisher joining Rey and the remaining members of the Resistance as they fly off in the Millennium Falcon, but Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy told ABC News earlier this year that "Carrie will not be in '[Episode] IX.'"
FilmMagic/Getty ImagesIf that is the case, only time will tell what director J.J. Abrams has in store two years from now in the planned, untitled follow-up. One thing is for sure: Whether in the next movie's opening crawl, in some kind of allusion to an incident off screen or in some other way altogether, fans will get one last chance to say goodbye to their fearless princess.
Disclaimer – ABC News and Lucasfilm are both owned by parent company Disney.
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