Due to its continued box office domination and pop culture significance, the Star Wars franchise has quite the range of diehard fans. The OG fans have passed the franchise to their children, and now a new generation of fans has been born thanks to Disney's acquisition of the legendary property. The ppace opera has always been focused on the eternal battle of good vs evil, with concepts that really stick with young audiences. That's exactly what happened recently to a bullied student in California. Fifth grader Aiden Vazquez was met with adversity when his classmates starting physically attacking him, but never fought back because it wasn't "The Jedi way." The story has gone viral and even garnered the attention of Mark Hamill himself, who tweeted out a message to Aiden, saying:
SHOUT OUT to Aiden Vazquez for his courage & wisdom in the face of adversity. I'm so proud of you for showing that you can be a Jedi in real life. Congratulations, Aiden- The Force will be with YOU... Always!!! Your fan, mh
How sweet is that? When Mark Hamill learned the actions of his young fan, he was moved enough to take to social media. Furthermore, he reversed their roles and claimed HE was actually Aiden Vazquez's fan. The Force is clearly strong with this one.
Mark Hamill's tweet is just the latest way the Star Wars legend has continued to directly communicate with his many fans. The 66 year old actor is very active on social media, and uses it as a way to connect with all the moviegoers who love the galaxy far, far away. But he also uses it to make his voice known, whether that be in defense of The Last Jedi's Kelly Marie Tran, or to applaud a young fan for standing up to bullying in a non-violent way.
According to ABC 13, 10 year old Aiden Vazquez ended up in the hospital after the fifth grade student fell victim to extreme bullying. He was reportedly called names and punched, but refused to fight back due to the Jedi's teachings. Bullying can feel impossible and never ending, but it's clear that the Star Wars franchise has a special place in Aiden's heart. And being validated by Luke Skywalker himself will hopefully give the young student some resolve.
Stories like this help to hammer down how much the Star Wars franchise really means to people. There are years of iconography attached to George Lucas' space opera, which is why the fandom can sometimes become unhealthy. It's an ongoing conversation surrounding big blockbusters, although Kelly Marie Tran's departure from social media puts Star Wars in a spotlight.
The next installment in the Star Wars franchise will be J.J. Abrams' untitled Episode IX on December 20th, 2019. In the meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
