Among the far-right, NSFW-infested X/Twitter hellscape that Elon Musk has created, there are still some big names putting out reasonable content. One of those accounts is Star Wars icon Mark Hamill.
The actor, most famous for playing Luke Skywalker in the original trilogy, has long been a vocal opponent of the right-wing extremism that has taken hold of the Republican Party in recent years. His targets have included everyone from Mitch McConnell to, of course, Donald Trump, and are usually dispatched with an air of thoughtfulness that is missing from everything said by those he criticizes.
Unsurprisingly, Hamill has thrown himself fully behind Kamala Harris in her bid for president, so much so that he decided to attend the Democratic National Convention. The actor used his X account to repost a TikTok he made with Jaime Harrison, the head of the DNC.
In the short clip, Hamill reveals he’s at the event, and that he has a message for those watching: “Well, in the movies I fought against make-believe evil. But we’re at a time in our history where we’re fighting against real evil. So I beg you, please. Don’t go to the orange side.” Harrison then poses with a lightsaber, but not the green one that Hamill famously used during his time in the franchise. Instead, the politician holds onto the purple one that was wielded by Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson).
Harris is set to be officially confirmed as the Democratic Party’s pick for president at the convention this week, and at the moment, things are looking positive for the current veep. She is leading Trump in multiple polls, and her replacing incumbent president Joe Biden as the candidate seems to have ignited a surge of positivity among important voter groups that seemed to be erring on the side of not showing up. Her simple but brutal attacks on Trump are also proving effective.
However, as everybody who lived through 2016 will remember, underestimating Trump and the Republican Party must be avoided at all costs. Many states and counties are gerrymandered to ensure easier wins for conservatives, and the American right has very recently tried to overturn a valid election result through violence and intimidation. Trump is also clearly becoming increasingly unhinged even for his standards, which is dangerous considering that he’s surrounded by sniveling yes-men.
Come November, there really is a lot on the line, and Hamill is highly aware of it. Let’s just hope that this time, the Empire doesn’t manage to strike back.