Luke Skywalker himself, also known as Mark Hamill, has defended a young Star Wars fan who was told the franchise was “for boys" and not girls.
Kristal Foster tweeted last February that her five-year-old daughter Gabby had worn Star Wars shoes to school, only to be told by a classmate they were not suitable for girls.
Mark Hamill tweeted on Thursday defending the choice of footwear.
“I think Luke and Han are lucky Leia took over their 'rescue' on the Death Star, or it would have been a very short movie," he said.
Star Wars is one of the few franchises, especially in sci-fi, that not only features complex female characters, but they are main characters that lead the storyline.
“My daughter is a huge fan and I love the response from Mark Hamill. For one thing, it is accurate — without Princess Leia, the movie is over before it starts," Foster told the PA news agency. “But it put a smile on my daughter's face. She was in awe that a Jedi master weighed in on the matter. She was ecstatic and her joy was palpable."
Leia was an inspiration for many.
Many joined with their own stories.
And these two girls are showing us how it's done.
"It was wonderful," Foster continued. "That tweet is from a year ago, however it is not the first time he has replied. He has also posted it on other social media outlets. I am always surprised when he replies!"
@priscillachan/Instagram