This week in Orlando, the Star Wars Celebration is taking place, celebrating 40 year anniversary of the first movie’s release in 1977. With this being the first year celebrating the franchise’s birthday without Carrie Fisher, Star Wars and Disney honored Fisher in two beautiful ways.

First off, a video was introduced by Fisher’s daughter Billie Lourd to honor her mother. Beware, this will be make you tear up.

If that didn’t make you tear up, then something is wrong with you.

Shortly before the video was shown, Star Wars creator George Lucas spoke about everyone’s favorite princess.

“She’ll always be the princess who took command, and never backed down, never was in jeopardy,” Lucas said. “She was always helping the other guys get out of the messes they created. We’ll all love her forever and ever.”

The tribute video itself was beautiful, and as a result, many Star Wars fans were touched by it:

The video of Fisher’s life and career in the Star Wars franchise wasn’t the only way she was honored during the celebration, although the second way might not have been directly in honor of her.

While many fans of the franchise were hoping for a Star Wars Episode 8: The Last Jedi trailer, they instead got one for Star Wars Forces of Destiny.

Forces of Destiny is a collection of animated shorts that are led by female Star Wars characters, specifically Princess Leia, Rey, Jyn Erso, and Ahsoka Tano. The first few will premiere on Disney’s YouTube page before the rest premiere during a two-part special on the Disney Channel this fall.

“Star Wars Forces of Destiny is for anyone who has been inspired by Leia’s heroism, Rey’s courage, or Ahsoka’s tenacity,” Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy said in a statement. “We’re thrilled that so many of the original actors are reprising their roles in these shorts which capture the small moments and everyday decisions that shape who these characters are. It is a fun new way for people to experience Star Wars.”

Daisy Ridley will reprise her role as Rey, Felicity Jones as Jyn Erso, and Lupta Nyong’o as Maz Kanata in the shorts. Tiya Sircar and Ashley Eckstein are also on the cast. Sadly due to the passing of Fisher, it’s unknown who will voice Princess Leia.

Whether it was planned before or after her passing, the creation of this new series by Disney is a terrific way to honor Fisher. She became famous for not being the prototypical female lead in that she wasn’t afraid to speak her mind, and there’s no better way to honor her than a new Star Wars series that focuses on female leads.

[AV Club]

About David Lauterbach

David is a writer for The Comeback. He enjoyed two Men's Basketball Final Four trips for Syracuse before graduating in 2016. If The Office or Game of Thrones is on TV, David will be watching.