We did it! We got inside the STAR WARS HALL-H panel…and WOW oh WOW what a panel! It had ALL the stars, J.J. Abrams and Kathleen Kennedy, a strange creature from another world, behind-the-scenes footage from STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS, and the GIGANTIC surprise of a Star Wars concert in the bandshell behind the convention center, complete with FIREWORKS!
I know, I know, I railed against those who camp out overnight and waste all their time waiting to get into Hall H, and then I went on to say that the Star Wars panel was going to be the biggest cluster of Con-lovers in the convention’s history…all true. But I was able to pull some favors and sign away my firstborn to get into this historic panel without the sidewalk-sleeping. And I must say, it was worth every bit of effort.
And let me tell ya, Lucasfilm brought it! And more. The footage was great. J.J. and Kathleen charmed us as usual. And Harrison Ford overcame his chronic crankiness long enough to hug Mark Hamill and plant a kiss on the cheek of his onscreen sweetie, Carrie Fisher. Check out this behind-the-scenes footage:
Then as the panel wore down, Chris Hardwick said, “Oh…and one more thing…” then instructed all 7,000 of us to follow the crowd out the door and down to the bandshell for an incredible live performance of the STAR WARS score by the San Diego Symphony. (with a video intro by the master himself, John Williams!) And to top it off, all attendees got a free, high-quality collectible lightsaber (eBay was busy that night). And as the symphony played the grande-finale Star Wars main title fanfare, the sky was filled with fireworks–tons and tons of fireworks. And the cold, snarky heart of this Con Guy just melted, and I think I even wiped a tear. It was history in the making. The biggest, most impressive Comic Con experience I’ve ever witnessed. THANK YOU Lucasfilm for reminding us all what 1977 felt like. For taking us back to childhood. And for making grown men weepy. December can’t come fast enough! There’s gonna be FIREWORKS!
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