While so many fans of Star Wars take their fandom quite seriously, it doesn't mean they don't also have some fun at its expense. A popular meme that has been circulating on social media shows Mark Hamill in the original Star Wars: A New Hope pointing a lightsaber hilt in such a way that, were he to activate it, he'd put a hole in his face. The problem is, the image being used never actually appears in the movie, something which has been confirmed by many after Mark Hamill himself asked the question. Check out the meme below.
Mark Hamill posted the meme to Twitter wondering if this shot, of Luke Skywalker about to put a hole in his head, is actually in the movie, or if this was just a still image taken during production. Many chimed in to say that it's actually just a production still of Hamill and Sir Alec Guinness on set filming the movie. This is a picture of Mark Hamill examining a prop, not Luke Skywalker looking at a lightsaber.
I re-watched the scene in Obi-Wan's home myself just to be sure and I can confirm that this moment doesn't actually happen in Star Wars: A New Hope. Of course, that doesn't make the picture any less funny. It does feel like he's just a moment away from accidentally impaling himself. The fact that Obi-Wan looks like it's no big deal makes it even better. It's like he could care less if this kid kills himself.
Mark Hamill is the last guy in the world who would have a problem with anybody laughing at Star Wars. He spends a great deal of time on social media poking fun at himself and the franchise as well. It's clear he wasn't so much trying to debunk this meme as he was simply trying to figure out when it happened. He calls it short term memory loss, but considering this picture is over 40-years-old, Hamill can be forgiven for not remembering the specifics.
Of course, while this meme is focused on Star Wars' past, most fans are focusing on the future. Star Wars: Episode IX recently wrapped shooting and many are expecting things like the film's official title and the first trailer, to be released in short order. At this point, most eyes are probably on Star Wars Celebration coming up in April, any official news that we get between now and then will just be a bonus.
Bringing up this meme could even be a subtle way that Hamill tried to get people on his timeline talking about something other than Episode IX. One can easily assume he's being regularly inundated with requests for info, the title among other things. Though it's entirely likely that Hamill himself doesn't actually know what the new movie will be called.
