Star Wars: Mark Hamill Shared Touching Tribute to Luke Skywalker Ahead of the Rise of Skywalker Release

With the release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker concluding the long-running series of films, many of the people involved with the franchise are looking back and reflecting on their time in the galaxy far, far away. But few people have established a legacy like Mark Hamill for his portrayal of Luke Skywalker throughout six films of the saga. And to celebrate what is likely the last time he'll ever play the farm boy-turned-Jedi, Hamill took a moment to post a heartfelt tribute about his Star Wars tenure.

Hamill took to his social media platform of choice and posted this message on Twitter:

As the end draws near-I can't tell you how much 1 single role has meant to me over the years. Because of him people feel they know me-Because of him everyone is my friend-Because of him it seems like the whole world is my family. I will be grateful for that...Forever.#BeingLuke pic.twitter.com/j6r39XK0pL

— Mark HoHoHoHamill (@HamillHimself) December 12, 2019

Hamill's Twitter account has been a consistent source for humor, but he does share emotional messages like this from time to time. His character received a major sendoff in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, but it appears as if he'll play a smaller role in the upcoming film.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker will not only serve as the conclusion to the sequel trilogy, but will also end of the Skywalker Saga after 40 years. Hamill has already paid tribute to his on-screen sister Carrie Fisher, who is set to play a major role as Leia Organa in the next film.

"I know they're going to try and find a way to close her story in [The Rise of Skywalker] that gives her the respect she deserves," the actor previously stated. "Because [Han Solo] was more prominent in [The Force Awakens], Luke's a little more prominent in [The Last Jedi], and certainly Leia was meant to be more prominent in [The Rise of Skywalker]."

Director J.J. Abrams previously revealed that they have unused footage of Fisher from Star Wars: The Force Awakens and that those scenes will be utilized to tell Leia's story in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

"There are scenes where she's interacting with other characters in a way that is uncanny," Abrams said to Total Film. "Hopefully, if it works, it will be an invisible thing and if you didn't know, you would never know. But we got to tell the story with Leia that we would have told had Carrie lived. And that's kind of incredible."

Fans will get to say goodbye to the saga when Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker premieres in theaters on Friday, December 20th.