Love is in the air at Fanbase Press! In this magical month of romance and enchantment, the Fanbase Press Staff and Contributors decided to stop and smell the roses. Throughout the week of Valentine’s Day, a few members of the Fanbase Press crew will be sharing their personal love letters to the areas of geekdom they adore the most.

Dear Carrie,

The Force was strong with you…

I knew it. You knew it. So, I like to think that you’re still with us as the hilarious Force ghost we all wish we could be.

I’m sending you the thoughts and well wishes of Saint Valentine; however, not just because I miss you. The world misses you. I simply want to remind the world that you were more than “just a Princess.”

The Carrie Fisher I knew was bold!
The Carrie Fisher I knew was honest!
She was funny! Boy, was she funny!
The Carrie Fisher I knew was courageous!

But let us not forget…

Although you were mostly known for your stunning portrayal of the beloved Princess Leia in my favorite film franchise of all time, you finished playing that character as the strong and powerful General Leia. Not only that, but you were practically a “General” in your personal life, as well.

As someone who struggled with alcoholism and manic depression, you were completely open with your fans about the struggles of your multiple illnesses. You wrote a book about stardom and what it’s like to be watched at every moment of your life. You used your connections in the entertainment industry to create a one-woman show to help people laugh and feel more comfortable about their own hardships with a good, stiff drink. That takes guts! That takes courage! That takes integrity, and you deserve to be recognized for that.

This Valentine’s Day, while I remember the honest hilarity of you, Ms. Fisher (and your adored mother, Debbie Reynolds), I promise not to think of you as the Princess we first met, but as the General you inspired us all to become…

#MayTheForceBeWithYou

Joshua Desjardins
Fanbase Press Contributor