Mark Hamill Sends Star Wars Fans Into a Panic: "You Scared Me!"

After making a social media post in good fun, legendary actor Mark Hamill sent thousands of Star Wars fans into a panic.

Mark Hamill and his wife posing for a photo while in Ireland — Credit: Mark Hamill via Instagram

Mark Hamill is one of the most beloved actors alive. While he had some early appearances on different television series, his breakthrough came when he played Luke Skywalker in George Lucas‘ Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977).

He would go on to play the character for decades in The Empire Strikes Back (1980), The Return of the Jedi (1983), The Last Jedi (2017), The Mandalorian (2019-present), The Book of Boba Fett (2021-2022), and, of course, The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978).

Rey and Luke Skywalker on Ahch-To in 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' — Credit: Lucasfilm

He also became an incredibly successful voice actor, creating iconic characters like Fire Lord Ozai in Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-2008), Skips in Regular Show (2010-2017), and The Joker in numerous Batman projects.

Needless to say, Hamill has earned legendary status alongside his fellow Star Wars actors, like Harrison Ford (Han Solo), Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia Organa), and Daisy Ridley (Rey). However, a tribute to one of his iconic friends put people who love the Star Wars franchise on edge.

A Birthday Tribute From Mark Hamill Terrified Star Wars Fans

Arthur Pym answering a phone call in The Fall of the House of Usher — Credit: Netflix

Recently, Mark Hamill shared a touching birthday post to none other than the now 93-year-old James Earl Jones, a great actor who is beloved for his performance as Darth Vader in the Star Wars movies and Mufasa in both versions of The Lion King (1994, 2019). It read:

“For the one & only James Earl Jones:
A GIANT on both stage & screen!
Wishing you all the best on your special day.
Proud to be able to call you #DadVader.
With love & deep appreciation, Mar.”

For the one & only James Earl Jones: 🎂
A GIANT on both stage & screen!
Wishing you all the best on your special day.
Proud to be able to call you #DadVader.
With love & deep appreciation, Mar🐫 pic.twitter.com/GyMcPHL8oo

— Mark Hamill (@MarkHamill) January 18, 2024

While this celebratory message was well-received on X (formerly Twitter), it took on a completely different tone on Instagram.

Instead of showing a panel of three photos of Jones and Hamill, it started with a solo picture of Jones, prompting many Star Wars fans to think that #DadVader had died. The number one comment with the image read, “Mark… you need to change the way you do appreciation posts, man.”

Mark Hamill and James Earl Jones hugging each other and laughing together — Credit: Mark Hamill via Instagram

Many other commenters shared this sentiment, with many people saying they panicked, screamed out loud, or had a minor heart attack. Some of the best comments included, “I love how everyone else had the exact same 0.5-second panic attack” and “I felt a disturbance in the force as if a lot of people sighed in relief all at once reading the description.”

The good news is that, as of the writing of this article, James Earl Jones is still alive. Hopefully, Mark Hamill can keep his appreciation posts in check and prevent sending any other Star Wars fans into panic mode.

Who is your favorite Star Wars character? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!