Star Wars Celebration: Episode IX Panel LIVE
Guys- I wasn’t even sure I wanted to watch this.
I was kinda- I don’t know- feeling meh on Star Wars recently. Probably because my Marvel-itis has me something hard in my feels these days!
But then the opening of the Star Wars Celebration Episode 9 panel happened… and the crowd swelled, and the lightsabers waved, and I had chills and tears.
And I was done. DONE.
Yup.
I love Star Wars- always have and always will! Definitely my first fangirl franchise.
Before there were Mickey and Minnie- and way before I knew who Iron Man or Captain America were- there was Luke and Leia.
(Cue the music here… you know how it goes!)
Here are my thoughts while watching the panel with JJ & Kathleen- I tried to keep my moments brief so I wouldn’t miss too much.
Don’t mind the screenshots from YouTube, but I wanted this to be LIVE as I was experiencing it, just like you were here with me. Which you weren’t- and I hope you were in Chicago for all this!
Let’s do this!

Star Wars Celebration: Episode IX Panel LIVE
12:05 I love Stephen Colbert
12:10 I love Kathleen Kennedy. She’s such a badass.
12:18 I love the Carrie tribute- she really was our princess. Okay, so far, I just love everyone. Star Wars is love.
12:20 Ohhhh… some time has progressed since we last saw everyone. The plot… is being revealed? A little maybe?
12:22 I adore how JJ keeps looking at Kathleen like- may I? Ha!
12:25 YES. Tatooine did feel so real to us as kids- and even now as an adult.
12:27 Emotional end to the series and Kathleen isn’t giving anything away.

12:30 C3PO and R2D2 are on the stage!
C3PO is taking a stand- haaa! Poor guy is tired of being told to shut up.
12:35 Daniels makes jokes about fitting into the costume and his hair being black, once upon a time. He’s adorable, guys.
12:35 He wanted to title his memoir “Telling the Odds” and the crowd goes wild!
12:36 Billy Dee Williams is in the house- and I think ovaries burst everywhere. Even with a cane he still has swaggar, y’all!
12:40 “Lando never left me.” Awwww. man, I love that! BILLY DEE.
12:41 I LOVE that they fangirl and fanboy just like the rest of us. I feel like the franchise is in good hands- don’t @ me, haters. Star Wars fandom is the best.
12:42 DID ANYBODY DIE? HAAAA! Seriously. LANDO.
12:43 I knew the old characters would get cheers but I worried about the new gen. Because: SW fans were pretty salty over the past year. Ahem.
Fans: you did not disappoint. You jumped to your feet and gave a huge cheer – and I had tears in my eyes over the reception- when the cast walked on stage.
Bless it. You made me proud!
12:45 Kelly Marie has tears too.
12:45 Naomi Ackie the newest member of the Star Wars crew on getting THE CALL. She was sobbing, her dad was with her to share the moment. “Sorry JJ but he knew from the beginning!”
And here she is: Jannah!

12:48 She keeps saying, “That’s wicked!” in that delightful Brit way. YES, I’ll bet it is haaaa. She’s adorable. Ohhh- Lando’s daughter? Interesting… what say you, internet?
12:50 Moving on to John Boyega. Telling us a little about Finn makes me so happy! I love that he looks more confident.
12:53 Finn wisely admits he’d never take down Breanne of Tarth.
12:53 And now we get the bearded Oscar Issac. And… we went there. Poe or Han: who’s a better pilot? Poe’s a better uber driver? I’ll allow it.
12:57 Stephen- okay, your white dude is showing lol
12:59 Daisy Ridley – it’s her birthday (2 days ago but close enough!), that’s adorable!
1:00 This is not the end of the story, but the lightsaber that Rey inherited from Luke LIVES.
1:03 Any new Force powers that Rey has learned? If you ask JJ, then you know it’s a yes!
1:04 Distracting place to fall in love- John.
1:05 Full naked Kylo? Alrighty then. We’ll take it. I feel like this should turn into a May the Fourth Be With You Meme.
1:05 I love that the crowd is going CRAZY for Kelly Marie Tran. CRAZY. YES.
1:08 I need to read Colbert’s fanfiction on Rose & Finn. I mean…
1:09 JJ to Stephen “How DARE you?”
1:10 Love that Joonas just gave Peter Mayhew a big shoutout. Chewie is a doll- and we love him! And I love these Wookiee Cookies too. Just sayin’!

1:12 So I got behind- and sped up- and now there’s some new rolly droid or something going on? I dunno- but gimme that teaser trailer I know is coming!
1:14 SO. HERE. FOR. IT. Teaser trailer time! THE RISE OF SKYWALKER OMGGEEEEE.
Patty Holliday is a parent movie reviewer, writer, and podcaster living in the Washington, DC area. Her goal is to bridge the gap between casual fandom and picky critic with parent movie and television reviews. As a lifelong fangirl and pop culture connoisseur, she’s been creating online since 2009. You can find her work at No-Guilt Disney.com, No-Guilt Fangirl.com, No-Guilt Life, and as host of the top-rated No-Guilt Disney Podcast.