Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker makes UNC-Charlotte shooting hero a Jedi Master. The beloved franchise is perhaps best known for its Jedi characters, whose ultimate ranking in the Star Wars universe is very much the stuff of dreams for many fans.
Over the years, devoted fans have taken any opportunity presented to them that offers the potential to experience, even if just for a moment, what it’s like to wield the Force. From video games to tabletop games and beyond, some fans have even gone as far as making Jedi a legitimate religion in their respective nations. Star Wars creator George Lucas could have hardly known the impact his fictional organization would have on pop culture when he first created it over 40 years ago. Inspired by Japanese samurai warriors (among other sources), the Jedi remain a vital Star Wars component, and it certainly is not often that fans are given the opportunity to be immortalized within that extensive component. To be acknowledged and honored with a place among the Jedi is virtually unheard of - regardless of one’s knowledge of or dedication to the Star Wars franchise’s extensive canon.
In this particular case, however, aside from 21-year-old Riley Howell’s encyclopaedic knowledge of all things Star Wars, his official promotion to the status of Jedi Master and historian comes with a tragic explanation. Last spring, Howell was murdered when a gunman opened fire at U.N.C. Charlotte. In a heroic and selfless bid to save the lives of others around him, Howell tackled the attacker and attempted to pin him down until police arrived. The move saved countless lives, but Howell was killed in the process. Now, in a Reddit post from Howell’s girlfriend’s brother, it was revealed Lucasfilm has officially awarded Howell the status of Jedi Master and historian in a new Star Wars book, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: The Visual Dictionary. You can check out Howell’s inclusion below in the provided image, as well as its place at Wookieepedia and the thoughtful letter from Lucasfilm:
Renamed Ri-Lee Howell to better suit the Star Wars canon’s Jedi legacy, the new book’s inclusion of the real life hero credits his fictional exploits as the author of sacred Jedi texts known as the Aionomica. The two-volume texts are a “combination of codex, correspondence, and scrapbook.” Having carefully preserved the volumes, Howell’s character is now a permanent addition to the Jedi legacy, an honor that every Star Wars fan is sure to be envious of. Howell’s real life courage has made an indelible mark on the public’s consciousness, and Lucasfilm has not only recognized his sacrifice on a human level, but also as the rare sort of integrity synonymous with the Jedi. Howell’s family has known about the honor since May, but as per the company’s request, it was kept quiet until Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: The Visual Dictionary’s release, which coincided with the recent release of the film.
Though Rise of Skywalker has been receiving very mixed reviews since its release, Howell’s acknowledgement as an official Jedi Master and historian runs far deeper than the success or failure of a single film. As a permanent part of the Star Wars canon, the young man who risked everything for the safety of others will never be forgotten, and hopefully one day, Lucasfilm will see fit to even include the character onscreen in one of the numerous upcoming Star Wars projects.
Source: Reddit