Mark Hamill introduced a brand new darkish facet to Wednesday’s episode of the FX sequence “What We Do within the Shadows.”
The “Star Wars” legend fluttered into Staten Island for a visitor function as pale, cape-wearing Jim the Vampire. And the 68-year-old Luke Skywalker actor gave followers what could have been a quick, nostalgic nod to a memorable scene from 1980’s “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Again.”
Within the episode, Hamill’s gray-haired vamp Jim arrived in NYC to get cash owed him by fellow bloodsucker Laszlo (Matt Berry), his longtime nemesis who lives with a coven of quirky vampires within the borough. However earlier than they may settle the debt in a duel, Laszlo escaped to a tiny city in Pennsylvania, the place he took on the title Jackie Daytona and labored incognito as a bartender. Jim ultimately tracked him down there, however after accepting cost within the type of what he’s informed is a novel artifact — a singing Huge Mouth Billy Bass — he realized Laszlo had simply swindled him with an affordable gag present.
Because the episode credit rolled — and in a second that mirrored the enduring scene when Darth Vader informed a younger Skywalker, “Luke, I’m your father” — Hamill tilted his head again and yelled in guttural fury. He realized he’d been duped — simply as Luke had been lied to about his true paternity for years.
“Star Wars” devotees lit up Twitter in response to his cameo.
“The Power is really with us,” tweeted one fan, whereas one other known as him “merely FANGtastic” as a vampire.
“The one factor higher than What You Do within the Shadows is Mark Hamill on What We Do within the Shadows,” stated one Twitter poster. One other added a want for Jim the Vampire to strike again once more in a future episode, writing, “Right here’s hoping that @HamillHimself’s character isn’t a one and finished.”
Hamill additionally had a fan in his household. His son, Nathan, 40, tweeted touching reward: “My Dad, the Vampire. My favourite function of his since that man in area.”
And the elder Hamill, who’s a fan of the present, additionally live-tweeted through the episode, saying, “They’re considered one of my all-time favourite ensembles in comedy.” He additionally marveled at his personal vampire-worthy emergence in his first scene. “Each actor appreciates entrance, & this was a GREAT one, although it took a harness & wires to get it finished,” he wrote.
He paid further tribute to Colin Robinson (performed by Mark Proksch), the vampire who bores individuals to get vitality as a substitute of draining their blood. “Colin Robinson is considered one of my favorites. The idea of an Vitality Vampire is exclusive to this present,” Hamill tweeted. “Boring individuals to dying to empty them of their life essence? I believe we ALL have met many of those sorts over time ready in strains or on the DMV.”
“What We Do within the Shadows” additionally stars Natasia Demetriou, Harvey Guillen and Kayvan Novak.
Hamill reprised his longtime sci-fi character within the newest J.J. Abrams-directed franchise movie, “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” which premiered Might 4 — aka “Star Wars Day” — on Disney Plus. It additionally stars Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac and the late Carrie Fisher, who performed Princess Leia reverse Hamill within the authentic trilogy.