Posted: Saturday August 13th, 2016
by
I was very sad when I read that Kenny Baker, the actor who played R2-D2, passed away today. As nerds we seem inclined to tuck ourselves into these little niches of fandom. We nestled ourselves so deeply into our devotion that we become possessive of the characters, lore, and even the actors. That's how it is for we Star wars fans with people like Kenny. He's ours. And the loss is painful. Maybe it's possessiveness, selfishness, or maybe it's just part and parcel to being a fan. But, with his passing, it feels like this love of ours is slipping slowly away.
I never met Kenny, but the love and affection assigned to him by those he worked with, helps to ease the transition into a fandom without him. It's so very obvious that he will be missed.
Kenny Baker
1934 - 2016
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