Older generations of veterans know Mark Hamill best as Luke Skywalker, the boy turned Jedi who released the universe from the grip of the evil Galactic Empire. Younger generations might remember him best as the voice of the Joker in "Batman: The Animated Series." Ukrainians might remember him best as a warning to seek shelter.
Russia has fired hundreds of missiles at Ukraine since the beginning of its invasion in February 2022, and it's not going to run out of missiles anytime soon. For the foreseeable future, Ukrainians with smartphones will be hearing the voice Hamill warning them of incoming Russian air and missile attacks.
Users of "Air Raid," a downloadable app connected to Ukraine's air defense system, will be alerted to any detected barrage by a common air raid siren followed by the actor's voice, in English, saying, "Attention. Air raid alert, proceed to the nearest shelter." The voice then warns against complacency: "Don't be careless. Your overconfidence is your weakness."
Hamill has been an outspoken supporter of Ukrainian resistance in the face of Russian aggression. He recently ended a six-year hiatus of selling autographed "Star Wars" posters and merchandise to sell in hopes of raising funds for Ukraine. He believes the effort speaks to the message of the "Star Wars" franchise, doing the "right thing for the good of everyone, rather than being all about self-interest."
"A fairy tale about good versus evil is resonant with what's going on in Ukraine," Hamill told The Associated Press. "The Ukrainian people rallying to the cause and responding so heroically ... It's impossible not to be inspired by how they've weathered this storm."
When the air raid ends, Hamill's voice returns. "The air alert is over," he says, before reminding fans: "May the Force be with you."
The actor's message on the Air Raid app comes in English, while the Ukrainian language version is spoken by a woman, but the AP reports that some Ukrainians prefer the actor's warm, human voice to the Ukrainian speaker.
"We could use a little bit of the power that Hamill wishes us," one user from Lviv remarked.
Hamill also joined the "Army of Drones" project, Ukraine's effort to purchase 10 Danish-made RQ-35 Heidrun scout drones and train pilots to fly them. The actor became an ambassador for the project, helping fundraising efforts using his name, likeness and personal effort. These nonlethal drones allow Ukrainian troops to reconnoiter 25 kilometers from their position without giving away their position.
"I know for certain that Ukrainians need drones to protect their land, their freedom and the values of the entire democratic world," Hamill said in his own statement. "Right now is the best time for everyone to come together and help Ukraine stand up in this war with the evil empire."
Around 200 million Ukrainian hryvnia -- more than $6.7 million -- had already been donated to the project as of July 2022.
The co-developer of the app, Ajax Systems, told AP it hopes the actor's voice encourages other people to download it, so they can experience the taste of what Ukrainians have to live with day in and day out. For Ukrainians, it can be a bit of positive relief in an otherwise trying time.
"It does inspire people," Hamill said. "Everyone flashes back to being six years old again. And if the movie can help people get through hard times, so much the better."
-- Blake Stilwell can be reached at blake.stilwell@military.com. He can also be found on Twitter @blakestilwell or on LinkedIn.
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