Maybe we’ll really be over the loss of one Carrie Fisher, icon of galactic proportions who we sadly lost in December of 2016, but as a certain Jedi Master says…no one’s ever really gone.

Filmmaker JJ Abrams embraces this notion, especially when it comes to Fisher’s Princess General Leia, and her appearing in the final chapter of the Skywalker saga, “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” film due out this December.

While on stage today during D23’s Disney Studios presentation (you can read all about it here), Abrams spoke a bit about Fisher, and her presence in Episode IX.

“The character of Leia is really, in a way, the heart of this story. When we were talking about this story we realized we could not possibly tell the end of these nine films without Leia. We realized we could use in a new way so Carrie, as Leia, gets to be in the film.”

He continued, reminding the audience that he wasn’t supposed to be the one directing this upcoming cosmic conflict film. It was going to be “Jurassic World” helmer Colin Trevorrow, but he was removed from the project, much like the “Solo: A Star Wars Story” team of Lord and Miller.

“I wasn’t supposed to be here. She was almost sort of supernaturally witty and magical in a way. Now, I had never worked with her before The Force Awakens and I wasn’t supposed to do this movie, so it was a classic Carrie thing to sort of write something like that and it could only mean one thing for me. And I could not be more excited to have you see her in her final performance.”

He was speaking of course about a passage from Fisher’s “The Princess Diarist” (available here and MUST read for Fisher fans) which read: “And special thanks to J.J. Abrams for putting up with me twice.”

While there isn’t any new public footage yet, we are expecting a new BTS reel to be released on Monday.

Until then, enjoy the new “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” poster, and think good Carrie thoughts.