War is hell but there’s no denying that having Luke Skywalker on your side is at least a little bit cool. Air Alert, an app used by folks in Ukraine that warns of incoming airstrikes, has picked up actor Mark Hamill to voice the English version of the app.
Jedi knight Luke Skywalker will warn Ukrainian users of “five types of danger: missile attack, artillery shelling, street fighting, radiation, and chemical threat.” It’s simultaneously horrifying and just a little bit awesome. If you had to have those notifications, there are worse places for them to come from.
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A Force-ful Air Alert
Actually, it seems that it’s just Hamill himself doing the voice alerts. He’s not doing a rendition of one of his most famous characters. In addition Hamill, a serious supporter of Ukraine’s cause has “also added some of his iconic and inspiring quotes to announcements when the danger is over”.
“[T]oday we are presenting… an English version of the Air Alert, available for journalists, international missions, and everyone who is currently working in Ukraine. I am sure that many Ukrainians will change the language of the app at least once to hear, “Attention, the street fighting alert is over. May the Force be with you,” said Yaroslava Gres, UNITED24 coordinator.
Though Mark Hamill has contributed to this project as one of his most recognisable alter egos, it’s almost certain that his other one — Joker from Batman: The Animated Series (and the Arkham games) — hasn’t made the cut. We think. We’re not about head to a Ukraine war zone to find out.
