It was Star Wars nerds who gave a name and extensive backstory to an off-the-rack werewolf mask, after all, so it should come as no surprise that those same superfans are currently combing over first-look photos from The Last Jedi in search of clues. And fansite Fantha Tracks has uncovered a fun one: An alien tribute to Carrie Fisher’s beloved service dog Gary Fisher.
Early this morning, the site’s Clair Henry reached out to Last Jedi director Rian Johnson on Twitter to find out if the wrinkly lil’ sack of velvety alien cuteness she spotted in the background of an Empire Magazine still from the film was in fact an alien version of Gary, and Johnson replied that it was:
Gary Fisher, as you may recall, is a French bulldog who was the constant companion of the late Carrie Fisher, who brought him along to everything from red-carpet events to a memorable appearance on Good Morning America where Gary dozed off mid-interview. Since Fisher’s death, Gary has moved in with Fisher’s former assistant Corby, who faithfully updates Gary’s Instagram as well as toting him to conventions where fans pay $20 a pop for selfies with the famous Frenchie.