The passing of Star Wars legend James Earl Jones should be a reason for fans to unite

Life has a way of reminding us what's important and these reminders usually come when we need them the most.

The passing of Star Wars legend and voice of Darth Vader, James Earl Jones, shocked fans and everyone Jones worked with during his long career. James Earl Jones' career includes many iconic roles and achievements, but as the voice of Darth Vader, he has left a permanent mark on generations of fans.

As the news broke, social media became flooded with posts from fans and celebrities honoring Jones' work and iconic voice. For a while, fans seemed to forget their differences and came together to recall their favorite Darth Vader moments and dialogues delivered with Jones' signature intensity and command. It was as if there hadn't been any fighting and bullying back and forth between fans the past few weeks. But that's far from the truth, as the fandom seems to be in shambles right now.

The fighting and accusations have made their way to YouTube, as they always do, and now Star Wars content creators are also feuding. All of this has come after the fair and unfair criticism faced by The Acolyte, which turned bitter and more abusive after its cancellation. While Lucasfilm maintains an odd silence on what's happening, fans on both sides continue taking shots at each other, but it's time to stop and reflect.

Star Wars will outlive all of us and has been around longer than most of us have. Actors, films, and fans will come and go, but the Star Wars fandom will continue to expand. Some shows will be successful, some won't, and tearing each other apart won't change what's meant to be. Perhaps fans need to take a break and delete their social media apps for a while to develop a renewed appreciation for the franchise and the parts of it they hold most dear. A break would help everyone rediscover why this fandom is worth being a part of, regardless of our differences.

Either come together to celebrate a man whose voice to a single character in Star Wars made him an icon for generations, leading to an entire trilogy about the character, or continue fighting and ruining other people's joy. Regardless of your thoughts on recent Star Wars shows and films, if every Star Wars fan, young and old, made a list of things they love about the franchise, they would find many things in common. Every fan would have at least one character or moment on their list that matches someone they're probably fighting with on social media.

Star Wars fans, please find ways to unite and celebrate our shared passion for this franchise. Let's all remember why we connected to the franchise, which has given us legends like James Earl Jones and many others. There's something about Star Wars that appeals to audiences regardless of age, race, and national origin. We need to use social media to figure out what brought us all together in the first place. If we don't come together soon, we risk losing the opportunity to honor future legends and the chance to celebrate the franchise's enduring impact.