On Sept.9, James Earl Jones, the voice behind so many iconic film characters including Darth Vader from the Star Wars Trilogy and Mufasa from The Lion King, passed away at 93 while surrounded by his family. His death has caused widespread mourning and grief across the globe as fans fondly remember Jones for his stunning voice acting.

“He was the legend, to many he was just a voice but to us he was lord Vader,” Wongeyom Yang (12), Star Wars enthusiast, said. “It’s honestly heartbreaking to see someone like him pass, May The Force Be With Him.”

Media giant companies such as Lucasfilms and those who James had worked in close connection with, most notably George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars himself, and Mark Hamil, the voice behind Luke Skywalker, have personally paid tribute to the legend by posting, “Thank you for everything James” and “RIP Dad” on their X accounts.

“He’s a voice of a generation, no he’s the voice of our generation,” Ian Coweison, Drama director and movie fan, said. “His voice as Darth Vader most famously but also as Mufasa in Lion King cements his legacy but he’s also a superb actor.”

Jones is remembered for many feats, including being one of the greatest pioneering colored actors of his generation. No where is his loss felt greater than the Star Wars community. In the hours following his passing, hundreds of fans were mourning his passing and paying tribute to his legacy by uttering the iconic words of “May the Force be with you, J. E. J.”