Star Wars: The Last Jedi may be set to move a lot of Porg merchandise, but BB-8 isn’t buying. For diehard Star Wars fans, the inclusion of Porgs in The Last Jedi has been known for some time. Residents of Ahch-To, where Luke has been in self-imposed exile, the tiny critters are an adorable addition to the animal kingdom of the galaxy far, far away. Of course, they’ll also make for some great toys and mascots. And with the release of the new trailer for The Last Jedi, general audiences now have Porg fever.

Given the Jar Jar Binks debacle, fans are still worried whenever a cute character arrives in a Star Wars film. But droids have long held a similar function in the universe, acting as quirky characters while moving toys in the real world. BB-8 even upped the ante, offering Star Wars its most adorable and marketable character yet while still fitting nicely into the narrative. But now that the Porgs have arrived, could they supplant BB-8 on his exalted perch?

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert opened its show last night with an imagining of how BB-8 is dealing with Porg-mania, and the results aren’t pretty. In fact, it looks like the little droid is in need of a friend.

Lucky for BB-8, the Porgs won’t be the only new addition to the Star Wars universe. A variety of creatures great and small will occupy Ahch-To. And then there’s BB-9E, the all-black variation on the soccer ball droid. Will the two be friends or enemies? Only time will tell.

BB-8 aside, the Internet is loving the reveal of the Porgs. Immediately after the trailer dropped, Porg-themed posters and supercut videos began popping up online. But in all the hype, it’s easy to forget that a single Porg appeared for a brief moment in the trailer. People may be loving the cute creatures, but it’s clear they won’t derail the film the way Jar Jar did in The Phantom Menace. In fact, writer and director Rian Johnson has assured fans that the Porgs have their place in the film.

Considering how masterfully Lucasfilm has handled the Star Wars franchise in recent years, it’s not hard to have faith in Johnson and the new film. And given the many truly grim and philosophically challenging moments the new trailer teases, it’s clear that Porgs will be nothing more than a small light in the vast darkness that is The Last Jedi.

Source: The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

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