May the 4th be with you.
It's a date on the calendar that ignites the lightsaber in any Star Wars fan's heart, but for the 501st Legion it is practically a religious holiday. The international organization is nicknamed Vader's Fist and despite the sinister symbolism, they are a charitable organization populated entirely by volunteers who are dedicated to having maximum Star Wars fan fun, and dressing the part impeccably.
The 501st Legion is militant about only one thing: the accuracy of the bad guy garb their members wear. These are not department store costumes. Each one is handcrafted using everything from 3D printing to blacksmithing techniques. Members revel in helping other members to achieve screen-precise uniforms, and you can't become a member until your costume has passed a rigorous set of authentication checkpoints.
There are three Prince George members of the 501st Legion's garrison for British Columbia. The first was Trevor Elkey who spent two years perfecting his Boba Fett gear before signing up for Vader's Fist. He has been joined in the past couple of years by tie-fighter pilot Brett Cullen and stormtrooper Kelsey Lees-Hudson (northern B.C.'s first female trooper with the 501st).
Their costumes and their charity will be in the spotlight of Northern FanCon coming next week to CN Centre.
"What's the point of having a costume you worked on so much, just to wear it for one Halloween?" said Elkey, describing that moment when he knew his creative investment in Boba Fett was destined for higher service.
"I decided to go all the way. I started to read up about it, and I heard of the 501st but still didn't think of joining the 501st, I just carried on making the costume to their specs and intended to eventually use the costume to raise money for community causes like they did. About a year after getting into the manufacturing process, getting all these screen-accurate parts, I realized the 501st would allow me to use this costume more often."
The group offered Elkey a community of fellow cosplayers, all with their specific fan fixation on the Star Wars stories. The majority in B.C. are concentrated in the Lower Mainland, including former Prince George resident Nicholas Harrison who has made stage and screen his profession. Harrison is considered a lion in the B.C. garrison. Elkey takes a lot of inspiration from him.
"As far as I know, we are the northernmost members, but we are all part of the same unit," Elkey said. "If we do end up getting to 12 troopers in P.G. we can become our own squad but still within the B.C. garrison. The three of us know of at least four others in town who are working on very high-quality stormtrooper costumes so we think we can get there. We just want to encourage anyone with an interest in this to reach out to us, finish your kit, and come troop with us."
Northern FanCon is the biggest local event for cosplayers of all kinds, and the 501st has a special outpost on the floor of the pop-culture extravaganza.
That is how Elkey got to meet Dickey Beer in 2016. The acclaimed Hollywood stuntman did much of Boba Fett's action sequences in Return of the Jedi, the film that turned the bounty hunter character into a fan-favourite villain.
-- 'WE RAISE MONEY, page 3
"Dickey Beer was a VIP guest at FanCon two years ago and I got to march up to his booth in full kit with a storm trooper escort, and he got a big grin on his face as we approached," Elkey said. "I managed to get him to sign the inside of my helmet, which was quite an honour. He was already an honorary member of the 501st and we presented him with a patch from our garrison and a challenge coin, which is a tradition we have based on old military tradition."
Beer isn't the only one to don the Boba Fett costume for the official films. The most prominent actor to portray the villain was Jeremy Bulloch who originated the part in The Empire Strikes Back and reprised the role in Return of the Jedi.
"Last year I met Jeremy Bullock at the Celebrations Star Wars Convention in Orlando. I brought my helmet with me all the way there from Prince George on the plane, which was awkward, but I got him to sign it as well," said Elkey, who works his fandom in around his job at CN Rail.
That isn't just fun and games at conventions. The group is also dedicated to charitable causes. When the community held a rally at Lhedli T'enneh Memorial Park for last year's forest fire victims, the 501st was there.
When kids need their moods boosted in the children's ward of University Hospital, the 501st is there.
They have done visits to elementary schools.
Elkey joined makeup master Mandy Paavola and cosplay award-winner Ben Gibson for a HubSpace seminar on how to take your role-playing up a notch.
It is all about giving. "The 501st Legion does not make money for itself, we raise money for charity and we get involved in events that will help community causes," Elkey said.
For example, the three local legionnaires will be on hand at the JDRF Walk For Diabetes on June 24 at College Heights secondary school, and their photo booth at Northern FanCon generates money for the Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation.
Just so it's clear, the Northern FanCon contingent is much more than the three local members. Reinforcements from all over B.C. and the Alberta garrison will also be on hand, including a special guest villain this year. "I can't tell you any specifics, but there are only two approved in all of Canada and one of them will be with us in Prince George at FanCon," Elkey said.
Northern FanCon happens May 11-13.
