Parade of Roses

Around the time I joined the Rebel Legion there was this buzz going around. It could be heard at the Cinemax event and through the 1’s and 0’s on the online boards. Like ringing in your ears. Like a mosquito flying around your ear while you try and sleep. Whispers really. Speculation. Quiet speculation.

About a parade.

Strange thing to be excited about I know. But, as most people know now, George Lucas was chosen as the Grand Marshall of the 2007 Tournament of Roses Parade. This is old news to anyone in the Star Wars community. It was announced by Steven Sansweet at Comicon this year. The “thing” kept mildly secret for a while was that members of the 501st Legion would be marching in formation behind the Lucasfilm floats. Great for the Uncle George. Great for the 501st.

“What about the Rebels?”

Was the question asked by many for a long time. Ed “Reaper”, our Legion CO, asked the same question to Sansweet and Mary Franklin at LFL. The answer was to wait and see. Exciting things would be revealed in time.

So, around the time of the Cinemax event, it was announced that LFL wanted non-Stormtrooper characters to march around the floats and add some color to the parade. There was a made-up photo submission date. People went about finishing projects. Excitement filled the air. People had to decide if they could actually walk 5 miles and if they wanted to submit.

With all things regarding LFL, the photo submission date was, as previously stated, made up. The date became way earlier than previously expected. Most of Sunrider was not able to finish their Endor Troopers for the photo submissions. I, myself, was scrambling to try and get pics done in time. I got them done and sent them to Mary Franklin as soon as I could.

Now, I know my costume is pretty good. But I had no thought, ever in my head, that I would be chosen. Not because I am self conscious and negative. It’s because we were told, early on, that LFL was mainly looking for generic Rebel and Imperial characters. If you were submitting a face or hero character, that is one with a name and a famous actor attached to it, that they would heavily weigh how much you look like the character. That is, from 10-20 feet, do you capture the look of the character and the actor? Do you look iconic enough that people will know, immediately, who you are? Especially those who may not be huge Star Wars fans? Those pesky football fans that come to a parade based around a college football game?

I knew I didn’t have this magic. Not that I don’t look enough like Harrison Ford from 20 feet. My problems were thus.

I chose the costume no one remembers.

My hair is cut short and is lighter than Ford’s.

But I submitted anyway. As Obi-Shawn stated, he never wanted to walk in the Rose Parade but it would be pretty cool to do it. I submitted and waited. I got my rejection letter and wasn’t surprised. I went about supporting those that I knew that got accepted. And there was a few people I knew, or had met, that got chosen. Bryan, one of the Anakin guys I know from Sons of the Suns got picked to walk as ROTS Anakin. Obi-Shawn and Vince Sanchez walked as Stormtroopers (as well as a lot of other guys I have met but can’t remember exactly who–I’m not part of the 501st yet–I appologize for leaving anyone out). Rob, Jon, Lawrence, and Joslyn from Sunrider walked as various good guy characters.

It was a fun thing to wake up to on New Year’s Day. The floats looked awesome. Kudos to everyone that helped build them; including a few Sunrider members! Kudos to the 501st and Rebel Legion members who marched. Kudos to LFL for the great idea and floats. And kudos to Uncle George for giving all of us something to occupy our free time.