Last year Target went all out for Star Wars:The Force Awakens, giving fans a chance to #ShareTheForce—and making Target an ultimate Star Wars destination. Now, the Star Wars fun is back: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story hits the big screen Dec. 16. And we have out-of-this-world plans to unleash your inner rebel, starting with stories that’ll have you reliving your childhood—and making new memories.
There’s a rebel in all of us and all of us share one thing: Star Wars.
The best thing about this epic campaign? These pros aren’t actors or models. We know the force runs deep in the Star Wars fandom, so we gave real-life fans the chance of a lifetime: broadcasting their love of Star Wars to the universe. So, what’s it like to star in your own Star Wars story? We’ll let our very own rebel heroes speak for themselves!
Dan Zehr, High School English teacher/X-wing pilot, on flight suits and Shakespeare:
Putting on that flight suit is something I will never forget. I felt like I was a part of something I have loved since I was a little boy. Pure magic! And that’s the same magic I bring into my classroom. The first lesson I ever taught was in a workshop class, and the lesson was to my fellow aspiring teachers. It was 2005, and Revenge of the Sith was fresh in my mind. As I watched the film, I was struck with how closely Anakin Skywalker’s fall fit beautifully with Shakespeare’s formula for a tragic hero. He is a prominent figure revered by other characters in the story, has special talents, a tragic flaw, and has a dramatic fall from grace. So, it seemed like a natural fit to incorporate Episode III into a lesson on Shakespeare and tragic heroes. One of the keys to successful engagement is to meet students where they are at, and nothing does that quite like Star Wars. I also believe if you have passion for the material you are teaching, it comes to life for your classes.
Jennifer Landa Busch, wedding-planner extraordinaire/Non, on celebrating major milestones, Star Wars-style:
A few hours after we got engaged, I suggested having a Star Wars-themed wedding. It only seemed natural because we are both Star Wars fans! Whether it was having tiny Ewoks in our terrarium centerpieces or having a glittery Millennium Falcon flying through a cluster of hydrangeas, we sprinkled our Star Wars fandom into as many details as possible. Later, we even introduced our daughter to Star Wars at the tender age of three weeks, when I dressed her up like a wampa! Lucia is now 14 months old and because Star Wars is everywhere in our house she has had fun learning about that galaxy far, far away. Right now, her favorite character is Yoda, who she calls, “ah-da.” I recite the Jedi Master’s wisdom in my best Yoda voice. “Truly wonderful, the mind of a child is.” There are so many wonderful life lessons found in the galaxy of Star Wars. I will always carry these stories close to my heart and it’s why I think it’s important that we share them for generations to come.
Charley Burns, 9-year-old fan/“Little-short-for-a” stormtrooper, on favorites and falling in love with Star Wars:
When I was younger, I heard my dad talking about Star Wars a lot, so I’d ask him to tell me the plot of the movies. So he would tell me the story when we would eat dinner and then he started giving me his old Star Wars toys. I love all the sci-fi fantasy space coolness of Star Wars. And I also like all the strong girls like Princess Leia. My favorite characters are Han Solo and Chewbacca. They inspire me because Han Solo—he’s a good guy, but he doesn’t like to be told what to do (like me), but he still does the right thing anyway. And Chewbacca is just so loyal and tough and awesome. I bet they’d be great best friends.
Amiyrah Martin, dedicated mom/Rebel parent, on Star Wars’ lessons on heroism: Star Wars resonates with me in many ways, but once I became a parent, it had a totally different meaning. There was always that family center within the saga, and once I became a mom, I understood the importance behind doing what’s right, standing up for family, seeing friends as family, and of course, risking your own life to save your child (props to Darth Vader). I finally understand his actions, his passion, and why he did what he did at the end of Episode VI. When I was younger, Darth was the bad guy…period. Now, I see him as the eventual hero. And my own son is already impacted by Star Wars and all of the fantastic fanatical living that we do because of it. He knows that it doesn’t matter where he comes from, how he was raised, or what he grows up to be, he always has the option of being the hero. He always has the right to be the good in the world. And, he can be the one to save the day, even if it seems like he’s the underdog. Plus, no matter how old he gets, he’ll always think lightsabers are cool. Always.
Need another dose of rebel inspiration? A whole galaxy of Star Wars toys lands Sept. 30 at Target and Target.com, including new exclusives. Get a preview today, and pre-order one of these great Rogue One: A Star Wars Story toys. Move fast, because pre-orders are limited!
