Theme of the Week: Favorite Star Wars characters

For this week’s theme of the week article, we asked readers to tell us about their favorite Star Wars characters. Many were mentioned, from instant classics like Yoda and Boba Fett, to more obscure suggestions like Gar Stazi and Tycho Celchu. Considering the nerdy, global obsession with Star Wars, we decided to run off the beaten path and take a peek at the bizarre merchandise for our respondents’ favorite characters.

Yoda

Everyone’s favorite tiny green man, who spouted off bits of Buddhist teachings in endearing–if not bizarrely structured–prose, has spawned many different pieces of merchandise.

SQUEE.

One of the best is this backpack, which mimics how Yoda rode on Luke’s back to teach him the ways of the force. Costing $34.99 and measuring 25″, this little Yoda is the perfect way to hone your skills with the Force while traipsing around your local suburb.

This little backpack will allow you to have “only what you take with you” wherever you go. You can pick up this gem at thinkgeek.com.

Use the Force, you must.

Another delightful Yoda piece is this set of holiday lights, better known as the perfect decoration for the dorm room of any guy that doesn’t want to get laid! This website also has a Yoda stocking, as well as R2 lights and a Boba Fett snow globe. The Yoda Stocking will run you $26.99, while the holiday lights and Boba Fett snow globe are not currently for sale, but should be later this year.

Other interesting Yoda items include a Yoda Pet costume and a Yoda gumball machine.

This certainly looks like it has been through a fight!

Wedge Antilles

Wedge Antilles was another one of the most-mentioned characters in this week’s theme thread. As one of the Rebellion’s ace pilots, he has garnered quite a following among Star Wars fans, but he has not been as popular with the mass media, which means peculiar items are a little harder to find.

Even so, Visiontoys has an excellent replica of the helmet worn by Wedge in the film. It retails for €59.99, and it comes from “A New Hope,” the saga’s first fourth movie.

There’s also a Wedge Antilles action figure, so you can reenact all of your favorite Star Wars scenes right in your own toy room.

Han Solo

By far the most-mentioned character, Han Solo charmed audiences from the very beginning of the series, which propelled his stardom far beyond that of Mark Hamill, the leading actor.

Perhaps it was his scoundrel-y ways. Perhaps it was his lion heart. Either way, we felt for him when the Empire encased him in carbonite and shipped him off to Jabba’s palace. It’s no surprise, then, that merchandisers were eventually moved as well… To make money.

Can we get these at work?

The Han Solo Carbonite Desk is from Tom Spina designs, and it features metal and fiberglass construction with a glass top. Han Solo himself is crafted from a custom fabricated steel block with detailed resin pieces. The whole desk is both very sturdy, and extremely heavy. Unfortunately, as it was a commissioned piece, it is not available for order directly off the web, but Tom Spina designs can replicate it (for a price).

This makes Lego castles look really lame.

Another depiction of Han Solo in carbonite comes from an artist that makes pieces out of Lego blocks. Nathan Sawaya created the Han Solo in carbonite Lego version (Legonite?) from 10,000 gray Lego bricks. Like Tom Spina Designs, Sawaya also does commissioned art pieces, so this Lego masterpiece could be yours by simply contacting the artist.

Nom nom nom Han Solo.

The tastiest version of Han Solo’s carbonite comes from a group that created a Han Solo in Guacanite for a town competition. This guacamole masterpiece was called “He’s no guac to me dead,” and was created by Rob Saccenti. This item obviously can’t be purchased, but Star Wars avocado aficionados could probably replicate it.

Miscellany

Several other extremely random but amusing pieces of Star Wars merchandise include:

• A Darth Vader toaster: Eat the dark side every morning!
• R2-D2 soy sauce containers: Beep beep beep beep tuna sashimi!
• Garden Jawas: Because gnomes are your grandmother’s garden decoration.
• The infamous tauntaun sleeping bag: Entrails are as soft as a feather bed, right?
• Darth Vader Jumbo Chubby Doll: What good old Anakin would have looked like if he had had a few more years to sit around eating cookies with Jaina and Jacen.
• Princess Leia’s Metal Bikini: While not an unusual item, it’s probably one of the most popular items from the film.

Nothing like a Sith lord and jam for breakfast!

Trivia!

Also, to test your expert Star Wars knowledge, we have compiled a few trivia questions about your favorite characters. Try to answer them without consulting the Internet!

Yoda

1. What species does Yoda belong to?
2. Why did Yoda go to Dagobah?
3. Did Yoda really need his cane?
4. How old was Yoda when he died?
5. Why did Yoda tell Luke that he wasn’t going to train him?
6. Which is the first movie in which Yoda is completely computer generated?
7. What knowledge does Yoda leave Luke with when he dies?
8. Who voices Yoda?

Han Solo

1. Who did George Lucas base Han Solo on?
2. Which medal is Han Solo awarded in “A New Hope?”
3. Who did Han Solo work for during most of his youth?
4. What was Han Solo originally supposed to look like?
5. What was Han Solo’s alias when he as younger?
6. What are the names of Han Solo’s children?
7. How do Han Solo and Chewbacca become friends?
8. What crime did Han solo commit in order to convince Leia to marry him?
9. Did Han shoot first?

Wedge Antilles

1. Who plays Wedge Antilles in the trilogy?
2. Wedge Antilles is famous for being the only Rebel pilot to do what?
3. How did Wedge Antilles’ parents die?
4. Who does Wedge Antilles marry?
5. Wedge Antilles is know as the ______ of Coruscant?
6. What are the names of Wedge Antilles’ children?
7. A Wedge-type character is what?
8. What squadron did Wedge Antilles found?

After you’re done flaunting your nerdy mastery of Star Wars, make sure to keep your man card by stopping to discuss this week’s theme: your favorite moment in sports!