Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Star Wars fans bring fun to square
Members of group dressing in movie costumes fulfill childhood dreams
BENTONVILLE — The next time you feel a disturbance in “the Force,” it might be coming from some extraterrestrials on the downtown square.
Several local people have made a habit over the past few months of dressing up as characters from the Star Wars movies and mingling with visitors to downtown.
Among them are Alan Von Goodleef, Jared Nesbit and Kyle Good. They were at the square on a recent weekday as a stormtrooper, a Tusken raider and a Jawa, respectively. People stopped to take photographs with them as they patrolled the area.
The group also was at the first day of the Bentonville Farmers Market on Saturday. They plan to appear regularly at the market.
“I love sci-fi,” said Von Goodleef of Bentonville. “I’ve always wanted to be a stormtrooper. It’s a childhood dream.”
Nesbit said there are eight people in the group overall.
The group dressed as Star Wars characters are members of the 501st Legion, said Charles Brown, commanding officer of the Diamond Garrison. known into The geographical as garrisons; legion is Arkansas areas, divided members are known as the Diamond Garrison, Brown said.
“We are a worldwide Star Wars costuming club focusing on the ‘bad guys’ of the Star Wars franchise,” he said.
“We are Lucasfilm- and Disney-recognized, meaning that we operate with a close relationship Lucasfilm and and support Disney. from We have over 14,000 members worldwide.”
Nesbit said they discovered they shared a love for Star Wars and had the costumes. They decided to use Star Wars to bring joy to others.
“It’s been a long year, especially with covid-19,” Von Goodleef said. “We just want to bring joy and cheer to everyone.”
Nesbit, of Bentonville, was dressed as a Tusken raider — a nomad people usually belligerent to other species.
“It’s fun for us to become Star Wars characters and everyone enjoys it,” Nesbit said. “It’s like we are in a completely different world.”
Nesbit said his character doesn’t talk much, but uses sign language, so it enables him to connect with children on another level.
“No one cares about what’s behind the mask,” Nesbit said. “I’m just a character they want to talk and interact with.”
Kyle Good, of Rogers, recently debuted his Jawa costume. Jawas are dwarflike scavengers who collect and sell valuables; they wear heavy robes that hide their faces, except for their glowing yellow eyes.
Good has dressed as a stormtrooper on other visits to the square.
“Star Wars was a big part of my childhood and I like to share that with everyone,” he said.
Nesbit said it’s difficult to explain how Star Wars became such an important part of their lives.
“None of us really remember a time in our lives where we weren’t Star Wars fans, you know,” Nesbit said. “We just grew up with it.”
Brown, of Little Rock, said Star Wars is a timeless and classic tale of good vs. evil that endures today.
“I saw ‘A New Hope’ — or as we called it, Star Wars — in 1977, opening weekend,” Brown said. “I was 4 years old and it’s one of my earliest memories. Seeing the star destroyer come across the screen in the opening scene was so awe-inspiring for me, it just sparked my imagination and that imagination grew with me as I grew up.”
Brown was 7 when “The Empire Strike Back” came out, and by the time “Return of the Jedi” came out, he had grown up with the characters, so they were a large part of his childhood.
Nesbit said several members have more than one costume, and he’s building a costume of Jango Fett, a bounty hunter who appears in “Attack of the Clones.”
“What we wear depends on the weather and how we’re feeling that day,” Nesbit said.
The men caught the attention of several passersby March 31.
“You guys look good enough to be in a Hollywood movie,” said Ted Thompson of Bella Vista. “My grandson will get a kick out of this.”
Shannon Storm of Rogers rode by on his bicycle that day.
“It’s not every day you go on a bike ride, and you see these guys,” Storm said. “It’s not every day a Storm meets a stormtrooper.”
Josh Earnhart of Rogers was on his way to an appointment, but said he’s a “die-hard” Star Wars fan and had to stop for a photo.
Von Goodleef said they plan to continue making trips to the square. A couple members of the group have children, who usually come dressed as Jawas.
Brown said a lot of people react when they see the characters because they grew up with the movies, and their children are growing up with the movies.
“Our costumes that we wear are such high quality and built to such exacting standards that, yes, we do look like we just stepped out of the screen and are staying before them,” Brown said. “That is why we get such great reactions. People recognize the characters, but these costumes are so real that they feel even closer to the characters and the movies. They feel like they are reliving some memories and their childhood.”
Brown said it’s a good feeling to see kids’ eyes light up when they see their favorite character.
Brown said the legion has done numerous charity events, including visiting Arkansas Children’s Hospital and raising over $9,000 for the Make A Wish Foundation.
“The legion’s tag line is ‘Bad Guys Doing Good’ and we work hard to do so,” he said.
Nesbit described the square as the local group’s home base because many live in the Bentonville area. He said Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia or Darth Vader may be with them someday.
He said they just want to share Star Wars with people and want the experiences to be all positive. Love of Star Wars is universal and it brings people together, he said.
“They probably can recognize a stormtrooper or Darth Vader in North Korea,” Nesbit said. “It’s limitless who can be reached with Star Wars.”