DEC
08
As the wife of the oldest Broin brother, I now know the depth of the Broin family’s love of Star Wars and Star Wars Accessories. While we were dating, Adam put on a movie and said, “You have seen Star Wars, right?” Not knowing how critical it was, I replied, “Oh yeah….” To which I foolishly said soon into Empire Strikes Back, “Who is that big furry dude [Chewbacca]?” After Adam freaked out and his mom fell on the floor from laughing, I was properly schooled in Star Wars. So, it was my great pleasure to interview my husband and brothers-in-law about their fondest memories and current opinions on Star Wars.
Your first memory of Star Wars –
Adam: I walked into the living room and Dad was watching TV. I asked him what he was watching and he replied, “You’ve never seen Star Wars? Come here and sit down.” I sat down just before Alderaan blew up and my little 3rd grade socks were blown off. From that day on, all my art projects at school were Tie Fighters, X-Wings, and lightsabers. Later that month, my mom sewed me a Luke Skywalker costume for Halloween. I think I even asked for an X-Wing in my bedtime prayers that night!
Derek: I remember being confused what Adam's Halloween costume was. I was soon enlightened and enamored. I certainly wore that same costume as soon as I grew into it!
Jacob: It’s hard to know when it started. For as long as I can remember it was Star Wars Legos at Christmas and plastic lightsabers that Mom would threaten to take away from us if we wouldn’t stop hitting each other with them. I feel like there isn’t a time in my life I can remember as being pre-Star Wars. I don’t even think I was old enough to understand the hype surrounding The Phantom Menace.
Did you play Star Wars growing up –
Adam: My friends and I would race our bikes around picnic tables and other obstacles pretending we were pod-racing. There were epic crashes and close finishes. Surprisingly, nobody was injured.
Derek: The lightsaber battles between the three of us and other kids in the neighborhood were constant. Especially growing up during marketing for the special edition and the buildup to the prequels.
Jacob: I spent a lot of time as a kid pretending to be a Jedi. I can remember a few times when a friend and I crossed the busy street behind our house to the designated flood capture in the snowy months (we are from South Dakota) and pretended to be on Hoth. After we got cold enough, we’d head inside and play the original Star Wars Battlefront 2.
Favorite Star Wars Videogame –
Adam: I was a huge fan of the 1994 LucasArts videogame TIE Fighter. A few years ago, I found a program to run old DOS games on my computer just so I could replay it. Still awesome!
Jacob: While I have always had a soft spot for Star Wars Legos (the bottom of my foot particularly), my all-time favorite was Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. The game follows Vader’s secret apprentice as he helps Vader hunt down the Jedi that survived Order 66 and went into hiding. It reveals Vader’s secret plans to use Galen Marek, the main character, to assassinate the Emperor, whom Vader has always been conflicted about. The gameplay was a little clunky, but Galen is stronger in the Force than either Vader or Palpatine, and explores the farthest limits of his abilities. If they ever wanted to make a Star Wars movie out of a Star Wars video game, they’d take some creative freedoms with this story and turn it into some of the most awe-inspiring lightsaber battles ever put on screen.
Derek: Knights of the Old Republic was hands down the most immersive reimagining I have experienced. Despite how clunky the turn-based combat was, going further before "a long time ago" gave them a lot of freedom to tell an entirely new story in a familiar setting. It was my first encounter with an alignment system in a game, and that added gravity to decisions really drew me in. Nothing up to that point was quite like the freedom to explore the galaxy in my own ship with a ragtag group of companions.
Favorite Star Wars movie –
Adam: The Last Jedi is the first Star Wars live-action movie with Mark Hamill in it this century. He was always great at delivering lines, and after years of voice-acting he’s even better. It’s already my favorite and I’ve only seen the trailer.
Derek: Empire Strikes back. Without the extra drama caused by the "good guys" getting their butts kicked and Luke's fateful encounter with Vader on Cloud City, the wins in Return of the Jedi would have felt empty and meaningless.
The main characters are all left in precarious crossroads at the end. Han has been hauled away in carbonite, Luke now handless and conflicted with his newfound knowledge about his paternity, not to mention his unfinished training by Yoda, has left him particularly vulnerable to the Dark side. The Rebellion is chased from system to system in this movie, their cause seemingly hopeless against such endless resources.
Jacob: I loved Rogue One. It was dark and tragic, and the audience was forced to feel the destructive power and immense loss the Empire was willing to inflict on its own citizens to maintain control. I really felt like Rogue One stepped out of the fantasy of Star Wars and presented this drama that felt like real people struggling with real pasts and difficult decisions in a futuristic universe. While I love the Star Wars franchise; the idea of flying X-Wings and lightsaber battles and force powers akin to Thor; I have always been a sucker for movies that have this innate realness to them (and aren’t afraid to kill off the main characters). I thought that Rogue One was the perfect combination of real drama and space battles that struck a spot in my soul that’s been missing since Firefly got cancelled.
Favorite Star Wars droid –
Derek: 2-1B. Patching up Luke, time and time again.
Adam: As far as I know, R2-D2 is the only droid with a Christmas Song.
Jacob: K-2SO had more personality in his left leg than any other droid combined (including R2D2 and his Christmas Song). Plus, I’ve always liked Alan Tudyk, so it was especially fun to see him as a droid.
Favorite Star Wars Character –
Adam: Obi-Wan Kenobi is always in the action, and though he’s hasty in his youth he’s still laconic and cool under pressure. I love watching him struggle to be a good teacher for Anakin in Attack of the Clones, it tests his mettle more than any fight. He’s also in all the best lightsaber duels, and appreciates the value of the high ground.
Derek: You can't beat Han Solo (especially with everyone's favorite Wookie at his side). This loveable scoundrel is an excellent foil for the mystical Force users, and his internal struggle between the jaded smuggler and the wholesome friend makes for unpredictable behavior.
Jacob: My favorite has to Luke, especially in Return of the Jedi. He steps in to Jabba’s Palace stoic and calm; ready for anything and clearly in control of the situation. Even when the whole thing goes off the rails and Jabba the Hutt is ready to throw him in the Sarlacc pit, Luke maintains his composure, frees his friends and beats Jabba the Hutt without blinking an eye. I’m very excited to see him mentor Rey and see a new dynamic in his character.
Discussing their favorite Scene –
Adam: The opening scene of The Force Awakens is one of the most powerful in the series. Seeing Poe Dameron, Finn, BB-8, and Kylo Ren in action all in the same fight is epic. Finn’s overwhelming moral objection, confusion in the fight, and subsequent freak-out, all while wearing a bloodstained helmet, was very moving. That scene put me through a wide range of emotions.
Derek: Luke's encounter with Vader on Cloud City. Vader attempts to freeze Luke in carbonite, the battle is as much ideological verbal sparring as lightsaber battle, and it culminates in one of the best-executed movie twists of all time.
Jacob: I could watch the final battle between Luke and Vader a hundred times and still get the same ripping emotions. Vader tempts Luke with the Dark Side by inviting his anger, an internal struggle between Vader and Anakin and what each represents, and the painful tragedy of Anakin’s rebirth, and shortly after, his death. The whole thing is a rollercoaster.
Favorite Quote –
Adam: “Who’s the fool: The fool, or the fool who follows him?” ~Obi-Wan Kenobi, A New Hope
Derek: "I've got a bad feeling about this."
Jacob: This is a hard one. The idiot who lives in my head wants me to say, “It’s a trap!” but there are so many good ones that I probably should come up with something that sounds more intelligent.
Thoughts on the new Disney owned Star Wars –
Adam: Kylo Ren is still undeveloped as a Sith; whereas, Anakin Skywalker had a lot of painful life events to make him into Darth Vader. Seeing Kylo struggling to be truly evil without that history makes him relatedly vulnerable in a way that Darth Vader was chillingly impervious.
Jacob: The Force Awakens was a difficult watch for me. I felt the characters were under-developed and the plot only raised questions, but didn’t answer them. However, this is Star Wars and I couldn’t help but fall in love with Kylo’s pain, Rey’s tenacity, and Finn’s rebelliousness. I cannot wait to see more of these characters as they forge their own path through the galaxy.
Derek: The Force Awakens opened a lot of possibilities for them to take the series in exciting new ways. They began saying goodbye to the original trilogy cast and are creating intriguing new characters with complicated backstories that are sure to thrill. The addition of one-off movies like Rogue One was an excellent choice and I'm excited to see what new stories can be told in the setting that don't rely on the established characters.
Thoughts on the new The Last Jedi trailer –
Adam: Again, Mark Hamill really knows how to deliver a line. I think Luke’s part in this story will parallel Yoda’s role in Empire Strikes Back: Training someone who’s too old, hasty, and emotional. I’m sure the ghost of Yoda is chuckling at him now.
Derek: A spine-tingling peek at what is sure to be the best movie of the year.
Jacob: There is nothing I love more than MORE Star Wars. And The Force Awakens set up the perfect platform for The Last Jedi to be one of the best movies the franchise has ever seen. The Last Jedi is going to be mind-blowing.
Favorite Star Wars product we have –
Adam: I love our Finn cufflinks with the handprint on his helmet. Iconic.
Derek: The Luxe Millennium Falcon cufflinks we created for the Neiman Marcus Christmas Book are amazing and really show off our design teams creativity and attention to detail.
Jacob: Right now it’s definitely the Gold Rebel Symbol Cufflinks, but I have a feeling it will be the Porg products once the new movie comes out.
For any Star Wars fan, our selection of Star Wars cufflinks and accessories make great holiday gifts. On the Dark Side? You can be covered in Darth Vader gear like Derek is pictured here. Fan of the Droids? Look smart like Jacob covered in BB8 tie, tie bar, and cufflinks. Just love the ships? You’re not alone. Our Millennium Falcon cufflinks are some of our customer favorites, like the Sterling Silver Millennium Falcon cufflinks that Adam is wearing. The Satin Black Death Star Tie Bar and Death Star Dot Tie make the perfect pair, and topped off with the Death Star glow in the dark lapel pin complete Adam’s outfit.
No reason you can’t look both classy and fun in your Star Wars accessories.
Cufflinks.com is your official stop for all Star Wars fashion accessories! We’ve got you covered from galaxy (head) to galaxy (toe) with Star Wars ties to Star Wars Socks, and everything in between. Pair your tie with one of our Star Wars tie bars or accent your lapel with Star Wars lapel pins. Even tuxedo stud sets for those fancier occasions. Our designs range from subtly sophisticated to in-your-face Star Wars, so you can choose to what level you express your Star Wars geek. From all of us at Cufflinks.com, Happy 8 Days of Star Wars and see you at The Last Jedi!
