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Group using new Stars Wars film as way to bring smiles to faces

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – The newest Star Wars movie,”The Last Jedi” will hit theaters and is expected to bring in huge box office numbers.

Fans are excited and critics are too. So are members of Star Wars Indiana. The Stormtroopers from the Blood Fin Garrison and Rebel soldiers from the Mos Espa Base were at the Indiana State Museum to promote the new movie.

You may have noticed the 501st Legion out and about these last few weeks. They’ve been everywhere leading up to the premiere of the film including at Purdue University for men’s and women’s basketball games and at IU Health Riley Hospital for Children and Peyton Manning children’s Hospital.  Member Stephen Laquire says the group does it for fun because they love the reaction they get from the kids.

“It is the best in the world. You wear your costume, you bring so many smiles to people’s faces, and all the little young ones, they come running,” said Laquire. “Some of the Stormtroopers or as we call them “Tk’s” and they feel someone grasp their leg and it’s just a little one giving them hugs and it brings all kinds of happy and joy to everyone.”

You can see “The Last Jedi” starting tonight in theaters at 7 p.m.,  Thursday Dec. 14.  The 501st Legion will be out at the IMax Indy theater tonight if you want to catch them there.

Experts are seeing parallels to the original trilogy in this movie. One review, spoiler free, says the “Last Jedi” does feature sequences that directly recall “The Empire Strikes Back” but move the series forward for the final movie coming out in 2019.  It should be a fun ride with fights in space and light saber duels.