Emotional ‘Star Wars’ fan film will have you feeling sorry for stormtroopers

Over the years we've gotten to know more about those nameless, faceless Star Wars stormtroopers. Attack of the Clones filled us in on their predecessors, clone troopers, who we also learned more about in the animated series The Clone Wars. And well we really got to know one in The Force Awakens. But this new fan film delves deeper.

At first I was like, “There's not a lot to this,” but then I was like, “Ohhhh, there's a lot to this.” I don't want to say much more before you give it a watch yourself.

Written and directed by Benjamin Eck, costumes for the cast were provided by 501st Legion members Taylor Fiore and Rudy Contreras. Here's how the short is described:

The film takes place in the rear of an Imperial Walker moments before the doors open onto the battle of Jakku. The story centers around three Stormtroopers, cramped, sweaty and nervous before battle. The script and dialog are inspired by real life stories from US soldiers. The goal of “Jakku: First Wave” is to pull the curtain back a little on one of Star Wars” most beloved but mysterious groups of characters.

Jakku is, of course, the planet where Rey was found on in The Force Awakens but the Battle of Jakku is a quickly becoming popular Star Wars lore. It takes place after the Battle of Endor (Return of the Jedi) and was fought between the New Republic and the Galactic Empire. The New Republic won.

The wreckage lasted long after the battle itself, scattered all over Jakku's desert and serving as a source of income for Rey and many others. Greg Rucka's book Before the Awakening gives a much deeper look at that existence but the battle itself was first featured in Claudia Gray's Lost Stars. The battle is also seen in the Star Wars Battlefront video game and Disney's Hyperspace Mountain ride.

I've gotta say, for how simple this film is, it packs a punch. It's the type of storytelling it seems we're getting from Gareth Edwards' Rogue One. What did you think?

(via /Film)

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