Meet the Star Wars fans in Tennessee who use their force for good

Brad Schmitt, Nashville Tennessean
·4 min read
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It started on a lark, really.

Several years back, history teacher Mike Jones borrowed a buddy's Party City Spider-Man costume for his school's spirit week rally. The students at Mt. Juliet Christian Academy high-fived him; some even hugged him. And Jones walked around saying cool, inspiring things like Spider-Man might.

The kids loved it.

Jones loved it.

So the next year, he did it again. And the year after that.

He got so lost in being Spider-Man that most students didn't know it was Mr. Jones in the costume.

"It felt wonderful!" said Jones, 49. "Kids love heroes and characters they can relate to, heroes who are kind and do the right thing."

A 2022 photoshopped image of married couple Mike and Kyleigh Jones of Murfreesboro, Tenn., as Han Solo and Princess Leia from Star Wars. The couple belongs to global fan group The Rebel Legion, adults who dress as the "good guys" from the movie franchise
A 2022 photoshopped image of married couple Mike and Kyleigh Jones of Murfreesboro, Tenn., as Han Solo and Princess Leia from Star Wars. The couple belongs to global fan group The Rebel Legion, adults who dress as the "good guys" from the movie franchise

He felt moved to emulate all that's inspiring about Spider-Man: "You want to honor that character and do things that are good and right in and out of costume."

Around the same time, Jones − a lifelong fan of Star Wars − decided to design a costume and dress as his favorite character, rogue Millennium Falcon ship captain Han Solo, to go to a comic book convention in Nashville. He got approving nods from others dressed as Star Wars characters, and one pulled him aside to tell him about the Rebel Legion, a global fan organization whose members sometimes dress as the franchise's good guys.

"That costume would meet our specifications," Rebel Legion dude said. "You oughta sign up."

That's the catalyst for how Jones, and his wife, Kyleigh, got to be the star husband-wife duo of Han Solo and Princess Leia for Tennessee's Corellian Base of the Rebel Legion.

Connor Glosson, 4, greets members of the Rebel Legion and 501st Legion during a lunch event for children from Our Kids, a nonprofit serving children and families affected by child sexual abuse at Nissan Stadium in Nashville , Tenn., Sunday, Feb. 19, 2023.
Connor Glosson, 4, greets members of the Rebel Legion and 501st Legion during a lunch event for children from Our Kids, a nonprofit serving children and families affected by child sexual abuse at Nissan Stadium in Nashville , Tenn., Sunday, Feb. 19, 2023.

The Joneses are among 30 to 40 adults from all over the state − but more than half from the Nashville area − who spend hundreds to thousands of dollars perfecting costumes and totally nerding out over all Star Wars movies and TV shows.

The Rebel Legion joins another Tennessee Star Wars fan group − the villains in the MidSouth Garrison of the 501st Legion − in cheering up sick kids in hospitals, delighting baseball fans at Sounds games and fist-bumping people of all ages at dozens of holiday parades all over the Volunteer State.

'A magical moment'

Many of the appearances happen at fundraisers for nonprofits serving kids. The Rebel Legion, for instance, has invaded the annual Soup Sunday event for Our Kids, which serves families affected by childhood sexual abuse, for years.

And Our Kids' director loves it.

Members of the rebel Legion, Gunner Goodlad, as a Rebel Fleet Trooper, and Jeff Key, as Obi Wan Kenobi, walk by as Craig Cato holds Duncan Cato, 1, during a lunch event for children from Our Kids, a nonprofit serving children and families affected by child sexual abuse at Nissan Stadium in Nashville , Tenn., Sunday, Feb. 19, 2023.
Members of the rebel Legion, Gunner Goodlad, as a Rebel Fleet Trooper, and Jeff Key, as Obi Wan Kenobi, walk by as Craig Cato holds Duncan Cato, 1, during a lunch event for children from Our Kids, a nonprofit serving children and families affected by child sexual abuse at Nissan Stadium in Nashville , Tenn., Sunday, Feb. 19, 2023.

"The imagination lights up. Everyone becomes happier, more enthused and so excited!" Sue Fort White said.

"To see the look on this little children's faces," she said. "It makes it so much more fun for the children and the families. Parents and grandparents love to see sparkles in their children's eyes."

It's connecting with kids − and serving in the community in general − that is about 50% of the reason most members say they join these Star Wars fan clubs.

"Outside of the Rebel Legion, I've coached kids' soccer, done some volunteering with Hands on Nashville and the Bridge Ministry," said Kathy Polumbo, 40, the commanding officer of the Corellian Base.

"Now I can combine being a Star Wars nerd with helping others? Even better!" she said.

The Make-A-Wish-type events are the most moving, 46-year-old banker Jeff Key, a.k.a. Obi-Wan Kenobi, said.

Key's favorite event − being part of a Star Wars crew that told a 6-year-old boy battling cancer that he was going to a Disney theme park.

"We're able to take someone going through so much and help them forget about their situation for a little bit?" Key said. "That was a really good feeling."

"There’s nothing better than watching a kid’s face light up when you’re walking around the corner," said freelance TV producer Laryssa Goodlad of Donelson. "That’s a magical moment.

Laryssa Goodlad of Donelson adjusts her Scout Trooper helmet before joining a fundraiser for Our Kids, a nonprofit serving children and families affected by child sexual abuse, at Nissan Stadium in Nashville , Tenn., Sunday, Feb. 19, 2023.
Laryssa Goodlad of Donelson adjusts her Scout Trooper helmet before joining a fundraiser for Our Kids, a nonprofit serving children and families affected by child sexual abuse, at Nissan Stadium in Nashville , Tenn., Sunday, Feb. 19, 2023.

"Sometimes they get so freaked out, they can’t speak, and it’s cute," Goodlad said. "Some want to high-five or fist bump. And some kids quiz you: 'Name 10 starships!' That's fun too!"

Rebel Legion members, though, said it's not just the kids who get good vibes from these encounters.

"There’s so much fun in it and a lot of joy in it," Goodlad said. "If you’re going through something difficult, it takes you out of it for a few minutes, like we hope we do for the people we interact with."

Reach Brad Schmitt at brad@tennessean.com or 615-259-8384 or on Twitter @bradschmitt.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Star Wars Day: Meet the Tennessee fans who use their force for good