The Stormtroopers 501st Legion: Marching into your hearts on May the 4th

MANILA, Philippines - When you love something, you want to celebrate it in a big big way. For fans of the space epic Star Wars, May the Fourth is the annual celebration of that galaxy far, far away. On that day, fans all over the world will be talking about Star Wars, cheering, singing, watching the movies or the TV shows, playing the video games, or finding some other creative way to show their love for the saga.

Rancho Obi-Wan in California houses the world’s biggest collection of Star Wars memorabilia, and will be celebrating the holiday with a guided tour of the museum with collection owner Steve Sansweet, a private screening of Star Wars on Blu-Ray and lunch. Fans in Singapore and Malaysia are planning their own big events for Star Wars Day.

But don’t feel left out. Pinoy Star Wars fans are joining the fun, too. Just look for the stormtroopers.

Leading the local May the Fourth celebrations is the Philippine Outpost of the 501st Legion. The 501st Legion is an international organization of Star Wars fans who celebrate their love for the space saga by making and wearing the costumes of the bad guys. Founded by Albin Johnson in 1997, this big costuming club has over 6,500 members all over the world. Their ranks are full of stormtroopers and Sith Lords, bounty hunters and savage aliens. If the character is pretty much considered a bad guy in the Star Wars universe, you’ll find that character in the 501st.

To join, all you have to do is to submit photos of yourself in costume. Sounds easy, but here’s the catch: Your costume has to be completely screen accurate. The paint you use on the backpack of your sandtrooper armor has to be the exact same shade of blue as the paint they used in Tatooine. The scratches on your Boba Fett helmet have to accurately match the scratches on the helmet worn by actor Jeremy Bulloch—but you have to decide if you’re following the pattern from The Empire Strikes Back or Return of the Jedi. Imperial Officer? Check the size of the rank badge and make sure your tunic is buttoned up correctly.

All over the world, members follow the Legion’s strict costume guidelines and high standards. It is for this reason that the 501st is Lucasfilm’s preferred Imperial costuming group. Members of the 501st are often invited to participate in official events like movie premieres, TV shows and product launches.

The 501st is represented in various countries by regional units. Locally, the Legion is represented by the Philippine Outpost, founded in 2004. The Philippine Outpost has 23 active members, and they’re frequently invited to attend toy and costume events, conventions and school fairs. They do children’s birthday parties and corporate Christmas parties. They’ve even appeared at debuts and weddings!

But they’ve made their mark on the international scene as well, attending Star Wars events and conventions in the US, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia. One of the outpost’s favorite accomplishments: Two of their troopers marching in the Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year’s Day in 2007, alongside 200 international members of the Legion, between Endor- and Naboo-themed floats decked with flowers from top to bottom.

But screen-accurate costumes and grand parades are not the only things that concern the 501st. These fans have another mission: To raise funds for charity. Wherever you go, whenever the 501st makes an appearance, they don’t charge a talent fee. Instead, they ask the event organizers to make a donation to charity.

All over the world the 501st visits orphanages and hospitals, schools and playgrounds. In 2012 the 501st helped raise over $14M in for charity through direct fundraising, collecting of toys and other goods, and volunteering at events. In 2013, 501st charity work resulted in $262,328 in direct donations and $32,823,907 in indirect donations.

Here in the Philippines, the 501st has been able to make donations to more than a few charitable organizations: Make-A-Wish Foundation, Kythe Inc., HERO Foundation, the Silahis ng Kalusugan school in the Philippine General Hospital, and many more. Local troopers help out during disasters, too. In 2009, the Philippine Outpost gathered volunteers to clean up the streets of Provident Village in Marikina after Typhoon Ondoy. After Typhoon Yolanda, one of the Pinoy troopers flew to the Visayas to help local fans club Star Wars Cebu distribute relief goods. Troopers worldwide even pitched in to help the Philippine Outpost raise funds for the Typhoon Yolanda survivors.

Today, the troops will share their love of the space saga with mall visitors at Resorts World Manila. The event will feature parades, photo ops with Darth Vader and contests for fans. Fans can go in costume and see how they match up with the Imperial troops; the best costume might even win a prize from the Empire. There’s a toy and collectibles exhibit too, running until May 15. Even fans from Star Wars Cebu will be joining the Legion for this big event.

Today, fans all over the world will celebrate Star Wars in crazy and creative ways. And here in Manila, you can celebrate Star Wars Day with the craziest, most creative and most charitable: The 501st.

Wherever you decide to observe this holiday, may the Fourth be with you, always.