My thoughts on Cosplaying for Star Wars, and The Rebel Legion

For years I had looked with envy at countless images online of Star Wars fans who cosplayed as their favorite characters from the franchise. It was something that I wanted to do, but couldn’t afford, and wasn’t confident enough to attempt to make on my own. Still, the desire was there, so I began doing research to determine where to begin. One of the first sites that I looked at was the Rebel Legion, which is an “official” cosplay group of sorts for characters within the Rebel Alliance.

To be accepted in the Legion, your cosplay has to meet their requirements of being screen accurate, right down to the identical materials used for the outfit on screen. They of course state on their website that it is meant to be a guide, however it still must meet their approval in order to be accepted, and then there are other requirements for membership as well. Being Autistic I knew that I could not meet their requirements, so I began to consider alternative options for creating a unique cosplay.

I knew that I did not want to cosplay as any of the known characters on screen. It always bothered me how all of the images that I came across were people dressing up as the same character! Though I understood their love and passion for the character, i did not share their desire to emulate them. I wanted something bland, normal, and yet unique. I wanted something that matched my personality, but was still within the Star Wars universe.

In early 2019 I had begun writing the manuscript for a Star Wars legends novel entitled Star Wars Rebel Destiny ( That manuscript was recently completed, and awaiting to be reviewed by the publisher). In the novel one of the protagonists is a member of the Alliance Army SpecForces, so In October of 2019 I set out to make a cosplay outfit based on my description of the character. Rebel SpecForces operating on a non-permissive world would not be in camo fatigues like the guys on Endor, but rather civilian clothes. Cargo pants, utility shirts, and civilian jackets.

They would be carrying blaster pistols, and have rifles that could easily be broken down and concealed in a backpack or other bag used by the local populace. They would have bandoliers for their weapon power packs, which could easily and quickly be stowed in the same pack, and then quickly removed when needed. Unlike bulky body armor, bandoliers are lightweight, simple, and easy to carry and conceal.

Building off of that, I went out and purchased a Wrangler long sleeve outdoor shirt from my local Wal-Mart. I began by using a pair of scissors to cut off the excess collar, and creating a stand up collar for the shirt. I then removed the buttons from the front of the shirt, and the flaps on the chest pockets. I used Khaki fabric of identical color to the shirt, as well as Velcro to create a flap to secure the front of the shirt and the pockets. I then rolled the sleeves halfway up, as this seems to be used often by characters within the franchise.

I ordered an Olive Drab Mosin Nagant bandolier from Amazon, and used a pair of existing Grey Wrangler cargo pants. I did not have the ability or material to create a rectangular belt buckle, so I used an existing Trainer’s belt by 5-11. I used an identical and larger sized belt for the gun belt. For the sidearm I chose to go with the Poe Dameron Nerf blaster, which is a replica of the Eirriss Ryloth Defense Tech Glie-44 Blaster Pistol. Though used on screen in the sequels, it was widely in use during the Galactic Civil War. I disassembled it and repainted it in Black and Gunmetal using Kyrlon spray paint. I made a holster for it using craft foam and Plasti-Dip.

I completed my cosplay of the Rebel SpecForces character in time for Halloween, and went out that day and took some pics in a local Pine forest. I was extremely happy with the results, and took more photos the following month. Though I haven’t attempted any cosplay since then, it did allow me to learn some things first hand, and I got to experience all of the thrill of the moment that I was looking for. Still, I would have really liked to have shared that experience with other cosplayers who wanted to bring that Star Wars Battlefront vibe to life.

I think that the Rebel Legion is good for what it is, but it’s not the right outlet for me. I do not entirely agree with their standards, though I do understand why they exist and are utilized. I think that there should be an option for those like myself who want to cosplay in a group, but are not required to adhere to strict rules for background or general characters, and that isn’t seeking to be in the public eye through events, parades, and the like. The one notable aspect of the Legion is that they are involved in charities, which I wholeheartedly support. They are in a unique position to be able to carry out such things, and I applaud them for it.

My goals are focused entirely upon cosplaying for the purpose of photography and role playing. It allows me the opportunity to be immersed in the Star Wars universe in a more tangible way, without being involved in a group or organization.