Chapter 910: We're Home

Founded in 1970, San Diego International Comic-Con's influence had long surpassed the comic industry. The sheer volume and caliber of blockbusters and television shows promoted there were unmatched by any other convention. It was the place to find fresh, explosive scoops and hordes of fellow fans. In Western fan circles, a saying had long circulated: "When SDCC is held, it's time to head for the rooftops."

Hollywood studios pulled out all the stops to grab attention at this Oscar of the comic world, while fans from all over the globe prepared to spend some of the most unforgettable days of their lives here.

From the start of the convention, an overwhelming barrage of scoops, shipping bait, and juicy drama poured out. Cosplayers, diehard fans, and geeks alike cheered passionately in their most dazzling gear.

As the most anticipated event at this year's San Diego International Comic-Con, the Lucasfilm panel for Star Wars: The Force Awakens was held in the convention center's central hall. It wasn't just the revival of a film franchise after many years; it was the first Star Wars film since Duke acquired Lucasfilm and the franchise rights. The level of attention it commanded went without saying.

It was easy to imagine why so many fans had pitched tents outside the night before—and even that didn't guarantee a good seat.

With that kind of dedication on display, anyone who only waited in line for a few hours would be too embarrassed to call themselves a Star Wars fan.

Before the event even began, an outsider might have thought they'd stumbled into a religious gathering. The entire crowd of Star Wars fans—nearly all of them in cosplay—shouted at the top of their lungs, "Let's go, Star Wars!"

They then started doing the wave across the hall.

When Duke, the director, appeared alongside producers Katherine Kennedy, Charles Roven, and Robin Grande, the roar reached its peak, letting everyone truly understand what it meant to "blow the roof off."

"Here, I'd first like to introduce a special guest to everyone."

Standing on the stage in the exhibition hall, Duke gestured toward backstage. A middle-aged man dressed as a Stormtrooper walked up onto the stage.

Once the man reached his side, Duke added, "This is Kevin. Like all of us, he's a Star Wars fan."

The middle-aged man took off his helmet and waved to the crowd.

Duke continued, "To honor his late wife, Kevin walked nearly a thousand kilometers to Comic-Con in his Stormtrooper armor. He did this for unwavering love, and for self-redemption."

A round of passionate applause echoed through the hall. Kevin was already a star figure at this year's San Diego Comic-Con.

For the past few days, a tragic yet touching story had been circulating around Comic-Con. Last Thursday, a Star Wars fan in Stormtrooper armor had completed a walk of over 645 miles to reach the venue. Unlike the sheer frenzy of other fans, his ascetic trek was a tribute to his late wife.

Fifty-six-year-old Kevin Doyle was born in Minnesota and worked in design and illustration in Minneapolis. He was also a veteran Star Wars fan. In 2009, he and his wife, Aerin, met in the 501st Legion, a Star Wars cosplay club. Aerin was a comic artist who loved drawing Star Wars-themed artwork, and their shared passion quickly brought them together.

In 2009, he proposed to her dressed as Darth Vader, and the following year they held a grand Star Wars-themed wedding. Even the flower girl was an R2-D2 droid. But just a year after they married, Aerin was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

In November 2012, his forty-five-year-old wife passed away. He had finally found the love of his life, someone who shared his exact interests, only to be parted by death after such a brief time together. Kevin found the loss hard to accept. He quit his job, felt his life was hopeless, and developed self-destructive tendencies.

Earlier this year, he traveled to the Star Wars Museum in Petaluma, California, to visit and meet old friends. With Star Wars: The Force Awakens slated for release this year, he also discovered that San Francisco was exactly 501 miles from San Diego, the host city of Comic-Con. He felt a voice inside him—it seemed like his wife was telling him to walk to the convention.

Carrying camping gear and pushing a tricycle while wearing his white Stormtrooper armor, he began the long trek. Most of the time, he didn't wear the helmet because it made it hard to see the road and hear, only putting it on when passersby stopped to take photos with him. The straight-line distance on the map was 501 miles, but walking along the California coast was closer to 645 miles. He walked twenty to forty-five miles every day.

Kevin updated his itinerary on Twitter and his Instant Sharing account under "501 Mile Walk." On the back of his armor, he wrote, "Walking in memory of Aerin." Along the way, people supported him with hugs and applause. When he finally arrived at the Comic-Con venue, the organizers and Duke's crew welcomed him with the highest honors, officially making him a true leader of the 501st Legion.

Of course, no one could deny the massive promotional boost Kevin's journey brought to Star Wars.

After Kevin stepped off the stage, Duke introduced a new alien character to the fans—Baba Joe—and even "invited" it onto the stage.

"Although this film relies heavily on CG technology, I still wanted the actors and myself to have a tangible, realistic environment. I hope this Star Wars film uses as many practical sets and elements as possible."

Standing in front of the Baba Joe model, Duke discussed the film's latest progress.

"Most of the footage has already been shot, and the corresponding special effects work has begun. Many shots are now receiving their final polish, and the first trailer will be released in the fall."

From the start of the convention, the explosive reveals never stopped.

After that, Star Wars veterans Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, and Carrie Fisher, along with new cast members Daisy Ridley, Daniel Wu, Oscar Isaac, Lee Pace, Gwendoline Christie, and Domhnall Gleeson all made their appearances.

As Harrison Ford stepped onto the stage as the final guest, the audience erupted in thunderous applause.

When Carrie Fisher's Princess Leia, Harrison Ford's Han Solo, and Mark Hamill's Luke Skywalker appeared together, it was hard to tell if the fans in the crowd were cheering or sobbing, whether their tears were born of happiness or pure nostalgia. In the blink of an eye, thirty years had passed...

To grab attention and ensure the film earned beyond its expected commercial returns upon release, the crew, Lucasfilm, and Warner Brothers had done a ton of work. Even Duke put unprecedented effort into the promotional campaign, acting as the on-stage host throughout the entire event.

"I was eleven when Star Wars first came out, and it has lingered in my mind ever since. I'll never forget that feeling when I heard, 'A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...' paired with that brilliant background music..."

Holding the microphone, Duke warmed up the crowd for the upcoming reveals, fully rousing the fans' excitement. "You could say that moment changed me. It was the first time a movie had ever made me smile so much, the first time it made me believe that there was another, beautiful world out there. George Lucas's brilliant achievement isn't just in creating the Star Wars story. More importantly, this film has a soul. To me, the most crucial thing is that it's filled with hope."

When the topic shifted to shooting Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Duke admitted he had hesitated at first. "I refused initially because it seemed like a massive headache, a nearly impossible task. Plus, I had been shooting sci-fi movies for a while and wanted to switch things up and step out of my comfort zone. But when I sat down with Katherine Kennedy and we really talked about what this movie would be and how it would be presented, I unexpectedly took it on. I thought I was going to turn it down, but it turned out I just couldn't refuse."

When a fan representative asked about the special effects in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Duke stated bluntly, "This is Star Wars; of course there are going to be a lot of special effects. You definitely want it to feel real, so that was one of our missions. Even before Industrial Light and Magic added the effects to the footage we shot, the story already looked fantastic, and you'll all be able to understand it."

Duke didn't mention the grueling nature of the shoot. This was especially true for the Abu Dhabi location—the filming site for Skywalker's homeworld—where temperatures had reached a staggering 128 degrees Fahrenheit. The harsh conditions were absolutely beyond what the fans could imagine.

Then came the climax of the entire event. The beloved R2-D2 rolled out first, drawing enthusiastic applause from the Star Wars fans in attendance. Right behind R2-D2, the rotund BB-8 rolled directly onto the stage.

While the fans were still marveling, BB-8 circled around R2-D2, showing off a 360-degree head rotation and a coy backward glance. It was so charming that the entire hall erupted into the loudest laughter and applause of the day.

With almost no effort at all, BB-8 became the absolute focus of the convention.

Many fans had also submitted questions for Duke in advance. One person asked him how he planned to satisfy the millions of fans who "treated every Star Wars movie like it was the last one."

"You can't please everyone. Even though we've worked incredibly hard, I have to say, it can still be very stressful at times," Duke answered candidly from the stage. "We can't let down the reputation of this franchise, yet we still have to tell a brand-new story. That is the absolute priority of our work."

He then added, "Of course, the audience is what matters most."

Many of the actors also talked about their roles, especially the major villain played by Lee Pace. Through the actor's own words, the production team revealed a tiny bit of information to the outside world for the first time.

"During filming, we didn't really talk much about whether this character is evil," Lee Pace said, his words inviting plenty of speculation. "In fact, between good guys and bad guys, there are many different possibilities."

According to the prearranged plan, Duke and Harrison Ford jointly held up the film's first official poster.

With the Millennium Falcon in the background, an aged Han Solo and Princess Leia gazed at each other affectionately. Below them sat a striking line of text—We're home!

Seeing those words, many Star Wars fans in the crowd shed tears of deep emotion.