This profile contains spoilers for the Star Wars movies and affiliated TV shows.

Standing on stage, sword in hand, anxiously anticipating his partner’s next move, senior Callum Blackburn found a purpose for his small yet mighty collection of lightsabers. 

Callum has been a long time Star Wars fan since he first laid eyes on the original trilogy at age eight. Since then, in addition to being a fan of all nine main movies and the tv series that followed, Callum has acquired two very realistic and expensive lightsabers, the weapons used within the universe. 

“Every year at band camp, we put on little performances, kind of like a talent show,” Callum said, “and this year for the talent show my friend Logan Verlinde and I decided to choreograph a lightsaber duel and perform it for everyone. It was one of those fun random things that you find yourself doing, and since I have two lightsabers, we figured why not.”

Aside from the slew of Star Wars apparel that Callum has invested in over the years—such as his two lightsabers—he also has formed a much deeper connection to the Star Wars world because of the bonds it has provided him with within the real world. 

When Callum was younger, it was his dad who introduced him to the magnificent and intricate Star Wars universe. 

“I first got into [Star Wars] when my dad showed me all the movies,” Callum said. “He showed me the original trilogy because that’s what he grew up watching, and he thought it would be better to watch those ones first. Then he showed me the prequels, and that’s what I have since grown up watching. It’s been my entire childhood leading up to now with the newest trilogy and shows for us to talk about.”

It had always been Callum’s dad’s favorite movie genre to watch, so it only made sense that he would pass his love for it onto his sons through many movie nights and conversations about characters and potential theories. 

In addition to being a common topic of interest for Callum and his dad to connect over, Star Wars has also been a place of mutual enthusiasm for him and his brothers. 

“It was because of Star Wars that my dad, brothers, and I found something to bond over,” Callum said. “It’s always been a common topic that we all can enjoy and has so much to talk about and ground to cover with our conversations. We all love it because it’s Star Wars, so anything can happen, and there’s practically an endless supply of material to watch.”

Although it was Callum’s father who originally introduced him to Star Wars, Callum has continued the passion in his own life. He particularly loves watching some of his favorite characters, like Qui-Gon Jinn and Luke Skywalker, as they go on their many adventures in the movies. 

One of Callum’s number one reasons for loving Star Wars is because of the amazing fight scenes that are in the movies. Although they don’t quite compare to his own personal battle on the band camp stage, Callum believes they are one of the best parts of the franchise. 

“There are a lot of epic scenes that have a lot of backstory to them,” Callum said, “and that is what makes Star Wars so good. One of my favorite scenes is in The Mandalorian when Luke Skywalker comes back and saves the entire gang because he is the most powerful and most legendary character of all time in the Star Wars universe, and it was awesome seeing him back.”

With new content such as The Mandalorian coming out, it is clear that the world of Star Wars isn’t going anywhere in Callum’s life. 

“Star Wars is one of those things where, because it’s so timeless and there are so many amazing characters, there’s always going to be new ideas and new concepts to explore,” Callum said, “ensuring it to be around for a while longer, impacting people’s lives.”