By: Kyle Scully
This year Star Wars Celebration was canceled due to COVID but that doesn’t mean they can’t sell some of the convention’s exclusive merchandise. Later this month (November 13 for original event ticket holders and November 20th for the public) over 150 pins, t-shirts, collectibles and more will be available for purchase. Here, in no particular order, are my top picks for some of the best items out of the myriad of options that will almost certainly devour your wallet.
1. “BE WITH ME” UNISEX T-SHIRT – This shirt perfectly captures “The Rise of Skywalker’s” most emotional moments. Jen Bartel’s artwork leaves a lasting impression and highlights why the scene is so iconic. You can wear this with pride knowing a bunch of force ghosts are standing right next to you.
2. THE MANDALORIAN PLUSH MUDHORN EGG – I never would have expected to think an egg could be cute and cuddly but I was dead wrong. This is an egg for the ages. It even opens up to reveal the yellow yolk inside. Now I know why the Jawas were so desperate to get their hands on it.
3. THE CHILD FANNY PACK – There’s also a backpack featuring the Child but somehow this is cuter to me. Having the Child make the fanny pack cool again is enough to make this item worth an entry in your shopping cart. Who knows how much stuff you can actually fit inside it but no one is buying this for the storage capacity.
4. TAUNTAUN PLUSH WITH REMOVABLE LUKE SKYWALKER – This toy is weirdly off-putting but impossible to resist. Who doesn’t want to stuff Luke into a Tauntaun? It might be dead but who cares? It’s the dream of every Star Wars fan. If only it had authentic Tauntaun intestines.
5. STAR WARS ARTIST SERIES ALPHABET 26 PRINT COLLECTION BY SHAG – I’m a big fan of Shag’s artwork so seeing it here makes this item hard to resist. There are several items featuring Shag’s art but this seems like the best choice. You get 26 prints just waiting for 26 frames. What’s not to love? The designs are so slick and emblematic of all the characters they deserve a spot on your wall or at least mine.
6. IG-11 DAYCARE T-SHIRT – Kitschy items like this are irresistible to me. I appreciate the simple design and the bright colors. It’s a fun shirt that celebrates one of the Mandalorian’s most loyal allies and one its more interesting pairings. I would absolutely hire him as my babysitter and a shirt like this reminds us of Star Wars’ long history of memorable droids.
7. GEEKI TIKI TONGA TAVERN CELEBRATION EXCLUSIVE T-SHIRT – There are a few similarly themed shirts available (Tiki Hoth and Tiki Millennium Falcon) but this one seems best suited to the overall aesthetic. The Child and the Mandalorian couldn’t be cuter and if any of the aforementioned places actually was a Tiki bar it would be the Tonga Tavern.
8. EMPIRE STRIKES BACK 40th ANNIVERSARY PINT GLASS SET – Derek Laufman is another artist I really admire. His dynamic, stylized approach the galaxy far, far away is both striking and endearing. These glasses are a terrific way to celebrate the film’s anniversary. They blend a modern artistic approach with the nostalgia of those promotional Burger King glasses of yesteryear.
9. BESPIN MINING CLOUD CITY LAMP – Lando isn’t a system he’s a man. This lamp though isn’t a system or a man, it’s an incredibly outlandish illumination device that will make everyone at the office or on the Zoom call take a second look.
10. THE CHILD SPIRIT JERSEY – Spirit Jerseys have become a staple of Disney merchandise so I had to include one on my list. This particular jersey is the most adorable by far. Little baby Yoda reaches for his favorite toy while the show’s title reigns supreme on the back. The artwork reinforces the Child’s unparalleled sweetness. The jersey further confirms that your wallet and your heart will be on the right side of history.
HONORABLE MENTION - MYNOCK SUCTION CUP PLUSH - How ridiculous is this toy? The Mynock has never been cute and this does nothing to convince me otherwise. I’m not sure what I would do with this or whom I would gift it to yet I can’t stop thinking about it. It’s one of the more ludicrous items for sale on the site. It’s nonsense like this that proves that there is nothing Star Wars won’t make into a toy.
