that those invested in the outcome of this symbolic battle are only the so-called fanatics who have dressed up as Darth Vader or Luke Skywalker, played thousands of hours in the games, and even trained to be a Jedi at retreats sponsored by the Jedi Church ? Fandom is not an act of mistaken identity or misguided investment in media consumption. In fact, franchises such as Star Wars (along with Star Trek ) have enabled scholars to understand how the appropriation and remixing of media content enables the formation of social bonds and community. The irony of Mickey Mouse as a Jedi is not surprising in this context, given members of such participatory cultures have often parodied their own precarious position as creative agents that are nonetheless subject to the whims of the designers. Mickey's battle with the forces of Evil, so to speak, is a reminder that these participatory cultures have formed from ongoing struggles, not just in terms of the content or design of the newest game or film but about who has the right to participate in the creation of cultural identities. The fan is actually a stand-in for all of us 'prosumers', as we are called up to actively participate in media cultures. In today's world of transmedia storytelling, where the holy grail is to find a franchise that can be marketed across media forms, we occupy an equally precarious position. In all the playful appropriations and heated debates surrounding this event, there's an inherent ambivalence