Whose money does Tom plan to pocket?
The film begins with the opening credits of a typical Star Wars fanfilm entitled "Bond of the Force". Gregory plays Jacen Solo, and Jennifer plays the offscreen voice of Jaina Solo. Jacen is on a forest planet searching for Anakin Solo, but only encountering a Sith Lord named Darth Katai, played by Zarth. The two begin to duel, and it is an intense battle...until Greg misses his cue, incurring the wrath of writer-director Tom "Servo" Harrison. Tom gets into a fight with his friends, and they walk out on him. After a monologue based on High Fidelity, with Star Wars in the place of rock music, Tom reflects back a few months to the genesis of the fanfilm project.
Tom, Greg, Jenny, and Zarth are seen hanging out at Excalibur Games, a hobby shop, playing the Star Wars pants game. Tom is revealed to be an employee at the store, working for store credit while he has his money saved up for film school. He claims the only downside to the job is the trekkies—specifically, two irate, Star Wars-hating ones named James and Stewart. The two enter the store, arguing over a discrepancy between the film Star Trek Generations and the Technical Manual. While waiting for Tom to get their new Star Trek cards, Stewart accidentally spills soda on a set of comics that Greg's boss ordered. Tom demands they pay for the damaged goods, and the Trekkies overpay him before leaving the store in a rush. Tom realizes that they can sell the undamaged books to Greg's boss for full price and pocket the money from the Trekkies. At Greg's suggestion, Tom combines the money with his remaining store credit and buys model lightsabers, which prompts the idea in his mind of making a Star Wars fanfilm.
James Stewart