Star Wars: Brightstar

**Nominated for the "SW Fanverse Film of the Year 2023"**

Star Wars: Brightstar was a fan film released in 2023 by Archangel Epics.

### Opening Crawl

> Chaos reigns at the dawn of the Republic!  After its capital planet was destroyed, the Galactic Senate scrambles to re-establish itself on the new industrial world Coruscant.
>
>
> Sensing weakness, LORD ASHER, a vicious Sith ruler, begins conquering undefended territory in the Outer Rim.  His goal, to unite clashing factions of the Sith and bring war to its ancient enemy, the noble Jedi.
>
>
>
> Missing only a symbol of strength to rally all legions behind him, he dispatches his most dangerous bloodhounds to fetch him the most powerful weapon in the galaxy...
>
>

### Plot Summary

Star Wars: Brightstar begins on on the forest PLANET as a very young girl, named Vaylie, using a bow and arrows to spear fish in a lake, as her father, John, watches. As they hike back towards their camp where Vaylie asks John about when it's okay to kill. John responds by saying that it's okay for sustenance and to protect oneself or their family. When they return to the camp, Vaylie is forced to clean the fish instead of practicing sword fighting, like John promised. Her mother, May, is introduced and she forces Vaylie to show her little brother Wally (or Walden as he insists) how to clean fish. John was also revealed to have a slight fever, as he's been coughing all day prior.

May and John go inside their tent where they argue about if he really has a fever or if she's just being dramatic. Then May accuses him of setting a bad example for their children by arguing with her all the time. May also complains about where they live now as they used to live in a drier region. She eventually convinces him to lie down and get some rest.

That night May and Vaylie sit by the campfire as May does her best to comfort Vaylie. May claims that John is not sick, that they can return to their previous home (Kalinda) soon, and that she hopes the "bad guys" aren't still chasing them. May also says that John broke rules, which is why they can't ask his old friends for help.

The next day, Vaylie goes outside and senses that something is wrong. She wakes up her father and he says it's too late to escape, but he'll buy them time for his family to escape. May scoops up walden and urges Vaylie to follow, leaving John behind. As they're leaving, a woman's voice echoes through the forest asking if she is speaking to John Brightstar. Vaylie rushes back as Valek appears from the midst walking towards John. They bring up the Battle of Venmar and how John delivered a "killing blow", but Lord Asher "decided otherwise". Meanwhile, Vaylie re-entered the tent drawing her bow.

John asks how Lord Asher is, who is revealed to be Valek's master. Five cloaked villians appear behind Valek as she reveals that Lord Asher is angry because John stole his property. (They are a member of a group known as The Bloodhounds). John reveals that he built the object in question, but Valek responds by claiming that if Lord Asher wants something than it's his. John chuckles to himself and calls her delusional and describing her group as a cult. The Bloodhounds behind Valek slowly begin to encircle John, while he claims he sold the object they're looking for in Kalinda.

Valek reveals that they visited his homestead there, but John and his family had already left. Valek takes off her hood and dawns grey hair, as she insults John saying that he's lost his sense of honor and looks "haggard". Valek instructs her Bloodhounds to kill John and then find "the Weapon". Before they can fight him, John uses to force to summon a yellow lightsaber from the box beside his bead. Valek describes the yellow lightsaber to her Bloodhounds as the purest weapon in the galaxy, also known as "the Sun Spear".

As John tries to issue a final warning, he begins coughing which causes Valek to erupt with laughter. She also tells her Bloodhounds that whoever kills John will receive a moon castle. All of the Bloodhounds that follow Valek light their lightsabers, with four of them being red and one being green. John begins sparring with the Bloodhounds but falls backwards and takes the defensive. One Bloodhounds charges at John to fight him one-on-one, but as their lightsabers lock, the Sun Spear charges up and sends the Bloodhounds flying with half of his face aflame.

John continues to fight the four remaining Bloodhounds, stealing the green lightsaber and sending it's OWNER flying against a tree with the force. Blaster fire erupts which turns out to be May shooting at the Bloodhounds from behind a tree. This causes Valek to enter the fight, and she reflects a blaster bolt hitting May's hilt. John immediately finishes off the one remaining Bloodhounds leaving just him and Valek.

Valek charges at John and they clash sabers a couple times, before John strikes her across her face with his fist, sending her to the ground. Valek gets back up grinning, and they continue their fight. John strikes Valek's saber to the ground and he points the Sun Spear at her neck, giving her a last chance. Valek laughs and says she's about to be victorious because she cheats. As she says this, a hidden sniper shoots at John's back, as he's turned. At the last possible second, he deflects the blaster bolt, but because he turned around Valek was able to stab him in the back, marring him.

Valek uses the force to pick up the Sun Saber, and hears Vaylie shout "No!" and then fire her bow and arrow. Valek easily uses the force to knock away Vaylie's bow, which causes Vaylie to run towards her father's body and put her hand over his burned flesh. Valek smiles as she tells Vaylie that they'll take care of her, causing laughter from one Bloodhounds that's left.

Vaylie tells them to be quiet because she's concentrating. Valek asks her what she's trying to do, and Vaylie responds "Protecting my family". Vaylie suddenly uses the force to drop several stones over their heads, which kills them. John and Vaylie exchange last words, where he tells his daughter he'd give his life for hers any day, before he passes on.

The next scene is of Vaylie placing the rocks she used in a circle, with May and walden behind her. Vaylie worries about what they'll do now that John's gone and if they come back for the Sun Spear. May reassures Vaylie that they'll all be okay because they have her. She says that Vaylie is now a Jedi, like her father before her, and gives her the lightsaber. Vaylie stares at the box, before joining her May and walden staring at a city in the distance.

### Characters

John BrightstarLord AsherMay BrightstarValekVaylie BrightstarWalden Brightstar
### Reception

Upon release "Star Wars: Brightstar" won eight awards including:

* **Fantasia Silver Audience Award 2022** - Best Quebec Short
* **先生 Sensei Tokyo Film Fest Winner** - Best Fan Film
* **Lone Wolf 2023 International Film Fest London** - Best Costume Design, Best Make-Up & Special Effects, and Best Fan Film
* **Berlin Film Haus Winner** - Best Science-Fiction, Best Make-Up & Special Effects, and Best Fan Film
* **Gainescon Action Sci-Fi & Horror Film Festival** - Best Fan Film
* **Official Selection Filmquest 2022**
* **SCI-FI Gainesville Official Selection**
* **Official Selection Shockfest Film Festival 2022**

Additionally, within 2 weeks of releasing on Youtube, the short film amassed almost 200,000 views with a 95% like to dislike ratio.