Nordic Base: FAQs
You’d be surprised how often we get asked the same questions so here are the answers to some of the more common ones. If you have any more then contact us or register on our forum.
Q: What is the Rebel Legion?
A: The Rebel Legion is an international Star Wars costuming organization that promotes the Star Wars franchise and helps others through charity work and community service.
Q: Are you part of the 501st Legion?
A: No. Although the Rebel Legion is the official “good guy” counterpart to the 501st and we regularly work together, we are separate groups. Many members belong to both clubs.
Q: What is the Nordic Legions?
A: The Nordic Legions is the collective name for Nordic Garrison, Nordic Base, Nordic Reel Icons and the Swedish R2 Builders. The groups are separate, but work together for all appearances. Many, but not all, members are dual or triple members in the clubs.
Q: Are you part of Lucasfilm?
A: No. The Rebel Legion is a volunteer fan-run organization. However, Lucasfilm recognizes the Legion as the premier Rebel costuming group, and we have worked with Lucasfilm officials on several occasions.
Q: How much do you charge for appearances?
A: The Rebel Legion is a volunteer organization and does not accept payment for appearances. However, we greatly appreciate donations made to charity organizations in our name. For a list of suitable charities, please consult our Charity Work information page.
Q: What sort of events do you guys do?
A: The Rebel Legion marches in parades, raises funds for charity, appears at conventions, visits children’s hospitals, troops educational and science centers, and a wide variety of other events.
The Legion does not participate in commercial ventures or business promotions unrelated to the Star Wars franchise, nor do we campaign for political or religious causes.
Q: Do you sell costumes, masks, or props?
A: No. All of our costumes are hand made by our members, and none of our costumes or props are for sale to the general public.
Q: Do you sell t-shirts or other merchandise?
A: No. Star Wars is the property of Lucasfilm Ltd. and its licensee partners. For this reason we only produce a limited range of apparel and paraphernalia to be sold to our members only and at cost. No profit is made. This is solely to promote our club at conventions and to give gifts to the celebrities and company representatives who are fans of the club. All material is scrutinized and approved by Legion command and many of it is submitted to Lucasfilm representatives for their feedback prior to creation.
Membership Questions
Q: What are the requirements for membership?
A: The Rebel Legion is an inclusive, equal opportunity club. In order to join you must be at least 18 years of age and must legally be considered an adult where you live. Due to issues of legal liability, the Rebel Legion cannot accept minors as members. For more information on this policy, please consult our Age Requirements F.A.Q. You must also own at least one movie-quality costume depicting a “good guy” from the Star Wars films or Expanded Universe.
For a more detailed explanation of Legion membership requirements, please refer to Article I of the Rebel Legion Club Charter. For more information on what constitutes a “professional-quality” costume, read through Article II of the Rebel Legion Club Charter and the list of Costuming Standards.
Q: How do I join the Rebel Legion?
A: If you pass Legion membership requirements, please fill out an application via our forum.
Q: Where do I get a costume?
A: Unfortunately, there are no high-quality, commercially available costumes licensed by Lucasfilm, and store-bought Halloween costumes are not generally accepted. All members construct their own costumes, usually with the assistance of more experienced members. If you are interested in making a costume, we recommend you consult the Costuming section of the Rebel Legion website.
The best way to get involved is to contact your local Base or Outpost and see if you can help out as a “handler” at an event. This way you can get to know the local members and learn more about the costumes.
Q: Do you accept custom costumes?
A: The Rebel Legion focuses on costumes and characters from the officially licensed Star Wars media, and customization is accepted so long as there is precedent for it in the licensed material. In some cases, fan created designs such as fan fiction and original role playing characters may be accepted as a secondary costume for an existing member.
Q: My costume isn’t listed on the Costume Standards, does that mean it won’t be accepted?
A: No, the costume standards are not all inclusive but list the requirements for the more common costumes. If your costume is not listed, you should consult the Legion Membership Officer (LMO) via Email: enlistment@rebellegion.com to find out if your costume is admissible or not.
Q: I’m a member of another fan club, is that okay?
A: Yes. Many Rebel Legion members belong to a variety of fan clubs.
Q: How come you don’t have ID numbers like the 501st Legion?
A: Members of the 501st Legion are issued unique four-digit ID numbers, such as TK-0421. When our club was officially founded in 2001, we did have ID numbers, but dropped them in early 2002. Members felt that ID numbers were more appropriate for the 501st because they represented faceless, nameless shock troops while the Rebels were a group of individuals with names and faces. The issue has come up several times over the years, and the membership has always voted against the idea.