This November 1, LuasArts' anticipated Star Wars Battlefront II will hit the store shelves along with the release of the Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith DVD. The sequel to the bestselling Star Wars game of all time offers more free-for-all epic battles, but this time gives the option to play in space, ship-to-ship, or even control Jedi characters.

One of the many options is a story-driven single-player game, where players control members of the 501st, an elite legion of crack stormtroopers who are among the most feared and respected forces in the galaxy.

What some players might not know, however, is that the Fighting 501st is named for a real group. Not a fighting force per se, but a worldwide organization of Star Wars fans that costume as the villains of the movie saga. The uninitiated may ask specifically who these members of the 501st are, and how they rate inclusion in the official Star Wars universe.

"The 501st is more than just a group of obsessive fans in costume," says Ian Hiebert, Commanding Officer of the 501st Golden Gate Garrison, "it has become a worldwide social group that has changed the lives of many people forever. We have borrowed the characters created by George Lucas and his team, and taken them to new heights."

The many thousands around the world who have benefited from and enjoyed the appearances of the 501st will agree that the organization has grown into a worldwide phenomenon. The origins of the group can be traced to 1997, to an appearance in stormtrooper armor by Albin Johnson and Tom Crew at a South Carolina theater for the Special Editions. Some may argue that the group is founded solely on the fun of wearing costumes, particularly armor, at public events. The origins are much more meaningful, however, being built on the concept of community fun and outreach.

501st founder Johnson wanted to create a collective identity for fans, to give them a ready-made, traveling community that would be instantly recognizable at conventions and other events around the world. Johnson's willingness to think of the bigger picture, to think of the worldwide neighborhood of Star Wars fans, proved to be a catalyst for growth that would surprise even the members.

"I joined back in October 2001, and I never realized how large the organization was until I attended Star Wars Celebration II in 2002," recalls Mark Chu-Lin, Legion Captain of the Guard. "There I met hundreds of members from around the world from all different walks of life."

Chu-Lin was thrilled to find that the organization had so many members, but believed that at some point it would have to top out, given a finite number of fans willing to costume in stormtrooper gear. In 2005, however, the 501st has more than 3,000 members in almost every continent of the world, and is still growing.

Members of the 501st line up for a group shot on Sunday morning during Star Wars Celebration III this past April. Many of the members volunteered at the events as well, both in and out of costume. Photo by Karen Louie.