Truly wonderful, the mind of a child is.
Braden: Thank you for helping with the blog tonight.
Ben: Thanks — thank you for the blog tonight!
Braden: You’re welcome. Do you know what we’re going to talk about?
Ben: Uh-huh! Star Wars (long, high-pitched and drawn out)!
Braden: That’s right. What’s your favorite thing about Star Wars?
Ben: Maybe the troopers. The white ones.
Braden: That’s cool! What’s your favorite thing about storm troopers?
Ben: Maybe blast…
Braden: You like blasters?
Ben: Mhmm!
Braden: What sound do blasters make (fully expecting a shrill “pew”).
Ben: BOOM!
Braden: Wow, that’s a really big sound.
Ben: …can you say, “Boom!”?
Braden: Boom!
Ben: (running to the other side of the room) Mom, can you say, “Boom!”?
Caitlyn: Boom!
Ben: BOOM!
Braden: So, who is your favorite Star Wars hero?
Ben: Um, maybe… maybe Obi-Wan. Maybe he cried.
Braden: Why do you think he cried?
Ben: Because he don’t wanted the party to be sounded.
Braden: What else do you like about Obi-Wan?
Ben: I like him to blast in his ship!
Braden: You like him to blast off in his ship?
Ben: Uh-huh!
Braden: What else does he do in his ship?
Ben: He starts it.
Braden: Does he fly to cool places?
Ben: Yeah.
Braden: What kind of cool places do you think he flies to?
Ben: Maybe Janes.
Braden: That’s cool, but I don’t know who Jane is.
Ben: I think it’s a planet that you go to.
Braden: Oh, it’s a planet? What kind of things do they do on that planet?
Ben: Um, nothing (almost definitely referencing The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything)
Braden: Oh, wow. Okay. So, Obi-Wan blasts off and goes to the planet, Janes, where they don’t do anything?
Ben: Uh-uh. They just say, “BOOM!”
Braden: Boom?
Ben: Say, “BOOM!”
Braden: So, who is your favorite Star Wars villain?
Ben: Um… maybe Luke Skywalker.
Braden: I’m not sure that Luke Skywalker is a villain (you know, unless you count blowing up over one million people on the Death Star).
Ben: Who’s a vaillain?
Braden: Well, there’s Darth Vader, and there’s Darth Maul. And there’s Darth Sidious, and Count Dooku. There’re lot’s of villains.
Ben: Who’s Dooku?
Braden: Well, he was a Jedi who fell to the Dark Side. So, out of those, who is your favorite villain?
Ben: Maybe… Maybe… Maybe Darth Vader.
Braden: You like Darth Vader? What kinds of things does Darth Vader do?
Ben: Does he… does he use a lightsaber?
Braden: He does use a lightsaber! What color is it?
Ben: Rrreed! He’s a good villain, not a bad villain. He’s a good villain! Can I tell Darth Vader, “Hi”?
Braden: Well, if someday you meet Darth Vader, I’m sure you can!
Braden: If you could meet anyone from Star Wars, who would you want to meet?
Ben: Maybe the trooper.
Braden: You really like the troopers, don’t you?
Ben: Uh-huh.
Braden: What would you want to say to the troopers?
Ben: I think I said, “I go-ed home”.
Braden: Did you know there are at least three different kinds of troopers in the movies? There are clone troopers, Imperial storm troopers, and first order storm troopers. Which ones do you like most?
Ben: Maybe the First Order red ones.
Braden: That’s cool! There are First Order troopers with red armor.
Ben: I’m sorry, Dad, Father. Can I call you father?
Braden: Are you ready for the next question?
Ben: Uh-huh, Father.
Braden: What’s your favorite Star Wars story?
Ben: (running off to his room to find a book) I’m going to bring it in here! (finally comes back)
Braden: What’s your favorite Star Wars story in this book?
Ben: Maybe… Maybe Finn.
Braden: Which story about Finn do you like?
Ben: (turning the pages) I know where it is… I love the TIE Fighter ones.
Braden: So, what’s your favorite thing about the TIE Fighter stories?
Ben: Maybe Finn the trooper.
Braden: Yeah, Finn was a trooper! And did you know that he escaped from the First Order?
Ben: Uh-huh! I like him to be a red trooper.
Braden: That would be cool, wouldn’t it? So, what is your favorite thing about Finn escaping in the TIE fighter?
Ben: Maybe “this” trooper.
Braden: If you had to choose between a lightsaber and blaster, which one would you want?
Ben: A blaster! (no hesitation)
Braden: You’d choose a blaster over a lightsaber?
Ben: Yeah! (yelling as loud as he can)
Braden: Why would you want to use a blaster instead of a lightsaber?
Ben: I know I can do it.
Braden: If you had a lightsaber, what color would you want?
Ben: Maybe purple.
Braden: That’s a cool color. Do you know who uses a purple lightsaber?
Ben: Yeah.
Braden: Mace Windu uses a purple lightsaber. And he’s really cool, isn’t he?
Ben: Does he talk loud or little? (meaning loudly or softly)
Braden: Well, probably both.
Braden: All right, I have one more question. Do you know who you’re named after?
Ben: Uh-huh! Obi-Wan Kenobi!
Braden: Thank you for answering my questions.
Ben: Thanks! Now I can write on the blog!
What to Take Away from a Three-Year-Old’s Favorite Star Wars Characters
All right, so the interview was pretty scattered and random. That’s for sure. But I think there’s something there underneath it all. You can be a fan of a series, no matter how young or old. Ben hasn’t even seen the movies yet. Because I want him to be able to fully understand and enjoy them when he does. But he loves the books, he adores The Clone Wars and Bad Batch, and has his own favorite star wars characters. Within reason, of course, you can introduce your children to your favorite fandoms at any age. And one of the best things is watching them grow up learning to love the same things that you have a passion for. But at the same time, allowing them to explore their own interests, find their own fandoms, and contribute to nerdom in their own unique way.