You must, if you’re here. ;)
Head over and read this post on Wil’s blog.
For me, the Holy Grail of Star Wars toys was the AT-AT. Kevin and I didn’t have one. The Burns kids did. I can’t entirely vouch for Kevin, but I can definitely say that I was jealous.
How could I not be? It was huge! The head swiveled back and forth and up and down, the lazers flashed and made noise, and with a few quick adjustments to the legs, it could squish Luke and Leia right into the ground. Besides, growing up in Alaskan winters made AT-ATs and Snow Speeders the perfect toys — you weren’t in your backyard, you were on Hoth. Explosions all around, Imperial forces blasting their way towards you, and only your small line of rebel action figures to keep the galaxy from falling into Darth Vader‘s evil grip.
Or just the opposite, if blowing the bejeezus out of Luke and his friends sounded more fun that day. Whichever.
I think we eventually ended up with the AT-AT. It probably ended up heading to the garbage years ago. Or — you knever know — it could be buried in my folks’ garage, along with the Transformers I swear I’ve got buried in there somewhere. Either way, the backyard battles still go on somewhere in the back of my brain, in that part of me that steadfastly refuses to grow up.
And personally…I wouldn’t have it any other way.