Lucasfilm, a subsidiary of the Disney Empire, is hunting down and destroying the last of the Jedi Knights—but with lawyers this time, not Sith or the Knights Of Ren. According to The Hollywood Reporter, a lawsuit has been filed against stage fighting instructor and Jedi enthusiast Michael Brown, who operates the businesses New York Jedi, the Lightsaber Academy, and Thrills And Skills. His classes feature lessons in “core principles” in “Academic Form, Stage, and/or Dueling,” even if your midi-chlorian count isn’t up to snuff.
Lucasfilm considers the classes to be indicative of cybersquatting, as well as trademark infringement and unfair competition. According to the complaint filed by Lucasfilm, “Defendants regularly use the Lucasfilm Trademarks without authorization in connection with their businesses,” including a logo that is very similar to Lucasfilm’s Jedi Order logo. (Suspiciously enough, both of them resemble the Rylan Star League’s logo from The Last Starfighter.)
Sensing great fear in the defendant, Lucasfilm has served multiple cease-and-desist notices to Brown. However, from Brown’s point of view, Lucasfilm is the evil one here. So the defendant has responded by filing a trademark application for “Lightsaber Academy, Inc.,” which is the legal equivalent of two X-Wing fighters against a Star Destroyer. The plaintiff, meanwhile, is demanding, “a permanent injunction, actual damages and profits, or alternatively, up to $2 million in statutory damages for each trademark infringed.”
All this legalese makes for such a thrilling saga, it’s surprising that a similar storyline wasn’t featured in George Lucas’ prequel trilogy.