Epic space battles, armies of faceless soldiers, laser sword fights, and severed limbs. These are all things that fans expect when watching any Star Wars movie. Because of the importance of Star Wars in pop culture, high expectations are also placed on the toys and merchandising products. The first weekend in September was an exciting time for Star Wars fans as they celebrated Force Friday.

Force Friday was a weekend long event in which all the new toys and games for the upcoming The Last Jedi movie were put on shelves. Stores worldwide were holding exclusive events to promote these new products. Almost every major retailer was holding some kind of event. Even Build-A-Bear Workshop had special sales to promote their new Star Wars themed bears.

I went to Toys “R” Us to check out the new Force Friday products. When I first walked into the store, I was welcomed by a large Star Wars decorated archway. On it said “Destination Gateway to the Galaxy.” New toy lightsabers were up on display too. The coolest of these was definitely Kylo Ren’s crossguard lightsaber that featured a “pulsating light effect.” To top it off, a talking Kylo Ren helmet was also placed on shelves.

Another highlight of my trip was checking out the new Lego Star Wars sets. Lego has always been a major hobby of mine so it is always exciting to see what new sets of characters have been made. Plus, Star Wars has been the leading Lego theme for years. However, the one Lego Star Wars set I wanted to buy, the buildable BB-8 droid, was out of stock. That was probably beneficial though as it would have cost me $100.

Student Ashton Igo also participated in the Force Friday shopping.

“[Force Friday] is the start of the Star Wars season, I can get all hyped for it,” Igo said.

We were both obviously on the same page when it came to our interest in the merchandise and toys. He explained the reason for his devotion to the franchise.

“It’s the greatest story ever told,” Igo said.

Even adults celebrated Force Friday. Art teacher Jon Austin described what first got him hooked and what keeps him loving Star Wars.

“Spaceships. Definitely the spaceships. As I’ve gotten older I’ve appreciated the story,” Austin said.

We discussed the Star Wars merchandise, and I was surprised that on top of collecting the model spaceships, he also reads the canonical Star Wars novels that come out every year.

“These books go more into [the character’s] backstories that I want to know more about,” Austin said.

It has been declared that Star Wars is a beloved franchise and the toys are awesome, but the prices, oh my. To be honest, I was kind of dissapointed. The cost of the toys were insane. That light up Kylo Ren’s lightsaber? $70. And another $40 for the talking helmet.

The Lego sets were even worse. Admiring them was fun and nostalgic, but the cheapest one there sold for $30, and it was still tiny. The most expensive of this new wave were the First order Star Destroyer and Heavy Assault Walker, which ranged up to $150 and $160.

Igo and Austin also expressed their thoughts on the absurd prices.

“They’re expensive. You’re paying for their logo,” Austin said.

So many toys and Lego sets were released on Force Friday, but one product in particular had a media release only. Images and descriptions of the new Ultimate Collector’s Series Lego Millennium Falcon were released. This highly anticipated set surpassed any predictions or expectations. With a ridiculous 7,541 pieces it will retail for a budget-shattering $800. This Lego set will zoom in for sale on October 1st, just in time for the holiday shopping season.

This buildable monstrosity will be the largest and most expensive Lego model ever, surpassing the $500.00 4,016 piece Lego Death Star from 2016. Once built, this legendary Corellian freighter will measure 8-inches high, 33-inches long, and 22-inches wide.

Force Friday was an enjoyable event, well worth my time, but I cannot say the same for the cash that will be drained out of my wallet. For this trip, though, I only spent $30 on the smallest Lego set of this this Star Wars wave. Just the name Star Wars probably inflates prices dramatically for any merchandise. But it is justified, from a business perspective, as the intergalactic franchise is beloved by many, and those devoted fans will spend a great deal of resources to get their hands on anything Star Wars.

Who knows what future boundaries or records toys will cross in the name of Star Wars?