This Replica of Han Solo’s Blaster Also Controls the TV and Decor

Wedding gifts are a strange thing; most couples seem to register for kitchen appliances like toasters, blenders, and bread makers. But, as we all suspect, nobody actually wants those things. What people really want is a cool and functional replica of a prop from their favorite movie, and that’s exactly what Imgurian QuiGonJon42 built for his friends.

QuiGonJon42 started the project with a toy blaster that was shaped to look like the one Han Solo infamously used to shoot Greedo first in the original Star Wars movie. But, being a toy, it was just white and orange plastic that looked more like an NES Zapper than a replica prop. Some paint and meticulous weathering addressed that, and made the toy look true to the blaster Han carried.

That alone would have made for a very cool wedding gift, but QuiGonJon42 wasn’t even close to finished. He also created three LED edge-lit displays: one for Boba Fett, one for Jar Jar Binks, and one for Darth Vader. Each has an IR receiver and speaker, and they’re triggered by an IR emitter in the blaster—shoot at Jar Jar Binks and the display will light up and play one of Jar Jar’s irritating trademark lines.

The functionality doesn’t stop there, though! The blaster can also turn the happy couple’s TV on and off using the IR emitter controlled by an A-Star Prime microcontroller from Pololu. QuiGonJon42 even included some easter eggs that can be found when the couple uses their TV remote on the LED displays. To round it out, he built an elegant display stand for the blaster, making it a beautiful gift that the couple is sure to treasure more than a yet another Keurig.