Bay Area 'Star Wars' fan creates giant Death Star

LAFAYETTE, Calif. (KTVU) - The Death Star has moved into a Bay Area neighborhood, thanks to a Star Wars fan and his supportive friends and family.

Colby Powell built an enormous Death Star for Halloween and put it on top of his Lafayette home. But it’s been so popular, he’s decided to keep it up until the new Star Wars movie premieres in December.

“I was planning on taking it down the day after Halloween,” said Powell. “But so many people said ‘I want to show my friends, I want to bring my neighbors over’ so I’m probably going to keep it up until mid-December.”

It took Powell about three weeks to build the Death Star using PVC pipe, a couple of parachutes, and some LED lights. Powell needed a crane to place it on the roof of his home.

“The kids  were supposed to help me, but after an hour into it they said, ‘This seems like a lot work’,” Powell joked.

And at first he wasn’t sure how it would turn out. “I was actually pretty floored by how cool it looked at night,” he said.

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Powell says his favorite part of the project has been seeing how a creative idea brought people together. “My neighbor across the street is an attorney and would never do something like this, but when he saw me working on it he said ‘This is incredible, how can I help’. So yes, everyone has been really supportive.”

Powell went to school for architecture and currently works in construction. Each year, he creates an elaborate Halloween decoration for his home, but this is the first time it has taken on a Star Wars theme. Powell figured it would be perfect timing with the new movie coming out.

“It’s been really fun seeing people’s reaction.”

As you might have guessed, Powell’s Halloween costume also had a Star Wars theme. He was Han Solo, while his daughter was Princess Leia and his sons dressed up as Chewbacca and R2-D2. Powell says his wife is “not a Star Wars fan at all” but still thought it was a neat experience.

And yes, the family plans on seeing Star Wars: The Force Awakens when it comes out later this year.