Lightsabers flash in this exclusive preview of the second half of Star Wars: A Light in the Darkness, a short film about an insurgency that follows Emperor Palpatine’s fascist coup.

The homegrown cinematic homage to George Lucas’ influential galaxy far, far away was produced by Fed Wetherbee, Rene Otero and PJ Tamayo.

“We can’t wait to get this half out there,” Wetherbee said in a press release about Part 2, which premieres online Aug. 1. “We’ve been overwhelmed by the reaction to the first half. But so much action happens in the second.”

Star Wars: A Light in the Darkness‘ 20-minute first half, embedded below, debuted online last year in conjunction with Star Wars Celebration V, and was no slouch when it came to faithfully honoring Lucas’ imagined universe.

The fan film came to life after Wetherbee (Survivor, The Ultimate Fighter) and Tamayo (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: The Ride) chatted up the possibilities in a backyard brainstorming session. Shortly after, the pair signed on a talented crew of volunteers from Florida’s entertainment and media institution Full Sail University and hit hyperspace.

The trailer for A Light in the Darkness was a finalist in Atom.com’s 2010 Fan Movie Challenge. But does the second half, to paraphrase Han Solo, have it where it counts? Let us know in the comments section below.