This
year
is
a
very
important
one
for
Star
Wars,
as
it
looks
to
its
future
in
shows
like
The
Acolyte
and
its
plans
to
return
to
the
big
screen,
and
as
it
reflects
on
its
past
with
the
anniversary
of
prequel
trilogy
kickoff
The
Phantom
Menace.
But
2024
is
also
important
for
one
of
Star
Wars’
other
great
loves:
the
history
of
its
merchandise,
and
in
one
particular
case,
arguably
one
of
the
most
important
Star
Wars
toylines
ever
made.
That
is,
of
course,
not
the
action
figures
this
time,
but
Lego
Star
Wars.
The
first
licensed
range
for
the
brick-building
toy
company
launched
in
1999,
anchored
in
a
series
of
sets
inspired
by
the
original
movies
and
The
Phantom
Menace,
and
immediately
changed
both
Lego
and
Star
Wars
alike
for
the
next
25
years.
From
the
smallest
set
to
the
wildest,
big-ticket
models
of
our
dreams,
there
have
been
so
many
incredible
playsets
and
models
recreating
iconic
ships,
characters,
and
moments,
over
and
over—and
Lego
shows
no
signs
of
slowing
down,
with
dozens
of
new
sets
this
year
that
both
celebrate
the
anniversary
and
just
keep
on
bringing
us
new
things
to
build
from
across
the
whole
Star
Wars
franchise.
To
celebrate
the
occasion,
here’s
our
pick
of
25
of
some
of
the
best
sets
that
Lego’s
ever
made
for
Star
Wars,
from
historically
important
points
in
the
line’s
evolution,
to
the
best
model-making
and
engineering
the
company
has
to
offer,
to
imaginative
playsets
and
more—and
some
of
our
own
nostalgic
favorites
along
the
way.
There
have
been
many,
many
Millennium
Falcons
across
25
years
of
Lego
Star
Wars.
Is
this
the
best
looking
one?
No.
Definitely
not.
But
it’s
proof
that
even
from
the
early
days—well
before
we
were
really
into
the
realm
of
unique
pieces
or
advanced
building
techniques
that
are
now
common
in
Lego’s
kits
as
they’ve
grown
increasingly
more
technical—Lego
was
still
managing
to
nail
the
core
elements
of
Star
Wars’
designs
with
the
limited
framework
it
had.
She
may
not
look
like
much,
but
she’s
got
it
where
it
counts.
Lego’s
gotten
better
and
better
at
character
models
in
recent
years,
especially
for
droids.
But
while
R2s
are
a
dime
a
dozen,
there’s
perhaps
few
more
charming
than
its
take
on
BB-8
for
a
wave
accompanying
the
release
of
The Last
Jedi.
Having
to
take
one
of
the
hardest
shapes
to
make
effectively
in
Lego—a
sphere—and
have
that
be
basically
the
whole
character
was
rough,
but
the
company
nailed
it
here,
in
a
very
cute
and
fun
display
piece.
It
may
not
have
the
excellent
minifigure
selection
of
the
original
Ghost
released
to
hype
up
Rebels
in
2014,
but
the
advancements
in
engineering—and
the
fact
it
actually
came
with
a
detachable
version
of
the
Phantom
II—make
this
a
worthy
successor
to
celebrate
the
animated
series
as
well
as
Ahsoka.
Sets
based
on
what
is
now
the
non-canonical
Expanded
Universe
are
few
and
far
between,
but
somehow,
for
a
brief,
fleeting
moment,
we
managed
to
get
a
bunch
of
Star
Wars:
The
Old
Republic
sets
inspired
by
Bioware’s
MMO
continuation
of
the
beloved
world
established
in
Knights
of
the
Old
Republic.
From
starfighters
to
battle
packs,
to
ships
for
some
of
the
main
classes
in
the
game,
the
Defender-Class
Cruiser
is
definitely
a
highlight—and
has
figures
inspired
by
one
of
the
coolest
cinematic
trailers
for
SWTOR.
Lego
Star
Wars
loves
a
fighter
duel
set—a
legacy
that
began
right
here
with
the
first
TIE
and
Y-Wing
models,
bundled
together
for
maximum
play
value.
They
might
be
harder
to
come
by
in
a
modern
Lego
world
where
parts
counts
and
prices
make
even
putting
one
ship
in
a
box
a
bit
tough
sometimes,
but
that
legacy
still
persists
in
things
like
the
Ahsoka
E-Wing
and
Shin
Hati
fighter
set
from
last
year.
The
iconic
designs
of
Star
Wars
are
as
such
that
they
crop
up
again
and
again
in
Lego’s
line—the
constant
desire
to
do
new
versions,
new
scales,
experiment
to
improve
on
what
came
before.
The
Star
Destroyer
is
a
daunting
prospect,
because
do
you
go
for
sheer
size,
like
the
UCS
version,
do
you
go
for
something
smaller
but
more
playable
as
a
model
(like
the
upcoming
set
releasing
as
part
of
the
25th
anniversary
celebrations
this
summer),
or
do
you
go
for
a
playset
vibe?
The
2006
Star
Destroyer
is
kind
of
a
mix
of
all
three,
and
really
works
quite
well—it’s
big,
it’s
a
great
model,
and
it
opens
up
to
give
you
a
bunch
of
play
opportunities.
An
absolutely
bonkers
set
that
defied
a
whole
heap
of
engineering
nightmares
just
to
exist,
this
has
to
be
one
of
the
boldest
Clone
Wars
era
sets
Lego
did—a
complete
dropship
that
could
pick
up
a
walker
and,
well,
drop
it
off.
Pray
for
a
peaceful
landing
that
doesn’t
dislodge
too
many
bricks
along
the
way.
Launching
alongside
the
run
up
to
Phantom
Menace
meant
that
we
got
to
see
a
bunch
of
kits
inspired
by
the
first
prequel
film
early
on
with
Lego
Star
Wars...
and
then
it
took
a
little
while
for
Lego
to
go
back
and
revisit.
This
two-pack
of
podracers
is
a
fantastic
update
to
the
Mos
Espa
Podrace
set
from
1999,
even
if
it
did
lose
Gasgano’s
racer
along
the
way
to
give
us
better
versions
of
Anakin
and
Sebulba’s
pods.
Nailing
a
ship
with
such
a
stark
design
is
always
a
challenge
in
Lego,
and
it’s
no
wonder
it
took
a
bump
up
to
UCS
status
to
give
us
one
that
best
reflected
the
smooth,
sharp
lines
and
the
bright
white
of
the
Imperial
shuttle.
The
minifigure-scaled
versions
of
the
Tyderium
we’ve
had
over
the
years
have
been
solid
in
fits
and
starts,
but
this
still
remains
the
gold
standard.
Is
it
cheating
to
put
two
sets
in
one
spot?
Maybe.
Is
it
cheeky
of
Lego
to
release
two
individual
sets
to
get
the
most
out
of
one
full
display
piece?
Also
maybe.
Is
this
still
the
coolest
version
of
Jabba’s
palace
that
you
can
make,
through
two
sets
that
are
still
great
playsets
on
their
own
even
before
you
stack
them
on
top
of
one
another?
Absolutely.
Phantom
Menace’s
shots
of
row
after
row
of
folded
Battle
Droids
emerging
from
troop
transports
is
iconic—and
as
cute
as
the
spindly
Lego
Battle
Droid
minifigures
are,
practically
unchanged
since
their
first
appearance
25
years
ago—faithfully
recreating
that
crunched
up
form
is
a
challenge.
But
it’s
still
a
sight
to
see
them
all
whenever
Lego
takes
a
crack
at
the
MTT.
A
wild
idea
done
once
and
never
again
in
any
of
Lego’s
takes
on
the
AT-AT—not
even
the
UCS
version—one
of
the
rare
motorized
Star
Wars
sets
let
this
legendary
walker
actually
stomp
about.
Very,
very
slowly
and
carefully.
It
was
a
little
wild
that
Lego
released
two
very
similar
versions
of
Return
of
the
Jedi’s
climactic
lightsaber
fight
relatively
close
to
each
other
(five
years
counts
as
that,
right?),
but
the
latter
is
definitely
the
nicer
of
the
two
sets,
refining
details
and
even
including
things
like
the
then-new
upgrade
to
Darth
Vader
minifigures,
giving
him
a
helmet
you
could
actually
split
into
two
pieces
to
more
faithfully
recreate
how
he’s
unmasked
in
the
film.
Again,
the
Y-Wing
has
been
a
part
of
Lego
Star
Wars
from
the
beginning.
But
sometimes
the
innocuous,
smaller
versions
of
a
classic
fighter
are
closer
to
your
heart
than
the
big,
pricey
fancy
model
versions.
That’s
definitely
the
case
for
this
version
of
the
Rebel
bomber,
made
as
part
of
the
Rogue
One
line,
but
it
keeps
everything
you
want
out
of
a
Y-Wing
set
in
minifigure
scale,
without
sacrificing
too
much.
We’ve
gotten
plenty
of
individual
slices
of
the
Battle
for
Endor
in
Lego
form
over
the
years—individual
Ewok
gliders
or
play
sets,
speeder
bikes,
AT-STs,
and
so
on.
But
this
version,
made
for
Lego
Star
Wars’
10th
anniversary,
brings
them
all
together
around
an
actual
replica
of
the
Endor
bunker
to
give
you
a
full
on
playset
recreation
of
Return
of
the
Jed’s
ground
battle.
It
took
over
two
decades
to
get
here,
but
Lego
made
an
important
new
addition
to
the
world
of
its
Lego
Star
Wars
toys
in
2022
starting
with
the
legendary
Death
Star
Trench
Run—Lego
sets
that
weren’t
quite
playsets,
weren’t
quite
full-on
replicas,
but
micro-scaled
diorama
recreations
of
important
moments
from
the
films.
It’s
a
great
way
to
do
big
set
pieces,
or
even
really
hone
in
on
a
specific
scene
in
minifigure-scale
form
without
making
it
a
full
elaborate
playset.
The
trench
run
is
a
great
one
right
out
the
gate,
but
it
being
so
good
is
what
makes
us
want
to
see
more
and
more
of
these.
Slave
1—or
Boba
Fett’s
Starship,
depending
on
who
you
ask—is
another
set
that’s
been
a
guiding
force
across
all
of
Lego
Star
Wars.
From
bigger
scaled,
to
microfighters,
to
Jango’s
rendition
of
the
legendary
ship,
and
of
course,
playset
version
after
playset
version,
the
scale
of
the
UCS
release
lets
it
really
capture
the
smooth
curves
of
the
Firespray-class
that
smaller
versions
have
to
sacrifice
in
parts
counts.
It
definitely
adds
a
lot
to
the
final
model!
The
more
recent
UCS
version
might
be
a
bigger,
better
model,
but
this
is
still
arguably
the
best
minifigure-scaled
take
on
the
Republic’s
most
iconic
vessel—even
if
it
doesn’t
come
with
Jedi
Bob.
This
easily
could’ve
been
a
smaller
playset,
but
Lego
went
all
out
for
Return
of
the
Jedi’s
30th
anniversary,
and
gave
us
a
jam-packed
model
of
the
Ewoks’
home
bursting
at
the
seams
with
amazing
little
details.
The
fact
it
took
this
long
to
get
a
version
of
this
Revenge
of
the
Sith
scene,
and
we
haven’t
had
one
since?
It’s
treason,
then.
It’s
not
just
a
great
model
of
Palpatine’s
offices,
but
you
get
everything
you’d
want—all
the
minifigures,
even
a
cute
little
recreation
of
the
ship
Anakin
takes
to
make
his
fateful
decision,
it’s
an
iconic
moment,
perfectly
recreated.
Ah
well,
maybe
next
year
for
Revenge
of
the
Sith’s
20th
anniversary.
The
progenitor
of
the
Ultimate
Collector
Series
alongside
the
TIE
Interceptor
(which
just
got
an
amazing
update
this
month),
for
many
this,
and
the
smaller
model
that
was
one
of
the
first
Lego
Star
Wars
kits,
still
remain
aesthetically
defined
as
the
version
of
the
Lego
X-Wing
that
pops
into
your
head.
The
combination
of
the
looks
and
the
engineering
for
the
time,
when
Lego
had
barely
started
diving
into
Star
Wars,
is
remarkable,
and
it
still
holds
up
against
more
contemporary
takes.
Sure,
the
2018
version
is
nicer.
It’s
got
more
parts,
more
minifigures,
more
detail,
more
things
going
on.
But
it’s
hard
to
articulate
how
wild
this
was
in
2003—there
wasn’t
a
Lego
set
that
was
basically
a
massive
diorama
recreating
multiple
scenes
from
the
movies
all
in
one
model
like
this
yet.
Little
individual
playsets,
sure,
but
this
had
all
the
highlights
of
ESB’s
Bespin
scenes—Luke
vs.
Vader,
the
dining
room,
Han
being
frozen—all
in
one
cohesive
model.
If
the
X-Wing
is
the
iconic
Lego
spaceship,
then
the
Landspeeder
is
perhaps
the
iconic
Lego
vehicle
outright.
One
of
the
first
ever
sets
in
the
line,
the
Landspeeder
has
rightfully
seen
plenty
of
updates
over
the
last
25
years
thanks
to
its
nostalgic
importance
to
Lego—all
the
way
up
to
the
amazing
UCS
set.
It’s
the
rare
iterative
design
for
Lego
that’s
gotten
better
with
practically
every
entry,
to
boot.
Once
again,
Lego
has
done
Death
Stars
a
few
times,
in
a
few
forms—but
this
is
the
ultimate
playset
version
of
station,
and
its
ability
to
recreate
what
is
essentially
a
spherical
play-by-play
of
the
middle
act
of
A
New
Hope
is
nothing
short
of
remarkable.
Plus,
it’s
responsible
for
the
best
Lego
Star
Wars
cameo
in
a
movie
(not
about
Lego).
And
here
we
are,
back
where
we
started.
Even
at
almost
seven
years
old
now,
to
many
this
will
still
forever
be
the
apex
of
Lego
Star
Wars:
the
biggest,
boldest,
most
wallet-busting
version
of
one
of
the
all-time
classic
ships
from
the
series.
It’s
a
masterful
piece
of
engineering,
and
the
fascinating
context
of
its
release
allowing
Lego
to
bridge
this
Falcon
across
both
the
original
and
sequel
trilogies
makes
for
a
fantastic
celebration
of
Star
Wars.
Comments