New Lego Star Wars Mini Figures

With the release of the prequel Star Wars films in the last decade, Lego announced they would release models of all the characters, droids, ships, and some buildings of the new trilogy. When Episode 1 was launched in 1999, the corresponding new Lego Star Wars mini figures hit the shelves with plastic representations of the new characters and villains, some with traditional Lego features and some with brand new designs. All matching fantastically with the new Star Wars Lego star ships.

For the human characters of the new films, the standard minifigures were suitable for development, just with slight changes. The Jedi Master Qui Gon Jinn, for example, looks no different from the models of Lego sets based below the sea or in space; only a fabric cape and the quintessential lightsaber set him apart. As only two Jedi Knights were featured in the Episode 1 movie, only two lightsabers were available -- those of Qui Gon and his apprentice Obi Wan which Lego used green and blue lightsabers, respectively, for each Jedi's weapon. For the younger Anakin Skywalker, an Anakin minifigure was developed with freckles and sandy blond hair and not the normal yellow face of Lego, a first for Lego people. The foil of the film for many, insufferable hero Jar Jar Binks (even though I liked him, many people didn’t), even got his own Lego development, but unlike the cylindrical head of normal Legos, Jar Jar's Lego head is nearly twice the size as standard minifigures.

Of course, the heroes are only part of the Star Wars story, and the bad guys got their proper due as well! The most eagerly anticipated Lego mini figure from Episode 1 was Darth Maul, the heavily tattooed nemesis of the Jedi, who boasts the only double bladed lightsaber in Star Wars lore. This double bladed weapon was naturally recreated by Lego, so that the only set with Darth Maul and his weapon sold better than any other Episode 1 Lego set, and rightfully so I think. The army of attack droids even got into the Lego act and are featured in sets of battle tanks and speeders. Even the podracing villain, Sebulba, was included in the deluxe pod racer Lego set.

Other Visitors Read