This year, Star Wars returns to the big screen by way of The Mandalorian and Grogu, and while we’re eager to see X-wings and bounty hunters again, everything about the film’s marketing is leaning heavily into nostalgia for the Star Wars we all know and love. All this playing it safe has us feeling nostalgic for 1999, when showing up for a midnight screening of Episode 1 was as surprising as Star Wars has ever been – for better and worse. The film remains the one cinematic glimpse we have of the galaxy before war and rebellion took hold, and it’s full of many beautiful moments that still stir the imagination.
Builder Tobias (articus_builds) recently paid tribute to the Skywalker Saga’s first chapter with a series of vignettes that capture most of the important beats of the story. Each scene is built atop a 12×12 base, but even within those constraints, Tobias breaks free from the grid and fills the spaces with clever builds. The series starts with the film’s iconic teaser poster, with Anakin’s shadow showing his destiny. Tobias finds a great technique for capturing the curves of Tatooine architecture using the MVP part of recent years, clip with stud.
Of course, the saga has to begin with aggressive negotiations as Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan’s attempt to talk the Federation into cutting Naboo some slack goes pear-shaped. I appreciate the attention to detail with a redclip depicting where Qui-Gon’s lightsaber cut through the doors.
Tobias is guilty of a bit of Jar Jar erasure, as we skip meeting the Gungan and go straight to Amidala’s rescue.
Meanwhile, on the Federation control ship, Nute Gunray is menaced by a phantom figure and a surprise apprentice. This is one of my favorite of Tobias’ vignettes for how effectively it packs depth and drama into such a small footprint.
Cutting to Tatooine, Tobias presents Anakin’s first meeting with Padme in a workshop with just the right amount of greebles and mess. I wonder where he keeps his Japor snippets?
To depict the Boonta Eve race, Tobias focuses on Anakin and Subulba’s podracing cockpits. Each is a beautiful design, especially Sebulba’s engine section.
Tobias only includes official minifigs in the vignettes, so sadly no Yaddle or snake-dude in the Jedi Council. The column behind Yoda is very well-done.
Senator Palpatine is introduced in front of a bright wall that demonstrates great SNOT building and is positioned dramatically off-grid, making a simple scene quite elegant.
Our first Gungan, and it’s not Jar Jar. The sunken statue looks great – love those hotdog eyes.
As the heroes return to liberate Naboo, let’s take a moment to recognize Tobias’s excellent minifig posing. This scene in particular perfectly recreates the staging of the film. I also appreciate the extra verticality of this vignette, reflecting the high ceilings of the palace.
Now we come to arguably the best scene in The Phantom Menace as the Jedi ta last take on Darth Maul. Here, Tobias builds entirely above the vignette base, emphasizing the precarious scene of the duel.
Tobias effectively captures a moment in time as Darth Maul recognizes that his legs have been separated from his body. Who would have guessed that this grisly end was only the beginning of an exciting new life of crime!
The film ends, as Episode VI does, with a combination funeral pyre and party. George Lucas loves a good wake. And right before credits roll, Jar Jar makes his first appearance!
Over twelve scenes and a movie poster, Tobias summarizes the film and demonstrates impressive vignette LEGO craftsmanship. If you’re interested in more movie vignettes, Thorsten Bonsch’s tributes to The Hobbit and Lord of The Rings are second to none.
To see more of Tobias’s work, you can follow his builds on Flickr and read his LEGO writing at stonewars.de where these vignettes first appeared.
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