Putting together the minifigure roster for a set like 10356 Star Trek Enterprise is just as challenging as building the ship itself — so the LEGO designers explain how they decided on the perfect cast of characters for the new LEGO Icons set.
10356 Star Trek Enterprise brings the iconic Star Trek: The Next Generation series to the brick, boldly going where no galaxy far, far away has gone before. Senior Model Designer Hans Schlömer and Graphic Design Manager Crystal Fontan worked on the epic new LEGO Icons set.
The 3,600-piece set will launch on November 28 and if you buy it over the Black Friday weekend, you will get 40768 Type-15 Shuttlepod for free.
When dealing with a franchise as iconic as Star Trek, especially a series as beloved as The Next Generation, selecting just a handful of characters to feature in the LEGO set adaptation could easily seem like an insurmountable task. Not only are there dozens upon dozens of characters to consider, but each one also has multiple costumes and appearances that need to be taken into account so fans can get recognisable and versatile figures of their favourite characters.
The roster includes the likes of Jean-Luc Picard, Data, Worf, Beverly Crusher, William Riker, Wesley Crusher and Deanna Troy.
“We were going back and forth to see what the most iconic uniforms were and the most iconic outfits for the characters,” Crystal explains. “So we came up with a principle that we would probably use designs from between Season 2 and Season 5, with the exception of Wesley because his jumper is just way too iconic. It was actually a request by Paramount.”
Requests from Paramount, the IP partner the LEGO Group worked with to create the set, guided a few more choices for the minifigures — though it always remained a conversation about what was best for the model. One of the other major points of discussion was how the designs would be able to fit into the wider LEGO System beyond the set, particularly in relation to Dr. Beverly Crusher, who is the only minifigure to get a blue uniform.
“Paramount actually really wanted to have shoulder prints on the characters because it adds to the iconic-ness of it,” Crystal continues. “And so we were thinking, LEGO elements out of context, right? You can take this and make yourself as a Starfleet minifigure. So when we designed Beverly, we left off the coat.
“We were thinking about army building, if that term is useful. If Beverly had the coat, then the figure will always be Beverly instead of someone else. So it was a balance between what Paramount asked and the concept that you can make yourself into a science officer.”
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And while making sure the elements would be generic enough to be used in custom creations was a priority, so was adding sufficient personal flare to each character. One of the main ways Hans and Crystal did so was through the accessories — one of which is a surprising first.
“Riker plays jazz trombone,” Hans says. “We see him practicing every now and then, and since we added accessories to all the minifigures, it was pretty clear to me that Riker needed his trombone. And this is, I believe, not only the first minifigure scale trombone, but the first LEGO brick trombone ever. I was very happy when I found out that we had all the elements we needed in gold.
“And as a trombone player myself, I’m also aware of how handy trombone stands are. You need a little space to put it away, unless you have a stand, then you can drop it on the stand and take a little break. So I absolutely had to include that. The whole thing is my favourite side build.”
For Crystal, there was also a chance to add a fun detail to one of the characters thanks to Deanna Troy’s datapad. “If you look at it, there’s a little schematic of a brick,” she says. “I threw that in there thinking that it’s fun, like a little tie-in of collaboration. But I didn’t know if Paramount would like it because it’s not canon. There aren’t any LEGO bricks in Star Trek that I know of. But I just did it. They loved it, so we managed to put it in the set.”
One other fun detail in the minifigure roster that Crystal and Hans were both determined to include a cat, representing Spot, using the usual LEGO cat element.
“I wanted the cat,” Hans declares. “I have nine cats.”
“Oh yeah, he’s a cat person,” Crystal adds. “I’m a dog person, but Spot is in my top three of cats that I like. So we were pushing for it.”
Having the roster sorted, complete with all the iconic characters and fun details he and Crystal wanted to sneak in, Hans had to consider how the minifigures would fit in with the model itself, which isn’t as easy to answer as it may at first seem, especially given the Enterprise’s scale. Even though it is built well below minifigure scale, Hans did try to see if any interior space could be made for them.
“After checking the inside geometry and support structure, it was pretty clear to me right away that there is absolutely no room,” he says. “The engine and engineering section is pretty massive and it’s practically solid inside the dish, where you need a lot of structure to attach all these panels. So maybe I could have opened up a cavity to lie a minifigure in some way. But what’s the point? Either you have enough room for an entire bridge, or you don’t. And in this case, we simply don’t.”
But even though they do not fit inside the ship itself, the minifigures are by no means neglected in the final presentation, getting a full display stand that can be placed beneath the model as it ‘flies’ on its own stand.
“It occurred to me that since you have nine minifigures and a cat, you can’t just trust the figures under the model,” Hans jokes.
If you’re interested in adding Spot the cat to your collection and turning yourself into a member of Starfleet — and getting a giant model of the Enterprise on the side — consider purchasing 10356 Star Trek Enterprise via our affiliate links to support the work we do at Blocks, online and in print.
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