With the final battle of Star Wars: A New Hope cementing the film in cinema history, Blocks locks the S-foils in attack position to look at the references in LEGO Star Wars 75365 Yavin 4 Rebel Base.
Hidden within the leafy jungles of Yavin 4, the Rebel Alliance waits in an old temple as the Death Star approaches. It could be the end for this ragtag group of freedom fighters, and the fate of the galaxy rests in the hands of a fleet of X-wing starfighters to hit a tiny exhaust port. As Luke Skywalker valiantly jumps into the cockpit, Princess Leia watches on from central command, knowing that the secret plans the Rebels sacrificed so much for are their only hope.
This tense and epic dogfight from the end of Star Wars: A New Hope is one of the saga’s most beloved sequences, inspiring dozens of LEGO Star Wars sets based on the ships. However, 75365 Yavin 4 Rebel Base is the first time the location has ever been recreated. Blocks, the LEGO magazine for fans, is borrowing an astromech droid to take a closer look…
Who’s that droid?
While 75365 is based off the grand finale of Star Wars: A New Hope, the inclusion of R2-BHD is actually a reference to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. This droid serves Gold Squadron, the Y-wing pilots from both films, and has some yellow accents to match the ships. It’s a really deep cut reference as R2-BHD can only be seen briefly during the Battle of Scarif.
Shiny new medals
After successfully destroying the Death Star, Princess Leia bestows Han Solo and Luke Skywalker with medals of bravery for their efforts (sorry Chewie). These are supposed to look like a stylised flower from the Republic and previously have been printed onto minifigure torsos. This set uses new elements though that fit over the character’s shoulders and although tiny they are beautifully printed.
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Time to grab some party clothes
Speaking of Princess Leia, this is the first time fans have had a minifigure version of her celebration dress since 2012. It’s a much improved version, using far more details printing for her Alderaanian necklace and belt, along with a newly moulded hair-piece for her intricate braid.
Up in the crow’s nest
Alright, so it’s not actually a crow’s nest, but it’s got a similar use. The sentry tower is used by the rebels to scan incoming ships and to warn of incoming danger. It was an add-on to the original cut of the film, with the rebel on duty played by Lorne Peterson from Industrial Light & Magic, who worked on the VFX for A New Hope.
Death Star approaching
It’s clearly a sticker in the official set images, but it’s a cool sticker nevertheless. Much like how 10188 Death Star has a screen for the firing range approach to Yavin 4, so the rebels have a round desk that counts down the space station’s arrival. It’s a great replica of the on-screen version and is perfect for bringing together 75365 with a LEGO Death Star set for play.
That’s the details we found from the official set images, and it will be interesting to see what else has been sneaked into these galactic walls when the set hits shelves. Will you be picking up 75365 Yavin 4 Rebel Base when it releases on August 1?