Find out whether LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy is a new piece of creative storytelling or whether it falls apart like a wobbly LEGO spaceship.
The latest entry in LEGO Star Wars canon is now streaming on Disney+, a wild ride that sees the entire galaxy rebuilt in a way that can only be done in the medium of LEGO animation. No other Star Wars series or movie can play with the galaxy in this way and the creators behind it have truly made the most of the opportunity to play with “the building blocks”
While the plot to this four-part special starts in a simple way, it takes some turns that are unexpected. Sig Greebling (there are a lot of deep cuts for both LEGO fans and Star Wars fans) and his brother Dev are nerf herders, living an ordinary life, until they stumble upon an ancient Jedi temple. The brothers remove a glowing brick from a wall – only to discover that it was the Cornerstone, the element that holds the entire galaxy together. With the brick removed, everything changes – Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) is a chilled-out beach dude, Ewoks are bounty hunters and Jar Jar Binks is a Sith Lord.
That premise of course allows for tremendous fun; Admiral Ackbar is the basis for the Clone army, Greedo has given Slave I some unique modifications (the best sight gag in the whole story) and there’s a mini Death Star laser attached to the Millennium Falcon.
What is much more unexpected is that, more than any LEGO Star Wars story before, this follows the template of a Star Wars movie. Sig’s adventure begins on his backwater planet, expands out as he accepts his destiny (led by Bobarian Afol – don’t call him Jedi Bob) and leads to him having to confront his brother, who is now a Sith Lord. Not only is the plot as significant as anything in the features, it’s as dramatic too; things get pretty dark as the reality of Darth Devastator’s plan dawns on Sig. Writers Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit are not talking down to the audience here or going for the gag every time.
Read the inside story on how LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy was made in Blocks, the monthly LEGO magazine, Issue 119. It includes interviews with showrunners Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit, voice of Jedi Bob Bobby Moynihan, producers from the LEGO Group and Lucasfilm, plus the designers of the LEGO models.
You are carried along for this epic ride by the most beautiful animation in any LEGO small screen production yet – by some distance. It takes many cues from The LEGO Movie, including brick-building almost everything on screen, having characters minifigures stop motion style instead of bending and shooting the digital LEGO bricks in a cinematic style.
One shot towards the end sees an entire panel shatter and bricks go flying everywhere; two minifigures are frozen in time as the pieces go past their faces in slow motion and you completely forget that this is, theoretically, a silly LEGO cartoon. Between this and Piece by Piece, the Pharrell biopic that’s on its way to cinemas, the bar has truly been raised when it comes to the level of artistry that can be delivered in LEGO animation.
One of the much-anticipated aspects of the special is Jedi Bob (Bobby Moynihan) and he is probably its biggest success. While Sig is the earnest, reluctant hero archetype and Yesi Scala is the gung-ho, blasters blazing archetype, Jedi Bob is altogether quirkier in the mentor role. As he duels Darth Rey, she taunts him about his lack of sabre skills and he responds with, “I’m doing my best!”. That different flavour of character really helps keep the dialogue between the core characters fun and zippy.
Upgrade your LEGO hobby! If you take out a subscription to Blocks, the monthly LEGO magazine, you’ll get each issue first and at a discount, plus other perks including a free digital subscription and the chance to win LEGO prizes every month.
What’s surprising is that those lead characters are, by the end of the story, much more compelling than the mixed-up characters who provide the humour and have made this such an anticipated entry into LEGO Star Wars storytelling. Ahmed Best does an amazing job of making Darth Jar Jar creepy and many of the characters are fun when they first show up – but by the end of the third episode, the surprise factor is gone and they are mainly in service to the plot.
SPOILERS BEYOND THIS LINE!
But that is what makes the ending so promising. This is billed as Season 1 on Disney+ and it concludes with the new gang of allies aboard the Millennium Falcon and ready to go off on an adventure. Their context and enemies are established, so future seasons of this show can explore new stories in a new galaxy unencumbered by canon; but hopefully the focus will be less on how wacky the changed galaxy is and instead on taking advantage of this genuinely fresh opportunity.
Considering this show has caught the attention of viewers through its high concept, it’s impressive that by its conclusion, you’re left eager to see the future adventures of Sig Greebling, Yesi Scale, Jedi Bob and Servo.