With the Star Wars prequel movies final getting some LEGO Ultimate Collector Series love with 75309 Republic Gunship, Blocks suggests five more sets from The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith for the display model collection.
What makes LEGO Star Wars 75309 Republic Gunship so special? Is it the fact that it’s only the second Ultimate Collector Series (UCS) set inspired by the prequels? The exclusive minifigures? Or maybe its unique elements? Well it is all of those things and one more. It is the first LEGO Star Wars UCS set chosen by a fan vote, winning the poll in 2020 by more than 50% of the votes. If it weren’t for fans, then 75309 wouldn’t exist.
It’s something important to bear in mind as it suggests that fans want more UCS sets based on the prequel films. Almost every UCS set so far has been based on the original trilogy, meaning we’ve now had quite a few repeat ships in the collection.
With there obviously being fan interest, here are five Prequels ships worthy of becoming UCS sets – or ‘bigger fish’ as Qui Gon might call them…
N-1 Naboo Starfighter
Let’s face it, the LEGO Star Wars theme isn’t exactly known for being colourful. It works in grey, grey and more shades of grey. A UCS model of the N-1 Naboo Starfighter would certainly be an eye-catching display piece with its bright yellow tail finials. One problematic part could be the chrome capping on the engines, but the LEGO Group recently introduced a bright silver printing that could be employed on those pieces.
Get ready for our review of 75309 Republic Gunship in Issue 83! To get Blocks, the ultimate LEGO magazine for fans, every month – at a discount and earlier than the shops – order a 12-month or 24-month subscription. Direct debit payment options are available too; to find out more get in touch via subs@silverbackpublishing.rocks.
Jedi Starfighter
These fast little flyers are only second to Snowspeeders when it comes to re-releases at System scale, and back in 2010 there was a UCS release for 10215 Obi Wan’s Jedi Starfighter. However, there’s multiple versions seen within the prequels (plus even more in The Clone Wars) that could still get the UCS treatment, from Anakin’s Atis-class interceptor to Plo Koon’s blue-and-white Aethersprite starfighter.
Republic Acclamator Cruiser
It might have a fancy name but the Republic Acclamator Cruiser was basically a type of Star Destroyer before they were called Star Destroyers. With the designers already proving that a ship of this size can be made at UCS scale with 75222 Imperial Star Destroyer, the Acclamator wouldn’t be too different. Incorporating its signature crimson stripes would be essential, and an exclusive Admiral Yularen minifigure would be an appreciated inclusion.
ARC-170 Starfighter
While there have been several UCS X-wings, their Republic predecessor would make for an impressive display model due to its six folding wings. Making the wings would be an engaging build too, as the six have to be different sizes and foldable. With its similarities to the Republic Gunship, in colour and overall shape, the two would be perfect together on a shelf.
Anakin’s Podracer
While this might not be a ship, the Boonta Eve Classic podrace sequence from The Phantom Menace is one of the memorable sequences in the prequel trilogy. Technic would be at the heart of this build, with rods needed for the connecting cables and all the greebling on the two engines. LEGO lightning bolt elements in purple would then look pretty effective for the energy binder in between. Creating a stand to hold the three separate elements would be the trickiest part, but then nothing about podracing was easy.
If 75309 Republic Gunship sells enough units, then hopefully there will be more prequel UCS sets in future, which would add a much-needed dose of variety into the LEGO Star Wars theme. Let’s just hope they come with the right emblem on the box next time…