Swordy

In that instance I was referring to the Rebel base on Yavin IV. While it seems mostly uninhabited, it’s possible some civilizations still resided there; this was in the same debate as “The planet-killer was only going to kill cities/Rebel bases,” thus the historic example. Alderaan was mostly civilian, yes, so it doesn’t, doesn’t count. (Any Rebel facilities, if started there, would’ve been moved to Yavin, I believe.) Understandably so; it’s such an obvious real world parallel that it’s doubtless someone else would’ve brought up as well. What. This is an outrage! Next you’ll tell me that Secret Wars will use Papyrus! I had always assumed that any jonkling would continue into the 2025 thread. That’s a shame. At least 2024 was the year of the Aslume, and I will always cherish being part of this historic thread.

I’m feeling a bit exhausted by this endless debate as well. Maybe spacing replies by a week is the best? (I kid, I kid… but seriously, it could work.) I vote we discuss favourite Christmas movies/songs, play Renny’s card game, or discuss the lore implications of Red Hulk stealing the crystals from LEGO City. Of course, we can always go on-topic.

Should I apologize for dragging the DC forum into a lengthy Star Wars debate? I’m enjoying this far more than Turtle’s random links or discussions resembling 4chan, personally.

I’ll jab a finger at the U.S.’s horrific treatment of Japanese-American citizens and leave it there. On this I can agree. So either we continue to interpolate, or take Leia’s words at face value. If they’re peaceful, then they’re so, and if not, then Tarkin would’ve called her bluff outright. The same reason the U.S. was forced to blow up the whole city of Hiroshima and Nagasaki; despite the civilian regions that weren’t our target, the military production was so deeply embedded that the potential civilian and military casualties became nearly one and the same. Once again, it’s to send a message to the people across the Empire to purge themselves of the Rebels lest they become an asteroid field like Alderaan. Why create a planet-killer if not for this purpose? Wouldn’t Star Destroyers suffice? If they wouldn’t, and a planet-killer needs to be created, only to blow up a city or two, it’s that a huge waste of resources? Doesn’t that call into question the careful calculations you claim the Empire practices? So either the planet-killer is designed to kill planets to spread fear, or the planet-killer is designed to devastate cities to spread fear. In the latter’s case, the Rebellion would opt to spread thinner, thus necessitating a planet killer. Instead of prolonging the war, the destruction of a planet will suffocate the Rebel efforts efficiently and effectively, so the former option is chosen. Yes, but when Vader recognized Antilles was of no further use, it was then that he choked him. Regardless of who called who, word would get around that Vader choked a guy over Zoom (or Skype, if you must) because that guy made Vader upset for some reason. Needa doesn’t seem the Rebel type, and if he was he’d probably want to keep his head, so he spoke with Vader personally. That’s a keen insight I’ve never realized. If not a Rebel spy, perhaps a sympathizer? “So-so films” were my feelings at that time, but, as I’ve stated, I appreciate them much more now. Overall, the Prequels’ story is a masterpiece; if only there was charismatic acting and dialogue to match. (If George had kept Lawerence as a scriptwriter, I believe we all would be better for it.) People aren’t as different as you might believe. Dictators are people corrupted by unrestrained power; aren’t we all corrupted by power in one way or another? I understand I’m waxing philosophical with no real answer, but it’s something to think about. To be fair, if Mr. H had been smarter, he would’ve utilized the “inferior races” in the war instead of killing them off in mass. Still, Mr. H was also able to gain control of a large portion of Europe before the U.S. and Russia fought back. He also managed to convince his people that the Jews and other minorities were evil and inferior. All of that takes a scarily genius tactician, not just a spiteful punk. Passion, anger, fear, are all uncontrollable by nature. That’s why I believe Palpatine to be an untrue Sith; the most powerful, yes, but to be a Sith you must be an agent of chaos, not restrained at all times. Maul is the perfect example of what a Sith should be; volatile, power-hungry, father to violence. Yes, he’s easily destroyed because he’s uncontrolled in his emotions, but the Dark Side itself is unnatural, thus easily destroyed. Palpatine is a master manipulator, and succeeds in his restraint, but as a result loses his Sith nature. The irony is apparent: the Dark Side in its purest can never gain power, but the Dark Side in full restraint can conquer the galaxy. Although I disagree with the original statement, let me make a counter-counterpoint: the Seppies are the ones building the Death Star and are more likely the ones to build weapons which affect biological lifeforms. On the other hand, the Republic repeatedly tries to create non-lethal weapons which only short circuit the droid soldiers.

Something, something, powers have doubled since the last time we met, Count, something, something, I just forgot to reply…. I don’t find it chauvinistic. I can recognize the potential threat of one group of people, and if I was scared to lose power, I’d try to control them. Doesn’t mean I prefer one over another. Wookiees are stronger than humans, (they pull your arms off if you’re unsure) and if they got to develop an army, wouldn’t they be a massive threat? I see what you were saying. My point was that Palpatine would much prefer to control as many variables as possible, as he does in RotJ. I’m sure he’d love to control the space the Chiss Ascendancy rule over, but since that’d be too costly, why bother? I’m aware, that’s why I hate it. If George took it out, did we really need it back in? (Although Han’s “You’re a wonderful human being” still works and gets a chuckle out of me.) Is it? Wouldn’t there be word of Imperial sieges of Alderaan if that were the case? Wouldn’t Alderaan have a big Rebel tattoo on their planet? Maybe a huge neon sign saying “Hey! Over here!”? People know of the Rebellion, but only until Leia mentions Alderaan do Luke and Old Ben associate the two in the same breath. Tarkin only chooses Alderaan because of Leia’s connection. Alderaan isn’t a military target, Tarkin says. He only destroys it to make a demonstration, an effective one at that: if you’re even remotely related to the Rebels, no matter how peaceful you are, you too may be subjected to absolute annihilation. The Empire doesn’t tolerate any Rebel sympathy. Frankly, to make Alderaan an enemy system lessens the core, despicable nature of the Empire, and deconstructs the reason they must be overthrown. (I’m starting to get into storytelling reasons here, and less so space-political motives.) A Senate by its nature is representative of its parts. You can’t represent something in a government if that something isn’t part of that government. If Leia was representing something else, that information would’ve been presented in the film. Yes, I’m assuming the Empire controls every planet, meanwhile the opening crawl reads “It is a period of civil war.” Why then isn’t the other government called out by name? Rebellion doesn’t sound like a separate government, does it? In my oh-so-humble opinion, the civil war is referring to the Rebel cause spreading, and planets rising against the Empire one by one. (“The more you tighten your grip, the more star systems will slip through your fingers.” It’s more of a revolution, but viewed as a civil war because the Rebellion fights to restore the Republic. That latter half isn’t in the OT directly, I’ll admit. Vader absolutely choked the guy, no question about it. Why would we fear him otherwise? Why wouldn’t he choke a Rebel if he would choke one of his fellow Imperials? I know why he choked the latter, but that would imply he’d be willing to choke the former as well. Fair. Let’s be fair to Needa, though. After all, the last time someone spoke to Vader over hologram about his failure, that guy got choked out. I believe Needa felt that perhaps a personal touch was in order. Obviously, he did waste time, and Vader didn’t appreciate it, but I feel some grace could’ve been extended. (“Now, if we take the comics into consideration…”) Oh, you’re one of those types, lol. I’m cool with it. I’m not the gatekeeping type, and I understand why you believe that way. I agree in a lot of respects. For me, when I view Star Wars, I consider George’s complete vision to be utmost canon, thus I deem the Complete Saga (1-6) in whole to be important above all others. (TCW is supplemental, neither taking away from or adding to the films in my view.) The Prequels definitely were affected by Marcia and his divorce, so they weren’t the purest form from 1977, but they still remain part of his vision. Reading the Star Wars Ring Theory helped me appreciate the Prequels beyond just a collection of so-so films. I hate that Obi-Wan now flat-out lies to Luke in RotJ about first meeting Anakin, but I’m honestly not impressed with Ben as a character by that point anyway. If George wants me to understand the films that way, I personally am willing to see it through his perspective. (Not necessarily through the lens of the Prequels, but to see how the two compare and contrast to better understand the Star Wars.) I’m also willing to see it through the perspective of just the OT, though, because they are a complete trilogy of awe inspiring, groundbreaking films. In the end, I’m given a whole new appreciation for three beloved films of mine. :) Well, our tactic isn’t working. Nobody from the Star Wars thread has migrated over to debate, and I believe the Rancor has implied that the 2025 thread won’t start until January. Oh well, it was worth a shot.

Plo’s starfighter is on the ARC-170 box art. I don’t feel in love with the ARC, and I wish I did. Feels smaller than $70, maybe closer to $60? Nose looks unfinished, especially with the hard edge given by the 2x6 tile. Cannons could’ve been improved a slight. That’s about all my complaints, though. I’m joyed to see a new ARC in 2024/25. Definitely doesn’t feel real, that’s for sure.

(Guess today’s the day I reply to week-old comments.) If they are a potential threat, then they need to be treated accordingly; not just Wookiees. I could point to several historical examples to back my claim. Chiss were never enslaved because they couldn’t be controlled. Umbarans and Wookiees were strong enough to pose a threat, but not as developed to be uncontrollable. Noticed the line of “Your friend’s a real mercenary,” upon a recent rewatch. (Love Luke’s “But I care,” by the way.) Fair enough. My perfect version of ANH is the complete and utter removal of the Jabba scene. It’s awkward, it’s gross, it breaks pacing and only repeats information given to us by Greedo already. Only good thing to come out of the scene is that Greedo was a clone or was cloned. That’s 2000s era nostalgia for you. Plus, who’s active and actually alive currently: Sir Alec or Ewan? The U.S. can make diplomatic missions to other NATO countries. There’s nothing to imply Alderaan isn’t part of the Empire (Vader calls Leia a traitor, so she is an Imperial citizen, and we know her father is of Alderaan)—though an interesting thought nonetheless. Had something different written up until I rewatched Ep. 4-6 over the weekend with your words ringing in my ear. (It’s a medical condition, don’t worry.) I’ll agree—especially in ANH, where Vader seems much more noble than he is often depicted, while Tarkin is the one who suggests they execute Leia—until Vader suggests they keep her as bait. Still, did Antilles really know where the plans were exactly? This gets into semantics, but going off just ANH, I think he can only assume Leia still has the plans on her. Anything else is interpolation. (I’ll concede my previous point that Vader actively killed Rebels on the battlefield in the OT, but I chalk that up to the limits of SFX.) I’ll concede on Ozzel, but why make an example of Needa? He assumed full responsibility when it was near impossible to find the Falcon; only Boba in his personal, auxiliary ship managed to locate them. So, to summarize: what I said wasn’t true, from a basic point of view. C-3P0, Max Rebo, and Mr. B. Crumb would like a word with you shortly. By the way, I love discussing the OT on its own. I believe people often ignore the nuances of the original three films because they feel the need to connect it to auxiliary content. I love the Prequels, Sequels, animated and live-action shows, all of it; but the OT shines above them all, and rightly so. Working my way through the MCU first! I’ve seen my fair share of clips from both of what you’ve mentioned, though.

Good deal. I’m surprised we didn’t get one over Thanksgiving weekend, not unlike the Force Awakens teaser. Ready to see something from this film outside of a few stills. I’m hyped for this movie. Haven’t seen a single DC movie outside of TLBM and Shazam!, simply because I have no clue what’s good or what’s important to watch. (Plus I’m more of a Disney+ guy, given it has both Marvel and Star Wars, so none of the films cross my radar generally.) The announcement of Superman as the forerunner of the DCU finally gave me something for which to look forward. The creative team feels strong, the cast looks great, the tone feels right; if John Williams was announced to be composing the score, I wouldn’t be all too surprised. The only thing that could dampen my excitement would be no tie-in products from the LEGO Group. I’ve got a B&M nearby, so if I can’t find one of those sets on deep clearance, then I can hopefully find them Used with the figs at a discounted rate. That’s not the case for everyone, though. Bricklink might make for a next-best option, but I that marketplace seems overcrowded these days.

I’m expecting a UCS Helicarrier with reused WW2 Cap, reused Nick Fury, reused Black Widow, reused Winter Soldier with a new face print but no arm print, and maybe a new Falcon, with Maria Hill on a sticker. I really wanted a Stealth Suit Cap in the first TWS set. Still rooting for Red Skull’s car from TFA.

GUYS. Clearly, this is psqidexslizer’s Flashforce-back moment, where he comes back from 2026 to warn us of the soon-to-be apocalypse which will ensue when no Superman (2025) sets are produced by TLG.

They’re literally the same design in both films. Even the arm is just as worn in Winter Solider as in Civil War. There’s no difference whatsoever. (Edit: Upon referencing both films, I’m surprised to realize that I was wrong. Oh, and that Bucky is wearing a jacket in Civil War, while in TWS he wears some leather uniform with multiple straps on it. The latter is definitely depicted on the minifig, though the reused leg printing could’ve been omitted in my opinion.) The new minifig is just an objectively poor design. There’s no contrast, making the whole design look flat. Making the whole suit minimalist and black makes it uninteresting and unappealing. Looking at the figure from 2016, the greys on the abdomen region, while a touch bright, provide even contrast to brighten the design. If those DBGs had been dark pearl grey, it would’ve been a closer match to the film. The black hair really does throw off the figure, though. Such an easy fix, and such a horrible outcome when done wrong. Another downgrade for the count: Spidey doesn’t have printed detailing on the legs, just dual-molding.

True, but given that the AtSV set is outrageously overpriced, I really want the Superman mech to fly off shelves (like a bee). I wish I was going to buy both sets come January, but I can’t buy the AtSV set out of pure conscience sake.

I missed that, or just forgot I saw that. Would’ve been cool if LEGO Marvel had a first at revealing one of those useful pieces. They did before, with the transparent-clear stud with hole.

For real. The 2021 Tumbler looks like a Speed Champions design; I remember being super-impressed when building it, and it’s become one of my favourite sets in my collection. I’ll put forward that none of the minifig-scale Batmobiles before or since have come close to the 2021 Tumbler and ‘66 designs. ‘89-mobile looks fine, but the back fins are too blocky. TAS-mobile looks simplistic—which is the point, yes, but it feels uninspired. Maybe the DCEU-mobile is comparable, but that feels too small. I’m resigned to it, at this point, as far as for Man. We have plenty of capes from 18 years of LEGO Batman. (Except the blue-black cape is still exclusive to the Art set, which will probably drive me to insanity at some point.) Man loses his presence with the rubber cape, though, which is a shame. If Vader shows up with a rubber cape, then we know we lost. Funny that you and LEGO used the 2x2 half-tile for the logo (which stands for the Italian word for hope, as we all know). I never thought of that before. It’d be Absolutely hilarious if the $15 Soups mech outperforms every other Jan 1 set within the first twenty-four hours.

Wait a minute… are those two 1x1 studs with clip connection being using on the sign in the Spider-Verse set? Oh my word, the potential for that piece is massive…

Thoughts on the Spider-Verse overall haven’t changed. Gwen using the Pepper Potts face and a simple short ponytail piece is disappointing, though. I feel like I’ve been on a drastic decline of anticipation since the original rumor of this set. Hope those figures in that Marvel logo make their way into other sets. I would especially love Red Skull’s car from CA: TFA. Anti-Venom looks good. Not stellar like Ultron, but I like it nonetheless. Bucky feels insulting, especially with the lack of arm detail. Hair is just wrong, face doesn’t look any good. Cap still uses an AoU suit in a Civil War set. Iron Man Mk. 46 is the only standout. I might skip this set entirely and track down the set from 2016.

The new Tumbler looks like it drove off the LEGO design table from 2008. Yikes. Batman without leg printing hurts, and Two-Face doesn’t look better in high definition. $60 for a downgrade makes an easy pass. Absolutely love the Superman mech. Face print for Soups looks perfect. I’ll grab this on January 2nd, which is when I’ll for sure be nearby a LEGO store.

Should they produce one-off sets from past Disney+ shows, I can see a lot of highly-requested figures officially realized. I’d also like to put forward Sidon Ithano, the third-coolest character, if we get an iteration of Maz’s Castle. Then, of course, there’s Mara Jade. “Um, sir, why did you list Mara Jade five times?” /s Blasphemy of the highest order. Tread lightly.

This feels like an apt discussion to have on the day of Thanksgiving in the U.S.

That’s what infuriates me the most. WW1 (then called “the War to End All Wars”—the most boastful statement ever if I heard one) only lead to a genuine evil to rise in Germany. It was needless violence started by one of the smallest of incidents that only led to more bloodshed—all capped off by the creation and use of the most efficient (and devastating) method to kill hundreds of thousands. In the end, the war mongers won, and they may be the second-greatest evil of all. Blame that on the change in policy from president to president (we are an indecisive people, truly, but Woodrow had it coming). To be fair, though, Europe continues to fall into chaos with or without America’s involvement… Actually, y’all fall in and out of chaos a lot with our involvement anyway. Moreso historical politics, for which I would make a distinction. In any event, we can all walk away with greater clarity of other points of view. It’s fascinating in particular to see European views, speaking as an American. Sure. Remind me who he was, again?

(…and we could then go into a lengthy debate on the true meaning of that slogan, but I believe I agree with your general point.) Same here! Looking forward to the battlepack, whatever it entails. Ha, me too. I can normally wait a year to grab it on discount, but there are so many sets I want Day 1 next year: Superman Mech, Andor U-Wing, Fantastic Four set, and hopefully the Ewok Village. Oh, and I still need to grab the Daily Bugle, Rivendell, and Cody’s AT-TE before they retire. It’s about to be a tough year.

No one team can be expected to possibly produce thousands of different troopers, thus the select number of variants. Real life costumes will be different, simply out of human error, but I don’t blame the CGI model makers for not randomly shuffling a few general designs. (Looking at the Thrawn arrival scene, I see maybe six different designs in the crowd, mostly differences in helmets.) In universe, you are absolutely correct. I agree, it’d be wonderful if every trooper was unique. In this galaxy, though, concessions were already made in the production of the show, so precedent has been there from the very beginning; that’s all I’m saying.

Technically no. If I recall correctly, there were about three main variants that were copy-and-pasted throughout the crowd of Night Troopers—then Captain Enoch, of course. Most of the merchandising (Funko and Hasbro off the top of my head) has featured about two or three variants of Night Troopers. So long as we get three variants, they should be varied enough to make for an interesting display.

Apologies. I don’t mean to cause a physiological condition. If I have, though, can you make a better Joker 2? What’d you expect with Brick Daddy running around? Tell Gunn to also include the DCU Riddler’s alter ego, Leo G. Turtle, as an editor at the Daily Planet who hates Superman and complains about him flying around (like a bee) shooting lasers. Nah, I’ll just use one of the Ni’s antlers to do that. Blacktron is unbeatable. Nothing can stand before us. Soon all will wear cool black leather space suits and helmets. You will only delay the enviable. Long live Blacktron!

Love the buildable Grogu with Pram. I feel a touch bit nostalgic for the 2020 model, but this new build looks much cleaner and much cuter. Love the parts usage on the face. Head and arms are slightly oversized, but that only adds to the cuteness appeal. Accessories are a nice touch. Don’t care for buildable figures, but I’m considering this one for how special the Mandalorian show is to me. Acclamator looks fine, but feels small for $50. Open Fleet insignia on a 2x2 is a great piece to have in circulation.