Star Wars Advent Calendar - Day 20
Posted by CapnRex101,
Rogue One inspired our eighteenth item in the Advent Calendar, so I assume Solo: A Star Wars Story will receive similar treatment today, given its release in 2018.
Find out below...
This is another strange choice for the calendar, at least in relation to the day it arrives, as we encounter an Imperial Praetorian Guard. These deadly bodyguards were introduced in The Mandalorian season three and represent an intermediate point between the Emperor's Royal Guards and the later First Order Praetorian Guard. I think that connection is why this minifigure was chosen for today, as 75216 Snoke's Throne Room was released in 2018.
Overlooking whether this was the best choice for day twenty for a moment, this is an excellent minifigure. The distinctive helmet with its narrow visor looks suitably menacing and the armour on the torso is interesting, reminiscent of First Order forces. However, these guards wear bulky pauldrons in The Mandalorian, so I would have liked similar armour for the minifigure.
A pair of Imperial Praetorian Guards appeared in 75386 Paz Vizsla and Moff Gideon Battle in the summer and it is brilliant to have a third because three of these characters are featured in The Mandalorian. Ideally, this guard would be armed with a bladed weapon to complete the trio from the Disney+ series, but at least the accessory glows with pink energy, as seen onscreen.
Overall - Though an odd choice for today, this is another impressive minifigure.
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Minor spoiler, today is the *last* minifigure in the Advent Calendar this year.
As I'm going to be tied up on Christmas Eve, here's my annual retrospective of minifigure representation in ACs from 2011 to 2024. Luke remains the winner if you don't count the B-1 as a true minifigure.
Ahsoka Tano: 75395
Assassin Droid: 75097
BB-8: 75184 (Santa)
Bespin Guard: 75146
Bespin Twin Pod Car Pilot: 75245
Boba Fett: 75023 (young)
C-3PO: 75097 (Santa), 75340 (Festive)
Chewbacca: 7958 (classic), 75146 (yeti), 75245 (with porg meat)
Count Dooku’s FA-4 Pilot Droid: 75023
Darth Maul: 9509 (Santa)
Darth Vader: 75056 (Santa), 75279 (festive), 75340 (vacation)
Din Djarin: 75307 (festive)
D-O: 75279 (Santa)
Emperor Palpatine: 75366 (Festive)
E-3PO: 75146
Ewok: 75056, 75366 (festive)
First Order Snowtrooper: 75184
First Order Stormtrooper: 75184, 75245
First Order Sith Trooper: 75279
Geonosian Warrior: 75023
GNK Droid: 9509 (gray), 75146 (tan), 75245 (festive), 75279 (snowman), 75340 (Santa), 75366 (reindeer)
Grogu and Pram: 75307 (festive)
Guavian Security Soldier: 75213
Gungan Warrior: 9509
IG-88: 75213
IG-11: 75307
Imperial AT-AT Pilot: 9509
Imperial Death Trooper: 75213
Imperial Navy Gunner: 75184, 75245
Imperial Navy Trooper: 75146
Imperial Officer: 75184
Imperial Praetorian Guard: 75395
Imperial R2-Q5: 7958
Imperial Scout Trooper: 75023, 75307
Imperial Snowtrooper: 9509, 75056, 75146, 75340
Imperial Stormtrooper: 75097, 75146, 75279, 75307
Imperial TIE Fighter Pilot: 7958, 75056
Imperial IT-O Interrogation Droid
Jango Fett: 75023 (Santa)
Jawa: 75056
LIN Demolitionmech Droid: 75097
Luke Skywalker: 75056, 75279 (Tatooine), 75146 (Jedi), 75245 (hermit), 75340 (Hoth), 75395 (Festive)
MSE Droid: 7958, 75245
Mynock: 75245
Nute Gunray: 7958
Omega: 75366
Pit Droid: 75279, 75366 (festive)
Poe Dameron: 75279 (festive)
Porg: 75245 (Santa), 75279 (regular)
Princess Leia Organa: 75366 (Endor), 75395 (Festive)
R2-X2: 75056 (Christmas Tree; requires head from 75032)
R2-D2: 9509 (snowman), 75097 (reindeer), 75340 (festive)
R5-F7: 75023
Rebellion General Antoc Merrick: 75213
Rebellion General Rieekan: 75056
Rebellion Snowspeeder Pilot: 75056
Rebellion Trooper (Hoth): 9509, 75097, 75146
Rebellion Trooper (Endor): 75023
Rebellion Trooper (Tantive IV): 9509, 75245
Rebellion X-Wing Pilot: 7958, 75213 (snowman)
Republic Clone Trooper Pilot: 7958
Republic Clone Trooper, Phase I: 75023, 75340 (yellow)
Republic Clone Trooper, Phase II: 75056 (Santa), 75366 (orange), 75395 (Blue)
Resistance Trooper: 75184
Rey Palpatine Skywalker: 75279
Rose Tico: 75213
Rowan Freemaker: 75213
Sabine Wren: 75184
Separatist B-1 Battle Droid: 7958 (blue), 9509 (red), 75023 (tan), 75146, 75213 (tan), 75245 (tan), 75279 (tan), 75340 (tan), 75366 (tan)
Separatist B-2 Super Battle Droid: 9509, 75056, 75395
Tusken Raider: 75307
Unkar Plutt’s Thug: 75184
Yoda: 7958 (Santa)
Day 1: X-Wing - representing 7140 from 1999
Day 2: Princess Leia - representing her first appearance in 2000
Day 3: TIE Fighter - representing 7146 from 2001
Day 4: Super Battle Droid - representing its first appearance in 2002
Day 5: AT-AT Walker - representing 4483 from 2003
Day 6: Y-Wing - representing 10134 from 2004
Day 7: Minikit - representing LEGO Star Wars: The Videogame, released in 2005
Day 8: Jabba's Sail Barge - representing 6210 from 2006
Day 9: Millennium Falcon - representing 10179 from 2007
Day 10: Ahsoka Tano - representing her first appearances in 2008
Day 11: Venator-Class Attack Cruiser, representing 8039 from 2009
Day 12: Theta-Class Shuttle, representing 8096 from 2010
Day 13: T-6 Jedi Shuttle, representing 7931 from 2011
Day 14: Mandalorian Starfighter, representing 9525 from 2012
Day 15: 501st Clone Trooper, representing his first appearance in 2013
Day 16: Ghost, representing 75053 from 2014
Day 17: Luke Skywalker, representing 75110 from 2015
Day 18: U-Wing Fighter, representing 75155 from 2016
Day 19: Yoda’s Jedi Starfighter, representing 75168 from 2017
Day 20: Praetorian Guard, representing the minifigures in 75216 from 2018
Agreed, I would've loved something from Solo. Maybe a microscale build of 75212 or something.
Ouch, even when the minifig is explicitly being chosen based on a sequel trilogy set, they STILL won't actually give a minifig/build from that era.
Cool minifig though!
Here is today's ranking (in my opinion):
6. Disney
5. Star Wars
4. Friends
3. Spider-Man
2. City
1. Harry Potter
I can totally see a Santa version of this.....now that would have been cool!
Well, the red is very festive, at least!
I love this minifig, great detail. Another reason why I bought this SWAC. I'm adding this to my 75225 Elite Praetorian Guard Battle Pack from 2019.
Yes, I would've liked something representing the Solo movie, but I am very pleased with this minifig. I think the minifigs have been great in this calendar.
@ResIpsaLoquitur said:
"
Unkar Plutt’s Thug: 75184
"
God I need to get off the internet more
The head element is red, so this is very close to being a monofig with printing on it.
Fans: "We don't like the sequel trilogy!"
LEGO: "And I took that personally."
Nice to have, but agreed it’s an odd choice, and breaks this year’s overarching theme a bit.
As long as others are suggesting something from Solo, I’ll go a step further and suggest a festive version of Han himself might have been a fantastic addition, completing a Luke-Leia-Han trio all in one AC. Alternately, a festive Lando would also have been great. Han or Lando wouldn’t necessarily have to have been the “younger” version from the movie; since they’d be in festive attire they’d already be significantly different from what was offered those years anyway, and the placement on this day would be enough to tie it to LSW of 2018.
Oh, well. A missed opportunity, and the AC has had perhaps one or two other days that weren’t quite perfect, but on the whole it’s still a really great AC, and today’s figure is at least welcome as a bit of an army-builder for people who don’t want to buy individual figures secondhand in Bricklink or get multiples of 75386.
@TheOtherMike said:
"The head element is red, so this is very close to being a monofig with printing on it."
Mine was the elusive H-stud design. I almost missed it before I put the helmet on.
Cool fig, bad representation of 2018
@R1_Drift said:
" @ResIpsaLoquitur said:
"
Unkar Plutt’s Thug: 75184
"
God I need to get off the internet more
"
I'm sure he has a name! I didn't even know until today that the Quadjumper has an official numerical designation and "quadjumper" is just the cute version.
This one just makes me want to get the paz visla vs moff Gideon set even more now
@Robot99 said:
"Ouch, even when the minifig is explicitly being chosen based on a sequel trilogy set, they STILL won't actually give a minifig/build from that era.
Cool minifig though!"
Agreed. It's kind of insulting. Especially when the First Order Praetorians were way cooler-looking....
This irritates me. This is like including Rosario Dawson Ahsoka for the debut of Ashley Eckstein Ahsoka in 2008, just because: "those are the parts that are in production."
Even though I'm no big fan of Solo, it would have been nice to see a microbuild of something from that movie, especially since it's the only live action Star Wars movie that has gone entirely ignored in these Calendars.
Also, since I didn't get a chance to comment on yesterday's item: it's cute, but I probably would have preferred a microbuild of Kylo's TIE Silencer or the AT-M6.
@BabuBrick said:
"This irritates me. This is like including Rosario Dawson Ahsoka for the debut of Ashley Eckstein Ahsoka in 2008, just because: "those are the parts that are in production."
Even though I'm no big fan of Solo, it would have been nice to see a microbuild of something from that movie, especially since it's the only live action Star Wars movie that has gone entirely ignored in these Calendars.
Also, since I didn't get a chance to comment on yesterday's item: it's cute, but I probably would have preferred a microbuild of Kylo's TIE Silencer or the AT-M6."
A white Falcon would be cool and festive.
I liked Solo. I think it gets a bad rap because of the stank sloughing off from the second sequel which I refer to as The Great Slow Motion Space Race and Fun Side Trip to Space Vegas = the worst Star Wars movie ever made or conceived.
6. Dis Mirabel Madrigal is NOT a princess and DOESN'T rule! Plus the usual reason. (0 points today + 38 points previously earned = 38 points total)
5. City Yeah. Uhm. Tree. Tree has to be. (1+57=58)
4. HP GIves a truly cosy vibe (2+52=54)
3. SM Santa is envious (3+40=43)
2. SW You thought you'll earn points by just being a minifig, didn't you? Mmmh... fine. (4+43=47)
1. Fr I'm a lumberjack and I beat Praetorian Guards... (5+40=45)
@StyleCounselor said:
" @BabuBrick said:
"This irritates me. This is like including Rosario Dawson Ahsoka for the debut of Ashley Eckstein Ahsoka in 2008, just because: "those are the parts that are in production."
Even though I'm no big fan of Solo, it would have been nice to see a microbuild of something from that movie, especially since it's the only live action Star Wars movie that has gone entirely ignored in these Calendars.
Also, since I didn't get a chance to comment on yesterday's item: it's cute, but I probably would have preferred a microbuild of Kylo's TIE Silencer or the AT-M6."
A white Falcon would be cool and festive.
I liked Solo. I think it gets a bad rap because of the stank sloughing off from the second sequel which I refer to as The Great Slow Motion Space Race and Fun Side Trip to Space Vegas = the worst Star Wars movie ever made or conceived. "
I respectfully disagree with you about Episode VIII being the worst one, but that's fine; we're all fans here. We're allowed to have different opinions on things.
On a side note though, I totally agree with you about the Space Race and Space Vegas — can't stand those portions of the movie (especially the latter), and because of that, TLJ definitely isn't my favorite SW movie (but it's also definitely not my least favorite one either....).
@BabuBrick said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
" @BabuBrick said:
"This irritates me. This is like including Rosario Dawson Ahsoka for the debut of Ashley Eckstein Ahsoka in 2008, just because: "those are the parts that are in production."
Even though I'm no big fan of Solo, it would have been nice to see a microbuild of something from that movie, especially since it's the only live action Star Wars movie that has gone entirely ignored in these Calendars.
Also, since I didn't get a chance to comment on yesterday's item: it's cute, but I probably would have preferred a microbuild of Kylo's TIE Silencer or the AT-M6."
A white Falcon would be cool and festive.
I liked Solo. I think it gets a bad rap because of the stank sloughing off from the second sequel which I refer to as The Great Slow Motion Space Race and Fun Side Trip to Space Vegas = the worst Star Wars movie ever made or conceived. "
I respectfully disagree with you about Episode VIII being the worst one, but that's fine; we're all fans here. We're allowed to have different opinions on things.
On a side note though, I totally agree with you about the Space Race and Space Vegas — can't stand those portions of the movie (especially the latter), and because of that, TLJ definitely isn't my favorite SW movie (but it's also definitely not my least favorite one either....)."
I know what you're thinking. "What, they fly now?!... They fly, now.... Somehow, Ol' Palps returned."
The last one at least had some action, and ended it. The middle can't really claim either of those things.
TLJ did have some good lines, and the guard fight scene. Although, even that isn't well developed. After all, why would guards viciously fight the new lord who just cut the old one in two? He's the new lord. You can't patch the old one together and serve him again!... unless it's Maul. (face slap)
@StyleCounselor said:
" @BabuBrick said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
" @BabuBrick said:
"This irritates me. This is like including Rosario Dawson Ahsoka for the debut of Ashley Eckstein Ahsoka in 2008, just because: "those are the parts that are in production."
Even though I'm no big fan of Solo, it would have been nice to see a microbuild of something from that movie, especially since it's the only live action Star Wars movie that has gone entirely ignored in these Calendars.
Also, since I didn't get a chance to comment on yesterday's item: it's cute, but I probably would have preferred a microbuild of Kylo's TIE Silencer or the AT-M6."
A white Falcon would be cool and festive.
I liked Solo. I think it gets a bad rap because of the stank sloughing off from the second sequel which I refer to as The Great Slow Motion Space Race and Fun Side Trip to Space Vegas = the worst Star Wars movie ever made or conceived. "
I respectfully disagree with you about Episode VIII being the worst one, but that's fine; we're all fans here. We're allowed to have different opinions on things.
On a side note though, I totally agree with you about the Space Race and Space Vegas — can't stand those portions of the movie (especially the latter), and because of that, TLJ definitely isn't my favorite SW movie (but it's also definitely not my least favorite one either....)."
I know what you're thinking. "What, they fly now?!... They fly, now.... Somehow, Ol' Palps returned."
The last one at least had some action, and ended it. The middle can't really claim either of those things.
TLJ did have some good lines, and the guard fight scene. Although, even that isn't well developed. After all, why would guards viciously fight the new lord who just cut the old one in two? He's the new lord. You can't patch the old one together and serve him again!... unless it's Maul. (face slap)"
Actually, TROS is one of my favorites (note username). And yeah, bringing back Palpatine was kinda silly, but despite that, I had a great time seeing that movie. I've loved it ever since it was released.
As far as the guard fight scene goes, yeah, it might've made more sense in-universe if the Praetorians had just gone on to serving Kylo, but at the end of the day, it's just a cool fight scene! There's probably something wrong with every lightsaber fight in Star Wars if you look close enough.
For instance: during Duel of the Fates, when Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon are separated, why doesn't Obi-Wan use the Force Speed power that he and Qui-Gon had literally used together earlier in the same movie!?
Also, glad I'm not the only one annoyed at Darth Maul's return in CW.
@StyleCounselor said:
"TLJ did have some good lines…"
I remember being particularly delighted by the line with the copyright notice, and also the line where they tell you where to buy the soundtrack, because that meant even the end credits were nearly finished.
@PurpleDave said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
"TLJ did have some good lines…"
I remember being particularly delighted by the line with the copyright notice, and also the line where they tell you where to buy the soundtrack, because that meant even the end credits were nearly finished."
I liked the line about the soundtrack because it directed you to a John Williams album (always a plus) ;)
@BabuBrick said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
" @BabuBrick said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
" @BabuBrick said:
"This irritates me. This is like including Rosario Dawson Ahsoka for the debut of Ashley Eckstein Ahsoka in 2008, just because: "those are the parts that are in production."
Even though I'm no big fan of Solo, it would have been nice to see a microbuild of something from that movie, especially since it's the only live action Star Wars movie that has gone entirely ignored in these Calendars.
Also, since I didn't get a chance to comment on yesterday's item: it's cute, but I probably would have preferred a microbuild of Kylo's TIE Silencer or the AT-M6."
A white Falcon would be cool and festive.
I liked Solo. I think it gets a bad rap because of the stank sloughing off from the second sequel which I refer to as The Great Slow Motion Space Race and Fun Side Trip to Space Vegas = the worst Star Wars movie ever made or conceived. "
I respectfully disagree with you about Episode VIII being the worst one, but that's fine; we're all fans here. We're allowed to have different opinions on things.
On a side note though, I totally agree with you about the Space Race and Space Vegas — can't stand those portions of the movie (especially the latter), and because of that, TLJ definitely isn't my favorite SW movie (but it's also definitely not my least favorite one either....)."
I know what you're thinking. "What, they fly now?!... They fly, now.... Somehow, Ol' Palps returned."
The last one at least had some action, and ended it. The middle can't really claim either of those things.
TLJ did have some good lines, and the guard fight scene. Although, even that isn't well developed. After all, why would guards viciously fight the new lord who just cut the old one in two? He's the new lord. You can't patch the old one together and serve him again!... unless it's Maul. (face slap)"
Actually, TROS is one of my favorites (note username). And yeah, bringing back Palpatine was kinda silly, but despite that, I had a great time seeing that movie. I've loved it ever since it was released.
As far as the guard fight scene goes, yeah, it might've made more sense in-universe if the Praetorians had just gone on to serving Kylo, but at the end of the day, it's just a cool fight scene! There's probably something wrong with every lightsaber fight in Star Wars if you look close enough.
For instance: during Duel of the Fates, when Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon are separated, why doesn't Obi-Wan use the Force Speed power that he and Qui-Gon had literally used together earlier in the same movie!?
Also, glad I'm not the only one annoyed at Darth Maul's return in CW."
I've heard that before. Yet, using force speed with shields that cut you in half would be quite precarious. I wouldn't do it.
I do agree that these are fictional movies that shouldn't be taken to seriously. The unexamined life may well not be worth living. Yet, a Star Wars movie might benefit from a little suspended disbelief.
@PurpleDave said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
"TLJ did have some good lines…"
I remember being particularly delighted by the line with the copyright notice, and also the line where they tell you where to buy the soundtrack, because that meant even the end credits were nearly finished."
Everything you just said, is wrong.
@StyleCounselor said:
I've heard that before. Yet, using force speed with shields that cut you in half would be quite precarious. I wouldn't do it.
I do agree that these are fictional movies that shouldn't be taken to seriously. The unexamined life may well not be worth living. Yet, a Star Wars movie might benefit from a little suspended disbelief. ]]
Not necessarily the shields specifically; I meant Obi-Wan should've used that power to catch up with Qui-Gon and Maul before they entered the shield system.
@BabuBrick said:
"For instance: during Duel of the Fates, when Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon are separated, why doesn't Obi-Wan use the Force Speed power that he and Qui-Gon had literally used together earlier in the same movie!?"
I remember seeing a video years ago (as in, before Episode II came out) called "Why Obi-Wan didn't use Force Speed." The barriers open, Obi-Wan uses Force Speed, Obi-Wan can't stop himself in time, Obi-Wan flies into the pit.