Star Wars Advent Calendar - Day 23
Posted by CapnRex101,
We have reached the penultimate day in this 2019 Star Wars Advent Calendar. Festive items typically start to arrive here so I am interested to see what today will bring.
Hopefully it will be something seasonal...
GNK Power Droids are famously popular and this example, designed to resemble a Christmas present, looks absolutely fantastic. I love the adorable bow on top while the red and green colour scheme clearly captures that important seasonal aesthetic. The bow does seem quite large beside the rest of the model but that is part of its charm from my perspective.
Moreover, the traditional Gonk Droid design features are present here. The pearl silver and light bluish grey details across the front look perfect and those shades continue on the legs. I like how stacked 1x1 round plates recreate the appearance of flexible tubing, although they cannot actually articulate which is slightly unfortunate.
Overall - 4.5 - Festive models are always appreciated in the Star Wars Advent Calendar and this GNK Droid is certainly a fun example.
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Welcome back to the battle of the advent calendars! Yesterday saw Star Wars take the win, and I’m sure all the Star Wars fans are on the edge of their seat hoping their calendar will pull ahead.
Behind the castle gate today HP fans were greeted with a Dumbledore minifigure! While previously appearing in 2018’s Great Hall, he remains a wonderfigure and a great inclusion, much like McGonagall. Dumbledore also appears in 2019’s Clock Tower and the HP CMF series, but in different robes so I think this character, like most figures, may have the edge over its counterpart. Besides, he’s a must have for most HP fans.
Today the Star Wars calendar offers up a wonderful Present Droid! I personally love the design and I think this is a wonderful Christmas take on the classic GNK Power Droid. While taking in its cuteness factor and its holiday spirit (not to mention its score of 4.5), I think Dumbledore, also with a score of 4.5, takes the W today, simply because you can technically make this, or something similar, with your own bricks.
This leaves the score at 13-10, with Harry Potter in the lead. Stay tuned for tomorrow, the final day. I’ll give my score for the daily model and then an overall score, so Star Wars fans, don’t give up hope yet! You still might pull though.
Based on comments from yesterday’s Advent Calendar, I’ve compiled a list of all the builds with their respective winners listed after. These are my own opinions, although they may closely mirror those of Mat_Z_. Feel free to ask questions or debate the winner for any of the models. If you’re convincing enough, maybe the score will change!
Day 1: Harry Potter v. Resurgent-class Star Destroyer - HP
Day 2: Hogwarts Express v. Upsilon-class Command Shuttle - HP
Day 3: Two Small X-Mas Trees v. First Order Stormtrooper - SW
Day 4: Large X-Mas Tree v. Mounted Blaster - HP
Day 5: Gryffindor Flag v. T-70 X-wing Starfighter - SW
Day 6: Professor McGonagall v. Resistance Transport Ship - HP
Day 7: Great Hall Table 1 v. Chewbacca - SW
Day 8: Feast Food 1 v. Ahch-To - HP
Day 9: Slytherin Flag v. Luke Skywalker - SW
Day 10: Ron Weasly v. Quadjumper - HP
Day 11: Great Hall Table 2 v. Turbolaser Battery - HP
Day 12: Feast Food 2 v. Imperial Gunner - SW
Day 13: Ravenclaw Flag v. Mouse Droid - SW
Day 14: Hermione Granger v. Corporate Alliance Tank Droid - HP
Day 15: Snowman v. Battle Droid - HP
Day 16: Wizarding Chess v. MTT - HP
Day 17: Hufflepuff Flag v. Escape Pod - SW
Day 18: Professor Flitwick v. Rebel Fleet Trooper - HP
Day 19: Fireplace v. Mynock - SW
Day 20: Architect Pedestal v. Microscale Hoth - SW
Day 21: Architect of Hogwarts v. Twin-Pod Cloud Car - HP
Day 22: House Presents v. Cloud Car Pilot - SW
Day 23: Professor Dumbledore v. Present Droid - HP
Day 24: ? v. ? - ??
Final: ?????
HP - 13
SW - 10
Still not a fan of the giant brick-built Gonk, but this idea is fun either way.
I dunno, that Day 21 Twin Pod Cloud Car was pretty awesome!!!
I’d also give the Gift Gonk the win...since I already have the Prof, but I don’t have the GG!
It’s been some interesting Adventing this year. The ups and downs...just like Christmas itself. LEGO is like LIFE...hmmm...
@Backbiter222
I would probably give the Rebel Fleet trooper the win on Day 18, and that is coming from someone who bought the HP calendar. Professor Flitwick is great, but I think a difficult to find army builder might break a tie. Dumbledore vs Gonk Droid is a difficult decision to make, because I am sure the respective fans of each would claim victory.
This looks so good!!
@blogzilly
I tend to side with minifigures over builds, but the cloud car was a truly fantastic micro scale rendition. If it had been any other day it would have won. I just was really a fan of the all gold character we got.
@stevesheriw
Thanks! Day 18 was really tough with both calendars offering up great characters. I made my judgment based on the in depth review by @Mat_Z_ but you may be right. Based on other comments today, the winner of Day 18 may have to change.
@Backbiter222 said:
" @blogzilly
I tend to side with minifigures over builds, but the cloud car was a truly fantastic micro scale rendition. If it had been any other day it would have won. I just was really a fan of the all gold character we got.
@stevesheriw
Thanks! Day 18 was really tough with both calendars offering up great characters. I made my judgment based on the in depth review by @Mat_Z_ but you may be right. Based on other comments today, the winner of Day 18 may have to change."
I'd say flitwick wins for the simple fact that he's an exclusive minifig
@The_Toniboeh
My thoughts too.
Didn't the Architect Pedestal beat that abysmal Hoth scene? It has four printed pieces + uncommon parts. The Hoth build had nothing.
[Potential spoiler removed]
But just from the first glance when pictures of these were first released; the Harry Potter calendar looked more interesting (other than the Luke minifig) than the Star Wars calendar.
@J0rgen
Mat_Z_ did say the pedestal won, but based on the general consensus in the comments I altered it. Personally I think the pedestal was cooler, but my biases shouldn't effect the ruling.
@fulcrumbop Thanks for the spoiler... I had totally forgotten what the last HP one was gonna be and I was looking forward to the surprise, but now I remembered. Not happy.
Edited: thanks for removing the spoiler.
Sorry, Capn, but this one's a 5. You've been asking for a great creative model that represents the holidays, and here it is. This is an example of what an advent calendar can succeed in: making the model more festive. I think it's delightful and the Christmas colors are perfect. And the power droid is iconic, very Star Wars.
@LuvsLEGO_Cool_J: That's true, but I still could have built it from parts I already owned. At least the HP one had a minifig that was new to me. Despite having a considerable HP LEGO collection I only owned the beard and wand.
When people say this isn't the best Star Wars character they get no Lego for Christmas
Seriously, I think HP and SW will tie
Well done Mat_Z_ for devising this contest, I've watched the results daily with great anticipation and enjoyed it immensely. As the good natured debate continues I would like to add that (1) as this is the first HP calendar it really does need to be something special to justify it's own existance, and (2) some days seem to be so evenly matched, calling a tie would be entirely justifiable. I appreciate that our American friends like to see a winner in all instances, though I'm not sure about our Canadian cousins, but here in Europe a good old fashioned draw is sometimes the obvious, the honourable and winning result. Merry Xmas everyone, please come back next year Mat_Z_ ...
That's awesome.
Gonk Droid is the obvious winner here, if not simply because its a Gonk Droid, which are awesome, its actually a christmas themed one, which makes it even better.
^ Exactly! I agree. Maybe there some kids who don't have all these pieces to create this model from the calendar.
@Fillone
I’m an American friend (I’m so very, very, deeply, sorry...:) ) and I’m totally OK with a draw.
The rest of the above points re: minifigures versus builds etc. are interesting...would that automatically apply to say...a boring Battle Droid versus a spectacularly creative holiday build on the other side? Just curious.
SW all the way.
I love this Gonk Droid I have to say but I must ask where is my weapons rack?!!!!
we always get a gong, at least this one is festive coloured!
I think I’ll change today’s score, making Star Wars win. This would leave HP at 12 and SW at 11 and reflects the popular opinion. It also leaves tomorrow to be the deciding vote - will HP win or will there be a tie?
@Fillone:
The Star Wars calendar was stuffed full of sequel builds. Short of repeating the most common Harry Potter for a full 24 days, I can’t see any way I’d not consider this a dominant win for HP.
Sorry, my bad.
@Backbiter222
Personally, I think Day 21 should have gone to SW. I really liked the Cloud Car, and it was one of my favorite models of this year. As a counterpoint, my fiance was opening the HP calendar, and neither of us had any clue what the gold minifigure was supposed to be (it was the only HP one we needed to look up here to see what it was), and I still don't see how that small model is supposed to be the great hall. I understand how some people like monocolor minifigures, but I was shocked when that got a 5.0 score.