Star Wars Advent Calendar - Day 24
Posted by CapnRex101,
75307 Star Wars Advent Calendar focuses wholly upon The Mandalorian. However, its eponymous hero remains conspicuously missing, so the final item seems inevitable!
Let's open the last door before summarising the complete Advent Calendar...
The Mandalorian has already appeared in four sets during 2021, wearing his metallic beskar armour. The minifigure returning here seems accordingly appropriate, albeit now featuring a decorated scarf over his traditional bounty hunting garb. This design looks good, but lacks particular creativity when compared with previous seasonal minifigures throughout the Star Wars Advent Calendars.
Strangely, flame yellowish orange details on the standard minifigure have been replaced with reddish brown here, but the armour otherwise remains unchanged. Impressive detail therefore adorns both arms and the legs appear excellent too. However, the continuing absence of a new head for Din Djarin is disappointing because almost exactly two years have now passed since his face was revealed onscreen.
Overall - 4.0 - Exclusive festive minifigures are certainly fun, but adding a scarf seems like the blandest possible means of adapting a Star Wars character for winter.
Summary
I would love to conclude our coverage of 75307 Star Wars Advent Calendar with positivity and there are multiple impressive items provided. For example, the Razor Crest and Imperial Light Cruiser are probably among the best mini vehicles from any Star Wars Advent Calendar, while the focus upon minifigures for army-building is appreciated.
Unfortunately, those enjoyable additions are partly overshadowed by the superfluous selection of weapons racks and targets. Since past Advent Calendars have proven that weapons can be supplied with each minifigure, such items seem as though they were added to fill spaces rather than to improve the calendar. Maybe limiting focus to The Mandalorian was an error, although I believe there was sufficient source material to draw upon.
Furthermore, the seasonal characters lack the charm of other examples. Din Djarin sporting a scarf is not nearly as fun or creative as adapting Jango Fett's Mandalorian garb for the season. The lack of new printed elements is also noticeable, particularly beside the Harry Potter Advent Calendars. Perhaps the designers could include more unique designs, permitting additions like Kuill or Pershing who seem unlikely to appear elsewhere.
I think this is among the weaker LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendars produced to date, although I have enjoyed these seasonal sets since 2011 and continue to appreciate them today!
Which items have been your favourites from the 2021 Advent Calendar and how do you think it compares with others? Let us know in the comments.
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29 comments on this article
I agree - this isn’t my favorite calendar, but it definitely had highlights. The creativity in micro-scale ship design continues to impress!
Scores for the 2021 SW calendar:
5 / 3.5 / 4 / 3.5 / 1 / 4 / 4.5 / 4 / 1.5 / 2.5 / 4 / 4.5 / 4.5 / 2 / 3.5 / 4 / 5 / 2.5 / 4.5 / 3.5 / 1.5 / 4.5 / 4.5 / 4
Final score: 86 points
75307 finished 3rd place, way behind the Marvel and Harry Potter calendars.
I was expecting another weapons rack.
Happy Christmas to everyone reading this. I hope all your presents ?? tomorrow will have that distinctive LEGO rattle!
Agreed this is one of the weaker calendars - likely the weakest ever from the SW theme, as well as of this year’s slate of five (!) ACs from various themes. It’s still not *bad*, exactly, and I also do appreciate the festive Din. Agreed the printed scarf might be a little… understated for seasonal Star Warriors if he were the only such figure here, but this is a calendar with two such figures (if not true minifigures), and the one-two punch of the delightful festive Grogu along with his caregiver makes it worthwhile for me.
Still, it’s hard to overlook that this is a calendar with only seven figures if we include a brick-built droid with no prints or new part colors (and not even any articulation), and only four “true” minifigures (the fewest of any AC that includes minifigures at all that I’ve gotten), and no prints aside from elements of six figures. But I’m glad I got it, even while hoping next year’s is better.
My completely anecdotal theory with this calendar is based on the piece count - the mini scale vehicles (mostly) had pretty big piece counts (and I loved those builds this year), so to counter this we got characters without weapons, weapon racks to follow and the worst SW advent calendar build in at least the past six years, the targets.
Good summary! They could have conjured a couple of better items for sure.
One less weapons rack and no targets would have left room for minifigs of Kuill and Cobb Vanth, which would have made this AC terrific. Instead we got something mediocre at best and woefully below average at worst.
The spare scarf from Thor in the Marvel character works well here if you don't mind losing the sparkles.
If they had included a Mortar Trooper and Kara Dune, in place of the targets and a weapon rack, this calendar would have been 10/10. As it is, I'd say it's a 7/10. Not bad and with some great builds, awesome Scout Trooper and Baby Yoda. But lacking in minifig count. Also, my Mando print on his head is a bit low. Lego seems to be struggling with Mandalorian helmet prints lately.
Could have been better, but the micro scale ships were an absolute blast to build! I might be the only one who likes them, and they mostly end up sitting in a box after December, but I still enjoy them immensely.
three weapons racks and a pair of targets means four whole days of interesting builds or minifigs we were robbed of. I'm loving Baby Yoda and his little hovercart are adorable, and i love the new scout trooper. Some great mini model vehicles. This AC could've been great if they simply gave weapons with characters and pumped out four more good ideas. Kuill, Moff Gideon, Fennec, Bo Katan, Migs, a turbo tank, Ahsoka, so many good ideas missed out on. Captain Carson Teva as Santa would've been a must if I was making this calendar.
This is where you use the extra Thor scarf!
Not the best of calendars this year, but last year set a very high bar. Maybe we'll get more festive gifts (plenty of room to modify existing gifts with festive colors) next year. Thank you, @CapnRex101 for the great reviews; it was a tough one this year but these reviews are a highlight of every day.
BTW, thought of a great joke for Day 16 (admittedly a week late): Krayt Dragon? Nope, that was Crate Draggin'!
Here's wishing everyone and your loved ones a safe and happy Christmas and New Year! Book of Boba Fett in 5 days!
Agreed, probably my least favourite SW calendar to date. Felt like too many micro-builds, the targets were complete filler, and Mando’s scarf was too subtle next to the two Christmas sweaters we got last year. That said, the micro-builds were expertly designed, and those looking to army build got some great figures.
I hope that Lego has time to analyze feedback from the calendar before deciding on the design for next year. That way, if they are planning another weapons rack blitz, they can think this over. A Bo Katan and a darksaber would have been awesome. We all know there was enough source material to come up with something good. Harry Potter proved you could have prints. Marvel proved you could have minfigs. Both proved you could include the accessories with the minifigs. I agree there were some highlights, but Marvel and HP are miles ahead.
It was fine, but could have been a lot better. The Star Wars calendars have long since found their rhythm, and this doesn't really deviate from that tune. Which is fine, but if we have five calendars again next year, there's room for Star Wars to be squeezed out if others go out of their way to impress. I stop at two, which necessarily means 3 losers.
For those claiming you can just add the scarf accessory to this minifig, have any of you tried it? I suspect part, especially in the back, will still be visible, which will just look weird. Even if all they’d done was change the leather straps to dark-green, that would have been a huge improvement.
While I loved the microscale stuff, the rest of this calendar was pretty subpar unfortunately. I think the strict The Mandalorian theme was a bit restrictive
I'm still glad I got this, I wanted the scout trooper and the hoverpram, and the other figs are fine, but this calendar really has failed to delight. The marvel one was the unexpected star for me.
Thanks for these trenchant reviews @capnRex101, it has been some years since I picked up a SW advent calendar (my last one had the Snowy Chewbacca 75146). Since then they haven't felt as interesting or as good value - - I drew the line at a festive BB8 which just had a Santa hat although the Vader sweater minifig last year looked brilliant. I am old school really liked calendars which leaned more into the original trilogy but can see why Lego have mixed up the trilogies and broader universe for content but then they can feel a bit more pick and mix. I think the focus on the Mandalorian was a good idea but looks like some missed opportunities to really elevate this set, particularly at its price point.
I never get a Lego SW advent calendar and most years after reading Brickset I wish I had but I really feel this year that I am glad I didn't as it has seemed to be mostly tat.
Weak calendar and I think limiting it to the TV show is an error. Din's minifig is a huge letdown, the targets are a waste, and the weapons racks are pathetic. This year only the City AC was worse than this one.
Well I liked it, or more accurately, my kid liked it. Nice and useful minifigures, and perfectly fine builds. An extra figure or two would have been nice so I'll give it a 7.5 or 8 out of 10.
Also, I don't mind the Din minifigure. Given his stoic nature I can't see the character putting much more on than a scarf, and even then reluctantly.
We love ACs- even my Lego-Widow (LW) and Teetering-On-Dark-Ages (TODA) son. We each get one. Provides communal building, surpise, creativity, assessment, crtique, and competition.
SWAC excellence criteria are well-established by now: 1) figs with holiday printing, 2) holiday themed droids or builds, 3) cool micro builds, and 4) army building supplies. Based on the following, this SWAC barely passes at best. Please do better next year.
Note: Love all those of you in the Lego community. Happy Holidays!
@lynels said:
"Scores for the 2021 SW calendar:
5 / 3.5 / 4 / 3.5 / 1 / 4 / 4.5 / 4 / 1.5 / 2.5 / 4 / 4.5 / 4.5 / 2 / 3.5 / 4 / 5 / 2.5 / 4.5 / 3.5 / 1.5 / 4.5 / 4.5 / 4
Final score: 86 points
75307 finished 3rd place, way behind the Marvel and Harry Potter calendars."
I liked it and to me my own opinion is the only one that counts.
I would disagree with the general consensus. I think this is one of the stronger SW advent calendars in years and much stronger than the other four that came out this year. The microbuilds were great. The speeder was outstanding and is the first minifig usable vehicle that I can remember in an SW advent calendar. Yes, the weapons racks stink, but they are a SW Advent Calendar mainstay. The best part part of course, was the exclusive Baby Yoda and Christmas colored pram.
I would have liked a lot more distinct characters instead of army builders. I haven't bought many new Star Wars sets so instead of getting any new characters I just get the same ancient Storm Troopers. Boring. And seriously, little to no play value as there isn't know personalities or favourite characters from the TV show. Why no bounty target?
@Darth_Dee:
7958 started things out with a Nute Gunray’s mechno-chair on Day 3. 75023 had a jet pack sled for Santa Jango to ride. 75056 had what looks like a normal speederbike, but having a pack of presents hanging off the back, on Day 19, it’s unclear who was supposed to ride it. 75097 had a two-seater hover-sleigh that could accommodate both Santa C-3PO and Reindeer R2-D2 (the latter rode on the back, so I guess he was pushing). 75146 had a sleigh for Snow Chewbacca. 75184 had a rocket sled with no clear rider, and a snowboard for the Beach Ball. So, this is definitely not the first. There have been a couple canon designs, and a few holiday designs, but this is most definitely not the first.
This years was a bit "Meh" at best.
Some nice builds, but, overshadowed by the weapons racks and the insult that was targets. They really took the proverbial!