Ten LEGO Star Wars one hit wonders

In a sea of re-releases it is sometimes hard to remember that there is a class of LEGO Star Wars sets that consists of models that only have a single entry

LEGO Star Wars will turn 20 years old in just two years, which is bound to make some of us feel quite old. During that time, hundreds of sets have been released across sub themes based on films, TV shows, Expanded Universe content and even exclusive parodies. With so many iconic vehicles, remakes have been inevitable with a variety of ships now approaching double digits in terms of LEGO releases – mentioning no Snowspeeders in particular.

On the other end of the spectrum, there is a group of LEGO Star Wars sets that stand alone. These sets are the only version based on the piece of subject matter in question, never being re-released. This exclusive club of one hit wonders includes some models that are good in their own right and others that would welcome a modern re-release.

For this Brick Fanatics look back, anything that appeared in The Force Awakens, Rogue One and The Last Jedi has been disregarded, as there have not been enough years yet for re-releases to be expected.

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10123 Cloud City (2003)

10123

With a new UCS Millennium Falcon on the books, 10123 Cloud City has now risen to the top spot on almost every LEGO Star Wars fan’s list of sets they wish the LEGO Group would re-release. Truly, it is astonishing that such an iconic location has never been remade other than the utterly disappointing 75137 Carbon Freezing Chamber model that depicted just one small section of 10123. Due to hailing from the early days of the theme, 10123 did not have as many copies produced, coupled with being a slow enough seller that it had to be discounted. This had made it harder to get since and driven its after market price higher. Relief may be coming, with rumors of a D2C Cloud City starting to pick up steam.

10221 Super Star Destroyer (2011)

10221-1

The sheer size of 10221 surprised and delighted LEGO fans back in 2011 when this behemoth flew onto store shelves. One of the most impressive LEGO Star Wars display models ever produced, it will surely be re-released someday, but it may take another decade – much to the horror of those who missed out. A truly staggering model in terms of size, 10221 still remains atop many AFOLs’ wanted lists years after it was discontinued.

10195 Republic Dropship with AT-OT Walker (2009)

10195-1

Nobody was asking for a £183.99 model of the pair of vehicles that appear for about three seconds in the climactic battle that closes out Attack of the Clones, but that didn’t stop the LEGO Group from releasing it anyway. No screen time is too small to preclude a Star Wars vehicle from being turned into an overpriced model. Despite the obscure source material, 10195 is actually an excellent and interesting set. Considering the blink and you will miss it status of these vehicles in official canon, it is quite possible that these vehicles will never be re-released, a fact which will strike fear into the heart of those seeking to add them to their collections.

4479 TIE Bomber (2003)

4479

There have been a bunch of TIE Fighter sets released through the years, but the TIE Bomber is the redheaded stepchild of the lot. While the ship certainly did not have a great deal of screen time, that has not stopped the LEGO Group in other instances. The fact that its only version was released  in the old blue and black colour scheme illustrates just how long it is since it was released. A new version with modern building techniques and colours would surely be well received.

7119 Twin-Pod Cloud Car (2002)

7119

Designed to fit perfectly with 10123 Cloud City’s landing pad, 7119 looks positively dated with its blocky construction and pre-orange brick colour scheme. Someone at the LEGO Group really seems to hate Cloud City, as the early 2000s is the last time it was represented within the product portfolio in any meaningful way. Considering that many fans consider The Empire Strikes Back to be the best Star Wars film of all makes this seem a curious choice.

8039 Venator-Class Republic Attack Cruiser (2009)

8039-1

Scaling down capital ships to a reasonably priced model is a favourite method that the LEGO Group uses to produce sets at non-UCS pricing levels. Few have done it better than 8039 Venator-Class Republic Attack Cruiser. This model is a masterclass in unique angles, solid construction and being an eminently playable model. The one hit wonders list is littered with entries that featured heavily in The Clone Wars TV series, which makes sense considering the sheer volume of source material available. Tthis ship also appeared in both Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith so its lack of additional brick built entries is surprising.

7186 Watto’s Junkyard (2001)

7186

Podracers are an aspect of The Phantom Menace that are loved by some and hated by others. The LEGO Group has released multiple versions of the main racers, the two belonging to Anakin and Sebulba. Filling out the Boonta Eve Classic entrants is almost impossible without this odd offering from 2001. Billed as Watto’s Junkyard, the various pieces of scrap could be assembled into two podracers belonging to other entrants. It is notable both for its printed parts and being the only ever set to include Aldar Beedo. To this day, if you want more official LEGO podracers, this is a must have set. That said, you will still be a long way from a full Boonta Eve line up.

75168 Yoda’s Jedi Starfighter (2017)

75168-1

Based on a vehicle that appears in a few episodes at the end of a season of The Clone Wars that was never traditionally aired, it is no wonder that the diminutive Jedi Master’s spacecraft only logs a single model. Released after The Clone Wars was cancelled, Lost Missions was a last batch of episodes released exclusively on Netflix and for physical purchase. The episodes feature a variety of intriguing storylines, the last of which sees Yoda set out on an odyssey to learn secrets of the Force. His ride is a modified Jedi Starfighter which matches his smaller size while also foreshadowing TIE Interceptors.

7659 Imperial Landing Craft (2007)

7659

This craft only has a tiny background appearance in the Special Edition release of A New Hope. Hailing from the early days of battle packs, when getting an army of Stormtroopers together was still a novelty, this model was notable for bulking out the ranks a bit. SNOT construction and a red dart projectile added some uniqueness to what is otherwise merely an inferior derivative of the deservedly better known Imperial Shuttle.

7133 Bounty Hunter Pursuit (2002)

7133

Considering how much screen time this chase takes up in Attack of the Clones, it is truly astonishing that the only rendition of Anakin and Zam Wesell’s speeders hails from the days before fleshy minifigures. Thankfully, though the figures are a bit plain, the vehicles are fairly well executed even by today’s standards. That is saying something considering that the LEGO Star Wars brand was only three years old when 7133 Bounty Hunter Pursuit was released. It seems inevitable that a newer version will eventually be released, but there is no sign of it yet.

Share your favourite LEGO Star Wars one hit wonders in the comments or on Brick Fanatics social media.

The LEGO sets based on the upcoming movie are available now. Star Wars: The Last Jedi is due for release on December 14 in the UK and December 15 in the USA.

Author Profile

Daniel
When I was 3 years old my dad bought home 6659 TV Camera Crew as a gift — he had no idea what he had just unleashed. Three decades and no dark age later, I am still going strong. My love of LEGO led me to a career in Civil Engineering and I am now raising three budding LEGO lovers with my lovely wife who is, bless her, a huge supporter of my brick addiction. When not writing for Brick Fanatics or fulfilling my duties as the U.S. Editor of Blocks Magazine I enjoy collecting, MOCing, exhibiting, as well as running, climbing and home improvement.

Daniel

When I was 3 years old my dad bought home 6659 TV Camera Crew as a gift — he had no idea what he had just unleashed. Three decades and no dark age later, I am still going strong. My love of LEGO led me to a career in Civil Engineering and I am now raising three budding LEGO lovers with my lovely wife who is, bless her, a huge supporter of my brick addiction. When not writing for Brick Fanatics or fulfilling my duties as the U.S. Editor of Blocks Magazine I enjoy collecting, MOCing, exhibiting, as well as running, climbing and home improvement.

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