Unwrapping the Star Wars LEGO Advent Calendar: Day 22

Think back to the very first time you watched Star Wars: Episode IV—A New Hope when you saw the Tantive IV dart across open space in the opening scene of that monumental, culture-shifting film. How did you feel watching that tiny ship flee the menacing, all-encompassing presence of that slow-moving Imperial Star Destroyer? How did you feel as it slowly, ponderously moved into view? Did you wonder to yourself, “But what if I could fit it in my hand? I mean, the whole ship—the Star Destroyer. What if it was the size of a pill bottle? No—wait. Smaller. What if it was so small that I wouldn’t see it hidden in the carpet and would accidentally step on it and shriek out in pain as though millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced?”

Well, friend, today’s your day. Because on day 22 of the 2023 Star Wars LEGO Advent Calendar, your dreams come true. Out of that cardboard panel soars a teeny tiny Imperial Star Destroyer. Not a Super Star Destroy. I mean, this one’s great and all, but it’s not Executor-class. I’m sure it will do fine defending the second Death Star, though. I mean, is a little baby Y-Wing gonna fly by it or something?

Star Destroyers have been ubiquitous to the Star Wars universe. They were so resource-intensive to construct that only the shipyards at Kuat could support multiple vessels. The Galactic Republic deployed an early version——in the Clone Wars. They were the flagship of many an Imperial commander—Vader, Thrawn, you name it— striking fear in the heart of many a Rebel throughout the Imperial era. The First Order and even the Sith Eternal commanded Star Destroyers in their own quests to control the galaxy.

Remember that scene in Star Wars: Episode IX—The Rise of Skywalker where that bit of lightning illuminates the whole hidden fleet of Star Destroyers? Terrifying. Kinda like knowing you dropped your miniature Star Destroyer somewhere on the high, gray rug between your bare feet and your slippers…