Unwrapping the Star Wars LEGO Advent Calendar: Day 23

Imagine this: You’re an Imperial Scout Trooper just mucking about the forest moon of Endor. You’re leaning against your speeder bike, checking the time, waiting for the signal. And then—you look up.

“What’s that up there?” you wonder. “That shadow blocking out the sun? It looks like the resurrected remains of an enormous bat or a—”

But before you can complete the thought, a rock the size of your fist comes crashing through the foliage.

Plop. Thunk. Crash.

And then the sound of a thousand little chittering teddy bears—quiet at first, but louder and louder—echo throughout the forest. You know your time is up. You stumble to your feet, desperate to climb atop your speeder bike, the only glimmer of salvation left. But the chittering sounds are increasing still, and that shadow has returned—and now it’s joined by a second one. A bigger one.

Rocks are falling from the sky, but you don’t dare look up for fear one will smash your face. You hear smaller rocks bouncing off the metal of your bike.

Ping. Ping. Ping.

And then a third shadow—the biggest one yet. It swoops in low, the remains of some animal hide. You risk a glance back and then—

Something smashes through your helmet, through your skull, and you barely get out the words, “Long live the Emp—”

End scene.

That’s what I imagine, at least, the LEGO designers wanted us to think as we open today’s little cardboard door. Day 23—the penultimate day of the 2023 Star Wars LEGO Advent Calendar—features an Ewok hang-glider. It’s another build based on a scene from Star Wars: Episode VI—Return of the Jedi, which was the first place anyone ever saw an Ewok or an Ewok hang-glider. These things were used for hunting and transportation—but also for battling Imperials.

It’s a nice little build, but I’ll save my final assessment for tomorrow when I assume we’ll get our Ewok rider.