Last week we took a look at the Lego sets from the Original Trilogy. This week I will be looking at the Prequel Trilogy (PT). The same rules apply I will not be using Ultimate Collector Series (UCS) as examples since they were made to be display pieces and look amazing anyway. Also remember that all prices are in US dollars and are the retail price for when they were released. I was informed by my son that I had not planned on including sets from the “Rebels” series or any of the Extended Universe (EU) sets so on the next three articles I will include an extra from a series that I have not covered. Without further ado let’s jump right in.
1. The Phantom Menace
Best:
Set Number: 7662 Trade Federation MTT
Piece count: 1330
Retail Price: $99.00
Released: 2007
Rating: “Thesa guys all bombad” 
This was the second attempt for the MTT and the Lego design group knocked it out of the park on this one. The size and huge amount of minifigs (20 battle droids) made it a perfect addition to any collection. There were many playable parts to this including a secondary command ship and the ability to twist a knob and have the droids roll out of the unit just like it did in the movie. There have been a total of three iterations of this vehicle. the first was very blocky (no pun intended) and didn’t look good at all. The third was scaled down quite a bit from this model and the price on the third one was a lot higher.
Worst:
Set Number: 75080 AAT
Piece count: 251
Retail Price: $24.99
Released: 2015
Rating: “Dissen gonna be bery messy! Me no watchin!”
Okay this is the third attempt at an AAT. The first on was a set from Episode One. The second from The Clone Wars and this one ….well lets just say it looks like Lego had a quota of sets to release and picked up a discarded idea off the design floor and said “Eh…good enough”. this set is ridiculously small compared to his two big brothers and is laughable in comparison. In reality my only thought is that they wanted to revisit this set but needed it to be more affordable so they shrunk the scale of it down to meet the price. With this on though you did get an extra minifig compared to the last one. However I don’t believe Jar-Jar was worth it.
Attack of the Clones
Best:
Set Number: 75021 Republic Gunship
Piece Count: 1175
Retail Price: $119.99
Released: 2014
Rating: “Seeing you brings warm feelings to my heart.”
There are actually three different versions of the Gunship and each one is a masterpiece. I have chosen this one because as each one comes out the Lego company takes what is good about it and builds on it to make it even better. Lately Lego has been remaking previous sets and re-releasing them and some of them are smaller and leave no room for playability. Not so with this model. It stays the same size and never backs down.
Worst:
Set Number: 7113 Tusken Raider Encounter
Piece Count: 93
Retail Price: $10.00
Released: 2002
Rating: “I don’t like sand. It’s coarse and rough and irritating and it gets everywhere.”
This was such a pivotal moment in the movie and there were so few in this movie. In this scene we saw Anakin have his mother die in his arms and then him dole out retribution to the Tusken Raiders entire tribe. Anakin showed relief at finding his mother then sadness at losing her then anger and what was released from it…and all Lego could do for us was give us a speeder and three minifigs. There was nothing special about the minifigs either just Anakin and two raiders. I think we deserved a larger set for the magnitude of this scene.
Revenge of the Sith
Best:
Set Number: 7261 Clone Turbo Tank
Piece Count: 801
Retail Price: $90.00
Released: 2005
Rating: “Its over Anakin. I have the high ground.”
There were two different versions of this set released and if you bought the first version you got the Mace Windu minifig with the light up lightsaber. There were 4 other figures released around this time with the light up sabers and Mace was in this one. Lets not forget as well the size of this beast and with the added function of shocks on the wheels and the ability to make the wheels turn the direction you wanted them to go simply by tilting it as you moved it. It was awesome to play with pushing along the ground and battling the droids.
Worst:
Set Number: 75151 Clone Turbo Tank
Piece Count: 903
Retail Price: $109.99
Released: 2016
Rating: ” We do not grant you the rank of Master”
Here we go. The Turbo Tank has received the best and worst awards. There was a larger piece count as well as a larger price tag but once it was built the size was disappointingly small. The minifig selection was also smaller than it predecessor. This set just could not hold the same ground as his bigger brother.
Bonus: Rebels
Set Number: 75053/75048 The Ghost/The Phantom
Piece Count: 929/234
Retail Price: $99.99/ $24.99
Released: 2014
Rating: “A spark of rebellion ignites…”
Yes I included two set in this one but I do have reasons. Firstly they are both amazing sets and they link together much like in the show. Secondly these were the iconic ships from the show and they included the entire crew (except for Sabine) as minifigs. Finally you could buy both sets together in a special bundle package at Toys ‘R’ Us, Costco and other fine retailers. Because of this I do consider them to be one set and worth every dollar.
Join me next week as I explore the good, the bad, and the ugly of the Sequel Trilogy.
