Lego Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy – A Brick-Shattering Adventure
Everyone’s favorite toy/film brand crossover, Lego Star Wars, has returned for another special at Disney+. In a subversion of the currently popular multiverse narrative, Rebuild the Galaxy instead subjects its Lego-rendered Star Wars universe to an apocalyptic crisis, one in which the very building blocks of reality are dramatically reshaped.
This isn’t just a visual change; the idea of a galaxy made of rearrangeable Lego blocks becomes integral to the narrative in a way the Lego Movie franchise only alluded.
The four-part miniseries centers around Sig and Dev Greebling, two nerf-herding brothers with contrasting views of their rural home world, Finesa. Sig (Gaten Matarazzo), Force-sensitive, finds content in his humble existence, while Dev (Tony Revolori), contemptuous, yearns to leave the planet behind. Complicating matters, both brothers share affection for the same young woman, the "cool" farmhand Yesi Scala.
Further complicating matters, the brothers and their Gonk droid, Servo (Michael Cusack), stumble upon a mysterious Jedi temple housing "The Cornerstone," a transparent, single-stud Lego brick capable of reshaping the universe brick by brick.
Entranced, the brothers remove the piece, much to the dismay of Bob (Bobby Moynihan), a Jedi temple guard from a previous incarnation of the Star Wars universe, who vows to prevent the repetition of his own past mistake.
Dev and Sig’s transgression triggers a cosmic makeover of the Lego Star Wars universe, resulting in shifts both major and minor. The salty surface of Crait transforms into peppery terrain, while Tatooine becomes a beach paradise. This new universe reinterprets Luke Skywalker as a surfer bro, spending his days racing Max Rebo on alien ski-doos.
Despite not strictly adhering to this theme, the series inverts the alignment of beloved characters. Admiral Ackbar becomes the template for the Empire’s Clone Troopers, while Salacious B. Crumb holds Yoda’s seat on the Jedi High Council. The rebel resistance comprises good versions of Sheev Palpatine, Darth Vader, Jabba the Hutt, Count Dooku, and IG-88, alongside Jannah (Naomi Ackie) and Lobot. There’s even a joke about Greedo "shooting first" that fundamentally alters his relationship with Han Solo.
While Darth Jar Jar is heavily featured in the promotional materials, some of the best remixed characters are Darth Rey (Helen Sadler) and Darth Tico (Kelly Marie Tran), solidifying their teased-but-vetoed heel turns in The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker as missed storytelling opportunities. Anthony Daniels’ return as a psychopathic version of C-3PO further confirms the comic-book-exclusive 0-0-0 can’t make his leap to live-action soon enough.
Beyond the fun of reimagining familiar faces, Rebuild the Galaxy contemplates the karmic repercussions of playing god with a universe comprised of sentient Lego minifigures. Yesi’s father, for instance, ceases to exist in the new universe. Though a handwave explains the rearrangement, the central conflict centers around preventing Sig or Dev from using the Cornerstone to revert the universe to its former state. The narrative echoes the "what’s done is done" thought experiment presented in Star Trek: Voyager’s divisive "Tuvix episode," and even becomes something akin to a children’s version of Dark City.
However, as Surfer Luke emphasizes, this new universe is "in some ways worse," but also "in some ways better," making it "maybe worth fighting for."
The special’s final moments see our newly formed group of characters embark on an exploration of this brave new world, hinting at a potential sequel series. A pre-credits teaser also reveals the Empire has hired a new bounty hunter, remixing two familiar characters into a new, pun-based one.
Similar to Rebuild the Galaxy’s overarching theme of questioning the responsibility of manipulating pre-existing materials, the answer to whether this subversion of the Star Wars universe is worthwhile entirely depends on personal preference. For the most part, Rebuild the Galaxy has a lot of fun asking some unexpected questions of itself.
Lego Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy is now streaming on Disney+.
Overall, Rebuild the Galaxy offers a playful and thought-provoking take on the Star Wars universe. It embraces the playful nature of Lego, while simultaneously exploring themes of consequences, responsibility, and the ever-evolving nature of reality. Whether you’re a fan of the Lego franchise, the Star Wars saga, or both, this special is a delightful watch that’s sure to bring smiles and inspire conversations around the power of creativity and the dangers of playing god.
