This duel from Episode II – Attach of the Clones stood out from all the others we’ve built because JEDI MASTER YODA is soaring mid-air! We explored several different methods for supporting Yoda’s dynamic pose, but ultimately decided the safest way would be to suspend him from wires, and position COUNT DOOKU perfectly for their Lightsaber blades to meet.
LEGO® BRICKS
BUILD HOURS
LEGO® BRICKS
BUILD HOURS
Our build process for this scene actually began with YODA. In a unique twist, the entire model of Yoda is constructed upside down! This deliberate technique ensures that when viewers look up at him in his suspended position, they see the smooth surfaces of the LEGO® bricks rather than the familiar studded tops. This unconventional approach took a little while for us to wrap our heads around as we built him! Given that he’s a hanging model, it was also crucial to ensure his Lightsaber was built as securely into his hand as possible.
As with all our character models for this exhibition, we poured a tremendous amount of effort into making Yoda’s face as accurate as we could. This proved particularly challenging, as we primarily relied on a CG character model for reference, giving us slightly less to work with compared with real actors.
We chose Olive Green LEGO® bricks for Yoda’s skin, as opposed to Grogu’s Sand Green, to signify Yoda is in his prime, getting out into the open and actively engaging in battles. Yoda’s head is a complex assembly of four distinct sections, with studs facing in various directions and all securely attached using SNOT (Studs Not On Top) bricks. The relatively recent release of 1 x 2 tiles with a 45-degree cutout proved invaluable in capturing some of the finer nuances of his facial features.
While significantly larger in scale, COUNT DOOKU was a comparatively simpler, albeit more time-consuming, model to construct. His colour palette was predominantly Black bricks, with his heavy Reddish Brown cape falling closely down his back.
The intricate belt details were designed using a combination of plates and tiles, seamlessly integrated into the main body of the model. His lapel clips and chain detail use a selection of Silver Metallic LEGO elements, mostly minifigure wheel braces, minifigure hoops, and 2×2 plates with an octagonal bar frame.
The dynamic pose did present some tricky sections, particularly around his angled back leg and his arms raised at specific angles to deflect Yoda’s leaping attack. Dooku’s Lightsaber is built securely into his right hand, but we found it to be one of the most challenging to attach, not only due to the curved hilt design but also because of the precise angle of his arm as he guards against Yoda’s aerial assault.
To accurately recreate Christopher Lee’s recognisable facial features, we spent a long time examining as many reference photos as we could. His face is constructed from a variety of Light Nougat LEGO slopes, bows, and tiles, with strategic use of jumper plates to offset certain features and emphasise his unique and distinguished expression.
Witness these incredible models and more at the world-first LEGO® Star Wars: The Exhibition. Embark on an epic, hands-on adventure through the Star Wars galaxy – Created by Ryan ‘Brickman’ McNaught and his talented team with over eight million LEGO bricks and 25,000+ build hours. Now open at Melbourne Museum.
