Ah, "Diorama-Rama", my favorite school event next to "Hearing-test Thurday!"

May 27, 2011 4:29 AM

The Greatest LEGO Diorama in the Galaxy! Imperial Employee of the Month Jay Hoff has been hard at work building the greatest LEGO Diorama in this or any other Galaxy. An impressive, most impressive 37,000 pieces of LEGO (as well as, presumably, a scary amount of time and money), including 388 mini-figurines, went into this custom commemoration of the Emperor's arrival on the second Death Star. This great moment in Imperial history was made in 2011 for Science Discovery Day at Berkeley Preparatory School in Tampa. It uses an Imperial Shuttle Kit with custom designed Death Star hangar. [Via Death Star PR]
posted by Fizz (41 comments total)

Awesome. As I scrolled down, I found myself bumping the detents on my scroll wheel to the rhythm of the Empire March...Duh. Duh. Duh. Duh, duh-duh. Du, duh-duh.
posted by notsnot at 4:39 AM on May 27, 2011 [2 favorites]

Just once, JUST ONCE, I'd like to see a death-star like imperial procession with a dirty floor. Who the fuck has the time to clean and buff the entire floor for the Emperor while a massive galaxy wide war is being waged? Couldn't our Imperial credits be spent on a more worthwhile cause? Like reinforcing the bay doors on Imperial Star Destroyers, because lord knows that shit explodes at the drop of a hat.
posted by Fizz at 4:43 AM on May 27, 2011 [7 favorites]

For once I'd like to see something from Tarkovsky's Zerkalo. Is that too much to ask?
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 4:54 AM on May 27, 2011 [5 favorites]

There were no clone troopers in that scene! The whole thing is rubbish!
posted by EndsOfInvention at 4:55 AM on May 27, 2011 [3 favorites]

Man, that guy really redoubled his efforts.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 5:08 AM on May 27, 2011 [9 favorites]

"for Science Discovery Day"

We have great movies (and dioramas) about Death Stars, but we haven't put a man on the moon since before the original star Wars movie premiered.

This is great and all, but it's not about science.
posted by orthogonality at 5:14 AM on May 27, 2011 [9 favorites]

It looks like they do other stuff at Berkeley Preparatory School on Science Discovery Day, not just play with more Star Wars and LEGO crap.
posted by pracowity at 5:22 AM on May 27, 2011 [1 favorite]

Who the fuck has the time to clean and buff the entire floor for the Emperor while a massive galaxy wide war is being waged?

I find your lack of cleanliness disturbing.
posted by eriko at 5:23 AM on May 27, 2011 [10 favorites]

Excellent.
posted by OmieWise at 5:25 AM on May 27, 2011 [2 favorites]

My children also noticed the clone troopers, but being big Lego fans and buyers understood the financial rationale behind substituting them for storm troopers.
posted by not that girl at 5:31 AM on May 27, 2011

Who the fuck has the time to clean and buff the entire floor for the Emperor while a massive galaxy wide war is being waged?

The bottoms of StormTrooper boots are mops and they are encouraged to drag their feet around.
posted by hudders at 5:38 AM on May 27, 2011 [3 favorites]

Who the fuck has the time to clean and buff the entire floor for the Emperor while a massive galaxy wide war is being waged?

I always figured that's what those little Roomba dog robots were for. You know, the one Chewie frightened away in ANH?

I'm sure they have a name, and a huge backstory, and a couple of books dedicated to them in the Expanded Universe, but I can't be bothered to go look that up right now.
posted by bondcliff at 5:41 AM on May 27, 2011 [1 favorite]

They buff the floors with Ewok skins.
posted by pracowity at 5:46 AM on May 27, 2011 [3 favorites]

Who the fuck has the time to clean and buff the entire floor for the Emperor while a massive galaxy wide war is being waged?

Doesn't the R in R2D2 stand for Roomba?
posted by Sourisnoire at 5:52 AM on May 27, 2011

It looks very cool. But I dunno, LEGO creations are less impressive to me when they involve pre-fab parts (figurines, Imperial Shuttle kit, etc.). LEGO is about building from scratch, creating recognizable shapes from uniform blocks, and it detracts when the significant portions of that shaping have been done in China.

I was in Toys R' Us recently and saw a life-size Clone Trooper built from LEGO blocks. That was impressive. This diorama is cool, but less impressive.
posted by cribcage at 5:58 AM on May 27, 2011 [2 favorites]

That was impressive.

Most impressive?
posted by Mister Moofoo at 6:04 AM on May 27, 2011

cribcage, I recently read a book about AFOLs--Lego: A Love Story--and was interested by the passing references to people displaying built sets at conventions and gatherings. On the one hand, it makes sense--not everybody who wants one will be able to afford the big Death Star set or the largest Lego Architecture kit, and they might be interested to see it completed and in person. On the other hand, it seemed a little pathetic compared to the incredible MOCs people put together.

For this, the environment--the floor and walls--are nicely done, but I was also a little underwhelmed by the shuttle and the lined-up troopers.
posted by not that girl at 6:11 AM on May 27, 2011 [1 favorite]

They buff the floors with Ewok skins.

Oh, well then. Carry on.
posted by Ritchie at 6:12 AM on May 27, 2011

Of course, who am I to talk? I have entered the land of Lego by virtue of having a kid who's really into it. I don't even build, except to provide piece-finding support when the kids are building.
posted by not that girl at 6:13 AM on May 27, 2011

Very Impressive, but this reminds me of my neighbor kid, we were both 13 years old, When i spent all by saved money on a large piece of plywood, built a nice model railroad using a tunnel and two full switching tracks, neighbor kid built a much nicer display, his dad was a doctor and my dad usually lived from pay check to pay check. every time i improved my display, he two upped me. i hate him so much from that time, i've erased his name from my memory.
posted by taxpayer at 6:18 AM on May 27, 2011 [5 favorites]

I'm sure they have a name, and a huge backstory, and a couple of books dedicated to them in the Expanded Universe, but I can't be bothered to go look that up right now.


MSE-series was a popular line of MSE "Mouse" droids. These droids were usually programmed with a single function that varied per assignment. Once they were set on the task, they would do nothing else.

There ya go.
posted by Omon Ra at 6:33 AM on May 27, 2011 [1 favorite]

I'm sure they have a name, and a huge backstory, and a couple of books dedicated to them in the Expanded Universe, but I can't be bothered to go look that up right now.

They're also featured in this video: Robot Chicken: Mouse Droid
posted by ZeusHumms at 6:43 AM on May 27, 2011 [1 favorite]

These droids were usually programmed with a single function that varied per assignment. Once they were set on the task, they would do nothing else.

"Crush the rebellion."
posted by kirkaracha at 6:47 AM on May 27, 2011 [1 favorite]

Someone should do a Imperial March like how a zombie walk is done. That would be neat to see.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:55 AM on May 27, 2011

Ah, Lego Endor. Ergo, Lando, eh?
posted by ShutterBun at 6:57 AM on May 27, 2011 [1 favorite]

Someone should do a Imperial March like how a zombie walk is done

No. No they shouldn't.

Zombies are beyond played-out. The Empire abides.
posted by ShutterBun at 7:00 AM on May 27, 2011

I see what you mean, now. A show of force to demonstrate to the fair-weather-fans of the Zombie Nation on how things ought to be done. That I can get behind.
posted by ShutterBun at 7:10 AM on May 27, 2011

It would be a bit tricky with fake guns, but still it could be done.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:15 AM on May 27, 2011

Once they were set on the task, they would do nothing else.

Unless a big, smelly, walking carpet yelled at it.

One of the things I love about Star Wars is that things had a back story, but most of the time it was left kind of vague. Then the fanboys had to go and muck it all up with overly detailed nonsense about everything.

For 30 years I've been happy calling that thing "the electronic dog", the name I came up for it when I first saw it. If it's all the same to the fanboys, I'll keep calling it that.
posted by bondcliff at 7:30 AM on May 27, 2011 [2 favorites]

Awesome. As I scrolled down, I found myself bumping the detents on my scroll wheel to the rhythm of the Empire March.

I did too. It speaks to the quality of the work.
posted by Trurl at 7:48 AM on May 27, 2011

Clone Troopers in the Death Star. References to SW as ANH. Expanded Universe references. It's going to get fighty in here. Somebody should put a "Possible Nerd Triggers: Star Wars" at the top of this thread.
posted by KingEdRa at 9:01 AM on May 27, 2011

Zombies are beyond played-out. The Empire abides.

Yeah, well, I find your lack of faith disturbing, man.
posted by It's Never Lurgi at 9:19 AM on May 27, 2011 [1 favorite]

This is great and all, but it's not about science.

I think the effects and modeling peeps at ILM would argue that point.
posted by eyeballkid at 9:47 AM on May 27, 2011

Very nice, but still not much when compared to the original scene. That said, I'm a little surprised how wooden all those figures look, I remember it as such a dynamic and powerful scene :P
posted by Chuckles at 10:49 AM on May 27, 2011

Zombies are beyond played-out. The Empire abides.

Yeah, well, I find your lack of faith disturbing, man.

That Death Star really tied the sector together!
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 11:01 AM on May 27, 2011

Clone Troopers in the Death Star. References to SW as ANH. Expanded Universe references. It's going to get fighty in here.

Did you know that the Enterprise-D could have just flown in and blown the entire Imperial fleet to bits? It's true! I read it... in a book.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 11:02 AM on May 27, 2011

LEGO is about building from scratch, creating recognizable shapes from uniform blocks, and it detracts when the significant portions of that shaping have been done in China.

There's no single right or wrong way to build things with LEGO. You really should spend some time looking at all the creative ways people come up with to use even the most pre-fabbed of pieces. If possible, try to visit one of the fan events that take place around the country and see what people are doing.

I was in Toys R' Us recently and saw a life-size Clone Trooper built from LEGO blocks. That was impressive. This diorama is cool, but less impressive.

Would you find it as impressive to know that the LEGO company model builders use computer software that calculates 3D building instructions for them to build those life-size models? Then those models are built around an internal metal skeleton and glued together before being shipped out for display. It's a far less creative process than a fan taking it upon himself to recreate the Death Star hangar bay.
posted by Fleebnork at 1:59 PM on May 27, 2011

thought this might be cool... but then it was just some star wars fandom shit. aren't we all over that now that the prequels happened?
posted by mary8nne at 2:46 PM on May 27, 2011

Lego Fan Creates 250,000-Brick 'Garrison of Moriah' (pics!)
also, just as a suggestion, to inaugurate its completion, i'd hire this guy :P
posted by kliuless at 6:33 PM on May 28, 2011 [1 favorite]

kikuless, thanks for the Garrison of Moriah. My 10-year-old declares it the best, most amazing Lego creation ever.
posted by not that girl at 9:00 AM on May 29, 2011

Here's some more star wars fandom shit.

Enjoy.
posted by Fleebnork at 10:51 AM on June 2, 2011