Lego story #064: Move along!

75228 Escape Pod versus Dewback microfighter.

I really love these Star Wars microfighters.

They're not always ships, and the ones in 75298 are an animal and an escape pod. And yes, this particular set has not one but two microfighters.

I've been wanting a dewback for awhile--the green animal featured in this post. But I didn't care if I had an escape pod. So I sold half the set: the escape pod and two droids (R2-D2 and C-3PO) unbuilt.

If I sell the dewback and sandtrooper one day, I'm sure to recover the initial cost (5,000 yen) or even profit. This particular sandtrooper, or rather his orange pauldron, is only found in this set and in the expensive new Mos Eisley Cantina.

Here is the sandtrooper, also called a desert stormtrooper. The orange pauldron signifies that he's a squad commander.

Close to the opposite shoulder is an ammo pouch.

He's holding white binoculars and an electric prod stick. 

On his back is an SD-48 survival pack, which--according to Wookieepedia--contains water, rations, and a machine for condensing water from the atmosphere.

Why so serious?

You can swap out the prod stick for a blaster rifle.

What's different about sandtrooper minifigures compared to regular stormtroopers are the dust stains all over their white armor. 

Why do sandtroopers ride dewbacks if they're so lumberingly slow? Well, unlike vehicles, dewbacks don't malfunction from the dust and heat of Tatooine's deserts.

There's a surprising amount of articulation in the head and tail joints. This is how far it can angle up...

... and angle down.

Or turn 180 degrees around.

The brown saddle has clips for attaching weapons.

 

The legs don't move but have an illusion of being mid-motion.

 

This brick-built dewback is just adorable, even it looks more like a cutesy Duplo dinosaur than a slightly ugly Star Wars lizard. The sand green color, though not accurate, is pleasing to look at.

I bought this set partly for the colors. Sand green is my favorite Lego color, and it feels more nature-y than the usual metal grey of Star Wars vehicles. The orange pauldron is also very striking. 

I've never had a stormtrooper minifigure. My favorite is actually the scout trooper (on speeder bike), but I'm happy to have a sandtrooper represent the Empire's ground forces.

Most of all, I bought this set because it evokes Tatooine, the first setting of first Star Wars movie. (I noticed that a lot of Star Wars sets I like are related to Tatooine.) Very nostalgic. 

In my next post, we'll move along from a desert creature to a snow creature.