A Million Little Bricks

by Sarah Herman

  Significant sets: The Ice Station known as both “Krysto” and “Odyssey” (6983) was an impressive half-dome structure atop an icy formation base plate. Serving as more of an outpost than a complete base, its primary function was the transporting and launching of rockets with satellites attached to them. With the use of magnets and movable parts, there was lots of interactivity with this set, and two vehicles—a sled and a rocket transporter. The Deep Freeze Defender (6973), also known as Ice Cruiser Zycon IV, was Ice Planet’s largest spacecraft but was capable of dividing into multiple combinations. The dual cockpits were fitted out with large white skis and there was even a rocket sled for the chief to drive and park inside the ship.

  Spyrius (1994–1996)

  With Blacktron out of the picture, Space was ready for a new set of villains and the Spyrius people and their evil robot droids were more than happy to fill the spot. The Spyrius home planet is desolate and covered in dark gray jagged rocks, while Spyrians themselves are war-raging, technology-hungry destroyers who used giant robot machines and small droids to demolish and steal as they like. Their unluckiest victims appear to be Unitron (see below), as can be seen in the 1994 and 1995 catalogs. While the Spyrius color scheme is almost identical to M:Tron’s (with the addition of transparent blue in some sets), its design is certainly not. The sets launched in 1994 featured robot vehicles looming over mischievous minifigures, and flying saucers replacing more traditional fighter jets.

  Minifigures: Space fans were not disappointed by the new minifigures on offer with the Spyrius sets. There was a mean-looking male figure with red hair flopping over his techno headband, an even meaner-looking chief with a mustache and stubble (both dressed in blue and black military garb), and then there was the robot. Long before the Star Wars team got the LEGO treatment, the Spyrius droid, with his black head, silver smiley face, and transparent helmet, was the first minifigure robot.

  Significant sets: LEGO had made big robot space machines before, with Classic Space, but 1994’s Recon Robot (6889) and Robo-Guardian (6949) were truly original designs, built to move on wheels (rather than the legs of Classic Space and 1997’s more clumsy Roboforce). In a TV commercial, the swift Saucer Centurion (6939), which split down the middle, could be seen deploying a space buggy from the air, and the Lunar Launch Site (6959), the Spyrius base set, kept a secret missile weapon hidden inside a rock—a technique designers would use again with Unitron’s base.

  Unitron (1994–1995)

  In 1994 a monorail set appeared in catalogs not part of the current Ice Planet 2002, Space Police, or Spyrius lines. It would be the first of four Unitron sets (the other three of which would only be available in the United States). In the 1994 catalog, while the Space Police were busy protecting Ice Planet 2002, Spyrius attacked the Unitron monorail and its workers. Despite their military apparel and weapon-launching outpost, they appeared to be a more covert operation than an official crime-fighting force. Sets had a black, gray, transparent blue and transparent green color scheme and no “Unitron” logo on the sets. Although their home planet is unnamed, all the Unitron boxes featured an image of a planetary body similar to Earth in the background. Unitron remains the most underdeveloped Space set, but despite the impressive monorail, and introducing dark gray to the theme (in their Zenon space station, 1793), failed to create the design impact of other ‘90s space ranges.

  Minifigures: Dressed in gray (a first for space minifigures), with dark gray, yellow, and black details, they had blue hands and yellow helmets with blue visors. There were two head variations available—a red-headed male with raised eyebrows and a headset and a “chief” figure with wraparound silver eyewear and a modified helmet.

  Significant sets: The 9 volt Monorail Transport Base (6991) is how Unitron is most fondly remembered. The gray tracks and blue transparencies are reminiscent of Futuron’s 1987 monorail, although the touches of neon green bring a more sci-fi feel to the set, and its design in general is more advanced, with a two-story track and cockpits that double up as spaceships, which can be launched from the top landing pad or transported away from the bottom.

  Exploriens (1996)

  In 1996 Space minifigures were no longer mining for raw materials or taking chainsaws to ice rocks—they were looking for fossils. The science-savvy adventurers known as Exploriens brought color and light back into the dark world Space had become, with their bright white and blue spacecrafts and base. Tracking the planets from the Earth and skies for new finds, the Exploriens theme had a fresh, new look to it. Incorporating the magnet technology used in other space themes, as well as some Technic parts to further functionality, Exploriens also introduced the use of holographic stickers on the ships, and fossil magnet pieces that when viewed under blue red transparent “scanners” revealed different fossil designs. Exploriens sets are remembered fondly for their inventive use of parts and giant starship.

  Minifigures: Designers developed the use of droid workers with Exploriens by creating a new robot considered the second female in Space after being referred to as Ann Droid in LEGO Mania Magazine in 1996. Only available in three Exploriens sets, this white and silver female fossil hunter is a rare find. Exploriens dressed for work in gray with a hint of yellow. Their rocket-shaped logo features on both worker and chief torsos, and all heads feature some kind of communications gadget. Some Exploriens come with special breathing apparatus helmets.

  Significant sets: It would be wrong to mention Exploriens without commenting on the 678 piece Starship. For this large and detailed ship, designers reverted to a one-man cockpit, and with its moving head, wings, radar, and rockets, not to mention the four different Exploriens minifigures that accompanied it, this ship was an impressive addition to any space fleet. The Exploriens Android Base (6958), although only large enough to hold its telescope-carrying vehicle, featured a moving radar dish, which also controlled the base’s doors, and a holographic communications screen. The Scorpion Detector (6983) and smaller Hovertron (6815), which was the centerpiece for the 1996 catalog cover, are both noted for their interesting use of parts and playability.

  Roboforce (1997)

  The year 1997 saw a departure from the traditional space-man base/starship ranges Space fans were used to with the introduction of Roboforce and UFO. Roboforce was another four-set theme for the LEGO Group and consisted of four black robot vehicles; two with orange transparencies and two with neon yellow. The orange robots appeared utilitarian with their practical arms and legs, and chainsaws, while the yellow robots were more aggressive with weapons and shaped in non-human forms. Roboforce is one of the less popular space sub-themes—perhaps due to its lack of definition and purpose, unlike the incorporation of robots in Spyrius, which was more successful.

  Minifigures: Two minifigures were available with Roboforce. The two orange sets featured black and gray uniformed robot operators, with a detailed yellow and red “Robo” design that extended from the torso onto the legs. They wore orange helmets and breathing apparatus with black visors and had black hair and stubble. The two yellow sets included a similarly dressed figure. The yellow set heads were the same as Unitron “chief” heads, and they had neon-yellow breathing apparatus, black air tanks, and black helmet visors.

  Significant sets: Robo Master (2154) and Robo Stalker (2153) both used wheels to get around, while the other two robots had more static legs. All the sets apart from the dinosaur-shaped Robo Raptor (2152) included a detachable spacecraft of some kind—the largest of which belonged to Robo Master, with its long utility arm and scorpion-esque tail. Robo Master also had a cockpit pod similar to those used by Blacktron II.

  UFO (1997–1998)

  It wasn’t until 1997 that LEGO decided to go where no LEGO Space theme had gone before and introduced aliens. The UFO sets were inhabited by cybernetic beings and droids whose new, technological way of life posed a threat to the human race; consequently, their ships were strikingly different from their predecessors. They appeared to inhabit a vast, rocky, green planet, altho
ugh without a base or many land vehicles it’s more logical to assume they were a nomadic race, living in their spaceships. To create the sleek curves of these flying saucers, designers used large prefabricated parts to build up the structure of the ships, knowing this would be the easiest way to achieve the desired look. These large plates, with their UFO-themed decorations, are fairly controversial in collecting circles, as they don’t require building and are harder to build other creations with. For colors, designers stuck to an old Space favorite—red, gray, and black with neon yellow transparencies. Despite fan opinion being widely split over the range, more UFO sets were created between 1997 and 1998 than had been for any other space theme since Blacktron II in 1991.

  Minifigures: Accompanying ten UFO sets were five different minifigures. Three of the race’s alien beings were available in blue, gray or red. All three had different torsos and legs heavily decorated with silver and gold detailing, while their heads varied according to color: blue aliens had blue or trans-yellow heads while gray and red aliens had different trans-red heads. They all came with a large black or gray shoulder armor piece and a contrasting black or gray helmet that completely covered and disguised their faces.

  Significant sets: Unlike other space sets which had divided their attention between bases, land vehicles, and spaceships, UFO was made up almost entirely of airborne spacecraft. One of the most popular UFO sets was Warp Wing Fighter (6915). It’s not the largest spaceship in the range, but one that is admired for its sturdy construction and rare printed parts—UFO sets also featured holographic and heat-sensitive stickers. Alien Avenger (6975) had the look of a typical flying saucer, the top of which was connected by magnets, and could be removed leaving a command center on land and a smaller saucer to fly away. Set 6999 not only included the smaller Cyber Saucer (6900) but came with a UFO mask so you could look like the aliens, too.

  Insectoids (1998–1999)

  The LEGO Group pushed ahead with the release of another non-human space subtheme in 1998. These aliens, however, presented less of a threat to humanity, as they busied themselves on the planet Armeron searching for Voltstone rock—rock which has been struck by lightning used as fuel by the Insectoids. As seemed to be the fashion in space at this time, the humanoid cyborgs had robot drones helping them with their work. Their equipment and spacecraft was designed around an insect theme with ships resembling large bugs with cybernetic wings, legs, and bug eyes where cockpits normally appear. The color scheme was gray, blue, and transparent yellow.

  Minifigures: According to a U.K. 1998 catalog, some key Insectoid team members were: Captain Sec who commands the Space Swarm (U.S. name: Celestial Stinger), Inspector Leon, Commander Webb, and the third “female” in space, Inspector 2 (also known as Gypsy Moth). These figures had human features—hair, eyes, smiles— but their technology was integral to their look. Gray and black dominates, with blue, green, and silver details. The Insectoids droid was gray and silver, similar to Ann Droid, but wore the same transparent helmet as Spyrius’s robotic friend.

  Significant sets: The largest Insectoids set was the crew’s fueling station, the Arachnoid Star Base (6977). Shaped like a spider, it could be split to form two vehicles, one of which had light and sound functions. This was also included in other sets in the series, such as the Celestial Stinger (6969)—shaped like a large hornet, it had a pointed orange front that lit up and delicate blue wings with multi-directional maneuverability.

  * * *

  Unlike Space, LEGO Castle sets had started to develop clear factions as early as 1984. The introduction of the Black Falcons, Crusaders, Black Knights, and the Robin Hood–ish Forestmen meant moving into the 1990s. LEGO had already given fans plenty of play options around this theme. Rather than risk repeating themselves and losing fans, the LEGO Group took Castle in a more extreme direction, as would later be repeated with the Insectoids and UFO Space sets. As with Space, the armored minifigures and their trusty steeds were not immune to the fantastical influences of popular culture, which resulted in some unusual sub-themes during this period.

  Wolfpack Renegades (1992–1993)

  Despite featuring heavily in 1992 catalogs, waving their swords and being attacked by the Black Knights, Wolfpack Renegades was one of the smallest Castle subthemes ever released. With just three sets to their name and a total of five Wolfpack members across all three sets, they were not as threatening a force as the Forestmen. Preferring to reside in a tower, rather than tree-covered castle ruins, the Wolfpack were a group of thieves trying to avoid capture by the Black Knights. The Wolfpack sets were some of the first to feature a glow-in-the-dark ghost minifigure (available in 1992), signaling a move toward more supernatural Castle subthemes.

  Crest: They may have been a motley crew, but they had a uniform and a smart crest all the same. Stamped with the white face of a dangerous wolf, their shields were black with a red border.

  Dress code: With no obvious armor, the Wolfpack wore simple brown, black, and gray tunics with the wolf-face logo, and black or brown hoods. One member had a sleek, black mustache while his friend wore an eye patch (covering the mark of an unfortunate run-in with a Black Knight, perhaps).

  Find them: Hiding out with a gray parrot and a ghost in Wolfpack Tower (6075) and Ghostly Hideout (1596) or smuggling treasure and a barrel in their cart in Wolfpack Renegades (6038).

  Dragon Masters (1993–1995)

  By 1993, the Wolfpack and the Black Knights had a new enemy to worry about: a giant fire-breathing dragon called Ogwen and his magic master. The Dragon Masters (or Dragon Knights, as they are also known) were ruled by a white-bearded, wand-waving magician who went by the name Majisto and sometimes Merlin—a reference to Arthurian legend, although there were no accompanying characters from the story. This was the first Castle sub-theme to venture into the realms of fantasy, and although it was short-lived, it was the predecessor for fantasy sub-theme Fright Knights.

  The dragons themselves (of which three were available across all the sets) were a new addition, as well as glow-in-the-dark wands, and dragon headpieces for the horses. The largest set was Fire Breathing Fortress (6082), a small castle with a large battlement roof for Majisto to control the flying dragons from.

  Crest: A fire-breathing dragon in green and red is the crest displayed on the Dragon Masters’ yellow oval-shaped shields and flags—a more dramatic and threatening version of the Black Knights’ crest.

  Dress code: While Majisto opted for bright blue robes, black belt (with pouch), black cape, and blue pointed wizard hat, his knights were extravagantly dressed. They featured corresponding blue and black arms and legs, red and black torsos with a dragon face logo, yellow and red capes with the crest’s green dragon, and large black helmets with dragon plumes. Other guards wore more simple red, blue, and gray clothes with the dragon face logo and black helmets.

  Find them: Taming a fire-breather at the Dragon’s Den (6076), taking one for a ride in Dragon Wagon (6056), or cooking up a potion at Majisto’s Magical Workshop (6048).

  Royal Knights (1995–1996)

  Majisto and his dragons were given a king and a new group of knights to breathe fire at in 1995, when the Black Knights were replaced by the Royal Knights. Referred to in some territories as “King Richard” or “King Richard the Lionheart,” the new LEGO king with his army’s lion crest was a reference to the twelfth-century king of England, Richard I, who was also known by this nickname. The king had a large castle similarly colored to the Black Knights’ that included a pop-up skeleton (the Royal Knights were the first Castle sets to include these new figures), a ghost, a trapdoor, a catapult, and a drawbridge. It was the first castle to feature long, thin turrets on the battlements with flags. The castle could be added to with the Royal Drawbridge (6078), which included a Dragon Knight on horseback holding (oddly enough) a Black Knight’s shield.

  Crest: The Royal Knights proudly displayed their crest all over their castle. The yellow and black face of a lion wearing a crown sat on a red and white backg
round with a blue border.

  Dress code: The king himself was a rare find (only available in two sets), and had a red and white torso with the lion face on the front and a gold necklace and gold studded belt. He had a metallic golden helmet with a white plume and silver sword— the king available with the castle set also included a lion-logo cape. The King’s men wore a combination of red, white, blue, and gray clothes with their torsos displaying the lion logo or covered in chain mail.

  Find them: Bowing down to their mighty leader in King’s Carriage (6044), being scared by a rather skinny fellow in Skeleton Surprise (6036), and ruling over all they survey in Royal Knight’s Castle (6090).

  Dark Forest (1996)

  The Forestmen of the late 1980s must have been tugging on the heartstrings of LEGO designers by the time 1996 came around. Dark Forest was a continuation of the earlier Forestmen sub-theme but, true to their name, had a slightly darker edge to it, tying in with the direction Castle had gone in over the previous few years. The sets featured more weapons and traps, and similar to the three Wolfpack sets, focused less on the tree-top hideouts of charitable outlaws and more on fighting and thieving. The use of the Forestmen’s crest allowed collectors to tie these new sets in with their previous outlaw collection. Unfortunately, Dark Forest only released three sets and, with the introduction of Fright Knights in 1997, was never fully integrated into the Castle theme.