The opening days saw all three calendars remain close. Let’s see what the final day of this week brings us heading into the weekend:
Day 3- MCU
Steve: Marvel has some catching up to do to get back on top for Day 3 – let’s open that door! Door# 3 gives us a Hall of Armour Wreath. It’s nice to see a little festive and seasonal build from the MCU calendar. The build itself has the connections to be integrated into the larger Hall of Armour set (set #76125), which is a nice touch. I also like to see minifig-scaled builds instead of micro scale.
Day 3- SW
Patrick: After a couple of micro builds, getting a minifigure behind door number 3 of the Star Wars advent is a welcome change! This Stormtrooper is the newest version Lego has been using since 2019, and while there are some valid complaints about the size and depth of the helmet, as well as lack of articulation, this is still a solid inclusion as an army-building figure. The dual-molded helmets Lego have been doing recently are great, and the torso and leg print is accurate as always. However, my main concern is not with the figure possesses, but what it lacks: a blaster. Since 2016, the advent calendar minifigures, in Star Wars at least, have been included WITH their accessories. However before that, “weapon racks” were included on their own days, containing a couple accessories for figs without. I worry the unarmed Stormtrooper might mark the return of weapon racks, but only time will tell…
Day 3- HP
Matt: After two days of solid entries, HP looks to keep the momentum going as it begins to build its board game style scene.
Behind Door #3 is a… hearth/mantle/fireplace? It’s not immediately clear what this build is, which is always a concerning sign. Steve pointed out that initially I had it photographed lying on its back, rather than upright. After orienting it the correct way, I did like the result slightly more, but all in all, there’s nothing inherently “HP” about this, in my opinion. Patrick pointed out that the hearth, while not festive, does contribute toward building the scene where Harry receives hundreds of Hogwarts acceptance letters into the Dursley’s living room. I suppose in that way it is related.
Arguably the most redeeming aspect of this build is the play feature- you can insert the 2×3 black “flag” tile into the slot above the fireplace, to stop the letters from coming down the chute. This adds some synergy with the 1×2 envelope tile from Day 1. All in all, it’s fun, but just ok.
Verdict
SW captures top marks for the first time in the battle with its Stormtrooper minifig entry. The battle for 2nd place was contested today, with both MCU and HP offering mediocre builds. Ultimately we favored the MCU build, as it incorporated a “festive” element that HP does not. HP takes 3rd place today with a confusing build, albeit a neat play feature.
Heading into the weekend, we’re all square:
MCU- 3
SW- 3
HP- 3
To be continued…
NewfoundLUG 