7121: Naboo Swamp
As the anticipation for The Phantom Menace continued to grow, fans began speculating about the new CGI character Jar Jar Binks. Little was known about the tall, gangly, frog-like creature at the time. A few weeks later, Jar Jar Binks became one of the most talked about characters in the famed saga’s history. Jar Jar was featured prominently in their first wave of sets from Episode I. The first set, 7121: Naboo Swamp depicts the scene where Qui-Gon Jinn saves Jar Jar from certain doom at the hands of the Trade Federation, leading to the Gungan pledging his life to the Jedi master. 7121 is one of a kind, never to be remade by LEGO as of 2024.
7131: Anakin’s Podracer
One of the most memorable moments in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace was the Boonta Eve Classic Podrace scene. The intergalactic sporting event pitted young Anakin Skywalker in his homemade racer against the devious Dug, Sebulba. While Sebulba’s menacing orange craft is only in a much larger product, Anakin’s Pod received its own standalone set with a pit droid and Padme Amidala. Like 7130: Snowspeeder before it, this set was remade as part of the 2019 20th anniversary collection. That set, 75258: Anakin’s Podracer – 20th Anniversary Edition, featured specialized clear technic pieces to give the illusion that the vehicle is hovering above Tatooine’s Dune Sea.
7141: Naboo Fighter
The most popular new vehicle introduced in The Phantom Menace is the shiny and chrome N-1 starfighters from Naboo. The sleek, yellow spacecraft has been a staple of Prequel Trilogy nostalgia ever since. The vehicle even returned in 2022 as The Mandalorian’s new flagship. The first LEGO version of the ship, 7141: Naboo Fighter, has a more blocky design, while the most recent version, 75325: The Mandalorian’s N-1 Starfighter, modifies the design to fit the version pictured in the Disney+ series.
7151: Sith Infiltrator
Darth Maul’s spaceship, the Sith Infiltrator, also known as the Scimitar, has very little screen time in Episode I. That being said, the vessel has left its mark on the Star Wars community, and LEGO has made it into a minifigure-scale set five times. The original, 7151, takes a few liberties with the color scheme of the ship, but the 2024 remake is much closer to the version of the ship we saw in the movies, even including a replica of set 7101.
7161: Gungan Sub
Star Wars took a deep dive into the unknown in The Phantom Menace, literally. The series, famous for its land campaigns and space battles, ventured into uncharted territory with Episode I: underwater. The Gungan Sub, which eluded the jowls of the goober fish, was immortalized in LEGO form with an impressive 379-piece model, complete with underwater wildlife. LEGO has only remade the submersible once since 1999, in 2012 with 9499: Gungan Sub. The latter has skyrocketed in value, thanks in large part to the exclusive Queen Amidala figure, who commands a price more than double the original sets retail.
7171: Mos Espa Podrace
While we’ve already discussed the concept of two pack sets on this list, the 7171: Mos Espa Podrace takes it up a notch; a three pack. A repeat build of Anakin’s Pod (the same design as 7131) is matched up against Gasgano’s Pod and the infamous Sebulba. A slew of spectators are included as well, including Qui-Gon, Padme, Jar Jar, and R2-D2. This 896-piece beaut was the crowning jewel of LEGO’s first foray into a galaxy far, far away. Of course, since this is one of the most popular scenes in the saga, LEGO made a new version of the Podrace in 2024. The set in question, 75380: Mos Espa Podrace Diorama, takes a much different approach to the scene, with miniature models of the vehicles displayed on a backdrop of Arch Canyon, a location from the course. The newer, smaller set only retails for $10 less than the original set did all the way back in 1999.
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