Building the Star Wars Super Star Destroyer
by Adam Daniel
Looking back at my last three years, it’s hard not to wonder what life would be like without playing with SNOT: learning about new SNOT techniques, thinking of SNOT, talking about SNOT, sitting in SNOT. Deep in wonderful SNOT.
At 38 years old, I have become a LEGO enthusiast.
SNOT
A building technique that places LEGO elements on their sides or even upside down to achieve the shape or structure the builder wants in their creation.
SNOT is the lifeblood of all great LEGO creators. These advanced techniques separate the kids from adults, the amateurs from the professionals. SNOT gives LEGO its fullest advantage, changing the whole dimension of designs from LEGO styles of yesteryear to the advanced, realistic designs of today.
Dark Ages
A period in a LEGO fan’s life when he or she sets aside LEGO in favor of school, dating, motor vehicles, or other non-LEGO pursuits. Many fans put their LEGO collections in storage or sell them during their Dark Ages.
I grew up like most kids in the late 70’s and 80’s: watching “Star Wars,” playing with X-Wing toys, and putting together small LEGO space-themed sets while dreaming of being an astronaut. But as I got older, I grew out of it. I moved on from my kid toys, went to college, moved to Mississippi, got married, and took up adult hobbies like photography, music, and beer brewing.
It wasn’t until a divorce that I noticed I had, during my marriage, stripped myself down to a person with no passion and no hobbies. I needed to get myself back. I was finally able to do what I wanted, when I wanted. If I wanted to watch NFL football all day, I could. If I wanted to refinish furniture, I could. My enthusiasm for hobbies grew and grew.
Then I received my first LEGO set in about 20 years from a dirty Santa gift exchange at work. I safely traversed the landmines of crappy presents that my co-workers received and scored a LEGO Architecture Seattle Space Needle set (# 21003). That pretty much set it off. I put it together that weekend while watching football and having a beer. I needed more; it wasn’t enough. It was satisfying reading the step-by-step instructions, locating the parts, and watching it come together. It wasn’t a large set, but I was amazed at the design of it.
As an adult I appreciated that set for something I couldn’t as a kid – the ingenuity of a designer using these small building blocks to create a facsimile of a huge building. I marveled at the design of the pieces, how they went together, and their infinite possibilities. I looked at each piece as a great work of design and production. LEGO pieces are incredibly consistent in their quality and have few manufacturing problems. LEGO offered endless possibilities for the imagination and creative expression in a different type of art form. You didn’t have to follow the instructions – you could design and make your own.
MOC
Any LEGO creation designed and built without using any official instructions.
Over the next few months I bought up whatever I could. I fully immersed myself in the world of LEGO design, forums, terms, storefronts, lingo, and imagination. I hunted for LEGO deals, and I loved my Sunday afternoons watching football, having a beer, and putting together LEGO. It was my Zen. I really clicked with the Star Wars sets. It was something that called me back to my youth through nostalgia, all while still being something that I could use as a conversation piece at the office. There have been countless tours at Mad Genius, and I noticed, with adults and kids alike, a little spark lights up in their eyes when they see those little bricks of spaceships from a “Galaxy Far Far Away” on the shelf.
AFOL
The most common term used to refer to LEGO fans who are adults.
From the first day I saw it, set #10211 (circa 2011) was something I wanted to have. The LEGO Star Wars Super Star Destroyer (c. 2011) was not one of those little, wimpy Star Destroyers like the one right after the opening crawl of “A New Hope” – you know, the one that goes on forever? The Super Star Destroyer is the granddaddy of them all, the command ship of one of the biggest badasses in the galaxy, Darth Vader.
Measuring in at just over 4 feet long, weighing over 8 pounds, and containing 3152 parts, it was going to be a daunting task to put together, but totally fun. I set aside some time between Christmas and the new year to complete it. The dining room table expanded up to 6-7 feet long and was the perfect place to stretch out.
The table lead into my next dilemma. I have a wonderful girlfriend. She’s great and very supportive of my hobby, but I didn’t want to push too much by taking over our main eating area for too long with a month long project. That’s not fair for her to have to put up with. I asked her if it would be alright to work a bit there, and she said that it was fine, and I could take as long as I wanted once everyone left. I had no idea how long this was going to take.
Dark Bley
Shorthand for the color Dark Bluish Grey, known as Dark Stone by the LEGO company.
Only once I removed the pieces from the box did I fully realize how much space 3000+ parts take up! I spent 2 hours grouping and sorting everything from large plates to small studs. Solo cups and small bowls were my best friends for the small stuff. Because the Star Wars Empire is fairly monochromatic, the set contained so many light and dark bley pieces. After sorting it was time to dig in, put on some music, grab a bit of Christmas leftovers, and get started
Like all LEGO sets, you begin by building the support structures and then add from there. This structure had a huge amount of support to withstand the amount of weight exerted on all of those bricks. As I build to the instructions, I try to figure out the reason why LEGO has designed the way they do. The design reveals itself in the types of pieces used, their orientation, and their order of placement. As I built, one thought kept going through my mind – “This thing is huge!” Immediately after I had that thought I would add another section, therefore adding even more length.
Greebles
Pseudo-technical detail added to a LEGO creation to enhance its appearance. Frequently seen in LEGO space and mecha creations. Sometimes referred to as Greeblies or Greebling.
I wanted to get the Super Star Destroyer because it is BIG but also because of all the detailing in the main center section of the ship. While the regular Star Destroyer has a decent amount in the command area, the Super Star Destroyer has an obscene amount!
In the beginning of the build you make large, broad connections to create and span the entire ship, but I was working small and tiny, creating mini command and control areas that your eye gravitates towards. Once completed, the center gives the illusion of greebling chaos, but there is actually a method and pattern in there. As I continued to build, more and more work space opened on the table. Slowly, the ship became more three dimensional, and the arrowhead shape took form.
The large plate panels flanking both sides of the Super Star Destroyer were the last parts to complete. Just like the rest of the build, they were well designed and robust enough to support the weight. After the last piece was placed I stepped back to marvel at my work.
Completing the build took 2 hours of sorting and 20 hours of work across 8 days and left me feel mentally refreshed, relaxed, and sharp. It was, by far, the longest stretch of LEGO construction that I have ever done. As I got closer and closer to the end, I grew increasingly sad knowing that the build had a finite stop. Completing a project can feel bittersweet. But then I remember that it’s not about the end result; it’s about enjoying the process that gets you there.
Adam Daniel’s completed Star Wars Super Star Destroyer is now on display in the Mad Genius Post-Production and Audio Suite.