LEGO Star Wars Christmas 2010: 8089 Hoth Wampa Cave

This set was just released in August 2010 under the LEGO Classic Star Wars theme. It is expected to be a popular set in the coming Christmas holidays 2010 because of its snowman (ie. snow cave monster) theme. If you are wondering why suddenly so many LEGO Hoth sets are released this year - it is because Lucasfilm and LEGO are celebrating the 30th anniversary of Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, and what better way to do this than to release more Episode V sets. ;)

"Hoth Wampa Cave" has 297 pieces, with Wampa, Skeleton, Luke Skywalker, and pilot Zev Senesca minifigs.

This is not your ordinary Star Wars LEGO release as you are not pitting the Rebels against the Imperial forces here. Think of this as a monster game, where you have to save Luke Skywalker from Wampa, a ferocious and huge bear-like creature found on the ice planet Hoth. This set is meant to recreate the great sequence from the opening minutes of The Empire Strikes Back where Wampa, suspended Luke Skywalker upside down on the ceiling of the cave, presumably to freeze him so that he can have him ready in time for dinner on Christmas Day! :) At least, that's his plan. Unfortunately, Luke Skywalker managed to escape, to help the Rebels in their battle against the Empire.

This set is a combination of Wampa's snow hideout and a Snowspeeder, which is one of many which has come to search for Luke. If you watched the movie, then Zev is the pilot who successfully found Luke, who was saved by Han Solo the night before. So, if you want to stick to the script, you will want to borrow a Han Solo riding a Tauntaun (from the 7749 Echo Base set) to come to Luke's aid.

Wampa's Cave has a place to hang Luke Skywalker upside down as in the movie. It is simple in its design but has enough detail, as it even has the spine of a big animal as in the movie. It isn't terribly exciting by itself but it's great to be able to get Wampa, a ferocious ice beast, which like the Tauntaun, is a creature native to the ice planet Hoth. There is also a skeleton minifig in the cave, possibly the remainder of a nice dinner a few nights ago. Towards the right, there is a block of ice that can be used to launch Luke Skywalker's lightsaber. If you are not much of a Star Wars fan, and is lost (-how could you?), see the included Youtube video where Luke focused his force powers to retrieve his lightsaber which was stuck some ice near him.

The great thing about Wampa, the ice cave monster, is that he can be whisked off to a different Lego theme setting to be played as big bad monster. Play him in Lego Castle, in medieval settings, in an imaginary dungeon as the King's favorite pet for anyone who crossed His Majesty. You can also play him as the cave monster that he is, up in a high snow peaked mountain somewhere, in which case his cave is just ideal for this. Skeleton, who is originally a minion from LEGO Castle, can be his sidekick.

The swooshable 7-inch (18cm) Rebel's Snowspeeder should give you hours of dogfighting fun when played with other starfighters. It looked similiar to the one released as part of the Hoth Rebel Base (7666) set from the year 2007. The Snowspeeder features a cockpit windshield that can open only the pilot's half, or the entire windshield. The interior seats 2, as in the movie, so that you can have Luke Skywalker in the rear gunner's seat, when Zev managed to rescue him. At the back of the Snow Speeder, there is a rotating laser, and a winch, with a grappling hook at the end. This hook can be used to trip a large AT-AT walker, if you have that, so that you can relive even more movie scenarios from The Empire Strikes Back.

Wampa, is of course, the star of the set, and is destined to become a highly sought after figure. He is nicely detailed, with some jagged lines to represent his fur. Wampa is not a normal sized minifig figure but purposely made big so that he can hold any LEGO minifigs in his left hand, while wielding a turkey leg in another, presumably to beat down any minifigs, even Luke Skywalker if needed to.

"So, on my left, we have Luke Skywalker, with a lightsaber, and on my right, Wampa with a turkey leg. Fight!" Sorry, couldn't resist! :)

Luke Skywalker wears the newly issued year 2010 Hoth Rebel helmet and goggles, and smiles even when suspended upside down. I cannot understand this. Maybe he is doing this so that he will not get angry and descent into the dark side of the force. Must be his Jedi training. :)

Zev Senesca, who also made an appearance in the Rebel Trooper Battle Pack (8083) set, is a rebel pilot who successfully located Luke and Han Solo the morning after the snow storm.

"Echo Base, this is Rogue Two. I've found them. Repeat, I've found them."
-Zev Senesca radioing back to base after successfully locating Luke Skywalker and Han Solo.

Skeleton, is not a special character but is a skeleton minion borrowed from the LEGO Castle theme, and is what remained of Wampa's dinner from Christmas past.

You will probably want to give the Snowspeeder to Luke and let him fly away to take on the Empire.

If you are not excited about fighting monsters, you can make believe that this set is a secret back exit to the hidden Rebel base, where many exited to waiting Rebel Cruisers to take them past the Empire's blockade. As you can see, there is so much you can do with this set, just use your imagination, Luke.