LEGO games are often known for their charm and LEGO Star Wars is no different.
There are many moments that are humorous, without mocking the franchise. However, inside this kiddish charm are some moments that are very unsettling, especially for a game who’s core audience is children.
In no particular order, here are the top five most unsettling moments from LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga!
Snoke Patrol – Side Quest on Exegol
The portrayal of Exegol and Snoke in The Skywalker Saga brought some much needed terror to both aspects that were poorly done in The Rise Of Skywalker. Exegol itself is a dark, murky planet, full of chants of Sith Acolytes and devotees.
It is built on the feeling of unease, with the player wondering what dark and horrible secret they will unearth around the next corner. Once the player descends to the deepest depths of the planet, a Resistance pilot can be seen cowering in the corner.
Then, once the player talks to him, the Snoke Patrol side quest will start. This quest has the player defend the pilot against hordes of Snoke clones, which only elevates the feeling of fear, as they will attack both from ahead and from behind in a zombie-like fashion.
Snoke was hard done in The Rise of Skywalker, with his existence being relegated to a joke. It is great to see that The Skywalker Saga makes the terror and unease a full part of the mission.
Woolamander Business and Teenage Mutant Ninja Woolamanders – Consecutive Side Quests on Kamino
In a bid to keep his cloning business afloat after the Empire ditch him as a partner, Lama Su, the President of Kamino, reaches out to the player, and requests that they capture Woolamanders – a monkey native to Yavin 4 – so he can combine them with human DNA to create a next generation clone.
This is the outline of Woolamander Business, managing to package both kidnapping animals from their homes and animal testing with a neat little bow. Both concepts are equally unsettling to contemplate, especially in a game aimed at children who may not understand the full implications of what they are enabling.
The results of the overly arrogant Lama Su however, are put on full display in the next quest. Aptly referencing the Ninja Turtles, Teenage Mutant Ninja Woolamanders has the player killing the abominations that Su has created.
Maybe it is just as well Kamino was blown up by the Empire after all.
Tuskens and Dragons – Coruscant Side Quest
This quest is given to the player by Yaddle, a Jedi Master and member of the Jedi Council. Starting this quest, she asks the player to prove their will as a warrior, a very un-Jedi trait.
Sending the player to Tatooine to kill a Krayt Dragon, the player will have no doubt learnt about their legendary status as a hunter from canon stories such as The Mandalorian Chapter Nine.
However, this Krayt Dragon is unlike this, quietly minding its own business. In order for the player to lure the peaceful creature out, the player has to force Tusken Raiders by performing a mind trick so they dance in front of the Dragon’s lair. This only further highlights the moral depravity of the mission, as it has been shown the Tuskens fear the creature, and so forcing them to put themselves in danger for a Jedi trial is selfish.
Killing creatures for sport shows an insular organisation, only interested in pride and power, both reasons the Jedi fell long before Order 66.
Shooting Helmets Off Enemies – Gameplay
One new feature that the Skywalker Saga brought is the ability to shoot opposing Clone trooper and Stormtrooper helmets off. Whilst a cute and harmless feature on the surface, looking deeper a detail of darkness can be found.
Stormtroopers have always been presented as the faceless foot soldiers of the Empire and First Order, and after Order 66 Clones were depersonalised. However, reminding audiences that these soldiers are still humans of multiple ethnicities humanises them, yet the player is still tasked with mowing them down regardless.
Whilst this humanisation is certainly dark, it goes some way to remind the audience that evil has a face. It is surprising such a realisation has made it into a game skewed to younger audiences, but is a welcome one nonetheless.
Destroying Castles – Kashyyyk Free Roam
One of the many challenges players can do in The Skywalker is destroy x amount of x objects. In the Senate Plaza on Coruscant for example, the player has to destroy thirteen lampposts, adding to the literal darkness of the world.
On the planet Kashyyyk, this challenge asks the player to destroy fourteen sandcastles. As a kid, many players will have experienced their castles being kicked over, so they can empathise with the upset Wookiees across the beach.
The player is turned into a bully for simply completing the area. What makes this moment more unsettling is near the landing pad, a Wookie explains the following: “Wookiees take sand castle building pretty seriously. You don’t want to know the lengths some Wookiees would go to, to get revenge on a smashed sand castle!”
This is the game calling the player out for their horrific actions. The player is quite lucky that none of the Wookiees decide to rip their arms off.
Overall, despite the humorous and charming tone the game presents, darker concepts are found quite close to the surface. This manages to be in keeping with all of Star Wars, as despite the fact that it is a franchise aimed at kids, there are elements of darkness found all over the place. It is only fitting that The Skywalker Saga represents this too.
By Kieran Burt
Feature image: Lucasfilm/LEGO