Project 10123
Features
10123 Cloud City paved the way in functionality for future Lego sets. Let's see why!
10123 Was Modular!
10123 was one of the first Lego sets to have a modular setup. The whole playset was made of 5 sections covering 5 scenes from Empire Strikes Back. The designers in Denmark made a revolutionary decision to make each individual location a "module" connected together only with pins and slots. This ingenious design allows the disassembly of 10123 into smaller playsets, increasing versatility. This design feature is now a regular attribute in larger Lego sets, most notably the Expert Creator theme.
The separated modules of this Lego set. From left to right: balcony scene, duel scene, the dining room betrayal scene, and the carbonite freezing chamber. Not pictured: the landing pad.
The separated modules of this Lego set. From left to right: balcony scene, duel scene, the dining room betrayal scene, and the carbonite freezing chamber. Not pictured: the landing pad.
The Landing Dock
The first view audiences got of Cloud City was with the Millennium Falcon on the landing dock. The Lego translation, unfortunately, was not large enough to carry a Lego Millenium Falcon, but there were some sets that could be landed there, like 7119 Twin-Pod Cloud Car, and 7144 Slave I (pictured). A nifty feature was the inclusion of the ornamental arched walls of the city, seen only on this side of the playset.
The landing pad made of large, round lego bricks. the bridge to the entrance leads to the dining room module.
Lego 7144 Slave 1 resting on top of the landing pad. Boba Fett is loading Han in Carbonite.
The landing pad made of large, round lego bricks. the bridge to the entrance leads to the dining room module.
The Gate
Well, our heroes are on the dock, but how do they get in? The gate, of course! Lego designed a pulley system with a piece of string and the turntable hidden in the dining room spire. Spinning the spire would pull the string and then the door up. A slight oversight was that the door didn't actually open up enough to walk a minifigure through the doorway!
The dining room module. In the middle, there is a white table and chairs. Behind it are a tall white spire wrapped in string, and a small brown plant. There is a wall on one side with a closed gate leading to the landing dock.
A close up of the pulley mechanism connecting the spire and door. Turning the spire pulls a string attached to the door, lifting it up.
View of the gate from the dock. The gate is open. The table is visible through the doorway.
The dining room module. In the middle, there is a white table and chairs. Behind it are a tall white spire wrapped in string, and a small brown plant. There is a wall on one side with a closed gate leading to the landing dock.
The Duel
The most accurate depiction that Lego could squeeze out of the brick constraints that they had, this scene is still feature rich. Release the handle to drop wall on Luke, or pull the technic lever to blast Luke through the window!
View of the room where Luke and Darth Vader duel. There is a large window on one wall and a tall black panel on the other, adjacent wall. A short set of stairs leads to the window.
A side view of the wall with the tall black panel. There is a level holding the wall in place.
A view of the outside of the window. The lever is drawn and the floor and window are flipped on their side. If a figure was on the stairs, it would be launched outside the window.
View of the room where Luke and Darth Vader duel. There is a large window on one wall and a tall black panel on the other, adjacent wall. A short set of stairs leads to the window.
"That's Impossible!"
The classic "No, I am your father" scene is immortalized with Lego bricks in 10123. This section directly connects where the window opens, seamlessly linking the scenes together. The designers even included brackets for Luke to hold onto when he's hanging off the end.
The balcony is attached directly where the window opens. There are rails along the platform and an antennae attached to the end.
Darth Vader is at the end of the balcony, with an arm raised towards Luke. Luke is hanging on the antennae with one hand missing.
The balcony is attached directly where the window opens. There are rails along the platform and an antennae attached to the end.
Carbonite Freezing Chamber
At the time of release, this section had fantastic engineering in the design! Using a chain as a pulley, you can turn the gear to lower Han into the chamber, then use the aligned rails to slide his platform over, then slide Carbonite Han onto the platform and raise him back up. It's genius! This was the only Lego depiction of the Carbon-Freezing scene until 2016, when 75137 Carbon-Freezing Chamber came out.
A two story module with "glowing" orange panels lining the edges. Han is standing on an elevator platform, ready to be dropped in, and a Stormtrooper is ready to pull the lever.
The platform Han stands on is lowered.
A front view of the carbonite freezing chamber without minifigures. There are vents on the pillars holding the second floor up.
A two story module with "glowing" orange panels lining the edges. Han is standing on an elevator platform, ready to be dropped in, and a Stormtrooper is ready to pull the lever.