A Look at Lego Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures




As someone who grew up during the '80s, I am all too familiar with cartoons that have been created for the sole purpose of selling a toy line. Sure, an occasional episode of these cartoons rose above the standard of a 30-minute toy commercial to actually tell a compelling story, but those were frequently the exception to the rule. Times have changed since then, and just because a cartoon has an explicitly commercial purpose does not mean that it is without entertainment value. Such is the case with Lego Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures, which currently airs on the Disney XD channel.

I heard about The Freemaker Adventures while I was browsing around some Star Wars fan sites. Given how other Lego-based media (the video games, TV shows and movies) have shown an impressive degree of wit and creativity, I decided to check this show out to see if it amounted to something more than a means to advertise a new line of licensed Lego Star Wars merchandise. I was pleasantly surprised--The Freemaker Adventures is much better than it has any right to be.


The Freemakers, from left to right: Zander, Rowan, Kordi and Roger.


As the title suggests, this CGI-animated series revolves around the Freemaker family--a trio of siblings named Zander, Kordi and Rowan--and their loyal droid, a reprogrammed B1 Battle Droid named R0-GR ("Roger"). Through their space ship salvage, repair and construction business, they become entangled in interstellar intrigue, crossing paths with the Empire, the Hutts, the Rebel Alliance, and the many, many other characters that populate the Star Wars universe. The first two seasons take place between the end of Empire Strikes Back and The Return of the Jedi. In the first season, the Freemakers search the galaxy for pieces of the Kyber Saber, an ancient Jedi weapon of immense power, before it falls into the hands of Emperor Palpatine. In the second season, the Freemakers race to finish an advanced starfighter named the Arrowhead before the Rebel Alliance mounts its attack against the second Death Star.

The Freemaker Adventures is a funny, playful romp through a brickified version of the Star Wars universe. The writers of this show know Star Wars inside and out, and they put it to good use: It makes plenty of references to all eight movies (Episodes I through VII and Rogue One), the two TV series (The Clone Wars and Rebels), and some of the other Lego Star Wars stories (specifically Lego Star Wars: The Yoda Chronicles). Although it is very satirical and lighthearted in its approach to franchise lore, it works as its own distinct Star Wars adventure. The Freemakers are fun and interesting characters, and the voice cast, scripts and story lines are good enough that Star Wars fans of all ages can get wrapped up in their adventures, no matter how chaotic and absurd they might get. (Even though he’s only made of Lego, Roger has officially become one of my favorite Star Wars droids.)


Familiar faces in familiar places: Star Wars' resident 
bounty hunters in The Freemaker Adventures.


I have read some fan speculation as to whether this cartoon is considered official Star Wars "canon". The way I see it, the Lego Star Wars universe is largely the same as the regular Star Wars universe, except that it is made out of bricks and is much, much sillier. Canon or not, The Freemaker Adventures is worth the time of any Star Wars fan. In fact, if Disney and Lucasfilm are serious about continuing the Star Wars franchise after Episode IX arrives in 2019, they should be paying close attention to The Freemaker Adventures--it's Star Wars at its most approachable and amusing, entertaining to both new fans and seasoned aficionados alike. This show is recently wrapped up its second season, but episodes can still be seen on Disney XD. Click here to read the official Freemakers Adventures entry in the Wookiepedia.




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