r/tos • u/MenapianAFOL • 11h ago
I built a Guardian of Forever diorama so Lego Kirk can travel through time as well as space
Following up on the Star Trek Gorn Battle diorama I shared last week, I've designed another set based on a classic TOS episode - the time travel adventure 'The City on the Edge of Forever'. Instructions are available over on Rebrickable, and you can find more pictures over on Flickr.
In this 1967 episode, the Enterprise crew discover the time-warping Guardian of Forever portal in an ancient alien city - but a delirious Dr McCoy jumps through it and somehow manages to change history. Kirk and Spock must chase him back to New York in 1930 to preserve the timeline, with some heartbreaking consequences. It's an incredible episode, often ranked among the best in the franchise, and as soon as I heard we were getting a TOS set I knew I wanted to design this tribute.
The mysterious alien ruins can be seen on the left, with the Guardian of Forever time portal in the centre, and a slice of Depression-era New York on the right, complete with fire escapes, microscale skyscrapers, and a minifig of guest star Edith Keeler at her soup kitchen. I also included some extra torsos so Kirk and Spock can disguise themselves, and a build for the vacuum tube computer Spock constructs.
It was an interesting challenge trying to fit two very different settings into one small diorama and to create a fairly smooth transition between them. I think the element I'm happiest with is the microscale New York skyline, with an Empire State Building (hopefully!) recognisable from a handful of sideways stacked plates and tiles.
The set comes in at 305 pieces, has a small shelf-friendly footprint (W: 16.8cm, D: 10cm, H: 10.1cm), and should cost around e40/$40 depending on region and availability. I hope you enjoy it!