Legoland

We've seen some amazing "Star Wars"-related Lego work created by passionate fans with a talent for manipulating little plastic bricks. There was a pitch-perfect re-creation of the . We ogled a 6-foot-long Imperial Star Destroyer. There's also something to be said for going straight to the Lego source and seeing what the experts at Legoland California have in store for us.

Legoland has unveiled a sneak peek at the newest model joining its popular "Star Wars" Miniland display. Professional Lego builders have embraced the dark side with a honking huge 1,900-pound (862-kilogram) Death Star model fashioned from over half a million bricks. The Death Star is 13 feet (3.9 meters) high and 8 feet (2.4 meters) wide. It's the largest model in the themed Miniland exhibit.

It took a forklift and a crew of helmeted workers (not Stormtroopers) to get Darth Vader's home in space into position. This Death Star is based on the one seen in "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope." Luke Skywalker's X-Wing fighter is included in the display as a tribute to the famous trench run scene.

The Death Star gets an official unveiling on March 5 as a kickoff to Legoland California's Star Wars Days event, taking place on March 7 and 8. The event includes a costume contest, Jedi trivia and Lego building challenges.

The Lego Death Star is in good company, as it joins Lego models of a Jawa sandcrawler, the Battle of Naboo, Uncle Owen's Moisture Farm on Tatooine and a life-size Darth Maul.