While the Classic Spacemen got snazzy new duds and became Futuron in 1987, there was also trouble brewing in the previously serene and conflict-free Lego Space galaxy. Trouble by the name of Blacktron.

Blacktron, with its sleek black and yellow designs, transparent yellow windscreens and transparent red highlights, looks like the dark reflection of the cheerful Classic Space aesthetic. Their yellow triforce insignia is aggressive and abstract, unlike the Classic Space icon. Blacktron figures wore cool black jumpsuits, and their vehicles had cool names like “Battrax” and “Alienator”. What were they so mad at the Futurons about? What were their goals? Nobody knows. But whatever it is they were doing, they looked great doing it.

From a design perspective, Blacktron’s biggest contribution to the ongoing Lego Space project came from their flagship 6954 Renegade, which could split up into a variety of smaller ships for advanced attack patterns. This is a trick Lego has pulled countless times since.

The original Blacktron had a very brief run, consisting of only five sets in 1987-8 (plus one tiny straggler in 1990), but its sick as hell aesthetic looms large over all subsequent space themes.