In 1993, Lego Space changed forever. All of a sudden, there were characters – characters with names and facial features. There was a specific setting (an ice planet called Ice Planet). There was a year (the inexplicably close 2002). And most of all, there was

Ice Planet 2002 was the name of the latest faction in Lego Space, but it was like no faction that had come before it. It was led by Commander Cold and assisted by Doctor Kelvin. It was happening nine years in the future for some reason. It was loaded to the gills with transparent neon orange tools that apparently glowed with a fiery heat, in pleasing contrast to the blue and white livery with black highlights that covered their vehicles.

The Ice Planet flagship, 6973 Deep Freeze Defender employed the same splitting up gimmick as the Blacktron flagship had some years earlier, but in a much more polished design. Across the board, the designers had stepped up their games. Unfortunately, design-wise this theme would end up being a high water mark for Lego Space that would go unmatched for several years to come as the company floundered throughout the late 90s and early 2000s.

Ice Planet 2002 ended in 1994, but Lego Space would never be the same. Like M-Tron before it, Ice Planet recently received a tribute in the Space-themed Collectible Minifigure series, with an updated version of Dr. Kelvin who comes with a cyber-penguin.