Got them out today. All fours. It honestly wasn't as bad as some people make it out to be-- in fact, once it began it was inexplicably thrilling, perhaps because of the inherent knowledge that all of that surgical poking and prodding was for the sake of "fixing my mouth". So yes-- fairly exciting.

Before and after the operation, I spent time reading the remaining two The Sandman graphic novels (a wonderful DC Comic series by Neil Gaiman), and once I was back home I eventually went to work on building the Mars Mission set MT-61 Crystal Reaper (which I bought for a considerable discount at the Potomac Mills LEGO store yesterday).

I feel I probably never gave Mars Mission sets enough credit-- I was quick even at the beginning to realize the number of past Space themes the sets borrowed from. Life On Mars wasn't the least of these-- the logo and some set designs borrowed from classic Space, the giant rocket was reminiscent of Space Port, the later human mothership drew from older mothership designs like those in Ice Planet and Exploriens, and the alien vehicles had similarities to some of U.F.O.-theme craft with their odd, curvilinear shapes (the metallic stickers also recall a number of themes like Exploriens and U.F.O.).

Still, I can say with certainty even now that the theme was the most ethically questionable space theme so far. Put aside that the humans are, like in most space themes, the good guys, fighting a noble crusade against the Alien Menace. Look at the details of the plot-- humans come to Mars and discover a new crystal-based energy source (another Life On Mars/Rock Raiders trademark), but find that a highly advanced Martian species will fight to defend this resource. But the humans don't try to negotiate or establish ties with the Martians-- no, we start stealing as many crystals as we possibly can, while imprisoning Martians in strange and probably inhumane research facilities (my new set honestly has a Martian lying on the floor of the ship, evidently comatose, with an orange tube plugged into his chest and diagnostics registering on a nearby screen).

All in all, it's the traditional alien invasion/abduction scenario. Except in this story, we're the aliens.

Thoughts on any of the above?