This is the priciest set in Lego's 2014 Classic Star Wars line, with an MSRP of $129.99, but don't let the price tag scare you away, this is a massive set. The Star Destroyer measures in at 7" high, 12" wide, and 19" long. The set comes with six minifigures: Darth Vader, an Imperial Officer, and Imperial Crewman, an Imperial Navy Trooper, and two Stormtroopers. It also comes with a Mouse Droid and a microscale Emperor Palpatine hologram.
My biggest fear with this set was that it's construction would be repetitive and tedious, much like the AT-AT. And while there is a lot of repetition here, the Star Destroyer is mirrored down the middle, so I didn't feel like I was building the same thing over and over again. But I suppose this was due more to me building the set over a few days instead of in one sitting, like I did with the walker.
Also, with the exception of the tip of the destroyer, which is the smallest point of the build, it feels very sturdy. Unlike other large builds I've had experience with, like the 7965 Millennium Falcon, I'm not too worried about breaking the build by "swooshing" it around. Not to say the Falcon is flimsy, there's just not as many moving parts here.
With that said, let's get on to the minifigures.
The Minifigures
There are six minifigures included in this set. We've seen all six before in some incarnation, but technically these are all new figures because of the new printings and detail added to this go around. We also have a microfigure in the Mouse Droid, which actually has the most parts of any figure in this set, and a holographic Palpatine.
But let's start things off with the figure everyone is probably the most interested in: Darth Vader.
 |
| Darth Vader |
By my count, thanks to a little help from Brick Set, this is the 27th time you've been able to buy some version of Darth Vader, but being that this is the latest release, it is the best and most detailed incarnation.
The biggest change from previous versions is the head under the helmet. Instead of giving us a gray head, Lego changed the color to a darker, almost ashen tan, giving Vader that "my skin hasn't seen the light of day in years" look. There is also a lot of added detail to the face, showcasing his scarring and yellowed eyes. I especially love the slight pink color variation added around Vader's eyes, adding depth to the minifigure. And when you turn it around, you can see even more scarring on the back of his head, somewhat matching what we see in The Empire Strikes Back.
Moving on to the body, there's a lot of detail to be seen. His outfit now has many wrinkles and creases, giving it a more cloth-like appearance. There's also a lot of detail on his belt and chest piece, which really pops due to the use of silver metallic paint for the decals. I should also point out there isn't any printing on the back of the figure, but that's to be expected since I'm sure most people won't be using Vader without his cape.
My only gripe with this figure is the helmet. It looks good, but with all the fine detail added to the body and head of Vader, they could've added some metallic highlights. But really, I'm grasping at straws here. There's a lot to like about this version of Vader. Plus, you gotta give Lego something to update in the future.
 |
| Stormtrooper |
Moving on to the other minifigures, we have the Stormtrooper. Or I should say the two Stormtroopers, since Lego gave us two in this set. Not that I'm complaining. I love world building, and everyone needs an army.
As is the trend, there's a lot of detail on this figure that hasn't been seen on previous version of the stormtrooper. I especially love the helmet, as there is black, gray, and blue printing for the decals. Now I'm not sure if the blue printing along the sides of the helmet is just a stylistic choice, or if it signifies something in the Star Wars universe, as the Sandtrooper from the Cantina set has black detail, and the Stormtrooper from the Ghost set has light blue detail, but it's a welcome addition, as it gives a little "pop" to the helmet. Under the helmet, we have what seems to have standard bad guy face for the Lego Empire.
As for the body, there's lots of detail on the front, the back, and the legs. I love the pouches along the belt, and what looks like a single kneepad on the legs. I know it might seem silly, but I always love asymmetry when it comes to armor.
 |
| Imperial Navy Trooper |
 |
| Imperial Crew |
 |
| Imperial Officer |
I've decided talk about the Imperial Navy Trooper, Crewman, and Officer together, as there isn't that much difference between the three. All three are well detailed along the body and legs, with the exception of the Officer. His body is well done, but he lacks any detail, fine or otherwise, along the legs. Granted, his uniform is supposed to be a solid gray, but solid colors didn't stop Lego from adding details along the legs to the other minifigures in this set.
Of the three, the Officer is the only mini that has a new head. I love the worried look he has on his face, as he knows he's only moments away from Vader's wrath. I also think the sideburns are a nice touch.
 |
| Little Palpatine |
Here we have the Holographic Emperor Palpatine. it's a nice little addition to the Star Destroyer. It's molded in clear blue plastic, giving it the holographic look. There isn't much fine detail sculpted into the figure, but it looks the part. You instantly know what it's supposed to be when you see it.
 |
| The best thing in this set |
Lastly, here's my favorite piece of this set: the Mouse Droid. It's a simple build, and there isn't much to say about it. I just love the way it looks, and wasn't expecting to see it. Hell, I blanked when I first built it, not realizing what it was until I actually dropped it into the Destroyer.
The Star Destroyer
 |
| Imperial Star Destroyer |
Here we have it, the star of our show, the Imperial Star Destroyer. As I said before, this is a massive build, coming in at over 1300 pieces. It also has a bit of heft to it, which just makes it feel really good in you hands. When I first started building it, I was a little underwhelmed by it's size, as I couldn't really visualize how big it was. But once it came together, I was very pleased with what sat in front of me.
 |
| The outside of the build |
I know it's not easy to get a sense of scale through pictures, but this really is a big set, I just love the look of the ship from this angle. It just looks imposing. There's also a lot of detail on what's supposed to be the bridge of the ship, at least on the outside. The engines on the back are also well done, utilizing clear blue pieces to signify the flames coming of the back.
 |
| It opens! |
What I thought was a really neat addition was the housing for extra missiles built in to the back of the ship. It's a simple addition, and a great solution to a problem that wasn't really that problematic. Having bought plenty of sets, I actually just use a cigar box to keep extra, yet necessary pieces, so it's great to be able to keep these missiles with the build at all times.
 |
| And the top comes off! |
To get to the inside of the ship, the top of the build, which also houses the spring-loaded missile launchers, is removable. I wish it fit a little better, as it slides around just a little bit once you start moving the ship, but it doesn't hurt the overall build. I should also point out that the cannons on the sides of the destroyer are moveable, and since they're built on a track, all four on each side move together at the same time. It's a minor detail, but it's really well done.
Now, as you can see, removing the top doesn't give you that much access to the interior, which Lego did account for.
 |
| And it opens up! |
By looking at the outside of the build, you can see that it's being held together by hinges. This isn't just a stylistic choice, or simply used to give the destroyer it's angular look. It opens up, allowing you full access to what it inside. Now in all honestly, you don't get that much floor space to play with, but some is better than none, so this is an absolute plus.
Inside the ship, we have four computer consoles, two seats for the crewman and trooper, a weapons holders, a map table (which actually looks like plans of a Death Star trench), and a table for the Palpatine hologram to sit on. It's a bit cramped in there, but I'm sure someone with much smaller hands will really enjoy getting inside this thing.
Another thing that takes away from the interior space of the star destroyer is the technic build in the middle of the ship. Now part of it does help keep the ship together, but the other part is an ingenious addition to this build: a handle.
 |
| It floats! (kinda) |
Honestly, I was a bit scared to actually use it at first, since I wasn't sure that it would be able to hold the ship up through extended play. But I've been able to zoom it around my house with no worries of it crashing to the ground. The handle is built solidly. And the balance of the ship is great, allowing it to hang level.
The Verdict
 |
| Someone's about to get force choked |
And that's the Imperial Star Destroyer. I really enjoyed myself with this build. The minifigures are great, although about half of them are not too exciting to look at. So to wrap things up in a few words: It's big, it's expensive, but it's worth it. This is a great build with lots of features, and lots of playability.
I have no problem fully supporting your purchase of the 75055 Imperial Star Destroyer.
No comments:
Post a Comment