It’s no secret we’re massive Star Wars Lego fans and our latest project was the new Death Star – part of the Ultimate Collector Series – the biggest and most expensive Star Wars Lego set you can buy.
It’s priced at $1,499 and has 9023 pieces.
It’s different to the other UCS Lego Star Wars set like the Millenium Falcon, Imperial Star Destroyer, Jabba’s Sail Barge, the Venator Class Attack Cruiser, the Razor Crest the AT ST Scout Walker and the AT AT Walker.
These are all highly detailed replicas of the ships in the films and TV shows.
But the Death Star is not a replica of the deadly space station first seen in the original Star Wars film in 1977.
View this post on Instagram
It’s not a spherical copy – if it was, it would be huge and it would just a grey ball with a lot of detail on the surface.
This a large slice of the Death Star that is almost 70cm tall and almost 70cm wide.
And rather than being a boring replica – the Death Star is a cross section to reveal the many sections we got to know in the films. It is basically a highly detailed diorama.
So we got to work and the build took about two weeks with a couple of hours of work a day.
It was brilliantly designed and another remarkable feat of engineering.
Of course we love seeing the finished product when we build Lego but another huge part of the enjoyment is seeing how it comes together with such precision and how everything just fits perfectly together.
The Death Star (No 75419) was no exception.
There has been a version of the Death Star before – it was spherical and had no outer layer – it just showed various compartments inside.
That’s what this new Death Star has in common with but this latest version is a lot bigger.
The completed Death Star is an absolute marvel and comes with 38 mini figures which really brings the build to life.
It depicts several scenes from the movies including:
The Trash Compactor: The room even has a mechanism that lets you brings the wall together and includes the dianoga creature which rises as the walls get closer together.
Landing Bay: This is the largest section of the build and has a large black wall of black bricks and small whites pieces so it looks like space. There is even an Imperial Shuttle.
Detention Centre: This is where Leia was held prisoner and raided by Luke and Han with Chewbacca disguised as stormtroopers. In the movie they are trapped and Leia shots a hole in the wall which drops them into the trash compactor. Lego has recreated this – you drop a figure into that hole and it ends up in the trash compactor.
Control Room: Where Luke and Han – in stormtrooper armour – device the plan to rescue Leia and where Obi-Wan tells Luke “the force will be with you – always”.
Tractor Beam: Where Obi-Wan goes to turn off the tractor beam – a system that’s suspended above a large chasm – so that the Millenium Falcon can escape.
Bridge: After Luke rescues Leia they are cornered by stormtroopers and Luke shoots out the extendable bridge control. Luke uses a rope so he and Leia can swing across the chasm – that scene is also recreated with a mechanism that looks like they are swinging across the deep trench.
Meditation Chamber: Where Darth Vader spends his down time – although this was located on his star destroyer in Empire Strikes Back not on the Death Star.
Meeting Chamber: In the film this is where Vader forces chokes one of the officers after he bad mouths the Force – “I find your lack of faith disturbing”.
Death Star Control Room: Where they activate the Death Stars planet-destroying laser. Here there is a flip panel that shows Alderaan – the planet destroyed in Star Wars – and then with a twist of the control we see the explosion.
Emperor’s Throne Room: this where the climactic scene where Luke fights his father Darth Vader in Return of the Jedi in the near-completed Death Star.
Six-level elevator: There is a six level lift complete with sliding doors on each level and knob on the top of the build that runs the full height of the Death Star so you can bring the car to the top floor and back down again.
There are a lot of printed pieces showing the light in the walls of the Death Star and there is also a large sheet of stickers that need to be placed neatly on the pieces to show consoles and screens and other controls.
The build took a while but it was really enjoyable seeing it all come together.
We were fascinated every step of the way and really proud of the finished product.
It will now take pride of place among our other Star Wars Lego models, memorabilia and merch.
The Death Star (No 75419) is available now and is priced at $1,499.
