Today we're briefly talking again about the contents of the LEGO Star Wars set 75389 The Dark Falcon , a box of 1579 pieces available since August 1st from LEGO at a public price of €179,99 as well as from usual retailers for a little less.
As you know from the product announcement, this set is inspired by the animated mini-series LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy, whose four episodes will be released on September 13, 2024, on the Disney+ platform. It's a sort of Star Wars-themed "What If?" scenario, featuring an alternate reality that redefines the balance of power and, in the process, indulges in excessive fan service.
Unsurprisingly, the Millennium Falcon is a staple of the LEGO Star Wars range, and there always has to be at least one in the catalog to attract customers who can afford this type of playset. This black version isn't currently replacing the "classic" playset, embodied since October 2019 by the LEGO Star Wars set 75257 Millennium Falcon (1353 pieces - €169.99). It's a stylistic exercise that only exists because this product is based on an animated mini-series, and I don't see it remaining in the catalog as long as the regular products in the range.
This Dark Falcon almost exactly reproduces the elements and techniques of the classic version, it does not really innovate in terms of finishing or playability. The recipe is the same with an acceptable exterior appearance, a basic but sufficient interior and maximum playability allowed by the various movable panels of the fuselage.
The ship's frame here is made up of Technic elements that give it all the rigidity it needs to withstand the onslaught of young fans. A few plates to hide the bars and we then assemble the different spaces that serve as a fun base for this playset. The interior is a little empty, but we will console ourselves by telling ourselves that there is room to stage the various characters provided.
From a distance, this Millennium Falcon looks almost impressive. Up close, it's much less so, with many slightly awkward angles and holes in the fuselage. Two spring-loaded shooters are integrated into the ship's mandibles, and you simply slide your finger into the openings to fire them.
The large sheet of stickers provided will not surprise anyone but it has a rather annoying flaw: most of the round stickers provided are not correctly centered and they will have to be aligned taking into account only their final positioning to compensate.
The pizza slice opening system is still there with portions of the cabin that can be opened to allow access to the different playable areas.
The cockpit is still as cramped, the canopy and the front face are nicely pad printed but the assembly obtained by the assembly of the two half-cones is only held by the two tenons placed at the top of the fuselage. In my opinion, this is a bit tight for a playset. It is also around the cockpit that we find the most approximate finishes of this model with in particular a very unsightly gray fixing clip for the upper panel of the fuselage which remains much too visible.
As for the minifigs, we get six characters, including five regulars from the Star Wars universe who take advantage of a "reversal" of personality linked to the pitch of the series: Jedi Vader becomes good and white, C-3PO goes into bounty hunter droid mode, Luke ends up as a surfer, Darth Rey is no longer the usual ingénue, Darth Jar Jar Binks has lost his sense of humor and Darth Dev Greebling is the evil version of Sig Greebling, the young hero created for the occasion.
These figurines are probably somewhat anecdotal variants because they are inspired by one-off content that will probably not go down in history, but collectors tired of accumulating more classic variants of these characters will probably see a welcome breath of fresh air in a range that usually hums along without taking any major risks. The pad printing is successful despite the usual flaws of the skin color being too dull on Luke's torso or Rey's neck, the accessories provided with these different characters are well chosen and Vader is magnificent in white.
This product undoubtedly tries too hard for a set inspired by a simple animated series, but it also delivers fan service by fulfilling the "Darth Jar Jar" theory and allowing us to obtain a Rey minifigure as the character is briefly seen in the film The Rise of Skywalker . It's still something, even if it costs €180 to add these very well-done figures to our collections. Fortunately, Amazon already offers this set at a more attractive price.
Note: The product shown here, provided by LEGO , is, as usual, up for grabs. The deadline is September 11, 2024, at 23:59 PM. Simply leave a comment below the article to participate. Your entry will be considered regardless of your opinion. Please avoid comments like "I'm participating" or "I'm trying my luck"—we already know that's what you're doing.
Update: The winner has been drawn and notified by email; their username is shown below.
| Nicoco95 - Comment posted the 01/09/2024 at 22:51 |
