Hygrotus Posted January 15, 2016 Hi My second review of 2016 winter wave set First a few official information 75136 Droid Escape Pod Year: 2016 Number of parts: 197 Minifgures: 4 Price: €29.99, £19.99 Help the droids escape with the Death Star plans! C-3PO and R2-D2 are in danger and they need your help to escape! Load them into the Droid Escape Pod, close the hatches and launch to safety. After landing on the nearest planet, can you keep them safe from the Jawas with their ion blasters? That’s for you to decide. Includes 3 minifigures: C-3PO and 2 Jawas, plus an R2-D2 Astromech Droid. Features opening hatches, large engines at the back and a detailed interior with space for 2 characters and a display showing the top-secret Death Star plans. Includes 2 Jawa ion blasters. Recreate the unforgettable opening scenes from Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope. Measures over 2” (7cm) high, 5” (14cm) long and 2” (6cm) wide with hatches closed, and over 5” (13cm) wide when open. This is 3rd remake of Escape pod. Previous ones were 7106 Droid Escape (2001) 9490 Droid Escape (2012) New version has almost doubled number of part and new selection of minifgures compering to 9490. THE BOX Front 75136 - 001 by Marek, on Flickr The Box is standard for SW theme, this year it shows Kylo Ren in upper right corner (it is the same artwork as in Episode 7 sets from last year), the Escape Pod with minifigures in action – Jawas haunting for Droids. Minifigures included in set in lower right corner. There is also Disney Logo in lower Left corner. Back 75136 - 002 by Marek, on Flickr Shows play features, what included: pod, jawa’s wepons and nice printed tile (the Death Star Plan). Also some nice schematics of escape pod in upper right corner. Upper Side 75136 - 003 by Marek, on Flickr Shows once again all minfigures with one of Jawa in 1:1 scale. CONTENT Inside we have 2 numbered bags (first one is a new type), instruction and a large sticker sheet with very big stickers. 75136 - 004 by Marek, on Flickr Instruction 75136 - 005 by Marek, on Flickr Contains 60 pages, it is easy to follow, there are also parts list and advertisement pages. Sticker Sheet 75136 - 006 by Marek, on Flickr Contains 7 stickers (but only apply on 5 parts), there are numbers which show in instruction where to apply them. They are very very big and covering large area of parts. If you want to have good effect on final model you must apply them very carful especially on cylinder quarters to have them on those four parts align. Content of Bag 1 75136 - 007 by Marek, on Flickr 75136 - 008 by Marek, on Flickr Content of Bag 2 75136 - 009 by Marek, on Flickr 75136 - 010 by Marek, on Flickr Selection of parts is rather good, there are many larger ones. There are also new, rare parts and parts in new color. 75136 - 11 by Marek, on Flickr Exclusive to this set is new printed black tile 2x2 with the Death Star plan, this part is a very nice addition to the set, especially with so heavily stickers other parts. I think it will be very useful part for playing scenes from the episode IV not only in this set. Second part is a part in new color. It is half round plate with cutout for the first time in light bluish gray color, there are four of them. This part is also included in set in tan color (two of them) it is not new color but rare one, because it is only appear in one set before in Juniors theme: 10679 Pirate Treasure Hunt (and there was only one of it) 75136 - 12 by Marek, on Flickr MINIFIGURES There are 4 included: C-3PO, R2-R2 and two Jawas. C-3PO and R2-R2 are new variants exclusive for this set. Jawas was seen in other sets before. 75136 - 13 by Marek, on Flickr C3-PO 75136 - 14 by Marek, on Flickr 75136 - 15 by Marek, on Flickr Exclusive new variant for this set. Very similar to UCS Sandcrawler version, the only difference is that it hasn’t robot limiter printed on torso. It is a 9th minifigure version of this character. Besides of old version, newer version of C-3PO is rather rarely added by Lego to sets (sw365 – 3 sets, sw561 – 1 set, sw653 – 1 set). Previous version was only in UCS Sandcrawler so is rather rare and expensive. So nice to have it back in cheaper set, especially that this variant supplement Sancrawler variant (with or without robot limiter now). It is a very nice detailed minifigure with torso printed on front and back and printed legs, head wasn’t updated since version from previous escape pod (9490 Droid Escape). R2-D2 75136 - 16 by Marek, on Flickr Also new variant of this minifigure, but this time changes are minimal and hard to recognize at first. It is a 10th version of this character. The only difference is lavender color of state indicator, red in previous version which was included in 6 sets. Compare pictures 75136 - 17 by Marek, on Flickr 75136 - 18 by Marek, on Flickr R2-D2 is much more frequently included than C3-PO, so it is not so uncommon. I have mixed feeling about this minifig, why include new variant with that small changes?...To make this set more interesting for buyers?... Maybe Jawas There are two of them 75136 - 19 by Marek, on Flickr 75136 - 20 by Marek, on Flickr 75136 - 21 by Marek, on Flickr 75136 - 22 by Marek, on Flickr I think for those the set is worth buying for. Jawas were always quite rare, so very nice to see them again, especially two of them and in both new version which were in UCS Sandcrawler set. First version is now not so unique because of inclusion in last SW Advent Calendar. Second one with gold badge is rare, before was only in Sandcrawler. THE BUILD From the first bag we build main part of escape pod, first Jawa and R2-D2. From second bag we finish escape pod and build inside of the pod. The build is easy, mainly big parts, there can be problems in applying stickers, to properly align them. Build from bag one 75136 - 23 by Marek, on Flickr 75136 - 25 by Marek, on Flickr 75136 - 26 by Marek, on Flickr 75136 - 27 by Marek, on Flickr 75136 - 28 by Marek, on Flickr 75136 - 29 by Marek, on Flickr 75136 - 30 by Marek, on Flickr extra parts left 75136 - 31 by Marek, on Flickr Build from bag two First we build inside module 75136 - 32 by Marek, on Flickr Then adding details and finishing the escape pod 75136 - 33 by Marek, on Flickr 75136 - 34 by Marek, on Flickr 75136 - 35 by Marek, on Flickr SPOILER ALERT! There are hidden plans 75136 - 36 by Marek, on Flickr What the heck? They aren’t hidden in R2-D2???? Whole pod 75136 - 37 by Marek, on Flickr 75136 - 38 by Marek, on Flickr 75136 - 39 by Marek, on Flickr 75136 - 40 by Marek, on Flickr 75136 - 41 by Marek, on Flickr 75136 - 42 by Marek, on Flickr Extra parts left 75136 - 43 by Marek, on Flickr Complete build 75136 - 44 by Marek, on Flickr 75136 - 45 by Marek, on Flickr 75136 - 46 by Marek, on Flickr 75136 - 47 by Marek, on Flickr SUMMARY Pros - nice selection of minifigures especially two versions of Jawas - nice selection of parts (some rare and in new color), tile printed with the Death Star plan (highlight) Cons - another version of R2-D2 with very very minor change - stickers (very big ones) - ridicules play futures (plans are hidden in pod) I have mixed feelings about this set, I give him 5/10. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vectormatic Posted January 15, 2016 I like the build, its a pretty cool escape pod, nice build, like the front window etc.. But man, those stickers.... especially the big ones on the tube sections are asking for crooked application etc.. I have the 2001 droid escape, and at least that had two printed panels. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Immo Posted January 15, 2016 From the sole geekiness I think this set is a must for any Star Wars fan. If I had a huge flower pot full of cacti and filled with sand, this set would be displayed in it, that would be awesome. As for the "con" of plans hidden in a capsule - I wouldn't consider it a flaw - the "plans" part, as you mentioned, is a nice addition and it needs to be attached somewhere. Hiding it adds up to the ethos of "Secret mission? What plans?" And Artoo can "take" those with him Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Junior Shark Posted January 15, 2016 This is probably the set I'm most excited for this winter wave. Thanks for the review! The pod is the best of all the escape pod sets, I see MOC potential with the stickers, Jawas!, awesome parts, and that printed Death Star plans tile is.... indescribably awesome. Seriously, if for nothing else, I'll be getting this for that tile. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
