RogueTwo

Technically, I don't think the current/old Stormtrooper helmet can turn unless you raise the helmet or head a tiny bit. The chin brim, or whatever you call it, still gets in the way. It is weird that the new mold looks like it really locks the helmet into place, though. Some of the various LEGO Imperial helmets I have seem to have fairly poor clutch power. Maybe they're trying to avoid this. The new Solo Patrol Trooper, for example, is really durable and good looking, so maybe some people will grow to like the new Stormtrooper. Maybe Disney said to LEGO: "Retcon the imprecision of Stormtroopers by making a new helmet mold so big and clunky, there's no way they'd be able to see or move!" Anyway, getting back "on target," I'm really curious as to whether the weird new Rebel pilot helmets in this summer's X-Wing were a one-off, or whether they're just being lazy using up old Luke helmets. What really ticks me off is that if that's the same Luke helmet first released in 2010, there's a lot of side printing detail that could be added, but is not, presumably due to sheer laziness. (Disclaimer: Not my photo) This really bothers me, and it makes me question "Only the best is good enough." Apparently, that slogan does not apply to licensed products, not when there's money to be made (or re-made) from a re-release. If you all recall, even Hans Burkhard Schlömer (designer of Slave I, Assault on Hoth, and Assault on Your Bank Account UCS Falcon) gave a very candid, but, in my opinion, cynical and jaded take on this. And that didn't even have to do with minifigures, but rather structural weakness in models. I don't know; I look at the new X-Wing beside sets like the new Ideas Fairy Tale Storybook, and I feel guilty for wanting to buy the X-Wing. Sorry, I know this is a bit of a tangential diatribe, but it just makes me think...no fans are going to boycott Star Wars LEGO, so in the end, TLG can do whatever they want, which is kind of sad. Don't get me wrong, it's not sad on the scale of depressing global injustice, corruption, and suffering, but in terms of my main hobby, which also happens to be an escape from global misery, I wonder who/what power that be actually calls the shots on such arbitrary details as "new Stormtrooper mold, for January 2019, start designing now."

To be fair, GrandDuke may have just been joking. Otherwise, someone needs to go back and rewatch Empire. Also, if Boba is a clone in the official Star Wars canon, there's no reason his ship can't also be cloned (some versions tinier than others, due to growth acceleration or lack thereof)

A bit off topic, but was the flipping face-plate canon until Rebels? I only remember it from those last few episodes toward the end of season four. I actually decided that I quite like the new Stormtrooper mold, but I would hope that very few AFOLs will be suckered into the idea of starting another trooper collection. The joke is on TLG, not you! I don't think the new Stormtrooper dual-mold was made in favor of the Scout Trooper. Other than Rebels sets, which have been quite few and far between, the only real set for a Scout Trooper would be a battle pack or an Endor playset (most likely with a shield bunker and/or speeder bike, obviously). It may be that my dislike of Return of the Jedi is clouding my perception, but I don't feel like we've missed a big chance for an Endor set yet. I do think time is about up, though, and if the next Endor set doesn't have a new Scout Trooper helmet, that would be severely disappointing. (Come to think of it, isn't there a Kashyyyk Clone Scout Trooper using the 2014 mold in one of the "recycled" Revenge of the Sith sets this January? That's pretty lazy. On the other hand, it's probably a blessing for Prequel army builders who hardly get any relevant sets anymore). The real question, and example of laziness and/or indifferent economizing, is: Why are the Imperial Royal Guards in Darth Vader's Castle still using the same torso print, plain legs, plain head, open-visor mask, and inaccurate cape style as the original figure from seventeen years ago??

Wow, I had no idea. Thank you!

Very true. I have no interest in the Fantastic Beasts sets (except for the Thestral), but now I feel compelled to decide whether I can afford to/commit to buy the "UCS" Hogwarts Castle this Friday when the promotion goes live in the US. Too, for some reason it's showing double VIP points right now. It'll be interesting to see if that's still the case when Diagon Alley becomes available.

The leaks are really horrible quality this time. I mean, the images are always horrible quality, and there's that debate about whether/how many of them are leaked on purpose, but usually the box art is more complete. I wonder whether this is being done as an extra measure to combat pirate brands. For retailers, or even for hardcore fans, the leaks/preliminary catalogues do the trick: you get a tiny X-Wing with a pilot and droid, plus an Eadu-ish landing platform with turret for a Stormtrooper to defend. No one need know any more of the specific details. Anyway, that's just a theory. My feelings on the sets? The X-Wing is cute, but it appears to have a non-enclosed cockpit with this piece. Unless the new Stormtrooper design really grows on me, or unless there are printed designs on the nose or wings, like the ones from 1999, it may be a pass. Of course, that's assuming we get another Luke. If we get a new helmet design (Red Leader, how long have you been standing by?!?!) then it's an instant buy, obviously. The TIE looks fine, from what I can see. It'll be interesting to see whether they make the inevitable move to mold the life support hoses onto the helmet, like they did with the First Order pilots. This one will probably be a must-buy for me, just because of the new Rebel Fleet Trooper. Maybe I'll give the TIE to a younger cousin or something? The A-Wing looks pretty good, probably because it's the smallest of the fighters, anyway, so it scales down much more easily. I'd love to see a Last Jedi A-Wing, but I doubt that's the case. The little mechanic bay scenery has a Yavin IV feel to it, which is interesting, given that we never see A-Wings there in the live-action films, but we most definitely do in Rebels. Anyway, it's not like these 4+ sets are going to be renowned for their accuracy... The Microfighters Naboo Starfighter is honestly adorable and pretty much perfect, even though I don't like The Phantom Menace very much. Will they be generous and give us an R2 body, given that he's in at least half the sets every wave? We shall see. I only hope the Microfighters line doesn't end any time soon. There are so many possibilities. The Escape Pod vs Dewback set is actually really nice, but I'm not sure whether it will be classified as "Microfighters." The Dewback itself looks to be larger than the average Microfighter build, and if there are going to be Sandtrooper(s) along with R2 and 3PO, I could see this set being 30 USD instead of 20. One thing is for sure, though: they pulled off the brick-built Dewback. It looks adorable, and it already feels far more LEGO-ish than the (admittedly excellent) big figure from the 2014 Mos Eisley Cantina. I would be totally up for "Luke's Landspeeder vs. Bantha" later this year, but only if they throw in an Aunt Beru minifigure.

Actually, it kind of looks like bricks from a micro Hogwarts Express. So if there's a similar Harry Potter book to be released, maybe they are using the same stock image for both. My point is, who knows. That being said, I think it's fair to say that this is a Microfighter-ish thing. And I'm all on board for a mini Cloud Car, if that's he case.

Collectible polybag with display stand?

All the old helmets from the entire site, or just your region? I don't know; I'm not a fan of this new helmet, but I don't think it's terrible. Just feels like LEGO is trying way too hard. Same with the Rebel pilot helmets. If they're trying to get us to restart our minifig collections from the past 5-15 years, there should at least be an unequivocal improvement. Just look at the Stormtrooper half-printed legs...that's pathetic, especially compared to the version from 2005, or even something like the Moroff minifigure from the Rogue One Y-Wing.

True, in the (IMO) atrocious Special Edition of Return of the Jedi, there are Skyhoppers flying over Tatooine during the celebration montage at the end. However, the vehicle still gets more screen time as Luke's toy. I wouldn't mind a Vader's castle set, and I do think the location is very likely to appear in Episode IX, but...why would they release one now as a Rogue One set? "Features half-naked Anakin Skywalker in a bacta tank just like the one currently available in the Hoth set, and make sure Director Krennic doesn't choke on his aspirations!" I don't doubt or vouch for the rumor, as I have no information, obviously, but if this set is genuinely based on Rogue One instead of Episode IX, I'm a bit sad that it was chosen over other glaring absences from that film: AT-ACT, Cargo Shuttle, Eadu with Galen Erso, Jedha with Saw Gerrera, etc. Sure, we'll probably get these sets eventually within the next decade, if TLG finds it fitting to release them, but sometimes set choices seem very arbitrary. The Droid Gunship and AT-AP rumors, for instance, simply baffle me. Sure, Clone Wars is still popular, but the Prequel-era ships that people have been clamoring for are a Venator, a Republic Gunship, and an ARC-170...and TLG knows this, so I guess they're playing the long game, just like with Cloud City.

Agreed. I don't think there's anything inherently controversial about the Lars homestead. I'm kind of astonished that the set hasn't been done yet, but if sets like Hoth Medical Chamber (no action, no enemies, potentially geared toward nostalgic adults) are any indication, I think it is very possible next year. #BanthaOrBust

For a limited time only, now even less free! Ah, well, just keep in mind it's Brick Friday the month after that. They do like to space out their promotions... In all seriousness, though, I guess it's not a terrible deal for people who are really into collecting specific figures. I mean, it's going for $20 on eBay now, which means that the third party price should drop substantially next month.

I could easily see a Yavin IV temple set as the D2C for next May the Fourth, given that they've never released it before, it's iconic Star Wars and also relevant to Rogue One, Rebels, etc. Furthermore, the fact that the concept model from nearly two decades ago is so well-known makes me think that this set could really maximize its nostalgic value. If past years have been anything to go by, we'll get one D2C (formerly "UCS" only) in the spring, and one in the fall. Since the spring set has never been more than 300 US, as far as I know, that makes the rumored Imperial Star Destroyer UCS a likely candidate for the fall. So I'm theorizing (or maybe just desperately hoping) that we'll get a $200-300 Yavin IV Rebel Base set next year. The "shape" of the set is already predetermined; it would be a low pyramid, probably with lots of open walls for play. Give us the war room, the briefing room, the ceremony hall, the hangar, and a midi X-Wing, Y-Wing, and U-Wing, much like the ships in Cloud City. Minifigure wish list: Mon Mothma, General Dodonna, General Draven, Ceremony Luke, Ceremony Han, Ceremony Leia, Red Leader(!), Gold Leader, and Blue Leader with new helmets, two Rebel Fleet Troopers, two Rebel mechanics, and Bail Organa. I wanted to add more figures, but we've got future X-Wings and hopefully someday a new Tantive IV for that.

I concur. Even in the United States, these sets are hard to find (at least near me), and I feel that it's rather shallow that the rest of the world has to be made to wait, just because LEGO cut a corporate deal with Target. THAT BEING SAID, it's only ten days until the worldwide release (including the Fantastic Beasts sets and the Collectible Minifigures), and I promise everyone everywhere that these sets are phenomenal! My only gripes are as follows: -Harry and Ron have the same outfits in Hogwarts Express and Aragog's Lair; had I noticed this, I probably would have skipped the latter, because I'm an arachnophobe. Well, at least Ron and I can commiserate. -Why does Snape have a purple undershirt? I know the original Snape minifigures looked that way, but the 2010 figure was a perfect representation of Alan Rickman's character -Speaking of Snape, he and other figures desperately need capes. I even gave Snape a black fabric trooper kama from Star Wars, just to make him look more intimidating. In my opinion, Dumbledore benefits greatly from Elrond's double-sided red and dark yellow cape from LOTR. -Fawkes the phoenix is okay, but I'm sure glad I somehow hung on to the old molded figure from 2002. The Basilisk, on the other hand, is a complete joke. I don't even consider it to be a Basilisk, and since we haven't seen Lockhart, Riddle, Ginny, or Moaning Myrtle yet, I imagine we have a good chance for a Chamber of Secrets set down the road. -The flying Ford Anglia is indeed great, as RODDY said, and I was very pleasantly shocked that the doors are actually printed with a white stripe. I was so sure that would be a sticker! The boot of the car is also ingeniously built. That being said, I still think the original version of the car from 2002 is the best, because it can comfortably fit two side by side, and it had chrome engine grilles. -McGonagall has a double-sided head, which is quite visible from behind her old-school wizard hat. That might sound like a lot of cons, but I could probably write the praises of these sets for hours and still not cover every excellent detail, so I just wanted to list the things that were really surprising or notable to me.

I actually don't think that Ollivander figure is real. I mean, I think it's a purist custom from real LEGO parts, but as far as I can tell, the head and torso are exactly the same as the 2011 version, which would seem unlikely for a new figure, since every other character got a major update. I'm unable to locate the picture at the moment, so I forget what legs the figure used, but if I recall correctly, it had the hair from the new Nearly Headless Nick figure. So I think it's a red herring, or a random picture that has caused way too much expectation. Don't get me wrong, I would love to be mistaken; the late John Hurt () was an excellent actor, and the Diagon Alley D2C from 2011 was phenomenal. I just don't think we have any proof that this upcoming figure is real. Honestly, I think the old Diagon Alley set is so good that it could be a pretty much "from-the-vault" re-release like the Taj Mahal...but I don't see that happening.

I assume you tried the self-checkout, right? Or did they stop you before you got there? At least you're able to have a sense of humor about it; I get so frustrated when this happens to me. Also, you're not in the Chicago area by any chance, are you? (Just so I know whether I should go searching in vain for early HP sets ) Also, I've been following this thread for quite a while, despite the fact that I've only really been posting in the Star Wars forum, so I have a question--apologies if it's already been asked:Is there already a dedicated thread for posting about potential future Harry Potter sets or wishlists?

Is that picture of the Imperial Hauler legit? If so, it probably shouldn't be posted here (even though I'm glad it was, since I hadn't seen it ). I could be interested, depending on the price, and its prominence in Solo. I'm having trouble, too. They seem to be semicircular, but whether they are attached to the wings by studs, or by Technic axles, I'm not sure. Also, it looks like three per engine, unless those are just stickers to make them look divided. The X-Wing looks amazing. I've gotten over my Rebel pilot tantrum, and it's just a wonderful set. Probably the most accurate LEGO X-Wing ever, and that includes UCS Red Five. This has been a very lucky (my wallet would like a word with me) year for me, in terms of set releases. In the "Future Star Wars sets" thread, I listed a request for a remake of the OT X-Wing, the TIE Fighter, and a Hoth medical center. They do listen, it seems! Either that, or those sets are just perennial favorites guaranteed a re-release every seven years. Of course, typically, I've already Bricklink'd Leia from the UCS Falcon, and I'm not sure I really need to upgrade my Luke-in-a-diaper, so we'll see. The Sandcrawler is pretty disappointing to me; weak minifigures, lack of detail, and lack of interior furnishing pretty much removes that one from my wanted list until it goes on clearance. The Imperial Landing Craft looks...unfortunate, especially for the price. And I can't believe they had the nerve to put that Ben Kenobi minifigure in there. Between his Ken doll hair and his non-dual-molded legs, he is, in my opinion, the worst-designed minifigure currently available in the Star Wars theme, and I already have two of him. I imagine many will already have at least one, from the recent Landspeeder. Also, may I ask why people wanted a re-release of this set? I know some of you do, but I'm just genuinely curious, as it only appears fleetingly in the Special Edition. Does it have a role in some Expanded Universe game, or is simply nostalgia from the 2007 set? Or just a cool design? Personally, I much prefer the Lambda shuttle, but that's just me. The Advent Calendar is actually a highlight for me. Blue Leader is almost worth $40 alone . The Snowman, Cloud City, and others are cute enough. And I'm obviously partial to the Rogue One mini-builds. Might we get a Cargo Shuttle or AT-ACT next year? Here's hoping! Oh, and to people who refuse to buy the calendar just because it contains Rose, I can't help but think you're being a little petty. As for Rowan Freemaker, I care nothing for the show, but all the parts will be useful, including using that torso to make a temporary custom Captain Antilles. The Throne Room set looks nice, but I can't get too excited at that price--and again, I already Bricklink'd that Rey figure from the AT-M6. I feel like I keep falling into the same trap [insert Admiral Ackbar reference here] I don't dislike The Last Jedi at all (in fact, I like it a lot more than Return of the Jedi), but I just can't get too excited about sets that have yet to absorb into my Star Wars pop cultural consciousness. Sorry for the essay, but I haven't posted a lot here lately.

Yeah, not to mention Wes Janson and the two Rogue One pilot helmets. Plus the dark red one from the Sandspeeder set. On the other hand, Luke's, Biggs's, Dak's, Wedge's, and Wes's all still lack(ed) side printing, so maybe it's just was well to start now. Come to think of it, if the rumored small Hoth playset is another Snowspeeder with a new windscreen and some seriously revamped helmets, they might just fool me thrice. And yeah, as for Gold Leader, there is absolutely no excuse, since they should have started dual-molding Rebel helmets years ago. I'm pretty salty right now...although let's be real, that X-Wing is magnificent, and a day one purchase for sure!! Edit: Wesker beat me to it. And how could I have forgotten Red Ten and Porkins? Edit: And Zev, who is in my profile picture? This is getting ridiculous. I should have stopped trying to collect Rebel pilots long ago, because as soon as they all have dual-molded, side-printed helmets, they'll have dual-molded, printed arms and legs, and then the astromechs will get back printing and retractable third legs, and then...

I hope not, because I think it's a beautiful set, and I think people should have more time to be able to get a copy if they so choose; the LEGO market is so saturated right now... That being said, I have no idea whether it will soon be discontinued. In the United States, at least, there was no sale on that set for May the Fourth.

LEGO has been notoriously bad (or else strategically maddening) at keeping new or desirable items in stock, particularly during promotions. However, I would say that the Y-Wing will be nowhere near as scarce as the Falcon, but probably more so than the Snowspeeder. I called my local LEGO Store in the United States, and they said they will be getting at least 40 sets for May the Fourth, possibly more the next week. So I think there's no need to line up outside the store early, but I would get there within the first hour if you can, just to be safe. Also, enjoy the Slave I! I don't particularly care for the ship in the movie, but the set is just beautiful. This set is amazing, especially now that it's perpetually discounted. The minifigures alone are worth it, and the hut is actually a really cute build, with lots of cool pieces. My favorite little detail is the asymmetrical little fire pit area, where I have Chewie roasting a Porg.

Hi, I have that set as well, and I somehow thought that the helmet belonged to Jess Pava, and that LEGO just used a generic head because they were lazy, but it turns out that is not the case. I found someone else online who asked the same question. I don't much like Reddit, but this thread seems pretty much on point. It appears that the helmet was designed for the movie, but didn't make it into the final cut. So not a LEGO creation, but probably based on incomplete information before the film was released. As to whether the pilot in 75102 is canon, I don't know, but I'm leaning toward no. Maybe he'll show up in Episode IX.

I got 75181 UCS Y-Wing...oh wait, it's not Friday yet. In the past month, I got the Imperial Patrol Battle Pack, Yoda's Hut, the Solo TIE Fighter, a second Cantina (), the Vader nowthisisPodracing, last year's advent calendar on discount, and the UCS Red Five for a good deal on eBay. As much as I love the X-Wing, I am hesitant to recommend that UCS to anyone until we see final pictures of this summer's set. Yeah, I've spoiled myself way too much. The UCS Y-Wing will be a birthday gift though, so I guess it's good that I'm not spending even more on that--even though I would if I had to; it's a beautiful set!

When is the designer video for 75181 UCS Y-Wing going to be posted? I assume there will be one...

Are you able to share any of what you're hearing and seeing? Or even hint? Because I would honestly much rather have an ISD or Corellian Corvette than Cloud City... Rogue One for the win! (And just to be clear, I know nothing, and I'm not trying to hint at anything with the bolded letters, which could just as easily be Commander Cody, Chalmun's Cantina, Captain Canady, Command Center, or the initials of the LEGO designer)

Sir von Lego, seeing as you are a well-established source of great information, and you know that the minifig listings are wrong, would you be able to update it a little bit? I'm not being sarcastic; I think it's fair to say that anything you are allowed to share with us would be genuinely appreciated by all. Thanks in advance, and if nothing else, maybe now you'll convince someone else to update it. I'm sure people have the information, but I understand if there are consequences of sharing it. Also, this next question can go to anyone. I think I asked it a few months ago, and I apologize if I'm repeating myself or others: Is it fully confirmed that we're getting Biggs and not Red Leader in the X-Wing set? The other thread only mentions the fact that it might be Biggs's astromech in the set. So I'm assuming that there were only stand-in figures at the Toy Fairs? Or has the summer wave not even been viewed in person by anyone outside of TLG at this point? Finally, unrelated to future releases but still pertaining to 2018 sets: to those still on the fence, I can't recommend the new Cantina highly enough. It complements the 2014 version quite nicely, with only a little bit of modding necessary. Also, the new Greedo figure is vastly superior to the old one, which looked unfinished. Wuher is nice, and one can never have enough Sandtroopers or new Han hair pieces. The main reason I think it's worth it, though, is that the build isn't terrible. It's tiny and compact, yes, but it really looks and feels like the Cantina (and the "U-brick-ian"). Unlike, say, the Yoda's Hut set, which will be hella fun (as long as there are no seagulls), but doesn't really look at all like Yoda's Hut.