Ki-Adi-Mundi

One can be of a different opinion, i think. To fans of Elves (of any fantasy universe - not solely connected to Middle Earth), Lothlorien and Rivendell are fantastic places. Everyone having read the books (LOTR and the Silmarillion), Elves are one key race in Middle Earth. Their demise is saddening and the world is becoming a less beautiful place while they leave for the Undying Lands, ultimatley ending the Third Age. Lothlorien is one spot where the Elven magic and sprit are alive still in the books and in the movies alike. This would justify a set, i believe. Since TLG must sell to many and children who do not know the background and the story behind i action, i can understand that a bigger set is not a likely choice. Still, i could imagine a small set like the wizard's battle with Galadriel, her mirror, Frodo and a few trees around them. This is an important scene in the movie (and in the story).

Thanks for this great photo review! Sadly, it can't improve the value of the set itself. It will be the first to be skipped in my Lego LOTR collection. While in silhouette it seems fairly accurate to what we see in the movie, the ship remains a bad design. I don't like the ramming piece in the bow. That does not fit to non-antique sail powered ships which more rely on maneuverabilty and speed. Also it is more of a non sea-worthy, flat platform. In general much of the design appears custom and could have been done by any MOCer. The Umbarian Corsairs do not make for something iconic either (unless they had a well designed, seaworthy ship). Sry TLG, i'm not impressed. I would have preferred something more inspiring of RotK.

Hehe, a nice idea to put the Sauron's eye into that monster minifig. The Palantir piece actually is the thing i want the most of this set since i plan to buy Orthanc anyway.

Thanks for this wonderful review. One more piece of excellent photography. I feel that some 'interior' for the inner side of the wall is missing. Even Orcs must have some taste for wine and meat every once in a while. And they need places to sit. This criticism aside, i like the general execution of the scenery and will certainly buy this set. The eagle is a nice mould albeit a small one. The mouth of Sauron, the print of face and torso and his brilliant helmet are the secret star of this set. But as with all sets of this very upcoming wave, i will patiently wait until the unsettling prices in Europe (69,99 EUR, which makes for 92.53 USD) have been tamed by the market mechanism.

Hello Lego-Freak, yet another great review by you. Outstanding pics for an outstanding set! If it weren't on my shopping list by already, it would wander there now. Finally an Elven set without any 'Itchy and Twitchy' meddling in. While small, i like the style of it alot. The sophisticated architecture, integration of trees and the autumn feeling of Rivendell. The kin-strife of the Elves is being transported in a good manner. And i also like 'Agent Smith' finally entering Middle-Earth. Elrond indeed is my favourite character.

That's actually a fine idea! I consider to get two of them to enlarge that in a similar manner. While you made did a nice, atmospheric shot, one cannot see that much. How did you redesign the tree and do the technic clips allow for an easy expansion?

Well, i saw this thread pop up in the list every once in a while but i didn't know what set to call the least favourite. 8098 (Clone 'Turbo' Tank), 8128 (Cad Bane's Speeder), 7930 (Bounty Hunter 'Assault Ship'), 7957 (Sith Nightspeeder), 9491 ('Geonosian Cannon' - with Zombies!!!), 75013 (Umbarran MHC) all are hot contenders for the title. Now, TLG finally took that carriage from me. 75024 clearly is the most awful thing they ever released. To me, everything about it is plain ugly, the minifigs crowning this subterranean thingy. Ah, and i forgot to mention that 9497 (Republic Striker-Class Fighter) comes a close second, being absolutely uninspired and uninspiring except for one minifig - yet unique Satele Shan. It simply was a bad choice for a ship, while the KOTOR era offers some alternatives to choose from.

Does anybody have a clue when the new wave of castle sets is supposed to hit Europe (Germany)? The Castle line has disappeared from the tags of the usual official Lego retailers quite a few years ago. Basically, i am only interested in the Dragon (the the same named mountain set).

Thank you for your effort, Lego Freak! This insight is very welcome - and your collection of SW TOR sets does let this subtheme become attractive. I'll go for the Defender for sure and will keep my eyes open for a sale on the Fury. The BP is on the shopping list anyway, while i hope to get Satele separately or in a different set. The Republic fighter design is too much of an insult ot my eyes...

It may indeed seem that TLG focuses on the minifigs alot and this has been discussed already. While i too can imagine that minifigs sell sets to many, i personally do not decide on this alone. The figs are (important) elements of a set but not the only one. If the combination of design/color/build/size/topic/minifigs/price does not fit, i will easily pass a set. Still, redesigns and improvements and new minifigs add attractiveness to a set. Let's take the new A-Wing for example. No SW collection is complete without at least one. Getting Han Solo, an unique pilot and Admiral Ackbar do make up for the price (to some degree) and can make owners of an older version catch interest in the new version, either. Speaking of the Corporate Alliance Tank droid - i want to have at least one. It's a great PT CIS vehicle. Getting a long awaited Jango Fett and some ado makes the set almost perfect (the flaw remains the price in Europe: You pay the equivalent of 35.76 USD - that is 178% of the price in the US). I do not wonder that Lego sells better overseas. You can get almost two there for the price of one here. And furthermore, there are tremendeous sales in the US (3 for 2 and stuff like this...). And we have not yet spoken about our Aussie fellows. But let's stay on topic. I'd buy a tank droid without Jango or an A-Wing without Han and the Admiral. But the minifigs improve the selling proposition and sometimes they turn the tide for some people to buy or not. You can always debate about a design or design details of vehicles, buildings and sceneries - but bad minifigs do definitely deter from buying in their own right. Cartoony eyes for example make me shrink away and take a long way around a set. And Savage is right. The license is running it's 14th year. Virtually everything has been there already. To keep things running smoothly (SW is TLG's best selling line ever) until 2022, they believe to be required on redesigns and improvements on the minifigs. As i said, i decide on the whole of a set, the combination of content. I, for example love the new X-Wing. It doesn't have the whole croud of heroes as had it's predecessor - i bought a bunch of this set for the vehicle itself. Others wanted it for a new Jek Porkins and a slightly new Luke... To each his own.

Ah, i see. Thanks for the info. So the ship actually is smaller than i assumed basing on the piece count. Thus it measures the same length as the 7965 main hull (saucer). Still, it appears bigger than the less bulky 9500 and definitely has less 'hollow' areas but more interior and play features. Reconsidering the sticker placement, they do not define the ships' looks. One might even leave them out (except for control panels if no other printed pieces are at hand). In my last post i forgot to mention your nice displays of the minifigure comparisons. A good idea to show all TOR minifigs we have yet. Aslo, it's interesting to see the different LEGO depictions of zabrak characters. Personally, i like Agen Kolar the most (headpiece and hair) but we humans are just so different either, aren't we?! I also like your funnies and the way you arranged the Sith with his two lightsabers. That rocks. Looking forward to more pictures of this set and also more reviews of you!

Wow, you're fast! And this review, too is well shot! Great camera work! A big thanks! Although i'm not into TOR (but a bit into KOTOR I, actually ), this set indeed has some appealing pros about it. I like quite a lot: - the idea that both Sith and Jedi are included (one can choose) - the minifigs are unnamed which means that one could use them for any era and place - at least two minifigs are aliens and the Lego SW universe has lack of them still but more important to me is the ship, which i like for: - the overall size of the ship and the piece count (9500 at the same price was much smaller AND had a much lower piece count) - the color scheme has multiple uses (red - consular republican and it's a dark red the Sith use to fashion a lot). Unlike the Republic Frigate (CW) it isn't ridiculously spiked over and over with weapons no one is there to ever use - the ship design is 'fresh' to the SW universe and - just like the minifigs - might be found anytime, anywhere and in anyone's use - there are several interior spots to place minifigs in or pose scenes with. i especially like the escape pods which also could be quarters to the crew - the ship has a handle to carry it around on top What i do not like so much at my very first glance: - there are stickers (in general) - the bridge is open on the back. Not only 'untight' but also things might fall out when being swooshed or carried around A few questions at last: - do you still have the sticker sheet? How many have to be littered across the hull/interior? - could you be so kind and show some more of the bridge (interior)? How do minifigs fit into it? - what are the measurements of the ship (length and width)? Thank you!

Hello Lego-Freak, thanks for this review while the new wave sets are so rare still. Your photography, choice of angles and lighting are almost perfect! Regarding the set itself, it is a clear and easy pass - even among the CW sets. In one word: Odd! I cannot even recognise those weird characters (this is supposed to be Obi Wan???) and the ship is one ugly klutz. It strongly reminds me of my first steps into custom starship building when i was about ten or so. I didn't have those colors at my disposal but the design routine was pretty similar. Sorry for these harsh words but it is beyond my understanding what Lucas and TLG were up to when creating this mess. But please keep up reviewing - you bought quite a bunch of interesting sets many of us will be glad to see!

Thank you. That's sad because there will be little chance for them to be on sale. However, i cannot identify an 'D2C' set. There does not seem to be any consistent rule. Or at least i don't know where to look that up. 10188 is the flagship of the line - and is widely available. 75014, 9526, 9472 - to tell just a few examples - started out as exclusives and now are commonly available.

Thanks for your swift reply. How do you know them being 'D2C'? If i understand the term correctly, it is supposed to mean the opposite, doesn't it?

I have a question on the Lego Exclusives: Many of them become available at 'official' retailers like TRU, Galeria Kaufhof, even Amazon and others. How about 10237 Tower of Orthanc 75025 Jedi Defender-Class Cruiser 10236 Ewok Village Will they become available outside of S@H and the Lego brand stores?

No, you are not. There is little else that i want more than a new ISD (in the style of 6211). A cloud city maybe... but the time for both is overdue i think.

After having looked at the set time and again, i can only say that it is designed well. While impressive at first sight, it remains a huge invest. At this price tag, such size and minifig composition is to be expected to say the least. The caption of the movie's village is well executed. Virtually everything has been covered and there is a lot to be discovered and played with. A set with such a prominent cast promises to offer quite a lot of fun to have with it. The redesign of the Scoutie is a little too black, IMO. Luke instead is great. Finally the correct suit and hair colour. Leia's skirt looks a little silly (Hawaiians on Endor, anyone?). As a diorama or environment, it may come to use for several other themes and topics that are related with wilderness, tree houses and nature in general. Not necessarily medieval/fantasy but pretty well suited for it. Bottom line: Will i buy it? I don't deny considering this. But Orthanc comes first and might remain the only set above 150 bucks on my wishlist. Will i buy it at this price? No and that's fairly sure. You get a lot for the money - the set is high value - but the amount is extraordinarily high. And too high for a set i do not necessarily 'need'. I do not plan to skip too many other sets i am planning to buy for just this one.

Hear, hear! A temple would be nice but prioritywise, i beg that TLG comes to the same conclusion as you...

Well, i am not too hot for spending more than 150 bucks on a single set. Orthanc will be the first set i break that red line for. To make me repeat that, TLG has to offer quite a lot. Size, quality (interior! and playability) and iconic value of Orthanc would have to be matched. Can an Ewok village do that? Not sure on that. A Cloud City might do it but i hope for a rehash at the 100 to 150 buck mark as i do with an ISD. Again, the content would have to absolutely justify the invest. Given the 'popularity' of Ewoks, the set ought to be spiced up with Rebels and Imperials alike. Throwing in vehicles, main cast and troopers is mandatory, i think. As with Orthanc, the set would be well designed if it could be used for other themes or environments, too. At the 250's spot, not many parents will buy that for their children so the main customer base is us AFOLs again. And we have some expectations (i.e. the USP must be obvious so we do not spend the money elsewhere).

So we are talking about UCS scale, i see. The term he used got me irritated.

There are quite a few interesting sets available at the time. For starting a nice collection of OT sets, i can highly recommend: 9496 Desert Skiff 75003 A Wing Stafighter 75014 Battle of Hoth 8092 Luke's Landspeeder (not available everywhere, though) 9489 Endor Rebel & Imperial Trooper Battlepack for a decent combination of iconic minifigs, vehicles - all at a reasonable piece/price ratio. As a lot you might get the sets for about 120 bucks, depending on country and currency. If in Europe, you might likely have to pay more. You can also go the starship path: 9493 X Wing Fighter 9492 TIE Fighter and maybe throwing in a 9495 Y Wing Fighter They make for a very good display on the shelf. For about 140 bucks they ought to be yours. A good option for a start also is the mighty 7965 Millennium Falcon For about 120 bucks you get a lot of important OT minifigs and a good caption of 'the fastest hunk of junk' in the galaxy.

Thanks for the nice video review, cookiemonster! The set itself is ok, IMO. The outer appearance ist a little boxy (front) and the interior a little too stuffed for my taste. Not yet sure whether i want to go after it. Pardon me if i got it wrong - but there is a minifig scale falcon available. http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=61933 . The set might cycle out anytime in the futire so getting one would be wise if you don't have one yet. I can highly recommend it and it has been on sale a few times already.

Ok, i must have missed that glimpse of it when first watching the original version of EP V as a kid. Most likely i was overwhelmed by the fantanstic action taking place on screen.

AFAIK, the scene was added later on, in the digitally remastered edition of EP V. Whatsoever, i guess the Hoth scenario is exploited already. I'd still prefer Stormies along with an AT-ST, which are much more uncommon these days.