Review: 75411 Darth Maul Mech
Posted by CapnRex101,
Mechs are not something I normally associate with Star Wars, but the LEGO character mechs provide a good opportunity to release popular minifigures in affordable sets. Maul is certainly an appealing choice, in readiness for the former Sith Lord's animated series in 2026.
However, my initial impressions of 75411 Darth Maul Mech are mixed. I like how the mech's robotic legs are designed to mirror Maul's, but compared with last year's 75390 Luke Skywalker's X-wing Mech, this example seems a little lacking in personality.
Summary
75411 Darth Maul Mech, 143 pieces.
£12.99 / $17.99 / €14.99 | 9.1p/12.6c/10.5c per piece.
Buy at LEGO.com »
Maul's mech is a fun toy, but lacks personality relative to other Star Wars mechs
- Satisfying mech design for play
- Opportunity to acquire Maul in a cheaper set
- Mech could be more distinctive
- No wrist articulation
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
Minifigure
Since his reintroduction in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Maul has become more popular than ever, so I am glad his minifigure is again available in a relatively affordable set. The design is very similar to his last Clone Wars minifigure found in 75310 Duel on Mandalore and the torso and legs are identical, other than a minute alteration on the belt. The white detail on the prior figure was actually more accurate, but this really is a tiny change.
The head has been replaced though and is very similar to the version in 75383 Darth Maul's Sith Infiltrator. The removal of black pupils from Sith eyes does make these consistent with the style of other minifigures, but I think it takes something away from their personality, as including the pupils really made previous Sith characters look menacing.
As normal, Maul is armed with a double-bladed lightsaber. A more proportional piece for these weapons is available in the Monkie Kid range, so perhaps that should be used instead, but the standard metallic silver element is more associated with lightsabers, admittedly.
The Completed Model
Mechs of roughly this size are common, especially in NINJAGO and Marvel. However, those in the Star Wars theme tend to be slightly bulkier and Maul's mech is no exception, featuring fairly chunky legs and the 4x7x1 body element created for the Star Wars mechs rather than the 2x4x3 piece typically used for Super Heroes and NINJAGO mechs.
The mech's proportions seem a little more human, as a result. However, this comes at the cost of waist articulation, which does restrict potential poses, especially for an athletic character like Darth Maul. Furthermore, the lack of articulated elbows and knees is frustrating, but the greater problem is the static wrist design on a lightsaber-wielding model. Some dynamic poses are still achievable, but this could be better.
I love the use of spikes on the arms to match those on Maul's head, while the combination of black and red across the figure looks superb. The printed tattoos on the chest are a welcome addition too, but I am confused by the yellow clips underneath. There are dashes of yellow on Maul's belt, though these are nowhere near as prominent as the clips on the mech.
There is space for Maul to stand inside the torso, but no controls are included. Also, I wish the minifigures in these mechs were more securely attached, instead of standing loosely on a 1x2 foot plate.
A large lightsaber blade was developed for the Star Wars mechs and looks good on a double-bladed lightsaber, attached to a Technic connector. As mentioned, wrist articulation is missing, but at least the fingers are poseable, so you can angle the lightsaber in the mech's hand.
Darth Maul's minifigure-scale lightsaber, meanwhile, can be stored alongside a probe droid on the vehicle's back. Dark Eye probe droids have appeared many times and normally prioritise a rounded shape, but this one focuses on looking accurate from the front and includes the droid's magnetic imaging device, as well as its central photoreceptor and antenna.
The legs are designed to resemble Maul's robotic lower half, with various small pieces adding mechanical detail around the ankles. These and the claws on the feet look great, although the legs would seem more distinctive had they taken inspiration from Maul's less humanoid robotic legs from the fourth season of The Clone Wars, or even his initial spider-like cybernetics!
Overall
75411 Darth Maul Mech is generally well-executed. Other than the lack of articulation in some places, I have no major complaints. However, I do think the design could have gone further to differentiate this mech from others, following the positive example of 75390 Luke Skywalker X-wing Mech, released last year.
Maul's mech is basic by comparison and there was definitely potential to do more. particularly with the legs. Even so, I am pleased to see Maul in a smaller set again and its price of £12.99, $17.99 or €14.99 feels reasonable on the whole, albeit slightly higher than usual in the US.
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47 comments on this article
First time ever being this early to comment!
I just never know why Lego decided to remove articulation from small mechs.
Also this is a brand new print on the head different from 75383 Darth Maul figure if I'm not mistaken.
Nobody hates LEGO Star Wars more than LEGO Star Wars fans. I swear if I hear ONE MORE PERSON complain about the colored eyes (which need I remind you have existed since 2013 and have been consistently used in every other theme except Star Wars until now) I am going to lose my ever-loving mind
@LotRBrickfan196 said:
"First time ever being this early to comment!
I just never know why Lego decided to remove articulation from small mechs.
Also this is a brand new print on the head different from 75383 Darth Maul figure if I'm not mistaken."
It'd be cool if they could take these new pieces and just add articulation to them. Then you have strength and articulation.
@Ridgeheart said:
"I'll level with you: I don't think this or any other mech really NEEDS a lush patch of chesthair, but I guess it's nice to have some variety."
This and the rumoured Tom Selleck mech are the only ones where I think it is an absolute necessity.
The yellow clip connecting the chest piece sticks out a bit, I don’t entirely get what it’s referencing. The yellow dots on Maul’s belt?
Eh. I already have https://brickset.com/minifigs/sw1155/darth-maul-printed-legs-with-silver-armor , and that minifig's better in my opinion, so I don't need this one.
I also agree with you, @CapnRex101 , the lack of wrist articulation is appalling to me, especially for a character that is notorious for his lightsaber combat skills!
The Marvel mechs from 2020 were the best; they looked cool, had decent minifigs, and — most importantly — had articulating waist, elbow, and knee joints! ;)
Has anyone ever tried building proportional heads for their mechs?
Lego Star Wars mechs should not exist. If Lego wants to give cheap access to rare minifigures then put them in microfighters.
@WolfpackBricksStudios said:
"Nobody hates LEGO Star Wars more than LEGO Star Wars fans. I swear if I hear ONE MORE PERSON complain about the colored eyes (which need I remind you have existed since 2013 and have been consistently used in every other theme except Star Wars until now) I am going to lose my ever-loving mind"
I don't like the colored eyes. They're coarse, rough, and irritating. And they're everywhere!
;)
(Then again, I'm not sure I count as a LEGO SW fan anymore... I've bought like 3 sets since 2021. The theme as a whole fell off a cliff after 2021 and I jumped before it went over....)
@Capnrex101:
Can we ever expect to see a review of the May U-wing from you?
@BLProductions said:
" @WolfpackBricksStudios said:
"Nobody hates LEGO Star Wars more than LEGO Star Wars fans. I swear if I hear ONE MORE PERSON complain about the colored eyes (which need I remind you have existed since 2013 and have been consistently used in every other theme except Star Wars until now) I am going to lose my ever-loving mind"
(Then again, I'm not sure I count as a LEGO SW fan anymore... I've bought like 3 sets since 2021. The theme as a whole fell off a cliff after 2021 and I jumped before it went over....)"
I actually kind of agree with that assessment. Most of the stuff 2021 and after hasn't interested me near as much as the stuff from around 2012-2020.
I guess that's okay. Saves me money. ;)
@Maxbricks14 said:
" @Capnrex101 :
Can we ever expect to see a review of the May U-wing from you?"
Yes, hopefully on Tuesday ahead of the Andor finale. I know plenty of people have decided to dislike it because it is smaller than the original, which was a fantastic set, but I think the new U-wing is quite good for the price and there are improvements on the 2016 design in places.
@BLProductions and @BabuBrick - This may sound like a silly question, but in what ways do you think the Star Wars theme has worsened in recent years? Is it the prices, set choices, balance of standard and 18+ sets, a combination of those or other factors? I am genuinely curious and open the question to everybody, of course.
I love these so much and hope they continue for years.
Leia needs a mech. Yoda needs a mech. Han needs a mech. Qui Gon Jin needs a mech. Chewed needs a mech. R2D2 and C3PO need mechs. George Lucas needs a mech.
I could go on and on...
These are the only star wars sets I buy so I am.probably an outlier but they make me very happy.
@CapnRex101 said:
" @Maxbricks14 said:
" @Capnrex101 :
Can we ever expect to see a review of the May U-wing from you?"
Yes, hopefully on Tuesday ahead of the Andor finale. I know plenty of people have decided to dislike it because it is smaller than the original, which was a fantastic set, but I think the new U-wing is quite good for the price and there are improvements on the 2016 design in places."
Yeah. I actually like it a lot more than the 2016 version, because of what you mentioned and the fact that it just looks better on the whole.
We voted for higher prices in the US, so this seems fair with tariff costs. It’s a good thing in the long run is what I’m hearing people say
I love the minifigure. I know this is more Clone Wars, but I hope one day we get a piece to better represent Maul’s saber/cane from Rebels
@CapnRex101 said:
" @BLProductions and @BabuBrick - This may sound like a silly question, but in what ways do you think the Star Wars theme has worsened in recent years? Is it the prices, set choices, balance of standard and 18+ sets, a combination of those or other factors? I am genuinely curious and open the question to everybody, of course."
Great question. I think it comes down to a couple of things, for me at least. The prices are a big factor, but LSW has always been bad with that. Ratio of playsets to display sets is another big one, and the lack of emphasis on playsets is concerning to me, as well.
I think the biggest factor for me is the lessened appeal of the Star Wars fandom in general. The overwhelming number of Disney+ series constantly coming out these days has just cheapened the Star Wars brand, in my opinion. I remember when a new SW movie or show was an event; a unique, exciting time. Now it's kinda turned into, "Oh look, another Star Wars show....again."
I've kind of stopped paying attention to any new SW projects that are announced or released. Many (not all) of the LEGO sets based on these series (and the minifigs accompanying them) just look kind of bland and uninteresting in my eyes, but I know that not everything Star Wars has to cater to my exact tastes, and that's fine. I know a lot of people have really gravitated towards the new series, especially Andor and the Mandalorian.
And I'm not saying that the LEGO Star Wars theme is bad now — far from it! It's still one of the strongest themes in LEGO's catalogue. However, the appeal that it once had for me in the 2010's just isn't there anymore, and I find myself being drawn to other themes in favor of LSW.
For me, the movies will always be the definitive part of Star Wars, and I like to concentrate on those. But I also know that I don't speak for the entirety of the Star Wars fandom, and that this is just my own, subjective opinion. Thanks for the question!
The only Lego Star Wars mech I need is Admiral Fyyar's armor from Jedi Knight 2. It would be perfect.
@BabuBrick said:
" @CapnRex101 said:
" @BLProductions and @BabuBrick - This may sound like a silly question, but in what ways do you think the Star Wars theme has worsened in recent years? Is it the prices, set choices, balance of standard and 18+ sets, a combination of those or other factors? I am genuinely curious and open the question to everybody, of course."
Great question. I think it comes down to a couple of things, for me at least. The prices are a big factor, but LSW has always been bad with that. Ratio of playsets to display sets is another big one, and the lack of emphasis on playsets is concerning to me, as well.
I think the biggest factor for me is the lessened appeal of the Star Wars fandom in general. The overwhelming number of Disney+ series constantly coming out these days has just cheapened the Star Wars brand, in my opinion. I remember when a new SW movie or show was an event; a unique, exciting time. Now it's kinda turned into, "Oh look, another Star Wars show....again."
I've kind of stopped paying attention to any new SW projects that are announced or released. Many (not all) of the LEGO sets based on these series (and the minifigs accompanying them) just look kind of bland and uninteresting in my eyes, but I know that not everything Star Wars has to cater to my exact tastes, and that's fine. I know a lot of people have really gravitated towards the new series, especially Andor and the Mandalorian.
And I'm not saying that the LEGO Star Wars theme is bad now — far from it! It's still one of the strongest themes in LEGO's catalogue. However, the appeal that it once had for me in the 2010's just isn't there anymore, and I find myself being drawn to other themes in favor of LSW.
For me, the movies will always be the definitive part of Star Wars, and I like to concentrate on those. But I also know that I don't speak for the entirety of the Star Wars fandom, and that this is just my own, subjective opinion. Thanks for the question!"
So basically you're blinded by nostalgia? Haters will be haters.
@CommanderR3x said:
"Lego Star Wars mechs should not exist. If Lego wants to give cheap access to rare minifigures then put them in microfighters. "
You’re right - they should stop making them because they don’t personally appeal to you.
@Maxbricks14 said:
" @BabuBrick said:
" @CapnRex101 said:
" @BLProductions and @BabuBrick - This may sound like a silly question, but in what ways do you think the Star Wars theme has worsened in recent years? Is it the prices, set choices, balance of standard and 18+ sets, a combination of those or other factors? I am genuinely curious and open the question to everybody, of course."
Great question. I think it comes down to a couple of things, for me at least. The prices are a big factor, but LSW has always been bad with that. Ratio of playsets to display sets is another big one, and the lack of emphasis on playsets is concerning to me, as well.
I think the biggest factor for me is the lessened appeal of the Star Wars fandom in general. The overwhelming number of Disney+ series constantly coming out these days has just cheapened the Star Wars brand, in my opinion. I remember when a new SW movie or show was an event; a unique, exciting time. Now it's kinda turned into, "Oh look, another Star Wars show....again."
I've kind of stopped paying attention to any new SW projects that are announced or released. Many (not all) of the LEGO sets based on these series (and the minifigs accompanying them) just look kind of bland and uninteresting in my eyes, but I know that not everything Star Wars has to cater to my exact tastes, and that's fine. I know a lot of people have really gravitated towards the new series, especially Andor and the Mandalorian.
And I'm not saying that the LEGO Star Wars theme is bad now — far from it! It's still one of the strongest themes in LEGO's catalogue. However, the appeal that it once had for me in the 2010's just isn't there anymore, and I find myself being drawn to other themes in favor of LSW.
For me, the movies will always be the definitive part of Star Wars, and I like to concentrate on those. But I also know that I don't speak for the entirety of the Star Wars fandom, and that this is just my own, subjective opinion. Thanks for the question!"
So basically you're blinded by nostalgia? Haters will be haters."
I did say that I don't hate the current LEGO Star Wars (I repeat: not a hater). As I said, it's still one of my favorite themes.
Of course I'm nostalgic; we all have biases. But to say I'm blinded by nostalgia is melodramatic. It's not even about nostalgia, in this instance. It's mainly about the fact that Star Wars as an IP has just lost its magic for me — that's all. You're allowed to have a completely different opinion from me.
Bare-chested armor plating is...certainly a choice. I guess. Yeah, I get it, his outfit isn't that interesting once it's removed from being the actual outfit you see in the film. I made a Bionicle Darth Maul once, and I ended up having to paint the tattoos on the mask because otherwise it simply didn't register as being him. The body was just solid black and robotic, where the film outfit is solid black and voluminous robe.
@LotRBrickfan196 said:
"I just never know why Lego decided to remove articulation from small mechs."
Because the more articulation you have, the more things self-adjust during play. Yeah, it's fantastic if you're posing it on a shelf, but it's a bit weird for a kid when the legs demonstrate their impression of a pretzel, or that scene from the Excorcist but at waist height. I had Star Wars action figures and G.I.Joe action figures growing up. The latter were great for less important characters that you could set in a pose and then not touch again until they had to fall over and die. The former were terrible for that, but the lack of articulation meant the limbs all stayed where they belonged as you were waving them around and doing all the actiony stuff.
@BabuBrick said:
" @Maxbricks14 said:
" @BabuBrick said:
" @CapnRex101 said:
" @BLProductions and @BabuBrick - This may sound like a silly question, but in what ways do you think the Star Wars theme has worsened in recent years? Is it the prices, set choices, balance of standard and 18+ sets, a combination of those or other factors? I am genuinely curious and open the question to everybody, of course."
Great question. I think it comes down to a couple of things, for me at least. The prices are a big factor, but LSW has always been bad with that. Ratio of playsets to display sets is another big one, and the lack of emphasis on playsets is concerning to me, as well.
I think the biggest factor for me is the lessened appeal of the Star Wars fandom in general. The overwhelming number of Disney+ series constantly coming out these days has just cheapened the Star Wars brand, in my opinion. I remember when a new SW movie or show was an event; a unique, exciting time. Now it's kinda turned into, "Oh look, another Star Wars show....again."
I've kind of stopped paying attention to any new SW projects that are announced or released. Many (not all) of the LEGO sets based on these series (and the minifigs accompanying them) just look kind of bland and uninteresting in my eyes, but I know that not everything Star Wars has to cater to my exact tastes, and that's fine. I know a lot of people have really gravitated towards the new series, especially Andor and the Mandalorian.
And I'm not saying that the LEGO Star Wars theme is bad now — far from it! It's still one of the strongest themes in LEGO's catalogue. However, the appeal that it once had for me in the 2010's just isn't there anymore, and I find myself being drawn to other themes in favor of LSW.
For me, the movies will always be the definitive part of Star Wars, and I like to concentrate on those. But I also know that I don't speak for the entirety of the Star Wars fandom, and that this is just my own, subjective opinion. Thanks for the question!"
So basically you're blinded by nostalgia? Haters will be haters."
I did say that I don't hate the current LEGO Star Wars (I repeat: not a hater). As I said, it's still one of my favorite themes.
Of course I'm nostalgic; we all have biases. But to say I'm blinded by nostalgia is melodramatic. It's not even about nostalgia, in this instance. It's mainly about the fact that Star Wars as an IP has just lost its magic for me — that's all. You're allowed to have a completely different opinion from me."
You're down-playing what you just said.
@Maxbricks14 said:
" @BabuBrick said:
" @Maxbricks14 said:
" @BabuBrick said:
" @CapnRex101 said:
" @BLProductions and @BabuBrick - This may sound like a silly question, but in what ways do you think the Star Wars theme has worsened in recent years? Is it the prices, set choices, balance of standard and 18+ sets, a combination of those or other factors? I am genuinely curious and open the question to everybody, of course."
Great question. I think it comes down to a couple of things, for me at least. The prices are a big factor, but LSW has always been bad with that. Ratio of playsets to display sets is another big one, and the lack of emphasis on playsets is concerning to me, as well.
I think the biggest factor for me is the lessened appeal of the Star Wars fandom in general. The overwhelming number of Disney+ series constantly coming out these days has just cheapened the Star Wars brand, in my opinion. I remember when a new SW movie or show was an event; a unique, exciting time. Now it's kinda turned into, "Oh look, another Star Wars show....again."
I've kind of stopped paying attention to any new SW projects that are announced or released. Many (not all) of the LEGO sets based on these series (and the minifigs accompanying them) just look kind of bland and uninteresting in my eyes, but I know that not everything Star Wars has to cater to my exact tastes, and that's fine. I know a lot of people have really gravitated towards the new series, especially Andor and the Mandalorian.
And I'm not saying that the LEGO Star Wars theme is bad now — far from it! It's still one of the strongest themes in LEGO's catalogue. However, the appeal that it once had for me in the 2010's just isn't there anymore, and I find myself being drawn to other themes in favor of LSW.
For me, the movies will always be the definitive part of Star Wars, and I like to concentrate on those. But I also know that I don't speak for the entirety of the Star Wars fandom, and that this is just my own, subjective opinion. Thanks for the question!"
So basically you're blinded by nostalgia? Haters will be haters."
I did say that I don't hate the current LEGO Star Wars (I repeat: not a hater). As I said, it's still one of my favorite themes.
Of course I'm nostalgic; we all have biases. But to say I'm blinded by nostalgia is melodramatic. It's not even about nostalgia, in this instance. It's mainly about the fact that Star Wars as an IP has just lost its magic for me — that's all. You're allowed to have a completely different opinion from me."
You're down-playing what you just said."
How, though? I reiterated the exact same points I made earlier:
- I don't hate LSW
- It's still a solid theme
- The current approach to Star Wars doesn't appeal to me, but I guess that's fine, because I know I'm not the only Star Wars fan on the planet, and it's impossible to please the entire fanbase
I will admit, perhaps my opinion of Star Wars has influenced my opinion of LEGO Star Wars — which, I will grant, is totally unfair, as they're two separate entities — and I may have been overly-harsh in regards to LEGO's Star Wars efforts.
If you disagree with me Max, that's totally fine.
@CapnRex101 said:
" @BLProductions and @BabuBrick - This may sound like a silly question, but in what ways do you think the Star Wars theme has worsened in recent years? Is it the prices, set choices, balance of standard and 18+ sets, a combination of those or other factors? "
For me, it's a bit of all the reasons you mentioned, but mostly the set choices. The prices on Star Wars sets have always been higher than the average LEGO set, and that hasn't changed; maybe it feels more egregious with all the extra-large (2000+ piece) sets being produced, but I've never been able to afford those sets anyways, so it doesn't bother me.
It seems to me that the LEGO Star Wars theme as a whole has lost focus. We used to get waves of sets - one in January/March, one in August, plus May 4th - that focused primarily on one part of SW; summer 2013 was the Battle of Geonosis, winter 2014 was Ep. III, etc. When the Disney movies started we got the September wave focused on the new film. So LEGO SW had batches of sets each year that all fit together thematically, which presented opportunities to produce updated versions of previous sets or new vehicles/buildings/scenes that would make sense within the overall lineup but not elsewhere.
That hasn't happened since 2021 (or, looking back through the sets now, realistically 2019). That was the last time it seemed that we got semi-coherent waves of sets (Jan/Mar/May/Aug that year), as many of the sets were the new shrunken minifig-scale sets, with a vague focus on the OT. In 2022 and beyond, the releases have been more scattered, both throughout the year (such that another set is seemingly always coming out - just the one!) and across the SW timeline. It all just feels a bit scattershot, like the design team doesn't really know how to carry on the product line.
Part of this is LEGO's shift in 2020 to more adult-oriented sets - now we get the helmet, starship, and semi-UCS-character collections on top of the old UCS, with fewer minifig-scale playsets/ships and a smattering of microfighters and this odd mech series - and many of the playsets we do get are just thinly-veiled collectible minifig packs with thrown-together bits of wall. I guess this is mostly LEGO realizing that many of its SW customers are adults now and kids aren't as into SW as they used to be. LEGO at least learned a lesson Disney still hasn't figured out (Andor aside).
On top of this LEGO changed its marketing strategy to spread new releases throughout the year, which has affected all themes. The winter/summer waves are still kind of present, but they're diluted by everything else. This isn't Star Wars' fault, but does add to my sense of a lack of focus.
Both of these things are also the fault of Disney itself. Since LEGO SW began, there hasn't really been a shortage of material for LEGO to make sets out of - even in the 2005-2015 movie gap, there was still TCW, the EU, and an enormous backlog of product ideas. But then Disney scrapped the EU and stopped making movies, leaving just their rather unpopular (as in small audience) Disney+ shows with randomized release dates and few interesting things to make LEGO sets out of. It's hard to make a good lineup of new playsets when the newest source material is all over the place.
TL;DR I think there's a lack of focused minifig-scale product ranges in LEGO SW nowadays, and it's both LEGO's and Disney's fault. Sorry for the long treatise, Cap'n, hopefully it makes some sense.
the old Sith eyes looked infinitely better. such a shame, just like with the Family Guy stormtrooper helmets. I still have some small irrational hope the part designers will see the light, like they did when they immediately reversed course on the ridiculously oversized X-Wing pilot helmets from 2018.
as for the theme's decline - idk I'd say it's just extremely inconsistent. there are great sets, and terrible ones. while most are indeed overpriced, the ever-widening gap between quality (hello shitty printing) and prices is the true problem. but for some, it seems, Lego (the brand / the company) is such an intrinsic part of their identity that any criticism amounts to sacrilege.
@BLProductions said:
" @CapnRex101 said:
" @BLProductions and @BabuBrick - This may sound like a silly question, but in what ways do you think the Star Wars theme has worsened in recent years? Is it the prices, set choices, balance of standard and 18+ sets, a combination of those or other factors? "
It seems to me that the LEGO Star Wars theme as a whole has lost focus. We used to get waves of sets - one in January/March, one in August, plus May 4th - that focused primarily on one part of SW; summer 2013 was the Battle of Geonosis, winter 2014 was Ep. III, etc. When the Disney movies started we got the September wave focused on the new film. So LEGO SW had batches of sets each year that all fit together thematically, which presented opportunities to produce updated versions of previous sets or new vehicles/buildings/scenes that would make sense within the overall lineup but not elsewhere.
That hasn't happened since 2021 (or, looking back through the sets now, realistically 2019). That was the last time it seemed that we got semi-coherent waves of sets (Jan/Mar/May/Aug that year), as many of the sets were the new shrunken minifig-scale sets, with a vague focus on the OT. In 2022 and beyond, the releases have been more scattered, both throughout the year (such that another set is seemingly always coming out - just the one!) and across the SW timeline. It all just feels a bit scattershot, like the design team doesn't really know how to carry on the product line. "
Thank you for bringing this up!
I used to love those waves that were dedicated to a certain segment of the franchise, and I was really disappointed when they stopped doing that. I always loved viewing the sets as a collection, and looking at the back of the instruction booklet to see which sets I had, and which ones I had yet to get.
"A more proportional piece for [lightsabers] is available in the Monkie Kid range," When I saw that piece, I thought it would be perfect for Mauls lightsaber.
They're apparently meant to represent a different set of robo-legs from the ones on the figure here (the only post-TPM stuff I've seen with Maul is Solo and Rebels, so I wouldn't know for sure), but I still wish that the crotch and leg pieces from https://brickset.com/minifigs/sw0493/darth-maul-mechanical-legs had seen more use than that one figure.
Sort of a terrible design feature that the Darth Maul Mech can't hold its lightsaber out in front with both hands like the actual Darth Maul does, the constraction figure 7 years ago was entirely designed around this feature.
@BLProductions said:
"For me, it's a bit of all the reasons you mentioned, but mostly the set choices. The prices on Star Wars sets have always been higher than the average LEGO set, and that hasn't changed."
And that’s not true. Just over two decades ago, I got sick of hearing that song, so I ran the numbers. SW came in at I think 9.5 cents per piece, while whatever passed for town at the time was at least 11 cents. It wasn’t until 2009, and 7959, that LSW prices started climbing, but it came with the introduction of molded alien heads for one-off characters. Previously, most aliens only had printed standard heads, which makes a lot of the variety of aliens impossible. And the ones who did have molded heads never had printed faces, with the exception of Chewie’s nose. This is also around the time they stopped leaning so heavily on characters like Luke and Anakin/Obi-Wan, and started giving us a huge variety of minifigs, which is more expensive to produce. Is that the only reason prices have risen? No, but it was the first reason, and it took ten years to get started.
@TheOtherMike said:
""A more proportional piece for [lightsabers] is available in the Monkie Kid range," When I saw that piece, I thought it would be perfect for Mauls lightsaber."
Matching lightsaber hilt and telescope, with two 3L blades, and he can hold it two-handed. 3L blades also look better with minifigs, as 4L looks like the 1997 Hasbro action figure lightsabers, so it’s a pity they saw such limited use in transparent colors.
@Emmafofemma said:
"We voted for higher prices in the US, so this seems fair with tariff costs. It’s a good thing in the long run is what I’m hearing people say"
Speak for yourself.
I’m curious what a mech for Maul’s brother Savage Opress would look like. He wasn’t the most inventive character, certainly, but I liked him.
@PurpleDave said:
" And that’s not true. Just over two decades ago, I got sick of hearing that song, so I ran the numbers. SW came in at I think 9.5 cents per piece, while whatever passed for town at the time was at least 11 cents. It wasn’t until 2009, and 7959, that LSW prices started climbing, but it came with the introduction of molded alien heads for one-off characters. Previously, most aliens only had printed standard heads, which makes a lot of the variety of aliens impossible. And the ones who did have molded heads never had printed faces, with the exception of Chewie’s nose. This is also around the time they stopped leaning so heavily on characters like Luke and Anakin/Obi-Wan, and started giving us a huge variety of minifigs, which is more expensive to produce. Is that the only reason prices have risen? No, but it was the first reason, and it took ten years to get started."
That was over 2 decades ago. If it was true then, that's fair. I had no interest in LEGO Star Wars (or SW in general, for that matter), until 2011-2012. My first encounters with the theme were 7965 and 9497 - both overpriced for what you got, and the latter didn't even come with any specially-molded characters, just some printed pieces. 7500 was even worse in that regard, though I don't own that one. So, during my time with the theme, I've always expected minifig-scale sets to come in between 10-12 cents per piece.
Town/City I will agree tends to have worse ppp because of the absurdly gigantic special molds that always get made for that line. But I wasn't making comparisons to just City. LEGO has many other themes, and SW tends to feel just a bit pricier than some of them (or at least it did, that's hard to say anymore).
Additionally, your analysis was performed in 2004 or so (that's just over 2 decades ago). LEGO Star Wars has now been around for 26 years and your analysis was valid for just the first 5-10 (being generous). So my previous statement about LSW "always" being more expensive may not be strictly true, but it isn't far off - at the very least, due to recency bias, it won't *feel* far off. Still, as I said initially, that doesn't bother me in most instances.
@SearchlightRG said:
"I’m curious what a mech for Maul’s brother Savage Opress would look like. He wasn’t the most inventive character, certainly, but I liked him."
He certainly didn't have the most creative name. "We need a name for a bad guy." "Coming up with names is hard work. I'll just stick two words associated with bad people together and call it a day." I mean, sure, the same process gave us Cad Bane, but that one's punchy!
@BLProductions: There isn't a set 7500. What set did you mean to link to there?
@BabuBrick said:
" @BLProductions said:
" @CapnRex101 said:
" @BLProductions and @BabuBrick - This may sound like a silly question, but in what ways do you think the Star Wars theme has worsened in recent years? Is it the prices, set choices, balance of standard and 18+ sets, a combination of those or other factors? "
It seems to me that the LEGO Star Wars theme as a whole has lost focus. We used to get waves of sets - one in January/March, one in August, plus May 4th - that focused primarily on one part of SW; summer 2013 was the Battle of Geonosis, winter 2014 was Ep. III, etc. When the Disney movies started we got the September wave focused on the new film. So LEGO SW had batches of sets each year that all fit together thematically, which presented opportunities to produce updated versions of previous sets or new vehicles/buildings/scenes that would make sense within the overall lineup but not elsewhere.
That hasn't happened since 2021 (or, looking back through the sets now, realistically 2019). That was the last time it seemed that we got semi-coherent waves of sets (Jan/Mar/May/Aug that year), as many of the sets were the new shrunken minifig-scale sets, with a vague focus on the OT. In 2022 and beyond, the releases have been more scattered, both throughout the year (such that another set is seemingly always coming out - just the one!) and across the SW timeline. It all just feels a bit scattershot, like the design team doesn't really know how to carry on the product line. "
Thank you for bringing this up!
I used to love those waves that were dedicated to a certain segment of the franchise, and I was really disappointed when they stopped doing that. I always loved viewing the sets as a collection, and looking at the back of the instruction booklet to see which sets I had, and which ones I had yet to get."
These are the problems from my standpoint: minifig design (kamas, vacant pupils, clone prints, lack of printed legs and dual-molded legs, and inaccurate details), the juniorization of playsets, and color-matching. SW Lego keeps raising prices for cheaper, smaller, and more generic products. There are also too many pure display sets.
On the positive, I like the larger models with minifigs and play compatibility (UCS AT-AT, UCS Razor Crest, Sail Barge). Also, there have been a few really good playsets (Inquisitor ship, Razor Crest, Tie Bomber, Tie Interceptor, E-wing).
@StyleCounselor said:
" @BabuBrick said:
" @BLProductions said:
" @CapnRex101 said:
" @BLProductions and @BabuBrick - This may sound like a silly question, but in what ways do you think the Star Wars theme has worsened in recent years? Is it the prices, set choices, balance of standard and 18+ sets, a combination of those or other factors? "
It seems to me that the LEGO Star Wars theme as a whole has lost focus. We used to get waves of sets - one in January/March, one in August, plus May 4th - that focused primarily on one part of SW; summer 2013 was the Battle of Geonosis, winter 2014 was Ep. III, etc. When the Disney movies started we got the September wave focused on the new film. So LEGO SW had batches of sets each year that all fit together thematically, which presented opportunities to produce updated versions of previous sets or new vehicles/buildings/scenes that would make sense within the overall lineup but not elsewhere.
That hasn't happened since 2021 (or, looking back through the sets now, realistically 2019). That was the last time it seemed that we got semi-coherent waves of sets (Jan/Mar/May/Aug that year), as many of the sets were the new shrunken minifig-scale sets, with a vague focus on the OT. In 2022 and beyond, the releases have been more scattered, both throughout the year (such that another set is seemingly always coming out - just the one!) and across the SW timeline. It all just feels a bit scattershot, like the design team doesn't really know how to carry on the product line. "
Thank you for bringing this up!
I used to love those waves that were dedicated to a certain segment of the franchise, and I was really disappointed when they stopped doing that. I always loved viewing the sets as a collection, and looking at the back of the instruction booklet to see which sets I had, and which ones I had yet to get."
These are the problems from my standpoint: minifig design (kamas, vacant pupils, clone prints, lack of printed legs and dual-molded legs, and inaccurate details), the juniorization of playsets, and color-matching. SW Lego keeps raising prices for cheaper, smaller, and more generic products. There are also too many pure display sets.
On the positive, I like the larger models with minifigs and play compatibility (UCS AT-AT, UCS Razor Crest, Sail Barge). Also, there have been a few really good playsets (Inquisitor ship, Razor Crest, Tie Bomber, Tie Interceptor, E-wing)."
All great points. I would also add 75337 onto the list of sets you mentioned; that one's definitely one of the best LSW playsets of the past few years.
@Rothgar_Deng said:
" @Ridgeheart said:
"I'll level with you: I don't think this or any other mech really NEEDS a lush patch of chesthair, but I guess it's nice to have some variety."
This and the rumoured Tom Selleck mech are the only ones where I think it is an absolute necessity."
Don’t forget the Buck Rogers mech
@TheOtherMike said:
" @BLProductions: There isn't a set 7500. What set did you mean to link to there?"
Whoops, I meant 9500. Got confused between the 79xx and 94xx-95xx (2011 and 2012) SW set numbers. Thanks for catching that.
“These and the claws on the feet look great, although the legs would seem more distinctive had they taken inspiration from Maul's less humanoid robotic legs from the fourth season of The Clone Wars”
Those ones were kind of digitigrade, weren’t they? With backwardsy facing knees? Seems like that would easy enough to MOC if you flipped the leg pieces used here around so they crooked the other way, would that effect the way the set balances?
@BabuBrick said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
" @BabuBrick said:
" @BLProductions said:
" @CapnRex101 said:
" @BLProductions and @BabuBrick - This may sound like a silly question, but in what ways do you think the Star Wars theme has worsened in recent years? Is it the prices, set choices, balance of standard and 18+ sets, a combination of those or other factors? "
It seems to me that the LEGO Star Wars theme as a whole has lost focus. We used to get waves of sets - one in January/March, one in August, plus May 4th - that focused primarily on one part of SW; summer 2013 was the Battle of Geonosis, winter 2014 was Ep. III, etc. When the Disney movies started we got the September wave focused on the new film. So LEGO SW had batches of sets each year that all fit together thematically, which presented opportunities to produce updated versions of previous sets or new vehicles/buildings/scenes that would make sense within the overall lineup but not elsewhere.
That hasn't happened since 2021 (or, looking back through the sets now, realistically 2019). That was the last time it seemed that we got semi-coherent waves of sets (Jan/Mar/May/Aug that year), as many of the sets were the new shrunken minifig-scale sets, with a vague focus on the OT. In 2022 and beyond, the releases have been more scattered, both throughout the year (such that another set is seemingly always coming out - just the one!) and across the SW timeline. It all just feels a bit scattershot, like the design team doesn't really know how to carry on the product line. "
Thank you for bringing this up!
I used to love those waves that were dedicated to a certain segment of the franchise, and I was really disappointed when they stopped doing that. I always loved viewing the sets as a collection, and looking at the back of the instruction booklet to see which sets I had, and which ones I had yet to get."
These are the problems from my standpoint: minifig design (kamas, vacant pupils, clone prints, lack of printed legs and dual-molded legs, and inaccurate details), the juniorization of playsets, and color-matching. SW Lego keeps raising prices for cheaper, smaller, and more generic products. There are also too many pure display sets.
On the positive, I like the larger models with minifigs and play compatibility (UCS AT-AT, UCS Razor Crest, Sail Barge). Also, there have been a few really good playsets (Inquisitor ship, Razor Crest, Tie Bomber, Tie Interceptor, E-wing)."
All great points. I would also add 75337 onto the list of sets you mentioned; that one's definitely one of the best LSW playsets of the past few years."
True. Moreover, the misprinted helmets in that set and lack of arm printing for Cody epitomizes the failure to pay attention to detail in the current Lego SW regime.
@LotRBrickfan196 said:
"First time ever being this early to comment!
I just never know why Lego decided to remove articulation from small mechs.
Also this is a brand new print on the head different from 75383 Darth Maul figure if I'm not mistaken."
They made the mechs with less articulation for kids play. Small hands.
Little kids grab with one hand on the legs, the mech with the old joints bend, flop over.
Then trying to stand the mech up in play it bends all over falls down and not easy to stand up.
So these static large elements makes it easier to play and pose the figures for the little ones.
@BLProductions said:
" @TheOtherMike said:
" @BLProductions: There isn't a set 7500. What set did you mean to link to there?"
Whoops, I meant 9500. Got confused between the 79xx and 94xx-95xx (2011 and 2012) SW set numbers. Thanks for catching that. "
Ah. Yeah, that one wasn't cheap, but as a huge fan of KOTOR/TOR, I still had to get it.
The bulky mechanical arms make the legs stand out less, so to me it looks like only his torso is meant to be Maul's.
And I agree that this one really needs articulated wrist. I've experienced mechs with a two-bladed weapon before, and when designed like this you will barely be able to use either blade in play. Even the 'kids don't like overextended limbs' argument doesn't work much here as now this takes away from play. Might as well lock the ankles to one position too if they do the arms like this.
That picture of the spider-like body honestly had me in trembles.
@StyleCounselor said:
" @BabuBrick said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
" @BabuBrick said:
" @BLProductions said:
" @CapnRex101 said:
" @BLProductions and @BabuBrick - This may sound like a silly question, but in what ways do you think the Star Wars theme has worsened in recent years? Is it the prices, set choices, balance of standard and 18+ sets, a combination of those or other factors? "
It seems to me that the LEGO Star Wars theme as a whole has lost focus. We used to get waves of sets - one in January/March, one in August, plus May 4th - that focused primarily on one part of SW; summer 2013 was the Battle of Geonosis, winter 2014 was Ep. III, etc. When the Disney movies started we got the September wave focused on the new film. So LEGO SW had batches of sets each year that all fit together thematically, which presented opportunities to produce updated versions of previous sets or new vehicles/buildings/scenes that would make sense within the overall lineup but not elsewhere.
That hasn't happened since 2021 (or, looking back through the sets now, realistically 2019). That was the last time it seemed that we got semi-coherent waves of sets (Jan/Mar/May/Aug that year), as many of the sets were the new shrunken minifig-scale sets, with a vague focus on the OT. In 2022 and beyond, the releases have been more scattered, both throughout the year (such that another set is seemingly always coming out - just the one!) and across the SW timeline. It all just feels a bit scattershot, like the design team doesn't really know how to carry on the product line. "
Thank you for bringing this up!
I used to love those waves that were dedicated to a certain segment of the franchise, and I was really disappointed when they stopped doing that. I always loved viewing the sets as a collection, and looking at the back of the instruction booklet to see which sets I had, and which ones I had yet to get."
These are the problems from my standpoint: minifig design (kamas, vacant pupils, clone prints, lack of printed legs and dual-molded legs, and inaccurate details), the juniorization of playsets, and color-matching. SW Lego keeps raising prices for cheaper, smaller, and more generic products. There are also too many pure display sets.
On the positive, I like the larger models with minifigs and play compatibility (UCS AT-AT, UCS Razor Crest, Sail Barge). Also, there have been a few really good playsets (Inquisitor ship, Razor Crest, Tie Bomber, Tie Interceptor, E-wing)."
All great points. I would also add 75337 onto the list of sets you mentioned; that one's definitely one of the best LSW playsets of the past few years."
True. Moreover, the misprinted helmets in that set and lack of arm printing for Cody epitomizes the failure to pay attention to detail in the current Lego SW regime. "
Yeah. The fact that certain characters get the detailed treatment and others don't is frustrating. For example: what was the deciding factor that allowed Rex and Fives to have printed arms, but not Cody? It doesn't make any sense.
@Brickalili said:
"“These and the claws on the feet look great, although the legs would seem more distinctive had they taken inspiration from Maul's less humanoid robotic legs from the fourth season of The Clone Wars”
Those ones were kind of digitigrade, weren’t they? With backwardsy facing knees? Seems like that would easy enough to MOC if you flipped the leg pieces used here around so they crooked the other way, would that effect the way the set balances? "
If you leave the feet as they are, yes, it would. The standard mech design has Shaq-sized shoes, so the bent knee puts the center of the feet pretty much directly under the mech body. Flip the legs, and the knees will push the feet forward so only the heel is under the mech. Note that Grievous (now there's a character who needs a mech) has feet with extended "heels" and shorter "toes", basically offsetting the way the ankle shifts the foot forward.