Review: 75416 Chopper (C1-10P)
Posted by CapnRex101,
75379 R2-D2 and 75398 C-3PO were two of my favourite sets launched last year, establishing a shared identity for the collection of large-scale droids. Chopper seems like a suitable addition to this range next and 75416 Chopper (C1-10P) looks fantastic!
There are clear similarities between this model and 75379 R2-D2, which is no bad thing because the other Astromech was superb, although Chopper's patchwork design arguably translates even better to LEGO form. Additionally, the droid includes some neat functions, but as is often the case, the price is a concern.
Summary
75416 Chopper (C1-10P), 1,039 pieces.
£94.99 / $99.99 / €109.99 | 9.1p/9.6c/10.6c per piece.
Buy at LEGO.com »
Despite an expensive price, Chopper is a welcome addition to the LEGO droid pool
- Stunning detail throughout
- Impressive articulation
- Neat head rocking function
- Complements R2-D2 and C-3PO
- Head is slightly too small
- Mediocre Chopper minifigure
- Rather expensive
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
Minifigure
As usual, a minifigure-scale version of Chopper accompanies the bigger droid, returning from 75357 Ghost & Phantom II. Unfortunately, issues that plagued the other figure therefore return too. The decoration on the head comes nowhere near covering its whole circumference, so the original figure from 2014 fared much better in that regard. Also, the printing is very uneven.
I am pleased with the cylindrical torso though, featuring a variety of of metallic silver, sand blue and yellow details to mirror Chopper's appearance in the Ahsoka series. I do wonder whether a white leg would look good to recreate his mismatched struts seen onscreen, but both being grey is reasonably effective.
Reference
Source - starwars.fandom.com
The Completed Model
Each large-scale droid comes with a plaque and Chopper is no exception. Beginning last year, these 6x12 plates are printed and their graphic style matches the Ultimate Collector Series, as always. I appreciate that consistency between sets and there is room for the Chopper figure as well, exactly like 75379 R2-D2 and 75398 C-3PO.
C1-10P is a C-series unit, standing a little shorter than the more familiar R-series Astromech droid. The droid's squat proportions are accurately captured in LEGO form and its shaping is brilliant, owing much to how 75379 R2-D2 is constructed for the body. However, the head and legs are completely unique and the mismatched legs in particular look marvellous.
Artoo and Threepio first encountered Chopper in an early episode of Star Wars Rebels, as their respective rebel missions intersected on Garel. Naturally, Chopper's acerbic personality caused some friction between the droids, but they look wonderful together on display, nevertheless. The trio's relative sizes appear accurate, although this does highlight an issue with the prices.
The droid's conical head shape is hard to recreate at this scale. I like the use of angled panels and 2x2 curved wedge slopes and Chopper's three photoreceptors are splendid. However, the head should actually have a slightly bigger radius than the body and its proportions appear odd without this feature, although I am unsure whether that could be represented at this scale.
While many Astromech droids communicate only with sounds, Chopper often uses his various manipulator arms to gesture, including two stored inside his head. These arms are attached to small ball joints, which are sadly exposed on each side. There is probably not space for folding covers, but extra pieces to hide the ball joints would have been useful.
Once the arms are attached, however, they look superb. The claws themselves are static, but the other joints are fully articulated and provide a good range of motion. Similarly, the antenna on top of the head is adjustable to match its design in Star Wars Rebels and the Ahsoka series.
The instruction manual and official images all show the antenna extended, which surprises me because Chopper mostly keeps it retracted. Thankfully, you can easily return the antenna to its stowed position simply by removing the dark bluish grey claw piece and connector with bar.
Chopper is far from factory fresh, having participated in the Clone Wars and crash landed on Ryloth, among myriad other escapades. The droid's head accordingly tends to rock back and forth in moments of particular stress or excitement and toggling a switch on the back performs the same motion here!
The head also turns as normal, so between its movement and the manipulator arms, you can really imbue the model with a great deal of personality. From that perspective, this is probably the best droid LEGO has produced to date!
The mechanism for that rocking function occupies much of the space inside, incorporating two rubber Technic beams as shock absorbers. Otherwise, construction of the body is quite similar to Artoo, albeit with more colourful pieces on this occasion. This could be a reference to Sabine often repainting Chopper in Star Wars Rebels and not only for ease of construction, based on comments from the designer, Jme Wheeler, on StarWars.com.
Twelve stickers are included in total and half decorate the front of the body. The yellow shield-like shape and metal patch are instantly recognisable and the many small vents look fantastic too. Furthermore, the exposed cables where a panel has gone missing are a highlight, making clever use of black sausages.
Another articulated arm is found on the body too. This one unfolds exactly as shown in Chop's television appearances and is again fully articulated, thanks to hinges and rotating joints. Even the parts behind the arm look reasonable, with a dark tan plate where dirt may be trapped.
The back of the model is simpler, but still includes an accurate orange stripe and square heat exhaust. Even the switch for the head movement looks fine to me, as this is not something on Chopper onscreen, but seems completely at home among the other mechanical details.
C1-10P started life with two matching struts, but one was subsequently replaced with the grey leg from a similar droid. This mismatched pair look excellent in LEGO form, as the mechanical texture differs between them and includes ample detail on either side. Moreover, I like the hose attached to Chopper's right leg, though it should link to the front of the footpad, rather than the back.
The cables on the back are impressive too, linked to the adjoining fuel tanks. The shape of the feet was an issue with 75379 R2-D2, though not on this occasion, as their angular design near-perfectly corresponds with the source material. The stickers are disappointing, but do add extra detail along both sides.
Like other Astromech droids, C-series units are outfitted with a third leg for quicker travel over smooth surfaces. This model therefore comes with an additional leg, which simply attaches to the underside of the body using a Technic axle. Realistically, there is not enough space for this inside the model, so its inability to retract does not concern me.
More important is whether Chopper looks good with his wheel deployed and I am happy to say he does! The primary legs cannot rotate forwards, but they do move back to position the model with its wheel running across the ground, as demonstrated below.
The actual wheel assembly is pretty basic, consisting of a few Technic parts. Even so, it looks excellent and I like the Technic panel forming a curved shroud. However, I would have liked to see Chopper's rocket booster supplied as an alternative, potentially attached in the same place as the wheel.
Overall
LEGO Star Wars is fast developing an impressive selection of droids and 75416 Chopper (C1-10P) continues the series brilliantly. The proportions of the head are not perfect, but this figure otherwise looks tremendous from all angles and complements 75379 R2-D2 and 75398 C-3PO extremely well, as expected given their consistent scale.
Unfortunately, that comparison emphasises a problem with the set; its price. £94.99, $99.99 or €109.99 feels too expensive for a model of this size, particularly since the bigger 75379 R2-D2 was cheaper and provided an extra minifigure. On the other hand, Chopper has more functions and is definitely worth considering, but requires a discount first, in my opinion.
This set will be released on the 1st of May and is available for pre-order on LEGO.com now.
119 likes
28 comments on this article
A small price to pay for the most lethal droid in the galaxy.
Thanks for the review, I'll likely display it without the arms attached
Yeah, I'll get this, not for 109 euros of course, but it will look nice next to R2 and Wall-e.
Looks cool! The eyes are a little small for my liking, but it doesn't ruin the set for me. The old Chopper minifigure was leagues ahead of this one, imo, even though this new one has back printing. Luckily I have the old one.
Nevertheless, as a huge fan of the first 2 seasons of Star Wars: Rebels, I could definitely see myself getting this one down the road. Already have R2-D2, BB-8, D-O, the Probe Droid, and the Droideka, and this one will be a fine addition to my collection!
If they're doing named, characterful, mass-murdering astromechs, surely Bee Tee must be next...
@cribbs542 said:
"A small price to pay for the most lethal droid in the galaxy.
Thanks for the review, I'll likely display it without the arms attached"
Now I want an HK-47 droid set. I'll add it to the list with the Ebon Hawk we will never get.
Now that my disappointment that this is not Tony Tony Chopper but a fake has ebbed away a bit, i do for the most part like what I see. Don't think it was in any part of the franchise I've seen, but then again, neither were most of the other droids I got, apart from R2. Just have to wait for a massive disount, because that price is a bad joke.
I love Chopper. Don’t really want this though. A bit too large. I know people weren’t too fond of that Astromech dress up set, but I’d love a line of individually released droids in that scale.
@WizardOfOss said:
"Now that my disappointment that this is not Tony Tony Chopper but a fake has ebbed away a bit, i do for the most part like what I see. Don't think it was in any part of the franchise I've seen, but then again, neither were most of the other droids I got, apart from R2. Just have to wait for a massive disount, because that price is a bad joke."
My guess is that Chopper’s relatively low recognition combined with the high price of this set will limit sales leading to significant discounts. Of course, that could be me projecting my ignorance of SW characters, so I could be wrong, but I doubt it.
I have already preordered it. And don’t regret even after reading your review. But I might change a few things once built. The two 1x1 lbg round plates with hole don’t work as receptors for me. They lack the black inside them. I wonder what I can do to replace them and get them more… lively, somehow just as the third one is. And I think I will find a way to clamp that hose in the front of the right foot, just as you mentioned it should be. Thank you once more for the review and close pictures.
Great review! Somehow the brick built droids never appealed to me, but this one just has so much character. The head bobble function looks fun.
Not having the claws articulate seems lazy. There are dozens of simple ways to execute that in Lego bricks.
@cribbs542 said:
"A small price to pay for the most lethal droid in the galaxy.
Thanks for the review, I'll likely display it without the arms attached"
Not just the most lethal droid, he's the most lethal character in the entirety of Star Wars.
I recently took part in a poll from a popular Star Wars YouTuber, and the question was, who was more evil: Darth Vader or Chopper. Over 85% voted for chopper.
With this lineup, I guess it's only a matter of time before the fabled UCS GONK droid becomes reality!
I tried to create a MOC of Chopper and got stuck on the head. I'm both glad to see they had the same problem and disappointed that their solution isn't great either. Still happy with the new line of droids overall though.
When I read the title and saw the pictures I thought "that's one strange looking helicopter".
Don't know this character. Why is he considered so lethal? Or is it a joke?
Or is he like the rabbit of Caerbannog?
@AustinPowers said:
"When I read the title and saw the pictures I thought "that's one strange looking helicopter".
Don't know this character. Why is he considered so lethal? Or is it a joke?
Or is he like the rabbit of Caerbannog? "
Chopper has a ridiculously high kill count in Star Wars Rebels, variously blowing up an Inderdictor-class Star Destroyer, opening airlocks to send Stormtroopers into space and destroying a number of TIE Fighters. He also suggests killing a baby at one point in season two.
His policy comes down to 'why capture or incapacitate an enemy, or indeed an innocent bystander, when I can kill them?'
I still haven't gotten 75379, and I'm fast running out of display space, so I probably won't get this. If, on the other hand, I had plenty of space, how could I resist adding the galaxy's second-best robotic psychopath (I'm still loyal to HK-47) to my collection?
Speaking of HK-47, @Brick_Belt said:
" @cribbs542 said:
"A small price to pay for the most lethal droid in the galaxy.
Thanks for the review, I'll likely display it without the arms attached"
Now I want an HK-47 droid set. I'll add it to the list with the Ebon Hawk we will never get."
Sudden new headcanon: Many of Chopper's various warbles translate to "meatbag."
@Blockwork_Orange said:"With this lineup, I guess it's only a matter of time before the fabled UCS GONK droid becomes reality!"
Hopefully it'll be Gonky from Bad Batch.
@CapnRex101 said"His policy comes down to 'why capture or incapacitate an enemy, or indeed an innocent bystander, when I can kill them?'" That's both a darker- and lighter-hearted comment than I expect to see from you, Capn.
@CapnRex101: thanks for the heads up. Haven't seen Rebels.
@CapnRex101 said:
" @AustinPowers said:
"When I read the title and saw the pictures I thought "that's one strange looking helicopter".
Don't know this character. Why is he considered so lethal? Or is it a joke?
Or is he like the rabbit of Caerbannog? "
Chopper has a ridiculously high kill count in Star Wars Rebels, variously blowing up an Inderdictor-class Star Destroyer, opening airlocks to send Stormtroopers into space and destroying a number of TIE Fighters. He also suggests killing a baby at one point in season two.
His policy comes down to 'why capture or incapacitate an enemy, or indeed an innocent bystander, when I can kill them?'"
"Acerbic personality" read as 'unrelenting bloodlust.'
"Myriad other escapades," becomes 'murder spree.'
Nice review, good set, interesting take on the value issue. Definitely gives me something to think about (whilst fleeing from the Dreadflipper droid).
I don’t have the latest Artoo, I have the larger UCS style one released prior to the newest one. How does Chopper compare size-wise with the Artoo I have. I have Artoo and BB8 on display next to each other and like Chopper but is is going to look ridiculous with the other two I have?
@AustinPowers said:
" @CapnRex101 : thanks for the heads up. Haven't seen Rebels. "
Neither had I, and considered myself a Star Wars fan; I'd tried Rebels, but found the opening a little childish. Then I met a rare fellow fan I.R.L. and they strongly suggested I watch it.
That b$¥&¢% show made me cry more than once.
Highly recommended.
@StyleCounselor said:
"Nice review, good set, interesting take on the value issue. Definitely gives me something to think about (whilst fleeing from the Dreadflipper droid)."
Ah, just set Chopper on it. No Dreadflipper minion would stand a chance!
I wanted to pick this up, but I don't know. I don't have Threepio or Artoo at that scale. I have the older larger R2 unit and BB-8 and D-O. So I feel this might be too small in relation to them.
@TheOtherMike said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
"Nice review, good set, interesting take on the value issue. Definitely gives me something to think about (whilst fleeing from the Dreadflipper droid)."
Ah, just set Chopper on it. No Dreadflipper minion would stand a chance!"
Ran, ran, ran, won, won won, urrgh!!! (mechanical arms frantically waving)
@bananaworld said:
" @AustinPowers said:
" @CapnRex101 : thanks for the heads up. Haven't seen Rebels. "
Neither had I, and considered myself a Star Wars fan; I'd tried Rebels, but found the opening a little childish. Then I met a rare fellow fan I.R.L. and they strongly suggested I watch it.
That b$¥&¢% show made me cry more than once.
Highly recommended.
"
Thanks, I might give it a try. After all, I have kind of enjoyed Andor, Ahsoka and Skeleton Crew recently, so why not that one as well.
@mr_skinny said:
"I don’t have the latest Artoo, I have the larger UCS style one released prior to the newest one. How does Chopper compare size-wise with the Artoo I have. I have Artoo and BB8 on display next to each other and like Chopper but is is going to look ridiculous with the other two I have?"
This is designed to be in scale to the smaller R2 so will look tiny next to the UCS R2
@AustinPowers said:
" @bananaworld said:
" @AustinPowers said:
" @CapnRex101 : thanks for the heads up. Haven't seen Rebels. "
Neither had I, and considered myself a Star Wars fan; I'd tried Rebels, but found the opening a little childish. Then I met a rare fellow fan I.R.L. and they strongly suggested I watch it.
That b$¥&¢% show made me cry more than once.
Highly recommended.
"
Thanks, I might give it a try. After all, I have kind of enjoyed Andor, Ahsoka and Skeleton Crew recently, so why not that one as well. "
Ahsoka is the sequel to Rebels actually.
Well, at least it's not an F1 car, I guess