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It’s been a long time since the LEGO Star Wars line last saw a sculptural set. It was 2002 when 7194 Yoda was new on store shelves. Yoda, along with 10018 Darth Maul, must’ve not been hits since nothing followed, unless you count 10186 General Grievous. I don’t, since it’s a fundamentally different type of set, more closely related to the Star Wars Technic figures. So, if it’s been so many years since Yoda, was the [non-existent] wait for 10225 R2-D2 worth the it?

Up until rumors of an Ultimate Collector Series R2-D2, I figured there wouldn’t be any more sculptural sets. Depending on your point of view, there isn’t much in Star Wars that lends itself to a LEGO sculpture product, or there is. Technically, if you can think of it, you can sculpt it as many successfully have. Helmets, weapons, people, droids, planets, you get the picture. Whether or not it can be sold to and purchased by the masses is a whole different bantha. I can see a LEGO-sculpted Darth Vader or Boba Fett helmet being a minor hit, but beyond that, what are people willing to buy? What makes R2-D2 interesting and potentially worth owning is: he does stuff.

He isn’t like Yoda whose only two functions are a spinning head and articulated eyes that can be put into creepy positions. R2 has the potential to be a dynamic and interactive sculpture. On-screen he’s shown packed to the brim with gadgets. It’s expected, if not demanded for a LEGO R2 to do the same, to the extent allowable in brick form. People want to play with R2, they want to recreate his on-screen activities. LEGO tried to capture that, but they only went so far.

If you’ve watched the LEGO designer video on YouTube or the LEGO website, then you’ve seen everything this set can do. There are no surprises.

His dome spins and it’s spins quite well. That’s all his dome does. There are no other functions here and that’s disappointing. I would’ve liked to see either his periscope eye or lightsaber launcher. The way his interior is designed with the third leg function makes adding these features difficult, but not impossible. I look forward to seeing modifications of this set from MOCers with more talent than myself. This set begs to be modified, given what’s not here.

Below the dome, there are four opening flaps. Two hide tools, a computer interface arm and a saw blade, and the other two are non-specific. These two, under the dark blue flaps, are supposed to be a “fine manipulator arm” and a “spacecraft linkage and control arm,” according the internet sources. There are no other functions. It’s hard to say whether or not LEGO R2’s designers could have packed a couple more functions in here. I want to say yes, but at what cost?

The interface arm and saw blade are controlled from the back. After you open the front flaps, you twist the Technic axle connectors. It works effectively and the tools hold firmly in place.

The last function is the drop-down third leg. My experience with this third leg has been mixed at best. You lower the lever on R2’s back and pull the leg down. It doesn’t freely drop. I don’t know if this is just an issue with my R2, maybe too much tension in the mechanism, or what. I’ve played around with the gears, but without much success. This possible issue is listed as a “con” at the end of the review, however I’d like to hear about others’ experiences with this mechanism and learn if my incompetence is getting in the way of a smooth-functioning third leg. Yeah, I know exactly where your mind just went.

Maneuvering R2 into his three-wheeled position can be a pain. You must lift his body so his main feet drop about a centimeter, and then pull the legs back. Nearly every time I do this, his “fuel cells,” the white boxes attached to each foot, get caught on the body and do not go back correctly. I don’t think there would be much of an issue if the legs attached to the body with some tension or grip. Their connection point higher up on the body is loose. The legs dangle when you lift up R2 (note: there is no stability issue when R2 is resting on any level surface). It’s not overly frustrating, but once you pick a position for display, you’re going to want to keep it there for a while.

Outside of these few functions, R2’s packed with considerable detail. Most of it looks fantastic with a capital T, despite the blockiness. Other details, not so much. The accuracy of the details may not be everything fans hoped for, but most of the defining features are present. Not all of it is scaled correctly, but it’s close enough to look “right.”

Those details from the “not so much” category include the blue paneling on the dome. The designers opted for four blue panels rather than six. It’s another one of those cases I can only speculate as to the reason for this choice, along with the inclusion of regular blue pieces interspersed in the dark blue. I guess since we weren’t there during the design process, we’re stuck not knowing.

Another detail, one I consider a major aesthetic issue of the set, is the oddity of the main cylinder’s design. Overall, the shape is ok, but if you look at it from head on, you’ll notice it’s too narrow. From two plates beneath the dome to the bottom of the central cylinder one stud of width on either side is missing. My assumption is the designers did this to keep the gap between the legs and the cylinder at a minimum, as they are on the character prop.

Also missing from the set are wheels, or treads. Initially, this irritated me. What good is an R2-D2 who can’t roll around? He’s not. But, this isn’t really R2-D2. It’s a sculpture, a display piece. What good is a display pieces that is liable to roll away? It’s not. At this point, I’m not as irritated as I was before I built this set. I’d take wheels over the boat skids, but I understand why there not included. For those who must have wheels, however, the feet are designed in such a way a crafty builder could add wheels without difficulty. Now, if you’re considering adding Power Functions, then you’ll have a real challenge on your hands (and a challenge I’d like to see someone take up. Go, go, go!).

In fact, I’d say most minor modifications people choose to make can be made without much difficulty. The interior structure and third leg mechanism do present a problem, but depending on what you choose to add, a periscope sensor, a grip arm, wheels, booster jets (sigh), or more blue paneling, they’re all relatively feasible.

Here’s the obligatory UCS plaque. It’s simply constructed, but very effective. And an R2-D2 minifigure. It’s not necessary, but it’s there and I expect all future Star Wars UCS sculptures to include a minifigure. Because, hey, why not?

One last note before the wrap up: two sets I recently reviewed (The Avenger’s Quinjet and the Mines of Moria) included the new brick separator, yet this set did not. I noticed in the two previous sets, the brick separator was included in the parts inventory at the back of the instruction manuals. In 10225, the brick separator is not in the inventory, but it pictured in the instructions as part of “bag 1.” It may have been mistakenly left out, but it’s not clear. If your R2-D2 doesn’t come with an brick separator (it’s inclusion makes total sense in this set), I suggest contacting LEGO Customer Service and requesting one.

Pros:
+Simple, organized build. The box says 16+, but younger kids shouldn’t have a problem putting this set together.
+Packed with recognizable astromech details.
+The tools that are here work well and, again, are recognizable to even the casual fan.
+Excellent display piece. Clear out some shelf space in a prominent location and place R2 front and center.
+At $180 (and 8 cents per part) is a great value for a licensed set.
+Beep boop deet doot.

Cons:
-Dropping the third leg may give some people trouble.
-Transforming from two to three legs can also be a challenge.
-A few major details are left out, such as treads and a periscope.
-Curious color choices (regular blue) scattered amongst the dark blue.

Verdict:
Even with it’s exclusions, 10225 R2-D2 is a strong entry into the UCS sculpture line, and the UCS in general. If you’ve got the space to display this little guy, go for it. It’s nice to have a LEGO Star Wars set that isn’t a starship every once in a while, even if that a while is 10 years. It was worth the wait, if you were waiting.

Buy 10225 R2-D2 at LEGO Shop:

Heads up all you comic fans: we’re now past the halfway point in our latest contest. In case you missed the announcement you can see the full rules right here, then once you’re ready to enter just stop by this thread to submit your model. The deadline is 11:59pm June 2nd (PST) – that’s two weeks away. We’ve already seen some really creative entries but there’s still plenty of time to join in and show us what you can come up with.

In the film, The Fellowship of the Ring, the Moria is portrayed as big place. When the LEGO The Lord of the Rings set names were revealed, “The Mines of Moria” could have meant anything. For a single set there’s so much to choose from. An entire wave of sets could conceivably be based on the place. Naturally, I was intrigued and decided that even if I didn’t collect the entire line, 9473 The Mines of Moria was a set I was going to pick up. Now that time has come to pass and for a set that could have been so much, it’s hard to believe it’s so little.

You wouldn’t know from the size of the size of the box or 776 piece count that 9473 is “little.” 776 seems like a decent amount of pieces for an MSRP of $79.99, right? Well, in any other set, they would be. Here, not quite.

The bulk of the set is made up of two structures. A wall and a doorway. These structures qualify as 1/3 of a room. Barely. I’ll hand it to LEGO, though. What is here is nice and detailed, possibly more detailed than it needs to be. I’d give up some of that detail, brought to you pieces ranging from the popular 1×1 “cheese” slope, to the new 1×2 “brick” brick, for another wall. Or not, I’m conflicted.

Each structure includes a few play features and plenty of interactivity. For the doorway, other than the obvious opening door, the wall next to the door is destructible. I don’t recall if this is movie accurate or not, but the room in the film did get it pretty hard once that cranky cave troll showed up. Anyone wanting to simulate that destruction is going to have a groovy time with this set.

I want to go back to the “detail” of this set for a moment. Each portion contains a good amount of detail, but why go to all that trouble only to cover everything in an insane amount of stickers? There are 34 stickers. I consider none of them critical, except, maybe, the text. But that’s a strong maybe, since that text is unreadable by the vast majority of people who may pick up this set and don’t want to put in the time to do an internet search.

Another concern I have with the amount of small pieces are the literal handful that don’t contribute anything meaningful. Some a scattered on plates as rubble, or on walls as stonework, and that’s fine, but what isn’t fine are the pieces hidden in the walls or deep in some recess. I’ve complained about part padding in the past, the inclusion of pieces that are superfluous, that don’t add to the aesthetics or practical structure of the set, and are easily replaced by a fewer number of alternative pieces. There are several cases of part padding here and I’m wondering why.

There are a few cases where it’s excusable, since a part’s inclusion was efficient from a packaging logistics standpoint, but if you look at the design of the structures, you’ll notice the alternating brick/plate layering. Most of it seemed a poor use of pieces, particularly of plates. During the building process, I felt large portions of the base structure in both the wall and the doorway could have been built with fewer pieces, while maintaining the overall look.

I do appreciate LEGO’s effort to recreate the specific scene in Fellowship, when our heroes get cornered in a room, which I believe is the Chamber of Mazarbul, a more fitting name for the set. The room doesn’t have much to do with mining, but serves as an archive and a tomb. You can tell by the handy stickers with book spines printed on them, and the two books, one of which, yes, has stickers on it.

The stickered book, judging by the design, is supposed to be the Book of Mazarbul. It’s another great detail of the set.

There’s a sliding treasure chest for some reason. I don’t recall it from the film, but it’s another play feature and gives this section of wall something to do, since it feels inadequate stuck between two platforms with cooler play features.

That’s right, more destruction. Tap the Technic liftarm and create your own alternate version of the scene where Pippin gets turned into Hobbit jelly. This play feature, like the destructible doorway, works well. If anything, the pillars lack dramatic collapse. They just sort of fall over.

What doesn’t work is Balin’s Tomb. Aesthetically, the tomb is top notch. It’s the best place for a dead minifigure LEGO has ever produced, with various examples from Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, Adventurers, and Monster Fighters coming to mind. However, Balin, or who I’m assuming is supposed to be Balin, is depicted as a full-sized minifigure, not a dwarf.

And that’s fine, since I can’t think of a practical fix for stubby skeleton legs. The real issue with the tomb is its play feature. According to the instructions, it’s supposed to pop open when a tile is pressed when Balin’s inside. That didn’t happen. It’s very anti-climactic. I had to simulate the experience in the review images. Luckily, it’s made of LEGO and fixable in 3.5 seconds. Still, it could’ve worked out of the box. Also, as an aside, it should be interesting to see if LEGO produces a “living” Balin minifigure for The Hobbit sets. How many minifigures have dead versions of themselves? That’s some pretty epic stuff.

Rounding out the structures is the well that served as the trigger for the scene’s conflict. The well contains an appropriate play feature allowing builders to recreate the tense moment. It won’t be tense here, since the skeleton only drops 3 centimeters, but at least the simple mechanism works.

In the film, there are a lot of characters present in the chamber, so it makes perfect sense that LEGO would have to give most of them the axe to reduce costs. I haven’t watched the film in a while, but if I’m recalling it correctly, LEGO’s choices are suitable. Each of these characters, Pippin, Gimli, Legolas, and Borormir, did something vaguely memorable in the scene, while the Moria orcs provided plenty of soft, fleshy material to hack away at. The new olive green color is used well to depict the skin-tone of these guys. Like other minifigures with unusual skin color, their hands get left out. Were they wearing gloves in the film? I’d rather have the olive green hands over the included grey if only because I don’t have any and I’ll take any chance I can to get more of this great new color. If the Gamorrean guards from 9516 Jabba’s Palace can have properly colored hands, so can the orcs.

Like most of the minifigures of late, the Moria orcs have double-side head printing. The differences are very subtle to the point of pointlessness. Their armor printing is sweet, though. Shame they’re stuck with generic legs.

I both like and dislike Boromir. He has excellent torso and leg printing, his hair color works, but his face, ugh. It’s the worst of the set and perhaps a contender for worst of the entire theme in terms of character resemblance. Independently, say as a random background character, the facial pattern is fine, but as Boromir, it’s unrecognizable. It’s possible the likeness had to be altered for licensing reasons, but, man, I really wanted a Sean Bean minifigure. One does not simply make a Sean Bean minifigure. Sorry, I couldn’t resist.

What do you call Legolas without his quiver? Quiverlas. Ok, that was a bad joke I just made up, but it’s true and completely illogical. Legolas is practically married to his quiver. It’s like if Hawkeye from The Avengers sets… Wait. What’s the deal? Where have all the quivers gone? How’s an archer supposed to be an archer without a quiver? At least Hawkeye has something resembling a quiver printed on his back. That would’ve been acceptable in Legolas’s case, since he has illustrious, golden hair flowing down his back. Other than this unfortunate omission, the only other issue I have with Legolas is his masculinity. He has a bit too much. The cheek lines on his face need to be toned down or removed.

Gimli is the only minifigure not exclusive to this set (currently). Of course, the only other set he appears in is $130. His features are difficult to judge since he’s sporting a massive beard and helmet. I find it funny that he has two facial expressions, neither of which you can see anyway. It’s not useful here, but once you remove Gimli’s head from the context of this set or any of the LotR sets, its usefulness increases.

I can see Pippin being useful outside of the LotR sets as well. His torso printing is my favorite of the set. I imagine its usefulness can and will extend beyond the theme into anything. It’s one of the few really versatile prints. As is his face. While it doesn’t capture the actor nearly as well as the Frodo minifigure, the expressions here work well and remind us of the trouble the character always seems to find himself in.

The cave troll is one big fella. In fact, he’s so big, he has a hard time standing. This figure isn’t as well balanced as past jumbo figures. His arms and hands (and head) stick out just far enough to create an imbalance, so you have to frequently tweak them to find a sweet spot. And don’t expect him to hold his club in very many positions. I’ve only found one that works and as you can tell by the images, that position is “back.”

Pros:
+This set is detailed, more than your average LEGO set.
+Plenty of play features. Each section does something, some better than others.
+Good minifigure selection. Everyone included makes sense in the context of the overall scene.
+Minifigures and cave troll look great despite a few minor flaws.
+A variety of weapons. It’s like an $80 battle pack.

Cons:
-Could there be any more stickers?
-Deceptively small set, especially for $80.
-Feels incomplete, like part of a playset, rather than a complete kit.
-Cave troll can only stand in a few poses without the risk of toppling.

Verdict:
9473 The Mines of Moria captures the particular scene from the Fellowship well, but beyond that, it’s usefulness is limited. It’s a tiny slice of the mines and one that fails to evoke the grandeur of the film’s setpiece. It does contain a portion of the Fellowship you can’t get elsewhere, but time will likely fix that. As much as I don’t want to say it, this is a set you buy for the minifigures with the intention of completing the Fellowship. If that’s your goal, I suggest either waiting for these minifigures to show up in other sets or obtaining them through other means. 9473 is a set for the most ardent fans of LEGO and LotR, completionists who have the money and the space.

Buy 9473 The Mines of Moria at LEGO Shop:

“Orion Pax” doesn’t really know how to slow down and the steady flow of iconic pop culture vehicles and playsets he creates are always a delight. Turning his sights on Star Wars again, he’s accurately created part of what is easily my favourite act from Return of the Jedi by building this phenomenal version of Jabba’s desert skiff. He apparently got the pieces he needed to complete this from the new official 9496 Desert Skiff & 9516 Jabba’s Palace sets. In truth, I completely missed this last week when he posted it and only now saw it when he posted a picture of Jabba’s entourage. With any luck, he’ll decide to build a full dio of Jabba’s throne room complete with a pit dwelling Rancor. What? I can dream.

The wait is over and you can now get all seven Lord of the Rings sets from LEGO Shop@Home. In celebration of this highly anticipated line’s release LEGO will also be giving away this FREE LEGO movie poster of Frodo with ‘the one ring’ on any Lord of the Rings order. The poster offer is valid through May 31st (or while supplies last) in the US & Canada only. That means you can get a FREE Hulk minifigure and a Frodo poster tomorrow with every $50 of LOTR sets. I had planned on exclusively picking up the last sets I needed from the Marvel line tomorrow, but I will now have to reconsider my purchases.

• 9469 Gandalf Arrives
• 9470 Shelob Attacks
• 9471 Uruk-hai Army
• 9476 The Orc Forge
• 9472 Attack on Weathertop
• 9473 The Mines of Moria
• 9474 The Battle of Helm’s Deep

No mark-ups, no searching and great freebies on top of it all. The only downside is you’ll have to spring for shipping, but if you wanted a Hulk you were up for that anyway.

Now that the dust has settled from the May the 4th and Revenge of the 5th promos from earlier this month, LEGO Shop@Home serves up another tantalizing treat in the form of the Hulk minifigure pictured above. This is a special Hulk figure that is not found in any sets. All you have to do is spend $50 and the minfigure will be automagically added to your cart for free, no code required. Offer is valid starting tomorrow from May 16th through the 31st or while supplies last. You can start shopping now, but remember, the promo starts tomorrow!

Here we are in 2012 and we’re finally getting The Lord of the Ring LEGO sets. Can you imagine if these had been timely? We’d have yellow-headed Gandalfs, Aragorns, and Frodos. But they weren’t and we don’t and thanks to the upcoming The Hobbit film (Part 1, no less), LEGO fans and LotR fans can rejoice. We finally have our favorite characters immortalized in high-quality ABS plastic. So, what a better place to begin our not-so-new journey back into Middle Earth than with 9469 Gandalf Arrives, based on one of the earliest scenes from The Fellowship of the Ring, in which Gandalf arrives.

There really isn’t a reason to take pictures of the front and back of the box. I do it for completeness sake. I usually have nothing of substance to say about the box, but in this case, I wanted to share that it was a pain to photograph. This box is glossy.

It’s not much for the MSRP of $12.99. I’m still, and probably will remain, miffed at LEGO’s price hike on the small “base” sets. I have yet to buy a $13 set that I can say gave me my money’s worth. This set is no different. Sort of. There is one significant difference between this set and most—if not all—other $13 sets. No conflict. This is a cart, a horse, and two hero characters. While some people might appreciate its authenticity of the moment, I can’t see too many kids being engaged.

This isn’t a set very many people are going to buy multiples of. Accessory-wise, there’s very, very little. I suppose if you want to stock up on horses, carts, and beards it might be up your alley, but other than that, it’s a one-shot deal.

LEGO has produced a lot of carts over the years. This one manages to be different enough to warrant consideration, yet similar enough that you could easily adapt the cart for other themes, such as Castle/Kingdoms. Overall, it’s a great LEGO cart, maybe not the greatest, but with its detailing and solid frame construction, I’d place it on the “Top Five” list of LEGO carts. Just don’t ask me what the other four are.

A cart is nothing without its horse and this is one spiffy horse. LEGO did an excellent job updating the horse without over-doing it. It matches the other newer animals perfectly. What makes this horse special, however, is its ability to rear up on its hind legs, as you already know. The legs “click” and hold in place. When the horse is back, it’s very well balanced and will stay upright on flat surfaces.

Gandalf the Grey is a magnificent minifigure. It’s a good thing he’s available in the smallest set, because it would be a shame to miss out on him. I’ve seen some debate over the minifigure’s accuracy, that he should feature a bluish hat rather than the dark grey he comes with. Based on watching the film, grey looks suitable and it works for me, but you can decide if it’s true to the character. I can’t wait to see this beard in use on future minifigures. Much like the horse, it’s a wonderful update of a classic piece (that is, if it is an update).

Frodo Baggins’ charm is in his simplicity. It’s amazing that in such few printed lines, LEGO captured Elijah Wood, particularly in the “concerned” expression. There is one glaring omission with the minifigure, however. No hobbit feet. It may not be worth complaining about, but it is a defining aspect of the Shirefolk. I’m sure LEGO could have gotten away with printing a few hairy toes on the stubby legs.

Pros:
+Gandalf. This minifigure nearly makes the set worth it and it’s currently the only way to get the integral character.
+New horse. It’s a worthy upgrade.
+Versatile cart.
+Captures the brief scene exceptionally well.

Cons:
-At $13, it’s a high priced entry level set.
-It’s very basic.

Verdict:
It’s a charming, peaceful set that may turn off some kids who are interested in an action or conflict-oriented experience. It’s as superb rendition of Gandalf’s initial appearance from the beginning of The Fellowship of the Ring and each element on its own is great: the cart, the horse, and the minifigures. But, at $13 it’s a sparse set and difficult to justify paying full price for. Hold off and get it on sale or during a buy one get one, but do get it.

If you live in the Pacific Northwest, then lucky you, the new LEGO The Lord of the Rings sets are hitting shelves. The good, or neutral, news is they’re priced at MSRP. The bad news is there isn’t a “10% off” coupon this week. As the sets are just beginning to trickle out, your store-to-store experience may vary. The store I visited and snapped the pic above only had three sets: 9469 Gandalf Arrives, 9470 Shelob Attacks, and 9473 The Mines of Moria. Expect reviews for Gandalf Arrives and The Mines of Moria very soon.

It wasn’t until Calin’s (_Tiler) flickr stream was linked to in chat the other day that I finally became aware of his work. The above is his latest Batmobile, the Batrod. And yes, it fits the Batman minifig. He’s got a whole host of other incredible works, including microscale and minifig scale Tumblers. Check out his LEGO Batmobile flickr set for more.

It’s nice to see the LEGO Architecture line doing a bit of a world tour with its most recent run of sets and the latest touches down in Seoul, South Korea with the Sungnyemun (Namdaemun). It’s interesting to see how the pagoda-style gateway was achieved at such a small scale and I have to give credit for the use of studs and other bits to at least attempt to capture the exotic textures of such a beautifully elaborate style.

BILLUND, Denmark – LEGO® Architecture, which uses the LEGO brick to interpret the designs of iconic architecture around the world, has added its first Asian landmark – the Gate of Exalted Ceremonies in Seoul, better known as the Sungnyemun.

Sungnyemun has stood in the heart of South Korean capital since 1398 as one of the most complete examples of Joseon Dynasty architecture. It is listed as the country’s foremost National Treasure.

“Sungnyemun survives as a symbolic marker of a lost place in time,” says the architect and designer of many of the LEGO models Adam Reed Tucker. In capturing the essence of Sungnyemun in LEGO bricks Adam looked at the aesthetics rather than engineering, especially the use of colours, patterns and materials that define the ‘spiritual DNA’ of a culture.

Construction of Sungnyemun started in 1396 and was completed two years later. Further alterations and renovations continued over the next 600 years. In 2008 the wooden structure was completely destroyed by fire and it is expected that the restoration – using traditional hand tools – will be complete at the end of 2012.

The LEGO 21016 Sungnyemun will be launched officially at the Danish Pavilion during the EXPO 2012 exhibition held in Yeosu, South Korea. It will be available for purchase from June 1 in LEGO brand retail stores, LEGOLAND Stores and online at http://shop.lego.com/. The product is designed for ages 12+ and includes a booklet with facts and history about Sungnyemun. Recommended retail price is $34.99 in the US and €34.99 in most European countries.

Every once and a while, there comes a LEGO set I can’t put down. There is something about it that feels right, whether in the way it looks or its substance. I get this feeling that reminds me of that day in May way back in 1999 when I opened my first LEGO Star Wars set, the X-wing. As I built it, I knew it was something special, and once it was complete, I thought I’d never take it apart. It deserved to stay together because those pieces came together into something that worked. 6869 Quinjet Aerial Battle is a set that awakens those feelings of nostalgia and memories of a simpler, less cynical time. It’s a set that captures something that’s been missing from so many sets in recent years.

For starters, 6869 Quinjet Aerial Battle feels like a much better value right out of the box compared to similarly priced sets of $69.99 (£69.99; CA $89.99; 79,99€). A few examples include 3368 Space Center (494 pieces), 6860 The Batcave (690 pieces), and 7961 Darth Maul’s Sith Infiltrator (479 pieces). Frankly, each of those three sets feel like rip-offs at $70. It’s gotten to the point I expected to see a half-empty box when I opened it and peered inside. I expected to see air. Instead, what I saw was reasonable. The size of the box made sense. A good first impression.

The good impressions didn’t stop there. Dumping out the contents revealed the plastic and cardboard wrapped instructions and stickers. Thank you, LEGO. I know protected instructions/stickers have appeared in several sets for a while now, but I can’t tell you how many times in the past year I’ve opened a set to find bent or curled stickers. With an increased reliance on stickers, this type of packaging needs to be used much more than it is.

On a side note, not once did I ever hear the sounds “shlkk” or “faazooom” while testing out the Quinjet’s advertised features. They’re more of a “ftick” and “ptunk.”

Poor Loki. The Avenger’s get a sweet, state-of-the-art ride and he’s stuck with a dinky chariot. It’s a little one-sided. What’s worse is this vehicle does nothing for me. It’s boring and forgettable, but I’m giving LEGO a pass. It basically looks like its on-screen counterpart. I guess. I never had an opportunity to get a solid look at it to make the determination.

It’s also awkward to hold and fly around. The click-hinge connection is weak enough that it tends to flop around and in play scenarios, that’s not good. I still give points to LEGO for including it in the set, though. The bad guys in the film were seriously lacking in vehicular matches for the heroes (in terms of translatable to toys, I don’t think those big flying worm dudes would make good a LEGO set), so at the very least, it’s something. And dark tan!

The Quinjet, the real star of the set and arguably the entire LEGO Marvel line, is a mighty craft on its own. The futuristic, pseudo-military craft managed enough screen time and stable shots to actually get a good look at it. It’s sleek, improbable, and most importantly, it translates into toy form with remarkable ease.

The build reminded me of the 9493 X-wing. The Quinjet’s construction is varied, it uses a considerable amount of SNOT-work and it’s insides are colorful. The entire set is sorted into five numbered bags making it an organized and easy to follow process. What makes the build interesting is the wide assortment of parts. Each bag contained a fair share of surprises. I found the experience oddly engaging, looking forward to the next bag, eager to see how it all going to come together. That may sound like a strange thing to say, but after so many rehashes in the Star Wars line (which I primarily collect), it’s refreshing to not have that element of predictability.

If you’ve seen The Avengers, then you may have noticed the Quinjet’s most apparent omission. Rotors. It’s not a big detriment. There just won’t be any vertical take-offs or landings. I’d rather have rotors over the big SHIELD emblems. Well, I’d rather have both.

In all likelihood, rotors would compromise the Quinjet’s sturdiness. As it is, the Quinjet is a rock and has a satisfying weight. This is both good and bad. It’s good because it allows you to swoosh with confidence. It’s bad because it makes this thing a tub, a big flying tub. From one angle, the Quinjet teases you with sleek sophistication. You take it home, put it together with a childlike grin on your face, and then you hold it up before your eyes and realize there’s more to it than the glossy exterior. This thing’s got guts and needs structure to hold those guts.

Some of those guts include the drone launch mechanism. It takes up a lot of space for something that does relatively little. Press the red “button” on top and ptunk, the drone holder drops. It takes a good amount of force to press the button in order to get it to work properly and the result is underwhelming. I had hoped the mechanism would launch the drone like a flick-fire missile, but no, it’s all manual labor from that point on. It is more interesting than throwing the drone in the back, so points for trying.

Was the drone even in the film? I don’t remember it. I’m assuming it was cut during the production process. In the context of the set, I’m not even sure what it’s supposed to do. Fly around and…

Here’s a fun fact about the passenger compartment: Thor can sit in a chair with his cape on. I don’t know why Thor would need to sit in a chair on a plane, but it’s an option. Also, I didn’t try to fit Thor in the seat until long after I took these pictures, so you get to see Iron Man instead. Because that’s thinking ahead.

You’ve probably asked yourself, “Why is there a fire extinguisher? What mysterious purpose does it serve?” Some men want to watch the world burn, the Avengers are here to put that fire out. Wrong. It has no purpose. For one, it’s not a real fire extinguisher. And two, the way the Quinjet is designed, the fire extinguisher is impossible to remove without first removing the closest armrest. You want to pretend there’s a fire aboard the Quinjet? You might as well pretend to abandon ship while you’re at it, which won’t be too difficult with the included Avengers, Iron Man and Thor. Black Widow, on the other hand, is so screwed.

This cockpit is undoubtedly the most complete cockpit I have ever seen in an official LEGO set. It’s not at all accurate to the film, but I don’t care, not when there’s a rather comfortable looking seat (and a sticker representing controls). After so many vehicle-based sets (see: Star Wars) with limited, pathetic, or no seating/control interface whatsoever, this feels like a huge leap forward. All I had to say was, “Finally!” And Black Widow deserves a nifty cockpit, given she has no other purpose in this set other than to sit there.

The remaining interior structure is the cargo hold. It’s spacious enough to carry Loki or additional, sold separately Avengers as long as that Avenger isn’t 6868′s Hulk.

Just be sure whatever you throw back there is secured before heading into battle. The top hatch doesn’t like to stay closed in swooshy conditions. It can get very annoying.

Another thing that doesn’t stay put are the maneuvering foils. The click-hinges hold the angle well enough, but the Technic pin connection needs more friction. The result is wobbly, often uneven wings that the obsessive compulsive (me) will be constantly fixing.

Back to the exterior of the Quinjet, you’ll notice a few details that, while essential to the structure of the model, completely disrupt the flow, mainly in the rear. That’s the price of building semi-realistic (eh) aircraft out of LEGO. It holds together wonderfully, but you pay for it with unappealing aesthetics. At least we didn’t get another Siddeley.

Of course, this is no Siddeley. This set is in a completely different league than the Cars sets, and many other license themes sets, for that matter. From the top down, this set flows, I mean it really flows. I may have complained about certain unappealing aesthetics, but those are easy to overlook when the top of this craft is considered. I can’t remember the last time a set flowed from front to back like this.

The thrusters are the crowning element to this slick achievement. They’re well proportioned, angled, and shaped. I’d go as far to say, they’re my favorite part of the Quinjet.

The heavy use of transparent pieces, blue and red, was initially a concern. Transparent pieces can be extremely tricky to use, especially with liberal abandon. Here, the transparent blue grilles accent and complement both the grays and the dark blue. The pieces add a glossiness that works without calling too much attention.

The transparent red plates, while not entirely inappropriate, lack the subtlety of the blue pieces. They seem more overused despite being fewer in number. This is particularly noticeable on the underside of the craft.

It’s easy to complain about the underside of a LEGO vehicle. They’re typically rough, filled with questionable color choices, and in this case, where the flick-fire missiles are located. Luckily, they can be somewhat concealed. Like the blue grilles on top, the blue pieces down under don’t clash with the overall color scheme of the set, but the red has to go. It’s bad enough it’s so glaring from the bottom, but you can see much of it from the sides as well. This will be unquestionably modified and once it is, this is a set I’ll display for some time. It’s not an iconic vehicle, it’s not even very unique, but it looks good. Better than that, it looks cool.

The minifigures are easily the weak links of 6869. Now, that doesn’t mean they’re bad. It means the main part of the set, the Quinjet, was designed well enough that LEGO didn’t need to add superfluous minifigures to make up for any shortcomings (or add to the pricetag). Let’s start with the weakest of the bunch, the Chitauri foot soldier. It lacks personality and is scrawled with meaningless patterns. Like Loki’s chariot, I don’t blame LEGO. These guys are flick-fire fodder for our heroes and that’s all they’ll ever amount to. Generic and forgettable. Next.

Loki. He’s been on Earth’s bad side ever since he cloned Colonel Jack O’Neill and was caught by SG-1. Oh, wait, wrong universe, sorry (I’m not sorry, I’ve been dying to use this reference for weeks). This Loki, though still pale-skinned, has some impressive attire and of the five minifigures, he’s the most screen-accurate. Except his face. His face doesn’t work at all. He lacks the actor’s sliminess and the delicate subtly of his features not captured by this Lex Luthor repeat. Oh, and I was gravely disappointed to see he lacked a double-sided head. It would’ve been the perfect opportunity to show off Loki’s wicked smile which would have been nothing short of beautiful under the Helm of Overcompensation.

Black Widow. Could’ve fooled me. Out of context, this is a fantastic minifigure. The torso and leg design are top notch and are my favorite of the set, but this isn’t a review for out of context. In context, this minifigure is a mess. If LEGO only had concept art to work with, I’d be more lenient, but we know that’s not the case. The character has already appeared on-screen prior to The Avengers. We know what she looks like. The facial expressions don’t suit the character. They may have worked for Catwoman, but here, they’re slightly too expressive. The hair piece fails more obviously. It looks like it’d be more appropriate on Thor. While it’s nice to have a wide selection of LEGO hair, this minifigure demanded dark red hair. It’s one of the character’s defining features and LEGO inexplicably messed it up. I want Black Widow, not generic lady hero.

Thor. What mortal poured butter on this guy’s head? Yeah, this minifigure would’ve looked much better with dark tan hair rather than Paula Dean’s secret stash, but at least this minifigure gets the overall look right and he has a great looking Mjölnir. Though, I’m not entirely sure what Thor’s doing in this set. He only interacted with a Quinjet for about a second and long before the Chitauri showed up. I can think of a handful of other characters who would’ve made more sense, such as Agent Coulson and Hawkeye.

Iron Man. This is the Mark 7 version, which, while in the film, is only seen for a short time. During that time, I don’t recall if Iron Man ever interacted with a Quinjet while wearing it. But, hey, at least LEGO didn’t go Loki on us and include a duplicate Iron Man from 6867 Loki’s Cosmic Cube Escape.

Most people have already made up their minds about this minifigure. Most of them arrived at their conclusions without ever holding these four centimeters of plastic, myself included. I’m still in the camp that a printed head piece would’ve been the better route to take with this character, but this isn’t so bad. I dig the opening faceplate revealing Tony Stark underneath and that function makes it worth it. Looking at the helmet up close, it’s clear it couldn’t be any smaller without compromising the plastic. So, for what it is, it’s ok. It’s better than Batman’s cowl.

Pros:
+A great value. At 9 cents per part, this is a $70 set that actually feels like a $70 set.
+It’s a well-balanced set. Unlike recent Star Wars sets that have placed more emphasis on the minifigures, this set delivers a solid primary model complemented by the minifigures, even if the minifigures aren’t all spectacular.
+It looks cool. It’s as great for displaying as it is playing.
+Excellent cockpit, decent interior. I hope LEGO makes this trend.
+A great part selection for MOCers.
+New brick separator. Because it’s there!

Cons:
-For a set called “Quinjet Aerial Battle,” it’s weak in the “battle” department. Unfortunately, there are limited film-based options to remedy this.
-While the Quinjet is swooshable, there are a few flaps that won’t stay in place without aftermarket modification.
-Flick-fire missiles. It’s a cliché to call them lame by now, but these flick-fire missiles are awkward to launch given their position under the wings. They can be folded up out of the way, so there is a silver lining.
-Black Widow. She just doesn’t look like the character.
-Reused facial patterns. This problem has been prevalent throughout the entire LEGO Super Heroes line. We’re lucky Tony Stark and Thor have facial hair.

Verdict:
This is a remarkable set for being in a licensed theme. It oozes a quality not seen in so many licensed sets, whether they’re from Pirates of the Caribbean, Star Wars, or Harry Potter. It’s a rare set among the mediocrity. It works beyond its license, while maintaining the characteristics that make it part of the Marvel line. It is by no means an iconic vehicle, but LEGO managed to make it one of the most accurate Avenger’s sets in respect to its on-screen counterpart.

What makes this set truly unique, however, is its value. I frequently end reviews saying to wait until a set is on sale or clearance before picking it up and out of habit, I’m going to again. 6869 is currently the highest priced LEGO Marvel set, so it may be out of many fans’ price ranges. If it is, then yes, wait. This is one of those sets kids save up for doing miscellaneous chores all summer and when they open it and put it together, realize it was worth it. It’s not quite the X-wing from the inaugural wave of Star Wars sets, but it’s exists in the same vein. This set has substance, it has the look, it works, and is a set worth owning.

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