Revisiting the classics of LEGO® Star Wars™ (2016 – 2019)

With interest in LEGO® products rapidly increasing among adults, the Ultimate Collector Series returned to some iconic vehicles between 2016 and 2019…

The continual development and introduction of new pieces and building techniques often gave designers the opportunity to improve on previous models. The period from 2016 to 2019 was defined by updating previous Ultimate Collector Series sets, showing how far the range had advanced since the days of the Old Republic (aka the early days of the Ultimate Collector Series).

2016: Play is a Priority

Location-based sets had appeared a few times before in the Ultimate Collector Series, seeking to balance play and display value. Assault on Hoth (75098) became the latest such set in 2016 and offered almost everything you could need to recreate the pivotal Battle of Hoth. This included everything from the ion cannon and hangar blast doors to the mighty Hoth Wampa and Snowspeeder. This set offered tons of play value all within a fan-favorite, iconic setting.

The long-running Death Star (10188) finally left shelves at the end of 2015, but a revised version of the Imperial battle station (75159) arrived shortly afterwards. While outwardly similar to the earlier model, this edition used elements developed since 2008 to strengthen the design and its minifigures were also updated, with a couple of extra characters bringing the total to an extraordinary 23 minifigures! New recruits to the Imperial cause… Gulp!

2017: Icons Revisited

Two more celebrated vehicles were brought up to date in 2017, following past Ultimate Collector Series sets in 2003 and 2007. These included the amazing Millennium Falcon (75192), which has become arguably the most popular model in the whole series!

However, the sleek Snowspeeder (75144) launched a few months earlier should not be overlooked. The earlier model made extensive use of slopes across the Snowspeeder’s angular armor, but this one instead used wedge plates, creating a smoother finish and minimizing gaps where panels met. Additionally, the interior was much improved, with a functional control yoke for the harpoon launcher and accurate screens to match The Empire Strikes Back™.

Impressive though the Snowspeeder was, the second half of 2017 brought one of the most celebrated LEGO Star Wars™ sets ever released! The original Ultimate Collector’s Millennium Falcon (10179) was available from 2007 until 2009 and quickly became, as the name suggests, a true collector’s item in the years following its retirement.

Fortunately, a new Millennium Falcon (75192) was released to satisfy demand, taking this opportunity to overhaul the original design for greater detail and screen accuracy. The piece count increased accordingly, rising from 5,197 pieces in 2007 to 7,541 pieces in 2017, ensuring that Han Solo’s famous freighter looked better than ever before – even Lando would be impressed. The details continued inside as well, with some memorable rooms from the movies found under removable hull panels, plus characters from the Original Trilogy and the Sequel Trilogy to populate the interior.

Many would contend that the Millennium Falcon (75192) remains the centerpiece of the LEGO Star Wars theme, and this mammoth model is available to buy on LEGO.com.

2018: Stay on Target

Another vehicle associated with the Rebel Alliance was revised in 2018, with the Y-wing Starfighter (75181). Produced fourteen years after the original Ultimate Collector Series Y-wing, this rendition of the bomber was even more detailed than its predecessor. There are similarities between the pair, though, including the use of unusual parts for exposed mechanical detail on top (greebling), such as ice skates and flexible whips.

2019: Back to the Beginning

Befitting the 20th anniversary of LEGO Star Wars, which was celebrated in 2019, the next Ultimate Collector Series model, the Imperial Star Destroyer (75252) focused on the very first scene in the original Star Wars movie, as Darth Vader’s Star Destroyer captures Princess Leia’s Rebel Blockade Runner.

This model was massive, surpassing even the dimensions of the Imperial Star Destroyer (10030) introduced in 2002 and featuring more accurate proportions. Also, the magnets used on the earlier Ultimate Collector Series Star Destroyer were replaced with sturdier Technic™ hooks, so the vessel’s heavy external panels were well-supported. These panels were layered with detail too, adhering as closely as possible to the Star Destroyer model constructed for the filming of Star Wars in 1975 and 1976.

Having brought a number of fan-favorite vehicles up to date for the Ultimate Collector Series between 2016 and 2019, the following years would see a selection of new vehicles in 2020 and beyond, including some that had been years in the making! Galactic adventures await…