The history of the LEGO® Star Wars™ Death Star™ sets
You might be surprised at how many times this Star Wars™ icon has been represented in LEGO® brick form but, with over two decades of LEGO Star Wars history, we've seen plenty of different versions of the galaxy's most formidable space station, the Death Star™.
The imposing Death Star, the size of a moon and capable of destroying entire planets, is an unquestionable staple within the fandom and history of Star Wars. From the first time fans witnessed it on the silver screen in 1977, this foreboding space station made an instant and lasting impression.
From detailed miniature builds to massive, display sets with impressive interiors and plenty of LEGO Star Wars minifigures, there have been more LEGO Star Wars Death Star sets than the Empire ever successfully built itself. (Only one was fully completed, while the second was destroyed before it was finished, thanks to Wedge Antilles, Nien Nunb and Lando Calrissian!)
So, let's dive into the timeline of the LEGO Star Wars Death Star sets, starting from the very beginning…
Ultimate Collector Series Death Star II™ 10143 (2005)
The first LEGO® Star Wars™ Death Star™ set made its debut in 2005, which now seems like a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...
This Ultimate Collector Series set was a faithful recreation of the iconic Death Star II, and the very first visit to the Death Star in LEGO brick form. With an impressive 3,449 pieces, it measured 63.5cm high (the tallest of any LEGO Star Wars Death Star set until 2025) and included a display stand for die-hard collectors to showcase this massive space station in all its glory.
This one might have been the earliest, but it certainly paved the way for more Death Star sets to come.
Death Star™ 10188 (2008)
In 2008, the collection of brick-built Death Stars™ was taken to new heights with the introduction of a set that not only looked great on display but also incorporated a wide variety of interior details and play features, offering a more complete Death Star experience.
The 2008 LEGO® Star Wars™ Death Star (10188) featured over 3,800 pieces and, unlike its predecessor, gave us access to the inner workings of the space station. With a rotating structure, the set contained many classic locations as seen in the original Star Wars trilogy, allowing fans to recreate their favourite scenes from the films. Of the many rooms on display within this set, the Emperor’s throne room, the detention block, the Imperial conference chamber and even the hangar bay with a buildable TIE Advanced starfighter stand out as some of the most iconic.
What really set this version apart was the 25 LEGO Star Wars characters and droids, from Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine to Han Solo and Luke Skywalker in their stormtrooper disguises.
TIE Interceptor™ & Death Star™ 9676 (2012)
The 2012 LEGO® Star Wars™ Death Star™ was a little smaller this time around, but by no means less mind-blowing. This LEGO set featured a mini version of the Death Star, along with a small-scale buildable TIE Interceptor model inspired by Star Wars: Return of the Jedi™ and a LEGO Star Wars TIE Pilot minifigure.
While smaller in scale, this set had its own appeal with a more compact design and a detailed display stand. Released as part of the LEGO Star Wars Planet collection, this Death Star model was designed for display and made a great addition to any hardcore Star Wars fan’s collection.
Death Star™ 75159 (2016)
We once again revisited the Death Star™ in 2016, this time with a refreshed version of the 2008 edition with even more pieces (measuring in at over 4,000!), the latest LEGO® elements that were available at the time and new versions of fan-favourite LEGO Star Wars™ minifigures. With all these changes, the 2016 LEGO Star Wars Death Star (75159) brought the 2008 version into the modern era. Similar to its predecessor, this set featured an open design with multiple rooms inside the Death Star, such as the superlaser control room, the Emperor's throne room and the trash compactor.
Like the LEGO Star Wars Death Star™ (10188) from 2008, this set included a wide assortment of LEGO minifigures. 23 minifigures were featured this time around, nine of which were unique to the set at the time! Some highlights include Darth Vader, Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker and Grand Moff Tarkin. With moving parts, spring-loaded shooters and other interactive features, fans could reenact a multitude of memorable moments from the Star Wars saga.
Death Star II™ 40591 (2023)
In 2023, we celebrated the 40th anniversary of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi™ by releasing a miniature version of the Death Star II™ as a promotional gift with purchase during our May the Fourth celebration for that year. This set was a desk-friendly decoration, offering a scaled-down yet impressive replica of the partially completed battle station.
Though this one is smaller in size, the LEGO® Star Wars™ Death Star II had plenty of details, including a miniature recreation of Emperor Palpatine’s throne room and a blue LEGO Technic gear hidden inside to represent the main reactor. It also featured a rotating display stand, allowing fans to view the Death Star II from all angles, and a commemorative plaque celebrating the 40th anniversary of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.
Death Star™ 75419 (2025)
That’s no moon... it’s our biggest LEGO® Star Wars™ set to date! Over two decades of LEGO Star Wars Death Star™ sets have led up to this moment in October 2025, with the release of the latest brick-built version of this awe-inspiring space station. This new set draws inspiration from many of its predecessors discussed in this article, while paying tribute to fan-favourite scenes like never before.
Joining the collection with a grand total of 9,023 pieces, the LEGO Star Wars Death Star (75419) claims the title of the largest LEGO Star Wars set ever released. It even surpasses the previous record holder, the LEGO Star Wars Millennium Falcon™ (75192), by nearly 1,500 pieces! Highest piece count isn’t the only record that this monumental Ultimate Collector Series set breaks, however. This version of the LEGO Star Wars Death Star also contains a grand total of 38 LEGO Star Wars minifigures and figures, the most ever to be featured in a LEGO Star Wars set to date.
In addition to some of the most iconic, fan-favourite characters such as Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia, Chewbacca, Darth Vader and more, this set features several characters in LEGO Star Wars minifigure form for the first time ever. Some examples include General Tagge, Galen Erso and an Imperial Dignitary.
Like the LEGO Star Wars Death Star sets from 2008 and 2016, this newest version features an open cross-section design that allows fans to build and display many of their favourite scenes from the Star Wars original trilogy, this time in more detail than ever before. In this set, builders will be able to recreate iconic rooms such as the trash compactor, Princess Leia’s holding cell, Emperor Palpatine’s throne room and the Death Star hangar bay, complete with a buildable Imperial Shuttle.
Looking for more LEGO® Star Wars™?
We hope you’ve enjoyed the expansive history of the LEGO® Star Wars™ Death Star™ sets, but there is still plenty more to explore in our brick-built version of the galaxy far, far away! From iconic film scenes and starships to daring adventures on new worlds, we’ve got LEGO sets to inspire Star Wars-loving kids and adults alike. And don’t forget to celebrate Star Wars Day on May the Fourth with special deals and new LEGO Star Wars sets!
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