Review: 75053 The Ghost
Posted by CapnRex101,
The larger of the two Star Wars: Rebels offerings from this Summer wave of LEGO Star Wars is 75053 The Ghost, which looks as though it will act as a kind of Millennium Falcon stand-in for our heroes. Priced at £69.99 or $89.99 and containing a substantial 929 pieces, this is not a set to be bought on a whim, but it is undoubtedly well priced, and I was pleasantly surprised at the UK price in particular. The ship shares many of the qualities of the Millennium Falcon as can be quickly extrapolated from images of it. Features such as the dorsal rotating turret, expansive cockpit viewport and the very shape of the ship is consistent in both vehicles, as of course is the fact that both are well-worn freighters.
While the Millennium Falcon is not an elegant ship, its enduring appeal stems from its beaten exterior. Perhaps more significant however is the iconic status of this vehicle, which has secured its place in the annals of movie history. The Ghost does not have this going for it, nor do the bright colours of this model seem to reflect the fact that the freighter is very clearly intended to be an older model which has endured a great deal of hardship throughout its career.
Somehow however, I quite like this set.
Box and Contents
The box is attractive and features the Ghost in action as it flees from a pair of pursuing TIE Fighters. The three crew members included are clearly visible in their respective points of control around the ship, and they assist in demonstrating the features on the reverse. The border matches that of the smaller set 75048 The Phantom (previously reviewed here) and features a battered Stormtrooper helmet on a burnt grey background, which is rather striking in my opinion.
Inside the box there are two instruction manuals and a reasonably large sticker sheet, as well as six numbered bags.
Minifigures
Four brand new Minifigures are included, three of which are some of the eponymous Rebels that man the Ghost. The former Jedi Padawan Kanan Jarrus is the first of these, and he features a brand new sculpted hair piece, which features some fairly rudimentary textured detail and a simple knot at the back. His dark flesh head is printed nicely on both sides, with a smile on one and a fairly neutral frown on the other. The contrast of olive green, dark green and dark bluish grey on his legs and torso looks fantastic, featuring a sash-like strap and belt printed on the front and back, along with kneepads and a holster. The asymmetrical appearance of this Minifigure makes it the surprise standout for me and every component could be quickly re-purposed to serve as part of a custom Minifigure if you wish. Kanan is armed with a blue lightsaber and, unusually for a Jedi, a standard blaster.
The next Minifigure is Hera Syndulla, the Twi'lek owner of the Ghost and its pilot. Fans of the Clone Wars might be familiar with her surname, which is shared with the freedom fighter Cham Syndulla who appeared in a few Clone Wars episodes during the earlier seasons. Presumably there is a familial relationship between the two, although I am not sure what this is at the moment. A pair of goggles and some white patterning are printed on her combined helmet and lekku piece which first appeared in 2010 in 8098 Clone Turbo Tank. Her head is lime green and is printed with two expressions, one smiling and the grimacing, and the colour is rather stark beside the dark brown and orange jumpsuit that is printed on her torso and legs. This is perhaps my least favourite Minifigure of the four as although there are some superb details, the colour scheme is a little garish for my taste. A blaster pistol completes this Minifigure.
Next to be built, since the Minifigures are dispersed throughout construction, is the new Rebels version of the Stormtrooper. I am not wholly convinced by this highly stylised design, but the LEGO version certainly captures it quite nicely. The helmet features the vents which appear on every edition of the character, but certainly the most notable element of the design is the mouth grille, which has a particularly steep gradient. His head piece is that of a Clone Trooper, which has appeared many times before, and this is detailed with a determined expression. The Stormtrooper's torso and legs are probably its weakest elements in my opinion as a lot of detail seems to be absent, with many more curved armour panels than I would like to see. He comes armed with a blaster rifle.
The final Minifigure included is Zeb Orrelios, a member of the Lasat species based on Ralph McQuarrie's concept art for Chewbacca. He makes use of a brand new head mould which is predominantly light purple in colour, with black details for his beard as well as some grey. His torso and legs are both printed with a yellow jumpsuit, which looks rather nice featuring a mixture of differing shades and some brown which breaks up the design on the front and back.
Zeb is equipped with a staff of some sort, making use of a black lightsaber hilt piece with a standard blaster at either end. This seems an unusual choice to me as his primary weapon in the show looks to be a customised blaster rifle, but the pieces used can easily be reconfigured to yield a weapon a little more true to the show. This Minifigure again leaves something to be desired as the yellow and purple colour scheme is jarring, as well as not being entirely accurate. It is lovely for another species to be added to the ever-growing roster of Star Wars Minifigures though.
Notably, after combining the Minifigures in sets 75048 The Phantom and 75053 The Ghost we are still left without an integral member of the ship's crew, the Mandalorian Sabine Wren. This is a strange exclusion as it certainly feels like there is room for an additional Minifigure in this set, but she will presumably appear with a subsequent Star Wars: Rebels model.
Parts
There are a few nice parts in this set, and even a couple of brand new and exclusive ones. The following pieces all appear in fewer than ten sets, arranged according to rarity (from most common to least):
- 2x2 hinge plate with one finger - 92582 - white.
- 2x4x5 half cylinder with 2x2 cutout - 85941 - white.
- 3x6x6 half cylinder with 1x2 cutout - 87926 - white.
- 8x6x2 inverted double curved slope - 45410 - white.
- 1x1 plate - 3024 - trans-light blue.
- 4x4 cylinder hemisphere - 86500 - trans-black.
- 6x6x3 canopy - 50747 - trans-black with Ghost cockpit pattern.
In addition, there are plenty of white and light bluish grey plates included which might be useful, as well as a few pieces in relatively uncommon colours such as sand green and dark yellow. The fact that the Minifigure parts are so generic also means that they could easily be used for custom Minifigures, despite some of them being a little brightly coloured for my liking.
The Build
Construction of this set is not particularly challenging, but nevertheless enjoyable as there is an excellent mix of Technic and System techniques. The first and second bags each begin the fuselage of the Ghost and establish its Technic frame, which is ultimately hidden quite well from above and below. The fin that runs ventrally from the centre to the rear of the ship is constructed in an offset position, achieved by the connection of a 1x4 brick with holes (3701), a long Technic pin (6558) and a pair of 1x1 bricks with hole (6541). This is a neat assembly and it slides in nicely beneath the main body of the ship.
The other four bags apply the details visible from the top and sides, making use of some 8x8 wedge plates (30504) which are attached with multiple joints to achieve the correct angle, as well as plenty of other shapes which are achieved using wedges, slopes or plates angled using hinges. There are a total of thirteen stickers included and although the majority are easily applied, the two large decals which add some detail to the escape pods on either side are placed on a curved surface, which can be a bit tricky to line up sometimes.
The Completed Model
When finished, the Ghost is actually a far more interesting model than the box artwork would have you believe. There are a huge number of moving parts and play features, which are good fun, as well as some attractive details that make this set a fair display piece.
At the front is the cockpit section and forward gunnery station, which is surely based on that of a Lancaster or Flying Fortress. Inside is a small control panel and a seat for a Minifigure to assume control of the impressively manoeuvrable duel laser cannons slung underneath. The entire viewport and seating area can be removed for easy access, and this area is linked to the cockpit which sits just behind and above the gunnery station. Here there are some more controls, and once again it is easy to place a Minifigure inside or remove one, as the canopy hinges open from the front.
Behind this are three storage compartments, one of which could even fit a Minifigure if you wanted. There is room for plenty of weapons, as well as a spare missile in the portside cargo hold. The dorsal turret is as manoeuvrable as the one at the front, although on this occasion the seat for the gunner inside turns as well! As far as I am aware this function is unique to this model, and although the turret it similar to that included in 8037 Anakin's Y-wing Starfighter, that one could not rotate. The entire assembly can be removed with ease as it simply rests inside on runners, which allow it to turn and give easier access to the seat inside (there is no space for any controls here) at the cost of the fact that if the vessel is inverted it will drop out.
Escape pods feature on either side of the Ghost, which are easily removed and can be opened to fit as many as three Minifigures at a squeeze, although there is only seating for one along with a small display printed on a 1x2 tile. There is also a hatch underneath which conceals a box, in which one finds a holocron. This is inaccessible when the ship is landed, so you must either raise the entire vehicle a little higher or simply use your imagination here. A pair of spring-loaded launchers also adorn the underside, which are armed with trans-bright green missiles. As ever these are fun and they launch a long way: up to six feet I have found.
At the rear of the Ghost is perhaps the most interesting feature of the entire set. The Phantom, set 75048, can be docked here and fits comfortably between the large thrusters. With or without the Phantom in place the area looks fine, although I was surprised at how well the smaller ship can be integrated, almost seamlessly in fact. A pair of small doors are included here to give the impression that one can move between the Phantom and the Ghost without having to exit the vehicle, and although this is not the case in the LEGO models, it is still a nice touch.
Overall
This is not a set I was expecting to like, but now that I have it in my hands, it is quite impressive. The shape of the bodywork uses some nice techniques in its construction, and there are enough functions to keep one entertained.
My criticisms are few, but they are important. Firstly, the colours used on the ship are a little bit bright in my opinion. The white is not too bad, although it seems a little clean for such an old vessel, and I consider the addition of some bright red and yellow highlights detrimental to the appearance of the model. Ideally I would like to be able to access the hatch beneath the ship when it is landed, and the addition of a Technic pin which could hold the upper gun turret in place while still allowing it to turn would have been welcome.
- Minifigures: 3.5 - I am not very keen on the gaudiness of some of their outfits, but a decent selection is included. Sabine Wren is an unfortunate omission.
- Parts: 4 - Plenty of useful parts are included, as well as some in uncommon colours.
- Building Experience: 4.5 - The build is enjoyable throughout, featuring a nice mixture of Technic and System construction, as well as numerous interesting techniques.
- Playability: 5 - The sheer number of moving parts and features make this an entertaining set, and this is an eminently swooshable model.
- Value for Money: 5 - A great price-to-piece ratio, and the finished model feels well worth the cost.
Final Score: 4 - This set will be of no interest to many as the subject matter is not particularly appealing, but certainly for younger fans this is an excellent set, and if the Star Wars: Rebels cartoon proves popular this model will inevitably be equally so.
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23 comments on this article
I'm not a big fan of the new storm trooper helmet. I think they made it like that so it will look more like a cartoon.
Promising model with a very nice concept and playability. Now so expensive either. I think it will be very popular after the launch of the show in Fall 2014.
great review, I have this set and I agree with everything you said. Its a very nice set and a decent build.
CapnRex101, excellent quality of review and photography! I love the color of the background it is very visually appealing and accentuates the set and minifigures but without being distracting. Keep those reviews coming!
Thanks for the review and great pictures.
This was certainly my favorite SW build (not including the Sandcrawler) of all the SW sets released this year.
I also wish the upper turret was attached (and closed in the back), but otherwise really like it.
Can only recommend this set!
Of course, if you get it, you have to get the Phantom as well ;-)
Do you know when the second wave of SW sets will be available in the U.S ? Anyway, great review.
^the Cantina should be in US stores in August.
This is a great review. I was just skimming through the instructions and noticed the landing dock in the back. It's great that the phantom fits well. I will probably be going for both sets once they hit the US. Thanks Cap'n.
Wow. It looks surprisingly good without the Phantom added in. I do have one little quibble with the combined sets: The missiles are different colors. The main model of a set, if it has multiple spring-loaded missiles, has all of the missiles the same color. Also, I think that the missile on the Phantom's top should be turned around. Just saying.
No, I don't think the freighter here is supposed to be too worn out- I get the feeling this Rebel crew has only had their ship a short time. The Falcon is worn out from Lando's and Han's continuous use.
I think if you switched out all the red pieces for dark red, it would look considerably better. I havn't check to see if they all come in dk red, but I think the other colors are all fine.
It still looks great without The Phantom attached in the back! I probably will only get The Phantom, though. Great review!
Thanks for the review. I was also thinking the colors seemed a bit bright. Maybe it isn't as used as one may think, but the bright red and even the sand green to an extent seems too bright. Maybe it if was more seamless with the sand green, it might look better. I agree dark red could work well instead of bright red. Or maybe sand red (which I know won't make a comeback).
The figures are neat and varied. It's nice to get a few new people to populate the universe. The colors are a bit bright and that is my only turn off. I will try to pick them up at the right price, but the set itself doesn't interest me.
@Mr. PicnicBasket - have you seen the trailers for Star Wars Rebels? The bits you see of the Ghost in it make it look pretty beat up, which match the appearance of the image CapnRex101 linked to in the review.
Calling Kanan Jarrus's head "Dark Flesh" could confuse some people. "Dark Flesh" on BrickOwl, Peeron, and Bricklink equates to the LEGO Group's 217 Brown, a color that (to my knowledge) was only in production between 2004 and 2006. That head is not included in the inventory on LEGO Customer Service, but it looks to me like it's 18 Nougat ("Flesh" on Bricklink and other AFOL sites). This is the original color for light-skinned figs, used for the 2002 NBA figs and other "fleshies" that predate the introduction of 283 Light Nougat ("Light Flesh") in 2004. It remains the standard for light-skinned Duplo figs and certain medium skin tones in System themes like Indiana Jones (where it was used in sets like 7195, 7196, and 7197). And it recently was used for basic plates in 71006 and 75052.
It's kind of unusual that the Stormtrooper's body design is stylized according to the cartoon, even though the sets have abandoned the cartoon-specific face designs that characterized the Clone Wars sets. Still, not a bad fig.
Zeb Orrelios is another cool fig, though I still wish all LEGO "alien" figs' eyes would have the same design simplicity seen on the human and Twi'lek minifigures in this set, among others. These more detailed cartoon eyes feel a bit out-of-place, to me, same as with the detailed eyes for other Star Wars alien characters like Watto or Jabba.
The escape pod on this set is certainly interesting since it uses part 45410 with the newer part 87926 , rather than its usual partner 45411 . I'm not complaining, though, and it's good to see the designers dabbling in some new techniques.
Overall, the set is packed with awesome features. I have no interest in it since I don't normally collect Star Wars sets and unlike some other particularly tempting sets released recently, it offers me nothing in nostalgic value. But it's still an impeccable set design that continues to prove how much LEGO Star Wars has advanced since I was a die-hard collector! With as many complex angles and building techniques as this set showcases, I'm sure its 9–14 age rating is well deserved!
Nice review indeed !
I don't know how is the Ghost in Star Wars Rebels, but I would have appreciated to find more rooms in the ship. A rest room for example and/or a bigger cargo area, etc.
Nevertheless, the minifigs are great.
CapnRex, could you take a picture of the Phantom docked with the Ghost from a forward view? IE, similar to the very last photo but with the sets combined? I'd like to see how they look together from that angle.
@astrakhan - Done.
Thank you kindly!The launcher on the Phantom doesn't look out of place; it just looks like a laser cannon, and at worst you could just remove the missile. This is like Classic Space Police/Ice Planet levels of vehicle combination.
I believe The Ghost is a modified YT-2000 Freighter. If that is true it is actually a little newer than the Millennium Falcon. ;)
@SprinkleOtter - According to Wookieepedia it is a VCX-100 light freighter, although it would seem that the Rebels TV show is going to be its first appearance, so no details of that particular model have been revealed yet: http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/VCX-100_light_freighter
It does resemble the YT-2000 though, so perhaps they are related in some way beyond being made by the same corporation.
Neat, but not so interested.
You could probably put the spring missile on the Phamtom the other way to face the way the Ghost is.
Great review, thanks very much for sharing - I've got mine in the post! One thing that intrigues me: from the concept art of the combined Ghost/Phantom it appears the Phantom docks nose first into the Ghost, it's engines exposed and aligned with the Ghost's own engines. I've not seen this anywhere else, but given the Phantom can be split into 2, can the rear section alone be docked with the Ghost, engines outwards, to give a more authentic representation of the combined ships?