Review: 75137 Carbon-Freezing Chamber
Posted by CapnRex101,
It is well known that Cloud City has been woefully underrepresented in the LEGO Star Wars theme, so the news that 75137 Carbon-Freezing Chamber would be released in January was met with huge excitement. However, that excitement quickly dissipated when the first images of the model were revealed as many were hoping for a far larger set than this which would include numerous characters in their Bespin outfits as well as some brand new minifigures.
Given the piece count of 231 I think £19.99 is a very reasonable price. This is the least expensive set to include Boba Fett since 7144 Slave I from 2000 and I expect many people will be drawn to this set for that fact alone. However the centre-piece of the set for me is most certainly the new Ugnaught which is a brilliant minifigure and almost justifies the cost alone.
Box and Contents
Kylo Ren first appeared on the packaging for the first Star Wars The Force Awakens sets and continues to do so into 2016. The carbon-freezing chamber is shown on a shadowy background with the orange lights showing through the floor grates penetrating the smoky air. Four minifigures are shown in the gallery along the bottom and a fairly subtle blue glow is used to identify the Ugnaught as a new figure.
The back of the box exhibits the play features as usual and the entire model is shown from above in the style of a computer readout. Perhaps I am alone in this view but I would quite like a couple of posters to be released in this style, maybe featuring some of the larger sets currently available like 75105 Millennium Falcon.
Inside is a single instruction manual and two numbered bags. This seems like rather a lot given the size of the set but that does not impact negatively upon the build in my opinion.
Minifigures
The Ugnaught is the star of this set in my opinion and increases the number of Star Wars species rendered as minifigures to 52! The head piece is a brand new mould and features plenty of detail. The nose, eyes and hair look great, as do the little wrinkles and marks printed on the Ugnaught's skin.
I was initially disappointed by the absence of the tusk-like teeth which I believed to be integral to the design of an Ugnaught, although looking back at the movie there are only a couple of these aliens who actually have visible teeth. The torso is printed on both sides with a nice, if generic, dark blue apron and a simple belt. This is a lovely little minifigure in my opinion and I aim to acquire a couple more in the coming months.
The latest version of Boba Fett combines the helmet, torso and jetpack of the minifigure from 9496 Desert Skiff with the cape and legs from 75060 Slave I. This is an excellent combination, although it would be even better if the printed arms from 75060 had been included.
Every component is highly detailed and accurate to the movie, particularly the helmet which looks perfect. Underneath a standard Clone Trooper head is used which is a step down from the unique face used for most Boba Fett minifigures although he looks far better wearing the helmet anyway and I would not remove it for display.
Han Solo has appeared in this guise in several sets now, wearing a wrinkled white shirt and reddish brown trousers. The head is printed with two expressions, one looking rather worried and the other with the eyes closed as though he is in hibernation.
This Han Solo in Carbonite piece was introduced back in 2010 and is as superb today as it was five years ago. The moulding and printing creates a very detailed piece which looks great from every angle while the clips at either end allow minifigures to guide the frozen Han towards the Slave I and away to Jabba's Palace. You can also fit the Han Solo minifigure into the back of the Carbonite block to hide him away!
The Completed Model
The quality of the minifigures is not in doubt but my view on the carbon-freezing chamber itself is mixed. I would have preferred a larger model which could include a greater number of features as well as the full room rather than just a section of it. The possibility of additional minifigures such as Lando Calrissian, Leia and Chewbacca with C-3PO on his back only heightens my frustration that the set was not placed at a higher price point.
However, the relatively small structure which actually makes up the set is pretty good. The liberal application of trans-orange pieces looks excellent and the octagonal shape of the platform is represented reasonably well considering the fact that only half of the room is included.
Quite a few play features are packed into this small set. The most elaborate of these allows you to drop Han Solo into the carbon-freezing area before rotating the Carbonite element to conceal the minifigure. This works nicely and has the desired effect, although I think it would be even better if it completely swapped the minifigure for the Carbonite with the turn of a single knob. The current mechanism seems rather over-engineered to me.
That minor complaint pales into insignificance beside the bizarre function found at the back of the model. The back of the box shows Han Solo laid on a black hinge piece and this assembly can then be raised and lowered. I have absolutely no idea what this is supposed to represent as all of the possibilities I have considered so far seem unlikely.
I initially wondered whether this might be an attempt to recreate the torture scene from The Empire Strikes Back but if so it is an absolutely dreadful effort. Perhaps it is simply a method of storing the minifigure when it is not in use, although there would be no need for the movement if so as it could be more efficiently hidden by simply standing the figure against the wall. As it is I am just going to ignore the feature as it seems pointless to me.
A simple lift is included for the Ugnaught and there is a panel for him to control the carbon-freezing located on the upper level. The staircase which links the upper area to the lower uses a smattering of trans-orange elements to good effect and is mounted on a hinge, presumably as a means of connecting it to the main structure rather than actually being able to move the steps.
Overall
While the minifigure selection is impressive the actual carbon-freezing chamber leaves something to be desired. Most of the play functions are entertaining and I think the model looks rather nice as well but it simply is not large enough to fully capture this famous scene. The strange feature found at the back of the model seems like a waste of pieces to me and that also counts against the set as a whole.
Unfortunately, I suspect it would be quite tricky to place two models back to back. I do not own a second set but I think some modification would be required before the entire octagon could be formed.
Nevertheless, the minifigures are outstanding and if you do not own Boba Fett then this is an ideal place to get him. If you do, I would probably recommend other 2016 sets above this one, although the appeal of the Ugnaught cannot be ignored!
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27 comments on this article
Cool set. If only Boba had printed arms... But then the one from Slave 1 wouldn't be exclusive, so I can see why they did it.
Just built this yesterday evening and I mostly agree with your assesment.
The ugnaught is a wonderful new figure, but the set itself just doesn't work for me.
From my AFOL perspective the play functions seem forced to make up for a lackluster chamber.
I do like the trans-orange color though.
The "I love you | I know" being one of the most famous lines of the OT, I can't believe Leia is not in this set...
Boba Fetts torso is also the newly printed design from the Slave 1 version.
I am calling it, there will likely be an Ugnaught in the 2016 Advent Calendar set.
Trying to fit models into specific price points is killing the quality of Lego set design.
Thank you for commenting on the ease of combining two sets as many will probably be looking at that possibility to overcome the small size of this set.
This set seems pretty decent but small, I'll still likely buy it for the minifigs.
I wonder if Lego would release other Small Cloud City sets in 2016 similar to what they did with Jabba's Palace in 2003 (sets 4475, 4476 & 4480). But it doesn't seem like they allowed for any connecting piece.
I think that bizarre function is supposed to be the slab/bed that Leia rests Han on after he's tortured. (it slid out in the movie, so maybe that's what the folding is supposed to represent)
@CapnRex - Any evidence that Lego's pulling a Jabba's Palace on us? I would think that there's more Cloud City sets to come that could possibly connect to the Carbon-Freezing Chamber.
You could always combine 2 of them to make a complete chamber and throw in some of your own figs to finish the scene.
Anyone know for sure what date Lego shops will have this? The site has it available Boxing Day, but most reports say January 2016.
@ngclarkkiv - Unfortunately not.
@midnighter1979 - This set and other Star Wars models are available now in some LEGO Stores in the UK, although they are apparently selling out fast.
Cheers CapnRex, fingers crossed they are restocked after Christmas when I can next get to a store.
I think that the black hinge piece is supposed to be the platform on which Han lays after the torture scene , although I seem to remember it sliding out of the wall.
Great review, I look forward to getting this set. I'm wondering if that's the bed/slab in the jail cell Han is laying on. I agree that if its the torture scene is a poor execution of it (that and most toy companies have tended not to depict that scene). It's not a great depict of the jail either, but a Murphy style bed would make sense there.
Minor correction maybe? 2012’s 9496 Desert Skiff ($25.99 & £24.99) has Boba Fett.
@jaisonline - Indeed, thereby making this set the cheapest to include Boba Fett since 7144 Slave I in 2000.
This is one I've been looking forward to. Love the play sets (like Final Duel and Cantina), great for display and fun to get different batches of characters. I don't have Boba Fett yet so also partly why I was looking forward to this. Great review, thanks!
This has been said but I believe the 'bizarre function found at the back of the model' is meant to be the holding cell where Han is being held with Leia, Chewie, and C-3po before being taken to the freezing chamber. The bed should actually extend from the wall but that would mean many more pieces than having it simply fold down.
I was hoping for more :( Take away the Han in frozen carbonite piece , and you have no clue as to what this set is.
Very poor. Maybe us AFOL's have been spoiled these past years. Look at it as if you where 9 years old, it is not an exciting play set. Empire has been out long enough to study and design us an epic cloud city like so many sets in the Star Wars line. Like the early castle sets before modular was a word. Compare it to modern city sets and the detail and design. It just seems rushed without thought. I'm not saying every set has to be fantastic but Lego set the bar high and when a set like this comes along with the internet speculation these days, it's not up to their usual standard.
Hmm...what if they make a giant UCS-scale Cloud City for 2016 which incorporated this? That would be cool....
I guess the price translates to $30 in the US? That's not bad, especially since it's a SW set with 3 quality figs.
I like the set and intend on buying a second one just to be able to build it bigger.
I believe the stairs are wrong. I watched the movie after I built the set, and it appears to me they go DOWN to the chamber.
The weird thingie that seems to be of no use. I believe it is the bed on which Han lays down after the torture scene. Chewie helps him and a small bed shoots out horisontally from the wall.
Ugnaught is only interesting as a collectors item, there's practically nothing in this figure
I'm not sure if this has already been said, but I think another cheap set Boba comes in is the Desert Skiff, from 2012
http://brickset.com/sets/9496-1/Desert-Skiff
Does anyone have any clue when this set (and the others not shipped here) will be available in the U.S.? It's not on the U.S. Lego shop website and I cannot find it anywhere else.
Ditto. Any release date for the USA?