Review: 75139 Battle on Takodana
Posted by CapnRex101,
It is a well known fact that LEGO likes to scatter the most desirable minifigures in each range across a number of sets, thereby encouraging fans to purchase multiple models in order to collect all their favourite cast members. I was therefore very surprised and pleased when 75139 Battle on Takodana was revealed as three of the most important characters from the film are included: Kylo Ren, Finn and Maz Kanata.
Not only that but a brilliant range of architectural details and play features are packed into the model, allowing you to faithfully recreate many of the scenes which take place on Takodana. However, it is not flawless and the emphasis upon destructive play may not appeal to everybody. Read on and see what you think!
Minifigures
I am going to begin with one of my favourite new characters from the movie, Maz Kanata. This is a fantastic minifigure in most respects, with a great level of detail printed on both sides of the torso and an excellent head element which features all of the wrinkles, the headset and the pair of goggles which we see in the film.
My only minor issue with the figure is the facial expression which barely resembles that of Maz Kanata at any point during the movie and does not express any emotion. Nevertheless, this is an excellent figure and I expect it will prove popular on the secondary market.
Kylo Ren is an equally intriguing new character and the primary villain in the film so it is nice to see him appear in a less expensive, not to mention better, set than 75104 Kylo Ren's Command Shuttle. This is also the superior version of the character as both his unique helmet and his face underneath are included, unlike when he appeared in September.
The helmet looks great but the double-sided head is even better in my opinion as the two expressions represent the character perfectly. The hair piece is not ideal but it is a reasonable approximation of Ren's hair in the film and could not be bettered without the creation of a brand new element.
Despite the relative simplicity of the torso and leg printing I think it is faithful to the movie and I like the ragged cape which is placed around his neck. This is made a from the softer fabric introduced in 2015 and adds an extra bit of detail to an already superb figure. Of course Kylo Ren would not be complete without his cross guard lightsaber so that is included, using a new blade element which only appears in this set and 75104 so far.
Finn is a crucial character in this scene so his inclusion is a necessity. He, like Kylo Ren, only appeared in one of the most expensive sets from the first wave but, unlike Kylo Ren, this minifigure is identical to that included in 75105 Millennium Falcon, but for the addition of a blue lightsaber.
The jacket looks superb on the front and back of the torso while the legs are black and do not feature any printing. Finn's head has two expressions, one frowning and the other worried, while his hair piece is faithful the the film and versatile should you wish to use it elsewhere. I would be surprised not to see this element appear on a Lando Calrissian minifigure in the near future. He is armed with a blaster rifle and a blue lightsaber so he can battle the First Order from afar or in close quarters.
Two First Order Stormtroopers are included to oppose Finn and Maz Kanata. These are identical to those which appear in 75103 First Order Transporter and are a welcome addition to an army. More would obviously have been great but I think two are sufficient. The printed detail looks fantastic all over the figures but the helmets are particularly notable for their excellence. They accurately recreate the design of the actual costumes while also maintaining a traditional LEGO charm about them.
Clone Trooper heads are found underneath the helmets. I have discussed my feelings on this in past reviews and maintain my view that they should be replaced with something new, but equally generic. Nevertheless, it is easy enough to ignore this minor issue given that the helmets are likely to stay on when playing with the set or displaying it. Both troopers come equipped with a blaster but one also has a Z6 riot control baton which is assembled using just four pieces. It would have been nice to see the shield appear too but we only see the baton in use, so the shield is not a necessity.
The Completed Model
Maz's castle is reminiscent of the Massassi Temples located on Yavin IV and this model is an excellent representation of the structure seen in the film. The diagonal lines and trapezoidal form of the building are beautifully replicated using a plethora of 1x2x3 slopes and there are also a number of smaller details included which are faithful to the film as well. This entire assembly is based on the courtyard area of the fortress and can be folded into a right angle in order to nicely recreate the setting in the film.
I am impressed by the arched recesses along the bottom of the wall as an identical feature can be seen in the film. The combination of dark bluish grey bricks with dark tan and medium dark flesh looks superb, as do the textured masonry bricks which are spread nicely through the walls. This gives the impression of age and wear very effectively in my opinion and I also like the uneven colours used on the steps and around the doorway.
The architectural design of this set is marvellous but it is packed with play functions as well. The tree can be knocked over using a lever at the back of the model and the wall can be made to 'explode' using a geared mechanism also hidden behind the structure. There is yet more destruction possible by pushing on a tab beneath the doorway which causes several black 1x1 round plates to burst from the floor, giving the impression of shrapnel being thrown up from an explosion.
All of these features are concealed so they do not detract from the appearance of the model but they are also a lot of fun to play with. The minifigures can interact fully with the scenery and you can recreate most of the battle on Takodana using this set alone, although First Order Transporters, X-wings and TIE Fighters are also heavily involved.
The two decorative pillars can easily be removed to provide easier access to the doorway, which happens to be my favourite part of the model. The console to one side and decoration above the doors are both stickers but they are easy to apply and add some more detail which I welcome. However, it is the fabric banner which dominates this area. This design was likened to a piece of streaky bacon on the Brickset Forum and I can certainly see that but I still think it looks great.
Inside there is not much detail to be found but you can reveal a crate holding a lightsaber and the sliding doors are activated from the back. It would, of course, have been delightful if a full interior had been included, although that would necessitate an enormous increase in price and would not significantly increase the play value in my opinion. After all, this set is intended to replicate the battle outside Maz Kanata's fortress rather than the action inside.
Overall
This was an outstanding scene in the movie and I think the set matches that standard. The minifigure selection does not include every character to appear during the battle on Takodana but the majority can be found here and the scenery is also represented very accurately considering the limitations imposed by the price and piece count.
The presence of Kylo Ren, Finn and Maz Kanata in a single set is hugely appealing, particularly since this is the superior version of Kylo Ren in my opinion. If you are considering purchasing 75104 Kylo Ren's Command Shuttle for that figure alone I would recommend going for this set instead and perhaps purchasing General Hux on the secondary market.
It is unusual to see quite such an effective blend of play and display value in a location based Star Wars set and I hope to this trend continue throughout 2016 and beyond. The price has come in for significant criticism but I do not think it is too bad. If we compare it to something at a similar price point like 75084 Wookiee Gunship then this seems like a far better option based on the quality of the set.
JANGBRiCKS' Video Review
55 likes
40 comments on this article
Good review.
Three most important characters? How dare you exclude TR-8R! He's famous!
Other than that great review. I might actually overlook the awful First Order Battle Pack and buy this set instead. No stud shooters! =D
Personally I prefer Kylo Ren with the hood piece on, but I guess they want to keep that appearance exclusive to the Command Shuttle set.
Only the PPB factor gives me hesitation on this one. $.15/pc is a good bit steeper than I like to pay when it comes to sets in the $40-80 range.
Really cool this set contains the main villain, Finn the Traitor and the main hero, TR-8R.
Thanks for the review! I'm ordering this, the Special Forces TIE Fighter, the First Order Snowspeeder microfighter, the Resistance X-Wing microfighter and 70330 Ultimate Clay later. I'm hoping to get 30278 Poe's X-wing polybag with it for free, so it'll be a big haul!
@CapnRex101: Nice Review! But i don´t understand why you mention the double faced head of Kylo and write that it fit´s the "cahracter perfect" but there´s only a pic of one side of it?!
The cost of this sets is a step rise from similar sized sets, I wouldn't mind paying $49.99 for this but $60 (same feeling of the new Tie Fighter, will wait for a discount on both the Tie and Poe X-Wing (unless the new rumored Resistance X-Wing is cheaper)).
I was browsing on targets website and I found this one for $49.99, instead of $59.99 & 75140 for $59.99, instead of $69.99! A little bit under their retail, I hope that helps!
Hmm. I liked that scene in the film, but this set is lacking. I mean, it looks nice, and the play features look like fun, but it doesn't have enough substance to warrant the high price tag. Also, Maz Kanata doesn't remotely resemble the character...
SPOILERS
Rey should have been included. That would have justified the price tag a bit more anyway.
@Lordmoral I completely agree on the pricing. In Canadian dollars, this set is $74.99 - that's a huge jump over what the base US exchange would be, and in my opinion way too much to pay for 400 pieces. Ends up being $.18 cdn per piece!
Pretty neat set, but I'm going to wait until I have caught up on my ever growing backlog. Still really want the Millennium Falcon and Poe's X wing!
Spoiler free - please, is there anybody who not seen new Star Wars film yet?...
Great review!
One thing though.
This set should have been called 'TR-8R battle' instead!
Alternatively 'loyalty and sick spins -the playset'.
Or how about 'traitor ambush'?
All jokes aside, I really like that the popularity of the 'TR-8R'-scene was anticipated enough to include him. Even regardless of that, this is a great set overall! I would really want this set if not for the price. The price will probably push this purchase back, if not cancel it for me.
^Really? TR-8R was in the second trailer, it's possible they just thought "here's a stormtrooper at this location we're making, and oh look! a cool weapon we haven't put anywhere else!" and the rest is a happy coincidence.
Because there is NO WAY they knew how popular an unknown character from a movie released literally 2 weeks before the set would be.
What about the price ? I thought it was awful!
I'm usually one to council calm and acceptance when it comes to what seems like 'too-high' prices on Star Wars sets. I thought $80 for the new X-wing was perfectly reasonable.
But, that said, this is a $40 set, and I won't even *think* about buying it until the price drops to that level. The fact that MSRP is $60 really is ludicrous.
This is truely a set i must own! Eventhough it is bit expensive (80$ in DKK), it is still the cheapest way to get Finn, Kylo and the 100% loyal main character TR-8R.
@PicnicBasketSam: I completely agree with you. The z6 riot control batton was probably done to add some diversity between the stormtroopers, kind of like they did in the first order battlepack.
Good grief. £50 for five minifigs and a couple of walls. Certainly the figures are must-haves, but that price! Have Games Workshop management taken over at TLG?
Seems a good set...wish legos werent so frickin expensive though
Just ordered mine along with a First Order Stormtrooper battle pack to bolster the army against the Resistance troops I bought a few days ago - let battle commence!
Free Poe's X-Wing with £50 purchase in the UK too :-)
TRAITOR! - TR-8R
This set falls way short of what they could have done. Although, at its ridiculous price for what they gave us, I can only imagine what they would have charged for more beef and less bacon.
I can't wait for the 2016 Advent Calendar to be previewed at Toy Fair so I'll know if there's a cheaper way to get some TFA figures. Sure, the "staples" are typically not included in an AC, but since TFA has a limited selection of minifigures so far, here's hoping. Santa Ren, maybe?
Way overpriced and uninteresting. I've seen the movie so I get what's going on here, but for two walls and a few characters you have to pay $60? With all the Star Wars sets out there, this would be skipped easily.
I'm thinking buy two sets and build something a bit more substantial, keeping hold of the two FO stormies. Then sell the Kylo Ren, Finn and Maz minifigure so someone else can pick them up cheap and offset a chunk of the original cost - everyone's a winner!
A great selection of figures, shame the rest is so unappealing. Not bad as such, certainly looks like Maz's castle, but a gate and a crumbling wall don't really call to me the way, say, a TIE Fighter does.
And I can only echo what's been said about price, they actually managed to top the first TFA wave for steep pricing. This one will have to wait for a serious discount.
Am I the only one to think the flag looks like bacon???!!
@Millerman -- no. @CapnRex101 agrees with you, and (for that matter) so do I. But there are worse things to use for a rallying flag....
Definitely overpriced for what it is, Lego-wise, but I'll probably still buy one new and another one without minifigures (thank you, BrickLink!) in order to build a larger Temple complex. I'm a sucker for good-looking buildings, even in a ruined state.
This and Rey's Speeder are the first Star Wars sets I've purchased in years. Really, it was the Minifigure assortment here that got me. It's rare for them to include this many must-have figures for under $100.
Nice review, was looking forward to this as I just picked up this set this weekend. Here in the US Target stores has it for $49.99, as somebody above mentioned, which is a much more reasonable price. I thought it was a great build, love the look of it, the color scheme, interesting play features that don't detract from the overall appearance, and awesome mini figs!
The only thing lacking is the statue of Maz, which I've been trying to figure out a way to create to add to the display. Would also like to add onto it and create an interior at some point.
Somebody obviously hates Kylo Ren's Shuttle...
There are some interesting features, but as someone said above, it's a door and a wall. And the figures are great, but for the price, nothing too fantastic.
Great review. However, I would prefer a ship any day over a door and a wall no matter how well done.
I'm literally sorry for those who need to have this set. Not because it's bad - it's just ridiculously priced!
I fortunately do not feel compelled to buy any sets from The Farce Awakens. The Star Wars Saga ended at Episode VI ROTJ. There is no Episode VII.
I couldn't justify spending £60 on this, but I'll be interested when it's on discount. At £40 it would be fantastic value with those minifigures.
This set should have included the facemask printed head for Kylo Ren and the hood. As it stands, you can only get that look from buying the shuttle as well. Personally, I don't mind since I bought the shuttle on clearance (89), but if had not found it, I'd probably had gone to ebay to try to get the other version. I like the hooded/masked look much more than the huge helmet/masked look that is present in this set. Retail prices for both sets are ridiculous (59 and 119), but if I had only one choice it would be this set due to the price difference.
The set looks okay. the figures look decent. I haven't seen the movie yet, so this doesn't do anything for me right now.
Are the stormtroopers the same as the one in the battle pack? I have that one, but I didn't know if these were any different.
But I do want Finn and Kylo at the very least. Problem is, individual figures sometimes can be as expensive as a whole set!
Great set, even better minifigures! I wil definitely be purchasing this one once my bank balance recovers from Christmas!
I'm sorry, but I cannot look at that flag and not think that it just looks like bacon.
Well, at least now I have a reuse already planned. ;)