Review: 75368 Darth Vader Mech
Posted by CapnRex101,
Darth Vader is potentially the most recognisable character in cinema history, so should translate brilliantly to a mech. After all, these vehicles are best when emphasising famous features of their respective pilots, which bodes extremely well for 75368 Darth Vader Mech.
I was accordingly surprised when Darth Vader's mech was revealed, as its design seems notably bland. The printed chest console and lightsaber look good, but the model otherwise appears to lack personality. However, the availability of Darth Vader in an inexpensive set is appealing.
Summary
75368 Darth Vader Mech, 139 pieces.
£12.99 / $15.99 / €15.99 | 9.3p/11.5c/11.5c per piece.
Buy at LEGO.com »
75368 Darth Vader Mech lacks the personality of its pilot, despite some nice details
- Unique silhouette among mechs
- Great chance to collect Darth Vader
- Desperately needs a cape
- Relatively poor articulation
- Missed opportunity for more Darth Vader-related features
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
Minifigure
An updated Darth Vader minifigure was introduced in 75291 Death Star Final Duel a couple of years ago, including printed arms for the first time. Fortunately, that outstanding minifigure has seemingly become the Sith Lord's standard design, so returns here. The metallic silver armour across his shoulders looks splendid and continues on the arms.
The colourful buttons on Darth Vader's chest computer and belt are accurate as well, while the intricate fabric texture across his garb also corresponds with the onscreen character. As usual, the helmet comprises two pieces and separates similarly to the helmet in the films, opening to show Anakin's scarred visage underneath.
I much prefer this serious expression to the smiling head used before this year, which was only suitable for Vader's redemption. Otherwise, the scarring looks as impressive as ever. Moreover, the cape looks great, although its stiff material is surprising because a soft fabric would fit more comfortably into the mech cockpit, as you will see in images below.
The Completed Model
Perhaps surprisingly, Darth Vader's mech seems noticeably lighter than 75369 Boba Fett Mech and 75370 Stormtrooper Mech. I like the unique proportions, but larger shoulders would surely have been suitable for Darth Vader. The height of 13cm remains the same as the other mechs though, including the minifigure's helmet emerging from the top.
The arms and legs are constructed around the limb elements first produced in 2022. Sadly, the articulation is accordingly limited, which is particularly frustrating on a lightsaber-wielding mech. The ball joints at the shoulders, hips and ankles do enable some interesting poses, but the lack of wrist articulation detracts from this whole model.
A bigger version of Darth Vader's chest console is attached to the front of the mech, printed on a 2x2 tile. This seems reasonably effective, but there was an opportunity to include additional features of the Sith Lord's iconic suit. The shoulders, for example, could surely have been armoured in alternating bands of black and silver.
Darth Vader stands on a 1x2 foot plate inside the cockpit, which does not provide as secure a connection as I would hope. The cape tends to push the minifigure forwards and obstructs the chest panel too, so creases are inevitable around the shoulders, if Darth Vader is placed inside the mech for a prolonged period. As mentioned earlier, a soft fabric would have been better.
The lightsaber incorporates a new trans-red blade element, resembling those developed for the Buildable Figures a few years ago. The length of the blade suits the mech and I can envisage this piece being used elsewhere in the future, especially with a Technic axle connection at its base. The pearl silver lightsaber hilt looks perfect too.
Darth Vader's minifigure-scale lightsaber is stored on the back of the mech, beside a clip for a second accessory. Unfortunately, there is no cape, which is a significant omission. The cape is essential to Darth Vader's appearance and would certainly have improved the character's mech, whether constructed from some articulated plates or, more likely, recreated in fabric.
Without a cape, this mech lacks the majesty of its pilot. However, the legs are nicely designed and make good use of 2x2 double curved slopes, forming a nice shape and appearing in black for the first time. The dishes on the knees are attractive as well, although functional joints would have been preferable to simulated knee articulation, of course.
Overall
While 75368 Darth Vader Mech is my least favourite of the Star Wars mechs produced to date, the series has exceeded expectations. The trio looks impressive together and the presence of Darth Vader in a set costing £12.99, $15.99 or €15.99 is welcome, particularly for children and newer LEGO Star Wars collectors.
However, the esteemed Sith Lord deserves a better mech. A cape and heavy shoulder armour are among Darth Vader's most recognisable features, so they should have been duplicated on the mech. After all, 75369 Boba Fett Mech is laden with various such details. Ultimately though, these mechs are fun, but I find Microfighters more suitable for Star Wars, at a similar price.
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41 comments on this article
I miss having semi-regular Lego Star Wars cartoons that would plausibly make use of these. (Although I can totally see that Stormtrooper showing up in canon somewhere. Somebody actually used the speeder bike from 75167 in a comic book a few years ago.)
Also, somebody pitched a comic book called "TIE Fighter" a few years ago about a TIE that's converted into a mech for MMA battles, and I so want to see that in Lego form.
Ooh, that printed tile on the chest will be handy for retro sci-fi-based builds.
Caption for the articulation image:
‘No, I *am* your dance partner!’
The Force is NOT strong with this one.
IDK how much a big, fabric cape would have added to the cost but it definitely would have been worth it for the look.
Is it just me or does it look like Vader’s a little constipated? That suit must be a bit of a pain when it comes to those matters.
Given that I saw a young child begging his mother for 75334 because 'it's got Darth Vader in it', I suspect this will go down well with the target audience.
I would pay for an animation of this vs the thanos mech
@RaiderOfTheLostBrick said:
"Is it just me or does it look like Vader’s a little constipated? That suit must be a bit of a pain when it comes to those matters."
I don’t think we want to know how the suit handles, erm, bodily functions.
I’m sure Legends has something explaining it. I would rather not know.
"Darth Vader is potentially the most recognisable character in cinema history, so should translate brilliantly to a mech."
When is the Mickey Mouse Mech coming?
Would an ANH/Rogue One/Rebels torso print for Vader have been too much to ask for?
Both this set and the Boba Fett one are now available at Morrisons in the UK!
A jedi does not need a mech… a sith neither.
Do you think they assume we’ll just throw one of the capes we already have from one of our Buildable figures of Lord Vadah! and be happy???
LEGO…oh how you vex me…
Something about how the black blends with the black makes this look super silly. The others you can make out their shoulders and upper torso, but this just looks like it has a tiny little head. And yes, needs a cape.
I think the Vader suit is probably the weakest out of the three, simply due to the lack of a cape.
In general, I feel as if it’s a bit of a weird design, it’s in between some semblance of accuracy to the character design and a completely new thing. Personally, I say go crazy! For example, maybe add some wings/thrusters that when not used, fold down to resemble his cape? I think the mecha idea is cool, and if you’re not going to use established canon, just go all out, I say!
@RaiderOfTheLostBrick said:
"Is it just me or does it look like Vader’s a little constipated? That suit must be a bit of a pain when it comes to those matters."
I thought he was squinting for an vision test...
Finally a Darth Vader figure will be mine!
A cape would have looked cool, but probably would be impractical on a mech. I'm just seeing it getting caught in the (fictional) joints constantly. So while I doubt that's the real reason one isn't included, it seems like a reasonable omission anyway.
"Andy, aren't you a Transformers fan?" Yes, what's your point?
It's working! It's working!.... it's just not working, sorry.
Geez even the Transformers Star Wars crossover had a “cape.” It was one of the solar ionization panels of the TIE X1. The other side was a shield.
A little out of canon, but it was a Transformer that went from his X1 to Vader himself! It was so cool!
Eh, I’ll probably still pick this up. CapnRex is right. It’s still an easy way to get a Vader minifig.
@StyleCounselor said:
"It's working! It's working!.... it's just not working, sorry.
"
A TPM Anakin with a Podracer Transformer Mech would make an amazing amount of sense.
@PixelTheDragon said:
" @RaiderOfTheLostBrick said:
"Is it just me or does it look like Vader’s a little constipated? That suit must be a bit of a pain when it comes to those matters."
I don’t think we want to know how the suit handles, erm, bodily functions.
I’m sure Legends has something explaining it. I would rather not know. "
Vader only needs alloy limbs for his legs so the rest is long-term storage.
Also keeps out the sand.
Not sure if I'll buy this one. Maybe, if they release Jedi Luke mech with his new hair to fight this. If not, I'll buy at Bricklink, since the price will drop.
@PixelTheDragon said:
" @RaiderOfTheLostBrick said:
"Is it just me or does it look like Vader’s a little constipated? That suit must be a bit of a pain when it comes to those matters."
I don’t think we want to know how the suit handles, erm, bodily functions.
I’m sure Legends has something explaining it. I would rather not know. "
The only mention of that in an extensive Wookiepedia article on Vader's suit is that it contains a "waste recycler". The details are probably left to one's imagination.
I sure wish some of the effort that goes into making yet one more absurd Star Wars thingy could go into something more interesting.
@CCC said:
""Darth Vader is potentially the most recognisable character in cinema history, so should translate brilliantly to a mech."
When is the Mickey Mouse Mech coming?
"
I know you’re probably being sarcastic, but I actually kind of like that idea. A series of Mickey & Friends mechs would be interesting. Plus, it might help us get some more characters that the line is still lacking.
@Galaktek said:
"I sure wish some of the effort that goes into making yet one more absurd Star Wars thingy could go into something more interesting."
You mean iterative improvements of ships that people will complain about being yet more lumps of grey bricks?
@GenericLegoFan said:
"I would pay for an animation of this vs the thanos mech"
It is... inevitable...
@Fandabidozi said:
"Finally a Darth Vader figure will be mine!"
"I have you now!"
@WemWem said:
"IDK how much a big, fabric cape would have added to the cost but it definitely would have been worth it for the look. "
75111 is the set you are looking for
@sipuss said:
" @PixelTheDragon said:
" @RaiderOfTheLostBrick said:
"Is it just me or does it look like Vader’s a little constipated? That suit must be a bit of a pain when it comes to those matters."
I don’t think we want to know how the suit handles, erm, bodily functions.
I’m sure Legends has something explaining it. I would rather not know. "
The only mention of that in an extensive Wookiepedia article on Vader's suit is that it contains a "waste recycler". The details are probably left to one's imagination."
Fremin suit?
@CCC said:
""Darth Vader is potentially the most recognisable character in cinema history, so should translate brilliantly to a mech."
When is the Mickey Mouse Mech coming?
"
Who's the leader of the world that will end you and me?
M-I-C, K-E-Y, M-O-U-S-E!
@SearchlightRG said:
" @CCC said:
""Darth Vader is potentially the most recognisable character in cinema history, so should translate brilliantly to a mech."
When is the Mickey Mouse Mech coming?
"
I know you’re probably being sarcastic, but I actually kind of like that idea. A series of Mickey & Friends mechs would be interesting. Plus, it might help us get some more characters that the line is still lacking."
There’s actually a Voltron style mech with Mickey as the Black Lion, so to speak. I guess it was commissioned for the 100th celebration or whatever.
It is tacky looking.
I feel we need neither Mechs nor Microfighters. Lego doesn't need gimmicks to fill the low SW price points, just make small sets like 7200. The "Duel on" series was excellent, no one would have complained about 75334 if it was made that scale, but that's getting a bit off topic.
@Norikins said:
"I feel we need neither Mechs nor Microfighters. Lego doesn't need gimmicks to fill the low SW price points, just make small sets like 7200. The "Duel on" series was excellent, no one would have complained about 75334 if it was made that scale, but that's getting a bit off topic."
While we don't 'need' the microfighters, I really enjoy them. And I think they are a great way for kids to buy a small ship with a cool character. Plus they usually had some clever little building techniques.
@peterlmorris said:
" @SearchlightRG said:
" @CCC said:
""Darth Vader is potentially the most recognisable character in cinema history, so should translate brilliantly to a mech."
When is the Mickey Mouse Mech coming?
"
I know you’re probably being sarcastic, but I actually kind of like that idea. A series of Mickey & Friends mechs would be interesting. Plus, it might help us get some more characters that the line is still lacking."
There’s actually a Voltron style mech with Mickey as the Black Lion, so to speak. I guess it was commissioned for the 100th celebration or whatever.
It is tacky looking. "
Yeah, I’ve seen that. The execution could have used work, but the concept was fun.
A more SW-savvy person than I (so - quite literally, anyone) can probably go into further detail on this, but isn't Vader mostly just a sack of select human organs in a mostly mechanical body? Isn't he already a mech, more or less?
All I'm seeing here is just someone who's addicted to body-modifications, and we're not here to judge. Not when Jonathan Coulton has already done that for us, and better.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0jpYPryaA8
Hmmm...Ok, it's a 'bad concept'; but I'll give this much credit: the back looks more 'complete' compared to the other mechs...but, it should have been done in black...and covered by a cape...
That said/also: Darth's 'real' lightsabre should by off when holstered...I mean, it's just 'safety' ya' know; if his mech's knee buckles during battle, there's a chance that said-sabre could slice its leg or something...
(Edit) Just realized: This style of 'mech' reminds me of "Iron Giant" (but not overly well) and more so (and as I said before) a kid putting on his bigger brother's or Dad's clothing...Still: would like to see DC sets...Oh well:(
@brick_r said: "I mean, it's just 'safety' ya' know; if his mech's knee buckles during battle"
@FakeKneeJoint: *Doesn't buckle*
And yet again, 'elf'n'safety turns out to be the reason for something to suck...
Seriously, Lego should smash these fake joint moulds, they're something you'd expect from a *very* crappy clone brand. How hard is it to make a similar-looking joint that actually clicks into 5 (or 9) positions?
I don't think not giving it a fabric cape is what does this in. The 76169 Mighty Thor Mech from a few years ago had panels to represent his cape. And one of my favorites of all time, 70327 the King's Mech, uses wing parts to simulate one. Something similar could have been done here.
Of course, many a Star Wars fan would still complain about accuracy, but that's a never-ending battle you don't want to fight in with something like this.
Just something to make it more 'Darth Vader' instead of just 'Sith'. The red on the arms also detracts from that.
That said: (relatively) small sets are always appreciated! Especially sets like this that allow people with a smaller budget to still afford a Darth Vader of some kind.