Entering as the only set in the LEGO Star Wars summer 2021 lineup centered around the Original Trilogy, Darth Vader’s Meditation Chamber arrives with an eye-catching build geared towards collectors. But with a more premium price tag to match, is it worth adding to your collection? Head below for all of the details in our hands-on review.
Hands-on with the LEGO Darth Vader’s Meditation Chamber
UCS kits have long been synonymous with collectibility in the Star Wars world, but more recently editions to the lineup have begun mixing up that trend. Last year’s San Diego Comic-Con promotional set, the Bespin Duel, arrived with as enticing of a build as you’d expect from a limited-edition creation. In much the same fashion, this year saw the introduction of yet another equally as collectible set, Darth Vader’s Meditation Chamber.
Debuting as part of the latest Star Wars summer 2021 collection, the $69.99 set stands out for quite a few reasons. Shockingly enough, it’s the only kit in amongst its peers to arrive with an Original Trilogy theming. That aside, there’s also the more adult-focused build that carries over from the all-black box art to the high attention to detail and displayable design.
Stacking up to 663 pieces, the set has a simple focus centered yet another scene from The Empire Strikes Back. Fitting for its collectible nature, the build sits upon an ornate base at which pairs with a name plate to round out the package. Though that is overlooking Darth Vader’s actual Meditation Chamber, so let’s take a closer look.
Depicting a pretty iconic scene from Episode V, the kit assembled a detailed version of the place where Vader goes to kick back, so to speak. In LEGO form, the kit features a series of interlocking panels that give it the unique design you’d expect, which is delivered quite authentically in the build.
While it is a display model, there is some interactivity found in the set. There’s an arm on the back that allows you to rise and lower the top half of the meditation chamber. Some may complain about there being holes in the closed form-factor, but I don’t think it’s much of an issue. I’ll probably end up keeping the set displayed opened up so you can see Darth Vader inside, which is what I imagine many of the builders to grab the meditation chamber will end up doing, too.
There’s also a seat on the inside that can rotate around in order to position Darth Vader to face the teleconference screen or looking out. Speaking of, there’s a screen on the back that depicts the scene where Admiral Kendal Ozzel informs the Sith Lord that his fleet emerged from lightspeed too close to Hoth. It’s a nice little touch that certainly adds to the build.
Darth Vader’s Meditation Chamber also includes a pair of minifigures that fit right in with the theming on the LEGO set. There’s of course Vader himself, which pairs with General Veers. Each of them are pretty standard figures all things considered as of late, which make them more of complete additions to the set rather than eye-catching inclusions.
Even so, it’s nice to get another chance to bring the Sith Lord to your collection. And having another Imperial Officer is always a perk, too.
9to5Toys’ Take
After seeing the Bespin Duel set last year, I was really hoping LEGO would release similar kits in the future. Now a year later, Darth Vader’s Meditation Chamber is delivering just that. And if anything, is doubling down on everything I loved the first time around! Sure the $70 price tag is on the steep side, but paying a bit of a premium for the collectible build is alright with me in this case. It’s about as solid of a set as we’ve seen in recent years.
One of my favorite aspects has to be just how compact the footprint is. That’s not to say the build is small by any means, but having everything fit into a package that can easily sit up on a shelf amongst the rest of your collection is a perk. Especially now that all of the more adult-oriented builds seem to all be a little unwieldy in the space department.
All said and done, it’s certainly a highlight of the summer 2021 wave and the Star Wars collection at large. I love the attention to detail and just how consistent the entire build is. While it might not be as flashy as some of the other sets out now, it’s just as worthy of being in your collection.
Buy the LEGO Darth Vader Meditation Chamber at LEGO and Walmart
Other LEGO Star Wars summer 2021 reviews at 9to5Toys:
- Review: LEGO’s Duel on Mandalore set brings Ahsoka and Darth Maul to your collection
- Review: LEGO’s new Mandalorian Starfighter packs a standout build with even better minifigs
- Hands-on: Exclusive minifigures make LEGO’s Imperial Armored Marauder a great value
- LEGO Bad Batch Shuttle review: Clone Force 99 makes a long-awaited debut
- LEGO Star Wars Imperial Light Cruiser review: Exclusive minifigures steal the show
- Review: LEGO Slave 1 delivers a downsized Boba Fett’s starship with a Mandalorian twist
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