Earlier this week, the LEGO Group officially revealed the upcoming Obi-Wan Jedi Starfighter joining the Star Wars lineup later this summer. Now, just in time for Kenobi’s premiere today, we’re taking a look at the original 7143 version of the LEGO ship all the way from back in 2002. Quite a bit has changed in the past 20 years, and our latest LEGOCY with 9to5Toys review takes a closer look at the Attack of the Clones set.
LEGO Obi-Wan Jedi Starfighter 7143 hands-on look
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Kenobi has just hit Disney+ today, so we’re taking the Jedi’s latest time in the spotlight as a chance to revisit yet another original LEGO Star Wars creation. Just as Attack of the Clones, the movie the Obi-Wan Jedi Starfighter is based on, just recently had its 20th anniversary earlier in the spring, LEGO set number 7143 is also celebrating the same milestone.
First hitting store shelves in March of 2002, the model arrived at the $19.99 price point. It was the very first time we saw a Jedi Starfighter of any kind in LEGO form, and it gave Obi-Wan the spotlight in his Episode II garb. Spending that cash earned you 138 pieces altogether to go alongside the single minifigure of the titular Jedi.
At that price point, you were just getting the ship itself, which makes use out of the entire allotment of pieces. Though for that small number of bricks, this is a pretty substation build! Even compared with what you’d get today. The details aren’t all too intricate, sure, but there are some nice inclusions like sloped wings, little vents on each side, and even working landing gear that can fold out when you’re not swooshing the starfighter around.
Easily some of the most notable highlights from the set have to be the printed prices that the LEGO Group included. Stickers are all so common these days in the brick-built world, but it didn’t used to be that way! Back in 2002 when the Obi-Wan Jedi Starfighter came out, just about every detail was applied with printed pieces if not just being brick-built altogether. For set number 7143, the LEGO Group notably included five unique elements, which play such a massive part of recreating the Delta-7.
Starting at the front are a pair of bricks which form the midsection of the ship and come decked out with plenty of little panel details. Those continue into two more printed bricks that continue the red stripe pattern. My favorite of these printed elements has to be the fin on the back, which does such a top notch job at recreating the ship’s design in LEGO form.
Then there’s the one minifigure in the set. Obi-Wan has made a handful of brick-built debuts since the LEGO Star Wars theme kicked off over two decades ago, but his Attack of the Clones release is easily one of the more iconic ones to date. And I certainly mean iconic in a nostalgic kind of way because time has not been all too kind to Kenobi here.
The Jedi robe design is a classic for sure, but the face printing and hair piece aren’t doing Obi-Wan any favors. At least not by today’s standards for minifigures. Though it is hard to complain all too much, given that we’re still looking at the original chromed Lightsaber elements which still shine as some of the best releases from LEGO Star Wars.
9to5Toys’ Take
A full 20 years since the original Obi-Wan Jedi Starfighter was released, it’s fun to see what’s changed from the LEGO Group. Earlier in the week, we got an official look at the new version of the set, which stands out quite a bit compared to the first one from all those years ago.
My biggest takeaway comparing the two is just how much value the LEGO Group is packing into the new version for only $10 more. And, if you consider inflation in that comparison, you’re looking at roughly the same cost with an extra minifigure and a body for our little Astromech.
Still, there are some things the original did do better in my book. The 2002 model may be much simpler, but it ultimately delivers a much sleeker build that I am quite partial too, especially considering how bulky the newer iteration is. So while the first LEGO Obi-Wan Jedi Starfighter may be a blast from the past, it’s still one of those sets that manages to hold its own 20 years later.
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