Review:75179 Kylo Ren's TIE Fighter/Brikkyy13

Brikkyy13
Country: Australia Gender: Male
Joined: December 30, 2012 № of Reviews: 15 № of Featured reviews: 0
Building Experience: Lifelong

Hello everyone! Today I have a review that I did not plan on writing until about 2 hours ago; 75179 Kylo Ren's TIE Fighter, a.k.a. the TIE Silencer, from the Last Jedi range of sets. This review won’t be as in depth and picture heavy as normal, I really just wanted to see how taking photos in the temporary set up I made for something very special would turn out… ;) This set was released in 2017, contains 630 pieces and has a retail price of $79.99USD/£74.99GBP/$129.99AUD. I was lucky enough to pick this one up in a sale for almost $30 off! I feel lucky considering how it was only released a month ago (and because I got the last one in the store :P)

The Build[edit | edit source]

Inside the box there are 6 bags numbered 1 to 6. The build is straightforward and offers little challenge to an experienced builder. The body of the TIE Silencer is built first, followed by the center portions of the wings and is finished with the longer parts of the wings. Like other TIE builds, the build can be repetitive due to the symmetrical nature of the ships. I was taking the build slow as I was watching TV at the time (anybody else see the new Rick and Morty?) so it took me just under 2 hours. I haven’t checked to see how long it’s taken other people, so I can’t give a good estimate on how long it’ll take the average builder.

Minifigures[edit | edit source]

The first minifigure included is the Last Jedi variant of Kylo Ren, which is currently exclusive to this set. The printing is far more detailed than the Force Awakens variant, and includes a standard cape instead of the torn one. The face printing has been updated to show the scar he received during his duel with Rey at the end of The Force Awakens. (Yes, it has moved. Personally I don’t mind as the reason given for this by Rian Johnson is correct – it looked stupid where it was)

An alternate aggressive face print is also present on the figure. This is very similar to the print present on his previous variant. Kylo’s now iconic cross guard lightsaber is also included, now with a black hilt instead of a gun metal grey version (which is unnecessary as the gun metal grey was accurate and it is the same weapon; his last lightsaber was not destroyed at the end of ‘’The Force Awakens’’). Kylo’s helmet is not included in the set, which is sure to upset some people. Personally, I do not like the helmet at all, I feel it is a horrible representation. My personal favorite variant of the figure is the one included in 75104 Kylo Ren's Command Shuttle (which I feel is an underrated set, and is one of my favorites from the 2015 wave. I would include photos of it with the TIE, but I have packed mine away for the time being as the shelf it was on will be used as a temporary storage space for something else…)

The next figure included is a Special Forces TIE Pilot. It is similar to the ones included in 75101 First Order Special Forces TIE Fighter, but it now has red stripes down the center of the helmet. It was disappointing that this figure wasn’t included in the older TIE, but its inclusion here is welcome. A small pistol is included as an accessory.

The next figure included is a First Order Stormtrooper, which has remained unchanged since its introduction in 2015. More stormtroopers are always welcome in my eyes as they’re good for army building. A blaster is included as an accessory.

Both the pilot and Stormtrooper use the angry clone head. Come on LEGO, please change it up a little, we’ve been getting this head since 2013.

The final figure included in the set is BB-9E, a new character. While the figure is new, it is not exclusive as it is also available in 75190 First Order Star Destroyer. The printing on the body is the same on all four sides, while the head features a detailed print all the way around. I like the design of the BB units (though I’m not fond of this one’s name, it screams laziness to me. BB-9E, like BB-8 but plus one, and then “E” for “evil…” doesn’t seem right), so getting a new one is very good. Overall, the figure selection is fairly good in my eyes. New Kylo Ren, new pilot and a cheaper alternative for getting BB-9E, plus another stormtrooper, is pretty good. However, I wouldn’t say this is a set to get just for the figures.

The completed model[edit | edit source]

The completed model is very impressive, and equally intimidating. It is quite large for what it is, especially considering its lower piece count. The build is mostly black, with accents of grey and red, and is reminiscent of a TIE Interceptor. The ship looks good from most angles, and I believe it offers good display value.

The sides of each wing feature details done with minimal greebling and two printed parts. I quite like the use of the 1x4x1 panel for the ridge in the center.

The ship features two sets of guns, one in the center portion of the wings and one on the wing tips, both of which are posable due to being connected by ratcheting pieces. I’m not sure if the guns can move on the ship in universe, but it still a cool feature.

The main body of the ship is built up using plates, with a few tiles to add texture. The cockpit, unlike other LEGO TIEs, is mainly brick built instead of using a single printed piece. There are, unfortunately, two stickers (one on either side) to add extra detail. Thankfully these are the only stickers in the set and I doubt much would be lost by not including them.

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The cockpit opens through the top and has space for one pilot. The cockpit is very spacious and I think it could be easily modified to fit a second full-sized figure. BB-9E will fit in the cockpit in front of the pilot in the small space provided.

The only advertised play feature of the set is the spring-loaded shooters, which are hidden way underneath the cockpit. They are activated by a small technic arm (visible behind the cheese slope in the picture on the left).

The completed model next to the Special Forces TIE Fighter. It is a good companion model and a worthy addition to the ever expanding TIE fleet.

Final thoughts[edit | edit source]

Personally, I love this set. It looks great and includes some desirable minifigures. Each of the new movie waves have included a TIE Fighter variant and they are generally good sets. While this is the most expensive of the three, I believe it is superior to the other two (FO TIE and TIE Striker) on looks. However, while this is a good model I do not feel it is a good toy. It’s play features are lacking beyond two missiles and I don’t think it would be good without something such as one of the X-Wings as a companion. The two X-Wings currently available at the same price point are better value in my eyes, as they offer more play features and side builds in addition to the main ship. In conclusion, I do recommend this set, but if you are looking to buy it I suggest waiting for a good deal on it.

Overall