Another amazing Star Wars™ diorama of an iconic scene and this one is from Return of the Jedi. I was excited to build this set, Emperor’s Throne Room™ Diorama #75352, and be able to compare it to the Death Star™ Final Duel #75291. Both sets are wonderful builds. The Diorama has some upgrades in the minifigures and set design, but I believe the Final Duel still offers more as a whole. The Final Duel creates a layout perfect for playing and recreating the scenes on the Death Star, whereas the Diorama is purely for viewing enjoyment. This newer set is also part of the Return of the Jedi 40th Anniversary sets.
Set #75352 comes with 807 pieces and is rated for 18+ so move over kids this one is for us adult builders. Included are 5 bags, an instruction book, and 2 hoses.
This diorama is centered at the climax of the story as Luke faces his greatest temptation and confronts his father and the evil that holds a grip on the galaxy and his future. As you place Luke before the large curved window you can slip into the battle raging outside in the dark expanse of space, or look back at the battle raging inside of Luke’s mind as he fights to conquer the anger rising within himself.
Building up the frame and support system for the floors and window were slightly more involved than I had originally thought it would be. The designers were able to use a minimal number of pieces to make a strong foundation for the modern steps, outer walls, and window.
I continue to be impressed with how the sets now are being built by utilizing multiple flat plates to create the base instead of just using one large plate. Tipping this build up provides an opportunity to look at the inside structure and see how this method creates lighter builds.
The foreground of the scene opens up to a landing directly below the steps and has two glowing duty posts on either side. I find it interesting that in both sets centered around this location in the Death Star the duty posts do not allow a minifig to sit inside them. This makes them look a bit more like an energy source than a control panel station, but let’s put the fussing to the side for a moment and note how cool they make the scene look nonetheless. Railings are built up on two sides of the duty post and the use of silver metallic droid arms are perfect as the balusters. The base of the floor around the posts are created using arched pieces built and placed on their sides. The technique of placing sections sideways is being used more and more and I love how this gives the pieces new life and design use.
In the center of this level lies a removable panel on the floor. This can be popped off to reveal storage hooks for the Emperor’s lighting. I loved how this was provided because I always have a fear of losing the additional pieces that are added to some sets. It would have been really awesome if they had also placed some clips to store the two lightsabers and their blades. Since the floor panels and steps are primarily built from smooth tiles, the addition of some plates with center studs are greatly appreciated to help pose the villains and hero, or perhaps in the end there will be heroes.
The steps are a light grey which breaks up the dark grey floor nicely. The structural support for the stairs allows for hollow gaps between the steps. They are smooth and slick, but hopefully no one will slide them down during any upcoming epic battle scenes.
At the top of the stairs a dark grey landing rests before the window alcove which holds the rotating throne. If you peek at the far edges of the platform you will notice that the large curved wall piece actually slides into an empty groove that was created between the wall and the floor. This allows the wall to continue to curve past the base of the floor which gives the illusion to the eye that it is a complete circle.
The large arched wall at the entrance to the alcove was exciting to build as it used hinges to create the curve. I assumed it would be rigid when completed, but it was very flexible when I picked it up to place it on the build. I really liked the design and texture of the pieces used to create the arch and it screams Star Wars to me. This was placed on an inner, or what is probably best called, the outer wall. This outer wall is built up to support both the inner arch and the outer domed window.
The best part of the build has to be the large domed window. It holds the throne and creates a beautiful display whether you are inside the death star, or flying past it in space.
Once again the LEGO designers have created a masterpiece of design engineering. Spinning the model around gives us a perfect view of the complexity of pieces and techniques used to create the window. The eye is quickly drawn to the large center dish with printed metal sashes. This piece is held in place with two mechanical arms and two pneumatic T pieces attached to O clips. Surrounding the window is where the real marvel of the window is built. The two flexible hoses that dropped out of the box are each secured in a circle with attachments built in at the very start of the adventure. These create the support system for the thirteen rectangular windows. 1×2 plates with clips are placed on both ends of the window structure to secure each window into the smaller and larger hose rings. Sloped pieces are placed on the sides to close off the empty space created as the windows are snapped into both hoses. It was a bit tedious and five different variations had to be built to create the pattern as shown, but the effectiveness is impressive to say the least.
A throne fit for an emperor is placed far back in the alcove. The black throne has a purple stripe down the center and was built with curves and an overhang at the top. It was simple to build, but I was impressed with the way the sides were created to rotate inwards to create the angle. The throne is placed on a rotating base and yes, I have placed the characters in position and then slowly rotated the emperor around to face Luke and Darth Vader in dramatic fashion. This interactive feature was a nice touch.
Two signs are placed at the front of the build. They are all printed, none of the dreaded stickers here. The first is a taller sign that brings attention to the 40th year anniversary, and beneath that is the logo and a famous quote from the movie. You will also notice that there are silver grilles placed on either side of the sign, as well as spaced around the entire lower frame.
Three minifigures were included with this set, the Emperor, Darth Vader, and Luke. I was disappointed that two of the Imperial Royal Guards were not included as they are in the Final Duel set. Ever so often I may have to borrow the guards and let them show off in the Throne Room.
Emperor Palpatine looks as evil as ever and has his signature black robes on. Silver lines create the flow and drape of his clothing. A clasp and belt can be seen as well as creases along his back. He also wears a fabric black cape. His face and hands are a light tan which give him the appearance of having jaundice, which seems fitting for him. He has two face prints, one a nasty scowl, the other a downright grimace of rage. He has many wrinkles on both sides of his face etched in permanently from years of hatred. The one slightly odd feature is his eyes. They are glowing pale yellow, but have no black pupil, which feels very inaccurate to me. A black hood covers his head. I really liked the way the hood was shaped. It extends down past his shoulders in the front, but the rear has a sharp swoop inwards near the back of the head before extending downwards. As mentioned above he comes with two lightning bolts that are stored in the floorboards, but can be called upon when the need arises to release his anger. These pieces are a lovely combination of blues and have a hand grip in the middle of the bolts.
Darth Vader is commanding as ever in his black clothing, flowing black cape, and iconic helmet. His print job is nicely done with crisp detailing and even has red and green detailing built into the computer components on his chest and belt. Printed shoulder armor and stripes down his arms also add additional detailing along with creases printed up on his back. His helmet comes in the two piece version with a lower piece resting beneath his head to create the lower half of the mouth portion. His face is probably one of the best I have seen printed. I liked the color of white that was chosen, and the lines on his face are a brownish color, instead of the grey that I have seen in the older versions. I also liked the added scarring on the left side of his face beneath the eye. The back of his head has additional printed scars. He comes equipped with his lightsaber which has a light grey metallic hilt and when needed a red blade. I believe that everyone can change for the better, and Darth Vader in the Return of the Jedi holds a special place in my heart. I appreciate how the character was given a chance to change and redeem the wrong that he had done. The Darth Vader in this scene represents a man ready to make the right choice after so many wrong ones, and I have already been tempted many times to have him pick the Emperor up with his little plastic arms and chuck him right off the side of the build.
Luke Skywalker has come to save the day and, along with his father, will do just that! He also wears black, I am sensing a theme here. I remember as a child being terrified that Luke would turn to the dark side after making this wardrobe choice. Thankfully my suspicions were wrong. The print job on his torso are more detailed than the past Luke’s from this time era, and I believe it is a new piece released in this set. It pictures a square bib, and a bright metallic belt buckle. On the back there is a pocket that has been slid onto the belt. Unlike the Emperor and Vader whose robe print extends down their legs, Luke’s pants are solid black. His hands are different colors since he wears his black glove upon his right hand. An all too familiar reminder that the last fight he had with his father did not go too well. He has two face prints also, a determined look of a job that must be done, and a happy, yet humble smile on the other side. The best part of this character is the hair piece. We finally have a hair piece that matches his movie counterpart! The tan color choice is perfect as well as the way it swoops across his forehead and falls in the back. This figure is definitely worth collecting, along with his father. His lightsaber hilt matches Vader’s, but his blade is bright green.
Overall I have nothing but good things to say about this set. It is a beautiful addition to a growing collection of Star Wars Dioramas. I feel that it was priced well, and very enjoyable to build.
