Set Review ➟ LEGO® 75296 Darth Vader meditation chamber
In this review we will build one of the Star Wars sets perhaps the most desired by Star Wars fans, the Darth Vader Meditation Chamber with reference number 75296.
The set seems to have the purpose of a display set, typified for an adult age 18+ and with 663 building pieces, as it seems to be becoming usual in this kind of sets it also comes with an identification plate with the name of the set to make its display more dignified in the style of any UCS set. It comes with 2 minifigures, one is obviously the Sith Lord Darth Vader, this figure already came out in a celebration set in the year 2020 with the reference 75294, the other one is of our also known General Maximillian Veers, which in this case is a new minifigure.
The first impression when looking at the box of the set is that the construction of the camera looks a bit bare. However, all indications are that the top and bottom will fit together well. Contrary to popular belief, Darth Vader's meditation chamber was not the only one in existence. He had several chambers in different places, although the most well known is obviously the one we are talking about, which is located on the "Executor" ship. The reason for the existence of these chambers is that Darth Vader had the possibility of being able to live without the need to wear his helmet and suit. These chambers inject the right atmosphere to keep him alive. The box comes with a design more in keeping with adulthood.
Unlike other Lego sets, it is surprising to see that the box is quite full. As you can see in the following image, the contents are divided into 6 bags numbered from 1 to 4, a construction manual and a small sheet with a few stickers, four to be precise. We are thankful that there are only four stickers, although we can guess that the curved ones are going to be difficult to put properly.
The construction of the number one bags starts with the base where the camera itself will be attached. Something that seems so trivial and simple to build and as you get deeper into the construction you notice the complex use of some parts. How this exagonal shape has been achieved using the "A" plates is simply brilliant and as you will see is of the utmost importance for the final model. We will also have at this time the possibility to build the minifigure of General Maximillian Veers.
From the second bag onwards, the actual construction of the meditation chamber begins. Here the outer edges where Lord Vader's seat is located will be built. These edges are built with SNOT technique using brackets. By the way, it was not difficult to put the 3 stickers on the white curved tiles. Perhaps it would be a different story if some skilled infant would take the plunge to build this beautiful set designed for 18+. Some of the steps are slightly abstract but not difficult to solve for a mind trained in the difficult ways of the force.
From bag three onwards we feel the pride of being able to ride the dark lord :D. Certainly the design of the set in the technical sense is in my opinion complex, as it works a circular shape leaving some spaces where the lower "teeth" of the capsule will be located and will fit with the upper ones located in the bell. From the way the outer circle is staggered to the location and implementation of the seat itself is sublime. The Vader figure has the arms printed with those characteristic lines of the original trilogy, beautiful detail.
And finally we come to the last bag in which the bell that closes the meditation chamber will be built and the detail of the screen with the famous dialogue between Admiral Firmus Piett and the Sith Lord: "I want that ship, no excuses". In this part of the construction the detail of the technic ball which makes the bell stay at a certain height using a hole of the liftarm technic has seemed to me sublime. They have achieved a very reliable fixing system with practically nothing. These Lego guys know a lot, but a lot a lot!!!!!
Once the model is finished I see that there is only one thing that doesn't convince me. It is evident that a perfect fit of the capsule in a construction of these characteristics is very complex. When shaping the teeth they have followed the original pattern of the capsule, but when closing it I can see that there are some holes left open in each snap-on flap. No doubt this was a big problem to solve and they have decided to leave it this way as the chamber is supposed to be open to show the construction in all its splendour.
Even so, the model is very well done and is certainly worthy of displaying in the home of any LEGO, LEGO Star Wars or Star Wars! fan. Totally recommended for the techniques that are combined in it. This is the memorable scene that every big fan of the dark side wants to own.
We thank LEGO for providing the set for this review. The opinions expressed in this review are ours alone and LEGO neither endorses nor supports them in any way.
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