Star Wars LEGO Review | 75048 The Phantom

 

As a kid, I was regularly treated to “Battle Pack”-sized LEGO sets, but gifts from the next tier up were fewer and farther between, and all the more special for it. I have very fond memories of building police trucks and ambulances with all sorts of playable features; the relatively modest increase in price didn’t seem equal to the profound improvement in playability. Now, as an adult, it’s pleasing to see that LEGO are continuing to make sets in their £20-ish range just as crammed with value, and Star Wars Rebels set The Phantom is a case in point.

Larger than its box would suggest, Ezra Bridger’s separable spaceship has much more to it than meets the eye. Its spring-loaded missiles can fire to both aft and stern, its cockpit section is more spacious than you’d expect, and its aft section has double-hinged wings that unfurl for flight or fold up neatly for docking in The Ghost. I didn’t expect there to be any sort of interior in the aft compartment, but the roof lifts off to reveal a perfectly Chopper-sized space, and the rear door hides a space just large enough to stow Ezra’s Imperial helmet and blaster. It’s an attractive and solid piece of rebel kit - shining white, all that it lacks is a bit of wear and tear.

The two minifigures are both excellent too. LEGO have, by now, perfected the astromech droid, and so Chopper is vested with both the look and feel of his cartoon counterpart. Pleasingly his build differs from other astromechs that I’ve built, which I think is quite fitting for the contrary little fellow. Ezra, whilst lacking his lightsaber cum blaster (which I don’t think he’d built at the time of this set’s release, in fairness), is a dead ringer for TV’s wayward orphan. I did initially question the use of “adult” legs for him, but on reflection I think they’ve made the right call - he’s closer to the surly teenage Anakin of Attack of the Clones than he is the exasperating infant of The Phantom Menace.

The Phantom is available to buy from LEGO directly for £19.99 with free delivery on orders over £50.00. However, today’s cheapest retailer is Amazon, who are selling the set for just £14.59 with free delivery on orders over £20.00.