Every LEGO Star Wars Death Star set (that isn’t the Death Star)

75339 Death Star Trash Compactor Diorama is the latest in a surprisingly small number of LEGO Star Wars sets situated aboard the Death Star – here’s a recap of the rest.

For being such a pivotal and prominent location across two of the three original Star Wars movies (the trilogy clearly favoured by the LEGO Star Wars design team), the Death Star and Death Star II have enjoyed comparatively fleeting representation across the LEGO line-up – at least in an accessible and affordable way.

Yes, there are the hulking behemoths 10188 Death Star and 75159 Death Star, for all intents and purposes the same set (but for a couple of modifications, their minifigures and, most pressingly, their prices). And those sets are genuinely all you could ever really ask for from a LEGO rendition of the interminably grey space stations, with scenes from both rolled into one huge playset.

But what if you didn’t have £275 or £410 to splash out on those Ultimate Collector Series sets when they were available from 2008 through 2020? Well, your options have essentially been few and far between for recreating the Death Star’s many memorable scenes at minifigure scale, which makes 75339 Death Star Trash Compactor Diorama stand out for more than just its new droid minifigures.

If you’re interested in complementing that new Diorama Collection set with more scenes from the rebel struggle in a galaxy far, far away, read on for a rundown of every minifigure-scale Death Star set to date – except for the actual Death Stars…

7200 Final Duel I (2002)

One of two ‘Final Duel’ sets that launched in 2002, this is the only one actually located aboard the Death Star II (the other, 7201 Final Duel II, recreates the walkway above the forest moon of Endor where Luke Skywalker first surrenders to Darth Vader). But it’s really only worth picking up for nostalgia purposes at this point, with two outdated minifigures and an all-too-simple build. Plus, there’s a much better version of this set – or two – further down the list…

7264 Imperial Inspection (2005)

It’s only really by association that 7264 Imperial Inspection can be considered part of the Death Star collection, given the majority of the set is anchored around an Imperial Shuttle. But there are a couple of accompanying builds that place it firmly aboard the space station, and its box art and minifigures indicate it’s intended to represent the opening scenes of Return of the Jedi. You don’t get much actual Death Star with it, though.

75034 Death Star Troopers (2014)

You’re not going to get much of a sense of the actual Death Star from this mid-‘10s battle pack, either, although its meagre cannon is more reminiscent of the big grey ball’s laser guns than you’d expect from what’s typically a throwaway build in this kind of set. The Death Star Troopers were undoubtedly the main draw when it originally hit retail, having otherwise been limited to 10188 Death Star, but this isn’t necessarily one to prioritise on your space station shopping list.

75093 / 75291 Death Star Final Duel (2015 / 2020)

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So similar are these renditions of Emperor Palpatine’s throne room aboard the second Death Star that we can’t really distinguish them for the purposes of this list. The minifigures are ever so slightly different – Darth Vader gets arm printing in the updated version – but there’s really no reason to own them both. You should buy at least one, though, because they do a great job of transforming Return of the Jedi’s climactic scenes into an attractive playset.

CELEB2017 Detention Block Rescue (2017)

If this particular LEGO Star Wars Death Star set has never crossed your radar, it’s with good reason: the 220-piece recreation of Han and Luke’s botched rescue was only available at Star Wars Celebration Orlando in 2017, and subsequently fetches a premium price on the aftermarket. You’re talking at least £380 for a sealed copy on BrickLink, and while it’s nice, it’s not that nice. You’ll get newer versions of both minifigures in 75339 Death Star Trash Compactor Diorama, too (albeit sans helmets).

75246 Death Star Cannon (2019)

One of two segments of 10188 / 75159 Death Star stripped out, beefed up and released as its own set in 2019, 75246 Death Star Cannon perhaps demonstrates exactly why LEGO Star Wars sets based on the Death Star are so rare. There’s a huge cannon with nothing substantial to shoot, a Death Star Trooper to pointlessly face off against Obi-Wan Kenobi, and the brilliantly-fun play feature of, erm, deactivating the tractor beam. But hey, it’s a starting point.

75229 Death Star Escape (2019)

2019’s other (and technically first) Death Star set shows a little more promise than 75246 Death Star Cannon, with more exciting functions – an extending bridge, opening door, and a chasm to swing across are the headlines – and three desirable (and more evenly-matched) minifigures in Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and a Stormtrooper. It’s still a lot of grey, though, and it did herald the introduction of the new dual-moulded Stormtrooper helmet, so all is technically not forgiven…

75339 Death Star Trash Compactor Diorama (2022)

It’s hard to believe that we’ve never had a LEGO version of the trash compactor outside the two massive Death Star sets, given it’s a) an iconic moment in the original movie and b) primed for play, with its closing walls providing the perfection excuse to pack a function into a playset. It’s also a little ironic, then, that the first standalone trash compactor is an 18+ display set – even if it is one that still manages to cram in that play feature (with a little help from live theatre).

75339 Death Star Trash Compactor Diorama launches on April 26, and is available to pre-order in the US now. Arriving on the same day is the microscale 75329 Death Star Trench Run Diorama. You can find out more about both sets straight from the design team by clicking here.

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