So there I was, happily building my Lego Soundwave kit (a very generous birthday gift, thank you very much), when Lego decided to casually announce their most expensive set ever: a $1,000 Death Star. Yep, you read that right. One thousand dollars. For Lego. And here's the kicker - it doesn't even look better than the regular Lego Death Star.
Don't get me wrong, it's massive. Over two feet tall, nearly three feet wide, packed with compartments so you can reenact everything from Luke and Leia's swing across the chasm to the Emperor's big fall into the abyss. It's got 38 minifigs, a hangar bay, garbage compactor, superlaser, detention block - you name it. It's basically a Death Star dollhouse.
But let's be real: is it worth a thousand bucks? For that kind of money, I'd expect an actual working tractor beam or at least a thermal exhaust port I could poke with a stick. Lego Star Wars fans though? Oh, they'll line up. Honestly, Lego could charge twice that and fans would still pay up just to park it next to their $850 Millennium Falcon, $680 X-Wing, or whatever's gathering dust on the top shelf.
I love Lego. I love Star Wars. But I don't love it a thousand dollars worth. Still… if someone wants to gift me one for my next birthday, I promise to find the shelf space.