Back at the start of the month, the LEGO Group launched one of its latest sets themed around The Mandalorian. Giving builders plenty of firsts and uncommon inclusions in the Star Wars theme, the LEGO TIE Interceptor and Fang Fighter set not only marks the first appearance of the Imperial starfighter in almost two decades but also arrives with the all-new Darksaber mold and more.
Hands-on with LEGO’s new TIE Interceptor and Fang Fighter set
LEGO’s latest starfighter duel set arrives as kit number 75348. We used to see tons of these combo packs that include a pair of vehicles meant to fight against one another, and now the theme is bringing that trend back with a $99.99 price point. As you’d expect from the name of this model, the set assembles a Mandalorian Fang Fighter alongside an Imperial TIE Interceptor.
The kit only includes a pair of builds, with just the two starfighters using all of the 957 pieces. You’re also getting four total Minifigures to round out the set, which we’ll take a closer look at in just a minute. But for now, it’s all about the ships themselves.
Keen eyes amongst LEGO fans will notice that this set includes a pair of ships that have hardly been staples in the LEGO Star Wars catalog. The past few years have seen so many vehicles get their third, fourth, or even tenth version in LEGO form, but the company is switching things up to give us a pair of releases that are anything but common.
The TIE Interceptor immediately steals the show as not only the more eye-catching model of the two but also the more interesting inclusion. It has been ages since the LEGO Group released a TIE Interceptor set. So long, in fact, that the first and only one hit the scene back when I was just ten years old. Now 17 years later, I can finally get my hands on another one of the iconic Imperial ships.
Aside from just being a rare inclusion in the Star Wars theme overall, the LEGO TIE Interceptor contrasts the Fang Fighter as the larger of the two vehicles in the kit. It uses the majority of the bricks to build one of the best ships we’ve ever seen. The proportions, details, and techniques all combine to deliver one of the more perfect playscale models in ages.
There’s an opening cockpit with that signature TIE design, flanked by four angled wings. The model is quite sturdy once pieced together. Plus, it has a nice footprint either in your collection or in your hand as you’re flying it around, recreating space battles. I love just how much it fits in with the rest of the TIE ships we’ve seen from the LEGO Group as of late, too.
Then there’s the Mandalorian Fang Fighter, which is an even more unique debut. We’ve seen a few other Mandalorian ships get the brick-built treatment over the years, such as the starfighter we reviewed back in the fall of 2021. But the Fang Fighter itself has yet to arrive as a Star Wars model. Now it’s making the cut as the smaller of the two builds in this combo pack.
The Mandalorian Fang Fighter arrives with a two-tone white and grey design that is a bit more simplistic than its Imperial counterpart. There’s a detailed cockpit with plenty of room for the included Fleet Commander pilot, along with some nice angles achieved through layering LEGO plates into the shape you see in the final model.
There’s just one problem with the model. It lacks the spinning cockpit. The build is entirely one piece, meaning that the unique design that all Mandalorian ships have, with a cockpit that can rotate freely from the wings, doesn’t make the cut. That doesn’t make this a low-quality build by any means, but it is one shortcoming that may ruin its plans for being one of the best Star Wars sets of the year.
Otherwise, I enjoyed the actual building experience and just how solid of a model it is after you’ve placed the last bricks into place. The Mandalorian Fang Fighter is certainly a refreshing entry into the LEGO Star Wars theme and a fitting rival to the TIE Interceptor. So, ultimately, I can’t take away too many points, even if I would have liked to have seen a more accurate model.
Speaking of, there’s the whole discussion of just how accurate the set is compared to what’s shown on screen. This kit itself is based on the final episode of season three of The Mandalorian. Or at least, it’s supposed to be. The Fang Fighter never appears in the episode, making this set one of the more inaccurate releases from the LEGO Group in some time. It’s great to see an entirely new vehicle get the brick-built treatment, but still, there’s something off about getting a model from something that hasn’t even appeared on-screen.
The funniest part about the LEGO Mandalorian Fang Fighter and TIE Intercepter set is that it marks the very first kit to debut the molded Darksaber. After waiting for over a decade to see the iconic weapon get a special release in LEGO form, the day has finally come. Of course, those who have watched season three of The Mandalorian know that the weapon’s appearance in this set is oddly timed. So while it’s better late than never to get a proper version of the weapon, there’s some pretty thrilling irony at play here. Hopefully, it means that the LEGO Group will be a little more willing to give the Star Wars lineup the same level of unique molds as other themes get.
A closer look at all four included Minifigures
Circling back to the Minifigures, there are four characters included. Getting the pilots out of the way first, the Fang Fighter comes paired with a Mandalorian Fleet Commander for the first time in LEGO form, which contrasts with the standard pilot of the TIE Interceptor. Then the figures get a bit more interesting, with a Din Djarin Minifigure coming complete with a printed face and arms, as well as the debut of the molded Darksaber. Then to complete the build, there’s an Imperial Astromech droid.
The batch of minifigures included this time around is, all in all, pretty solid. Each one seemingly fits with the theme of the set and is only made better by solid execution from the LEGO Group. Each one has pretty notable printing, and they are some of the best versions of their respective characters to date.
gadgetnewsonline’ Take
As someone who used to buy every LEGO Star Wars set that would release, it has taken more interesting kits to really catch my eye lately before I decide to pick up one of them. The second that I saw the Mandalorian Fang Fighter vs. TIE Interceptor kit, I knew that I had to add it to my collection. After getting everything built, I certainly don’t regret that, either. It’s only the second playscale model I’ve bought from the Star Wars collection this year, right behind the fitting TIE Bomber that launched in January.
As a lover of starfighters, these were an easy buy at the $99.99 price point. I can’t say that it is a perfect release, but it’s as close to that as we’ve seen from the theme. While price hikes across the LEGO catalog have made me feel less and less content with some of the sets I buy, that certainly wasn’t the case here. I definitely feel like I got $100 worth of value from the two ships alone, with the Minifigures just being icing on the cake for this collector.
The Mandalorian Fang Fighter vs. TIE Interceptor set is one of the few LEGO models these days that I would actually recommend getting even when it’s not on sale. If you can have these two ships find their way into your collection at less than retail, then perfect. But even at full price, there’s not even a stud of buyer’s remorse to be found.
Buy the LEGO Mandalorian Fang Fighter vs. TIE Interceptor set
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