Welcome back, LEGO fans! This week has been huge, arguably one of the biggest in recent memory, thanks to the official launch of the LEGO Star Wars Death Star (UCS 75419). As someone who preordered and was the first in Dublin’s Grafton Street store to get it, I’ve got a strong (positive!) take, and I’ll share our building progress, reactions, and community chatter. Plus, we had some monster hauls across Ireland, got some smaller sets, and launched our YouTube channel. Let’s dive in.
Major News & Releases
Death Star 75419 – the moment we’ve waited for
On 4 October 2025, LEGO made the big splash: the LEGO Star Wars Death Star – Ultimate Collector Series (set 75419) became available to the general public (after Insider Early Access from 1 October). I got mine in October 1st, first thing in the morning from the LEGO Store on Grafton Street.
Here’s the rundown of what makes this set exceptional:
- 9,023 pieces, making it the largest LEGO Star Wars set ever produced.
- Includes 38 minifigures, spanning characters from A New Hope, Return of the Jedi, and even nods to Rogue One (e.g. Galen Erso, Imperial dignitary).
- The design is a “slice” or cross-sectional segment of the Death Star, rather than a full sphere, this gives greater internal visibility and display flexibility.
- Rooms reproduced include the trash compactor, Leia’s detention cell, the Emperor’s throne room, the superlaser core, hangar bay, tractor beam control, and more.
- A playful Easter egg: a stormtrooper in a hot tub, referencing past LEGO Star Wars video-game humour.
- GWP (gift-with-purchase): between 1-7 October, buyers receive TIE Fighter with Imperial Hangar Rack (set 40771), while stock lasts.
- Also, LEGO insiders can redeem a limited-edition poster (5,000 copies worldwide).
In short: LEGO spared little effort to make this a flagship display centerpiece. And yes, pricing at €999.99 / $999.99 (or £899.99 in the UK) has drawn criticism. But many fans (including me) see it as a landmark set worth every cent.
My take (spoiler: very positive): As soon as it landed in my hands in Grafton Street, I was blown away by the scale, build engineering, and sheer ambition. The cross-section design means you get to see internal detail in a way earlier spherical versions never allowed. The minifigure roster feels generous rather than gimmicky. Sure, the price is steep, but for a signature display piece, this is one of those “once in a lifetime” buys.
I know some fans say it’s overkill, overpriced, or too large to display. But I think LEGO is pushing boundaries here. If you have the space, the funds, and the heart, it’s a set that belongs in your collection.
We’ve already started building, I’ll share progress and photos in the “what we built” section below.
Other notable October sets & updates
- LEGO Game Boy (72046) officially launched this week. It’s getting strong praise for being a near-perfect replica of the classic handheld in brick form.
- Gingerbread AT-AT (40806), seasonal sets, and more holiday/Icons releases also feature in LEGO’s Q4 line-up.
- The BrickLink Designer Program Series 6 preorders open 6 October 2025. I bought a couple of the sets.
- On the corporate side, LEGO announced it will take full control of the Legoland Discovery Centre / Discovery Centres chain from Merlin Entertainment, effective end of 2025.
What We Haul’d & Picked Up
We had a busy week across multiple towns. Here’s the haul log:
| Date / Place | What we got |
|---|---|
| Ratoath | 25 kg of vintage LEGO, 2 LEGO heads, 1 crate |
| Nenagh | 2 One Piece sets |
| Athlone | 2 large crates of LEGO |
| LEGO Grafton Street Store | Death Star + TIE Fighter GWP + Gingerbread AT-AT + 3 Game Boy + 3 Halloween GWP |
| Blanchardstown | Minifigures and accessories |
| Navan | 3 crates of LEGO + manuals + baseplates |
| Navan | LEGO Vikings set #7019 + instructions + box |
| Carrickmacross | 3 crates of LEGO + manuals |
| Virginia | LEGO manuals only |
That Grafton Street drop was our standout, pulling in the Death Star plus multiple supporting sets and GWP promos in one session felt mighty. The One Piece sets in Nenagh were a fun surprise too, we’ll build them soon and share.
What We Built & Reviewed
- We dove headfirst into the Death Star build. The first phase was unpacking, sorting, and sub-section construction of the lower foundation. It’s deceptively sturdy, the base had to bear the weight of all upper levels. Even early parts of the build impressed.
- We also tackled the LEGO Game Boy (72046) for a quick studio build, and submitted a mini review video (coming soon to YouTube).
- Our team did a side review of the TIE Fighter GWP (40771), exploring how well it integrates with the Death Star set and whether it feels like “just a promo” or a worthy micro-build in its own right.
- The One Piece sets from Nenagh are queued next; we plan to build them side by side and test their stability and display potential.
In blog form, I’ve already drafted the Game Boy and TIE Fighter reviews (to publish next week), comparing build quality, value, and user experience.
YouTube Launch & Video Rollout
Big news on the video front: we officially launched our YouTube channel last month week. Over 850 subscribers en route to the magic 1000 subscribers number. The first uploads include:
- Unboxing & first impressions of Death Star 75419
- TIE Fighter promo review
- Our Daily Haul Video
- Haul Valuation Videos
Views are trickling in, and feedback is positive so far, although we will reduce the AI. Our goal is to use video to supplement the blog, more visual storytelling, build walkthroughs, timelapses, and behind-the-scenes family dynamics (Luke, Rose, Darren at the kitchen table, etc.). If any of you readers want tutorials or focus-videos (e.g. how to build the Emperor’s throne room), drop me a comment and I’ll schedule.
Rumours & Community Buzz
- There’s chatter (unconfirmed) that LEGO might pursue modular “slice” diorama sets for other iconic franchises (e.g. Ghostbusters, Jurassic Park) after seeing how the Death Star cross-section was received.
- Some fans have floated the idea of expansion packs or future “plug-on” slices for the Death Star (additional wings, adjacent sectors). Nothing official yet.
- In LEGO Ideas, Garfield has entered its third review round in 2025.
- Also, the LEGO Ideas community is awaiting updates on whether older iconic projects will be revived or reworked in light of this premium push.
Reactions & Community Voices
While many in the LEGO community have expressed skepticism about the Death Star’s price and size (some calling it “unnecessary”), others are celebrating it as a statement piece. One fan comment from forums:
“It feels like LEGO is not just selling sets now but landmarks, this is the kind of set you build once to show people.” And indeed, that’s the vibe I share: more than a set, this is a centrepiece.
That said, criticisms around cost-per-piece, shelf space, and target audience are understandable. My approach: see it as a flagbearer for what LEGO can achieve when risk-taking meets ambition.
What’s Next & Plans for Next Week
- Continue and (hopefully) complete our Death Star build. By next Friday, we aim to have every room in place and the model in its display shell.
- Dublin Brick Con in the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght where we are displaying our Escape from Exgorth and Yavin Diorama
- Build and review the One Piece sets from Nenagh.
- Publish in-depth reviews of Game Boy and TIE Fighter.
- Post a “behind the build” video showing how we stage time, sort bricks, and survive long build sessions.
- A Vintage LEGO review from Ratoath.
- Monitor stock & promos for Death Star GWP availability in Grafton Street and other Irish LEGO stores.
- Engage with readers and YouTube subscribers, want to walk through a module live and take viewer questions.
Final Thought
This week may well go down as one of the turning points for modern LEGO collecting. The Death Star 75419 is audacious, bold, and divisive, and that’s exactly why it matters. For those of us who live for bricks, builds, and display, it’s a dream come true.
If you haven’t seen the set in person, or if you’re on the fence, come by our next build-session and see it live. It looks even more stunning in the flesh.
Thanks for reading, and as always, stay curious, stay building, and stay in touch.
Darren (and the LEGO Review Team – Luke and Rose)
