Review: LEGO Star Wars 75394 Imperial Star Destroyer (2024 Cal Kestis edition)
5
The last playscale LEGO Star Destroyer was released in 2014, and ten years on, it’s time for a long-awaited upgrade!
Enter 75394 Imperial Star Destroyer, new for 2024, which depicts one of Star Wars’ most iconic capital ships with all the newest available build techniques and pieces. To sweeten the deal, it also features the minifigure debut of Cal Kestis, the protagonist of the Jedi: Fallen Order video game series. Still, there is cause for hesitation – this is the smallest version yet, at 46cm (18″) long, while being the most expensive version yet.
Let’s take a closer look and see how well the designers have recreated this iconic ship.
This is a guest review from our LEGO Star Wars correspondent VaderFan. We’ll be taking a look at the new August 2024 LEGO Star Wars releases, so keep an eye out for them as we chip through the list!
- Review: LEGO Star Wars 75396 Desert Skiff & Sarlacc Pit
- Review: LEGO Star Wars 75389 The Dark Falcon
- Review: LEGO 75385 Ahsoka Tano’s Duel on Peridea
Special thanks to the LEGO Group for sending this set over for review. If you’re planning on purchasing or pre-ordering this set, please consider using the affiliate links in this post. I may earn a small commission with each purchase that helps support the work I do on the blog!
75394 Imperial Star Destroyer
75394
Imperial Star Destroyer
7 (Darth Vader, Commander Praji, Stormtrooper, Imperial Navy Trooper, Imperial Gunner, Imperial Crew, Cal Kestis)
1555
US$159.99 / AU$299.99 / €169.99 / £149.99 / CAD$209.99
1 August 2024
Unboxing
The box has the metallic sand blue colour that all the 25th Anniversary sets have, which looks good. The front artwork shows the Star Destroyer flying into battle with the Death Star in the background, along with all the minifigures listed on the border. The box itself is relatively small for this price point, but it’s also unusually thick, making it feel pretty chunky.
The back of the box shows the pretty standard angle of the Star Destroyer’s interior (this angle was used on the back of the 2014 version’s box as well). A few cutouts show off some of the interior details and play features.
The box uses a new design with a lift-off lid, which allows you to reuse the box for storage later on. This also appeared on 75389 The Dark Falcon, and I think it’s a great idea.
Inside are 14 numbered paper bags and a cardboard sleeve for the instruction manual.
This set uses the new paper bags which are opaque and have a different shape from the old plastic bags. It’ll take some getting used to, but I welcome this change.
The top is perforated so it’s easy to tear open, though it doesn’t always tear cleanly.
Inside these paper bags, the mini bags that hold the smaller pieces are also made from paper!
…with the exception of bag 6, which still features a pesky plastic bag. I’m sure these will be slowly phased out over the next couple of months.
The instruction manual and sticker sheet come inside this cardboard sleeve to avoid damage, which is always good to see.
The sticker sheet is clear-backed and fairly modest for a set of this size, mostly used to depict screens and mechanical detail around the interior of the ship. Only sticker 7 (the bridge) is used for the exterior.
75394 Imperial Star Destroyer Minifigures
The first minifigure is Darth Vader – this is the standard one with arm printing and the two-piece helmet mold that has appeared in several sets recently, but it is still good to get. He has the scowling white head print which first appeared in 75347 TIE Bomber, and is armed with a red lightsaber.
Next up is a minifigure officially designated as Commander Praji, who has the accurate rank insignia printed on his torso but otherwise just looks like a generic Imperial Officer in black garb. He has a black kepi hat and a blaster pistol.
Next up is an Imperial Crew Member, who wears a light grey uniform with a black kepi hat. He has a face print with a mic that I believe is new, but harkens back to the 2014 Star Destroyer set that also featured an open-mouthed Imperial Crew Member minifigure.
A regular stormtrooper is also included, sporting the bulky dual-molded helmet that first appeared in 2019. Under the helmet is a generic female face which could be useful for custom minifigures, and hopefully we get more regular stormtroopers in other sets.
One Imperial Navy Trooper is included, who sports a nice helmet mould that also appeared in the 2014 Star Destroyer set. He has a new double-sided head in the nougat colour scheme, with a printed chin strap and neutral/angry expressions.
An Imperial Gunner is also included, although these are probably more recognisable from the Death Star. She has a nice moulded helmet (first introduced in 2014) and some good printed details on the torso and legs, along with a generic female face print.
The final minifigure is many fans’ most anticipated one, Cal Kestis from Jedi Fallen Order. This minifigure looks fantastic, with all-new face, torso, and leg prints, along with his blue lightsaber.
Unfortunately, his trusty companion BD-1 is not included which feels like a crucial omission given the two are almost always together on-screen, and the only set with a minifigure BD-1 retired last year.
Cal Kestis comes with a printed 25th Anniversary minifigure plaque that can connect with the other 25th Anniversary minifigures – here is how he looks stacked alongside Nien Nunb (from 75396) and Saw Gerrera (from 75383).
The minifigure selection in this set is pretty good, and the Cal Kestis figure is likely to appeal to many Star Wars minifigure collectors. However, apart from Vader, most of the figures here are generic troops, which could be a positive or a negative point depending on your perspective.
Completed Model
It’s been ten years since the last playscale LEGO Star Destroyer was released, and this new version truly looks better thanks to new elements and modern build techniques. The design is tidier, especially now that most of the exterior is in uniform light grey (no more patches of dark grey), which helps it look closer to the UCS version and the in-universe capital ship.
As is common with newer rereleases of Star Wars sets, this set is slightly smaller than its predecessor – measuring 46cm (18″) long which is 4cm (1.5″) shorter than the 2014 version. Fortunately, that does not really affect exterior aesthetics – which are marvellous – but as we’ll come to see, it does have an impact on the interior.
While the base of the model is flat, the designers have successfully used angled panels along the edges to capture the important angular shaping that looks fantastic.
The model looks great from any angle, including the rear where it’s suitably finished. I like the increased detail here (using some ingot and grille pieces), although only the three main thrusters have a glowing blue – I would have preferred it if the four smaller thrusters had trans-blue pieces as well.
The design of the bridge is relatively similar to the 2014 version, but it still looks excellent. A stickered 1×4 tile is used to represent the viewport, while a 1×4 gear rack element forms the tractor beam targeting array.
The elevated bodywork around the bridge has been reworked to feature more tiles and smaller parts, and looks much neater. A pair of spring-loaded shooters have been cleanly integrated, and can be fired off by pressing on the inconspicuous Technic beams just in front of the bridge.
Two spare missiles are included, which can be neatly stowed away in this fold-up slot on the rear of the bridge.
Four pairs of quad cannons are mounted on each side of the vessel, a key feature of the fearsome Star Destroyer.
While the individual angle of the cannons can be adjusted up and down separately, a lever at the rear of the ship rotates them side to side in synchrony. This feature also appeared on the 2014 model, but is as satisfying as ever.
While the bodywork looks pretty complete, it actually hides a Technic carrying handle, which is a pretty important feature for large Star Wars ships.
These two panels open up via Technic pins, which is great integration as they do not look out of place when closed.
With the panels opened, a Technic handle can be lifted up.
This allows you to securely carry around the Star Destroyer, which is a much-needed and very satisfying feature. The addition of the opening panels make this carrying handle slightly more inconvenient compared to some other models, but it improves the overall exterior aesthetics.
Thanks to the angled paneling design, the model still looks good from low angles, so it will look fine on display even on higher shelves.
To access the interior, the design is pretty similar to the 2014 model: the elevated bodywork section under the bridge detaches.
This section is not connected by any studs so it lifts off smoothly, but when in place it fits quite snugly.
Here’s how the model looks with that sub-assembly removed; you can see the Technic handle attached to the main build.
The side panels then fold outwards…
…and fold flat to allow you maximum access to the interior space.
The interior can be somewhat split into three sections – front, left, and right – but I would say this is where the model has noticeably suffered from being downsized. The interior both looks and feels smaller than the 2014 model, which is unfortunate considering the price point of this set.
The minifigure-scale bridge has been placed at the front, and this version feels more cramped than its predecessor. Still, it manages to fit the walkway at the top, along with space for two minifigures to sit lower down manning the crew seats.
Several stickers are used throughout this area for some display panel details, although the 1×2 tile at the top is a print.
Behind that area is a seating space with a printed 1×2 console tile and a clear coffed mug, with a rotating chair for the Imperial Navy Trooper to rest and relax.
In the rear corner are a pair of crates, the smaller of which has the Imperial logo printed on the side. The large one holds a white electrobinoculars piece, while the smaller one stores some thermal detonators.
The large bulky assembly in the middle is needed for the Technic handle to have stability, but the designers have managed to incorporate a weapons rack which holds an extra blaster rifle and pistol.
A pair of stickered trans-blue 1x4x3 panels are included at the rear with some infographics about the Star Destroyer. A pair of identical stickered slopes flank these screens for some additional detail.
The other side of the rear interior features a medbay of some sort, with a printed 1×2 console tile and a light blue syringe clipped on the wall. A mailbox piece with a clear door can be opened to reveal some sort of container – formed with a 1×1 trans-blue round brick with a round silver tile on top.
At the back is this little holographic display which I love. It’s mounted on a turntable and rotates, and features a trans-blue triangular piece (representing the Star Destroyer) and a 1×2 trans-red plate, presumably representing an enemy craft. It’s a great little representation of the holographic battle displays we sometimes see in Star Wars.
Despite the reduced size, the interior is still relatively minifigure-friendly: all the minifigures in the above picture are posed in a way that the exterior panels can close fully, which allows you to transport your Imperial minifigures around in this flagship vessel.
Final Thoughts
Despite some minor issues, mostly around the size of the final model, I am really, really happy with 75394 Imperial Star Destroyer and this current rendition of the Imperial Star Destroyer. The 2014 version was already an excellent set, and this one has taken it to the next level.
The exterior aesthetics are fantastic – it looks almost like a mini UCS version apart from the flat bottom – and the interior, while small, still provides opportunities for play.
It looks absolutely gorgeous on display, whether on a shelf or on a table, and the carrying handle is integrated well so you can carry it around to reenact your favourite battles. The minifigure selection is also fairly strong, although including only one of each generic minifigure is a slightly unusual choice – usually stormtroopers or Imperial Gunners appear in pairs in these sets. The Cal Kestis minifigure is bound to be a huge draw too, although the omission of BD-1 is unfortunate.
The price is quite steep, though, and there’s unfortunately no easy way around that – but as far as US$160 sets go, it’d be hard to find others of this calibre and quality, with very few corners cut. This is probably my favorite Star Wars set of 2024 so far out of the ones I’ve built!
Final Score
Audience rating
Thanks for reading! 75394 Imperial Star Destroyer is available from LEGO.com, Amazon.com or your local LEGO store. You can also get it at a slight discount from Amazon Australia if you’re lucky enough to be in Australia.
To get the latest LEGO news and LEGO Reviews straight in your inbox, subscribe via email, or you can also follow on Google News, or socials on Facebook, Instagram (@jayong28), Bluesky or subscribe to the Jay’s Brick Blog Youtube channel.
