6209: It’s Not Your Father’s Slave I

[Ji'dai]

Set: 6209 Slave I
Theme: Star Wars (Classic)
Year: 2006
Box Artwork: Front & Back
Mini-Figs: 4: Boba Fett, Dengar, IG-88, Bespin Guard, plus carbonite-block Han Solo
Pieces: 537
Price: $50
Price per Part Ratio: 9 cents a piece
Availability: Mass Retail / LEGO Shop@Home

Boba Fett’s modified Kuat Systems Engineering Firespray-class attack and patrol ship, Slave I, once again prowls the dangerous galactic underworld for bounties in this updated, redesigned version of the original 7144 Slave I released in 2000.

LEGO has produced three versions of Slave I over the last six years: the 7144, 7153, and 6209.

The 7144, with it’s 165 pieces, captured the basic look and feel of the notorious bounty hunter’s pursuit craft. It possessed the recognizable street-lamp design and featured rotating stabilizer fins, rear-mounted twin blaster cannons, a simple cargo hold large enough to store a frozen Han Solo, and a double-hinged canopy opening onto the unusual reverse pilot seating position.

A second version of the famous ship, 7153 Jango Fett’s Slave I, was released in 2002 with the Attack of the Clones product line. The 7153 had 358 pieces, over twice as many as the 7144, and it really made a difference: 7153 was twice as big and much more menacing. The enlarged cockpit held two figures and the entire pilot deck swiveled with the stabilizing fins depending on the ship’s attitude. The main body of this version conceals a vast amount of starfighter-smashing armament: concussion mines deploy from the bottom, quad blaster cannons swivel out from the sides, proton torpedoes "launch" from the top, and the rear twin blaster cannons are much more beefier. A magnetic cargo box attaches under the ship to stow captured bounties while two small tail-mounted cargo compartments store extra gear.

6209, the third and newest incarnation of the ship, borrows heavily from the second version’s architecture and employs similar construction methods; but as you might expect, the new version sports the familiar paint scheme of the ship as seen in The Empire Strikes Back. The 6209 has 179 more pieces than the 7153, so the new version is slightly bigger: the ship’s "footprint" is a few studs longer, the tail section is longer and more robust, and the craft stands taller due to better developed engine cowling/landing gear on the bottom. The cockpit is cozier and the pilot deck again swivels with the stabilizer fins depending on the ship’s attitude. The 6209 stabilizer fins and their hull connection points sport more detail than on the older 7153. The 6209 also dispenses with 7153’s magnetically-attached bottom-mounted bounty "cage." This means that the ‘gaps’ seen in the stabilizer area on the 7153 have a more "filled in" look with this new version. The result is the 6209’s appearance seems more structurally sound and is more pleasing to the eye.

One of the major selling points of the new Slave I is the mini-figs. You get the two standbys: Boba Fett and a carbonite-block Han Solo. However, 6209 also features two new bounty hunters, IG-88 and Dengar, plus a black Bespin Guard. IG-88 is passable: the assassin droid is based on the Battle Droid body with a 1x1 cone and round plates making up his head. Dengar is a good-looking figure as mini-figs go: nice torso detail and a white ninja hood make up his turban or cowl or whatever the heck he wears. A nice addition to the set is the black Bespin Guard, a version which hasn’t been released in figure form since the original Kenner era. I think it’s ironic that LEGO, a company that has long avoided racial divisions in the past by making all of its toy people yellow, was first to release a black Bespin Guard in the modern era.

Though 6209 and it’s predecessor 7153 have a lot in common, however, there are enough aesthetic and building differences in the new version to comfortably say that Boba’s ship is definitely not his father’s Slave I.

Action Features: High. The new Slave I is still armed to the teeth: twin proton torpedoes swivel out from the tail section, a remarkably powerful spring-loaded missile launcher is concealed on the top behind the canopy, tail-mounted twin-blaster cannons rain radiant death upon unfortunate spacers with a price on their heads, and concussion mines deploy from the hull bottom. Cargo storage consists of a rear slot to load the carbonite block, two small compartments are located right behind the stabilizer fin mounting ports, plus there are two tail-mounted holds with larger doors to stow more gear. The spring-loaded missile launcher and carbonite block cargo slot are controlled by inconspicuous external knobs on the ships hull. The cargo slot for the carbonite block hasn’t improved much since the original 7144; it’s still essentially a levered plate that moves down to accommodate the carbonite block and then up to lock it into place.

Decals and Other Dreaded Building Steps: None. No decals or rope strings to tie!

Structural Integrity: High. The original 7144 probably has the best structural integrity of the three versions since it’s nearly a solid mass of bricks. The 7153 is the weakest version, especially in the main body section under the cockpit where the stabilizer fins connect and the bounty cage attaches. 6209 ranks somewhere between the two versions, but I’m giving it high marks for structural strength. The set is a complicated, complex build, but everything locks securely together.

"Zoom" Factor: High. This ship is a marvel of beauty and design. After building it, you’ll want to take it for a test spin around your part of the galaxy! (Or at least your living room).

Leftover Pieces: Low. Some 1x1 round plates, technic connectors, and extra silver IG-88 parts.

Frustration Level of Hunting for that One Piece that Surely Must Be Missing and I Bought an Incomplete Set and Will have to Call LEGO Customer Service for a Replacement Part: Medium. I kept the pieces from the separate polybags in different piles so finding the next brick wasn’t a major chore.

Completist Temptation: High. There are three other Star Wars "Classic" sets from the Original Trilogy that are available now:
6206 TIE Interceptor = $20
6207 A-Wing Fighter = $17
6208 B-Wing Fighter = $35

The TIE Interceptor was originally released as an "Ultimate Collector Series" set but this time around the Imperial fighter is in "System" scale. The other two ships, like Boba Fett’s Slave I, feature redesigns of previously released vehicles.

[JediTricks]

Great review, nice work indeed. I'm guessing you're recommending it. A few comments I have...

Concerning Jango's Slave 1, you said

proton torpedoes "launch" from the top

but I don't remember this set having such a feature. Am I forgetting something, is that a mistake, or did I miss a feature on this set?

Doesn't the spring-loaded missile launcher seem a tad frustrating since it makes the odd cargo slot for the carbonite block as well as completely obliterate a real doorway for Boba to enter and leave the ship? Do you think the ship would be significantly weakened if the missile launcher were removed?

[Ji'dai]

Great review, nice work indeed. I'm guessing you're recommending it. A few comments I have...

Thanks! Yep, I'm pleased with the set. It was quite fun to build.

Doesn't the spring-loaded missile launcher seem a tad frustrating since it makes the odd cargo slot for the carbonite block as well as completely obliterate a real doorway for Boba to enter and leave the ship? Do you think the ship would be significantly weakened if the missile launcher were removed?

The missile launcher is attached to the internal hull by six small technic connecting rods, 3 on each side, and removing it wouldn't sacrifice the structural strength of the model. I don't think by removing it you'd gain a whole lot. I suppose an entry to the cockpit could be created in its place, but it wouldn't really affect the main cargo area.

I think the scale of the ship limits the things you mention more than the spring-loaded missile launcher. In a larger-scaled ship the rear cargo compartment could be expanded and also offer a corridor on to the cockpit. Perhaps in a larger scale the top of the tail section and cockpit canopy would detach in order to access a play area in the cargo bay and cockpit. But that would be a pretty big set!

Concerning Jango's Slave 1, you said, "proton torpedoes "launch" from the top" but I don't remember this set having such a feature. Am I forgetting something, is that a mistake, or did I miss a feature on this set?

The torpedoes in question are small, 2-piece rockets (basically a gray tail with red nose cone) that are located in the tail section and are accessible by lowering one of the tail flaps (see attached photo). The quotations I threw around the word "launch" imply that the torpedoes must be manually "fired"

[Mandalorian Candidat]

From your pix, Ji'dai, it looks like the cargo bay replaces the dropping sonic bomb bay from JF'sS1 as well as the two gun turrets that pop out from the side.

Glad to hear that there are no decals...man I really hate it when Lego stoops to that!

[JediTricks]

Thanks for the 411 Ji'dai, I'm really glad to hear the launcher probably isn't integral to the build, I am definitely not happy to have it there (a missile 3 times as tall as a minifig, that's realisitc! ) and would much rather have a working hatchway to the cockpit (I can fudge a cool weapon that's much smaller to go under the nifty opening that appears beneath the cockpit for the missile, or maybe make that a small cargo hold).

As for the AOTC version's torpedoes, my confusion came from my belief that those were part of the techy engine-type section next to it.

[Ji'dai]

Thanks for the 411 Ji'dai, I'm really glad to hear the launcher probably isn't integral to the build, I am definitely not happy to have it there (a missile 3 times as tall as a minifig, that's realisitc! ) and would much rather have a working hatchway to the cockpit (I can fudge a cool weapon that's much smaller to go under the nifty opening that appears beneath the cockpit for the missile, or maybe make that a small cargo hold).

The launcher is well-concealed, I think LEGO was trying to make the vehicle kid-friendly as well as appeal to adult aesthetics. It would make a nice cargo hold for captured bounties with the launcher removed.

As for the AOTC version's torpedoes, my confusion came from my belief that those were part of the techy engine-type section next to it.

That's possible. They really look like rockets to me, though not as long as the missiles fired at Obi-Wan during the asteroid chase in AOTC.

From your pix, Ji'dai, it looks like the cargo bay replaces the dropping sonic bomb bay from JF'sS1 as well as the two gun turrets that pop out from the side.

Yep, the gun turrets are gone in the new version. However, 6209 still retains the bomb-dropping feature seen on JF'sS1, it's just better looking this time around. Check out the pics:

[JediTricks]

The launcher is well-concealed, I think LEGO was trying to make the vehicle kid-friendly as well as appeal to adult aesthetics. It would make a nice cargo hold for captured bounties with the launcher removed.

That's the one thing I liked about the missile, they concealed it nicely, it's something I definitely would keep.

That's possible. They really look like rockets to me, though not as long as the missiles fired at Obi-Wan during the asteroid chase in AOTC.

They're so stubby though. The proton torps in ANH are a similar but no fins.

On the drop bombs, do they fall out the top easily?

[Ji'dai]

They're so stubby though. The proton torps in ANH are a similar but no fins.

The 6209's torpedoes are 2-bricks longer but they are side-firing rather than out-the-top on the 7153. LEGO may have wanted to include them on the 7153 since they were seen in the film but had to make them stubby in order to fit upright in the tail section.

On the drop bombs, do they fall out the top easily?

Only if the ship is upside down. The "bombs" are white mini-fig heads and stay put inside the bomb bay in most ship positions (you can see Fett loading the bombs into the bay on the box photos).

The bomb loading bay can be covered by lowering the plate that stores the carbonite-block. The trade-off with the plate in the down position so it covers the bomb bay is the inability to stow the carbonite block there. Have to put Capt. Solo in the cockpit

[JediTricks]

I noticed the white bombs, looked like LEGO skull heads to me. This no-hatch top-loading thing isn't as bad here as it is on some of their other recent sets, the ARC-170 is a lot more likely to get upside-down than Slave I (the ARC-170's bomb chute tube is at an angle though so there is a chance they won't fall out).

[Mandalorian Candidat]

I found out the same thing about the ARC-170 and had to scrounge around on the carpet to find the missing bomb. What I don't like about JF'sS1 is that the bomb door flips open fairly easily. I hope that was fixed in this iteration, but I'm not holding my breathe.

I've now seen every new set at retail except for the A-Wing. Both times have been at Super WMs in the past two days. I got my son a V-Wing for his B'day so now I need to find one to open. A nice way to get a clone pilot but they shafted us on finally getting a colored R2 unit...just a dome in that one.