More LEGO Star Wars fun with my daughter this week as we built another new set, the Imperial Shuttle Tydirium.
Firstly, a confession. I’ll admit it. The reason why we selected this particular set for review was because of one of its smallest elements – the Princess Leia minifig.
(As you can see, we also have Sabine, from another soon to be reviewed set.)
This is not to put down this LEGO Star Wars set by any means. But we have wanted a Leia figure for some time (that WASN’T in her ‘slave’ outfit) and we’re stoked to finally have one. My daughter was so desperate for one she started making up her own from what we had, creating brand new adventures for her too. Now we have one, sporting a rather cool if fragile looking camouflage poncho.
As well as a LEGO Princess Leia in her Endor outfit, you also get Han Solo & Chewbacca, plus two similarly attired Rebels. Accessories include the usual guns (Chewie gets his crossbow one), some thermal grenades, plus what appears to be cake – presumably the food Leia offers to Wicket the Ewok in the movie.
This is the latest in a line of Imperial Shuttle LEGO sets, but is the first one to include the rebels, and is taken from the scene in Return of the Jedi when they attempt to sneak onto the moon of Endor to sabotage the force field protecting the under-construction Death Star.
The build took us a few sessions of an hour or two, with my 3-year-old daughter helping me out with this age 9+ recommended set. I can see why the age is relatively high, as this is an intricately engineered model, with hinged ramp and cockpit plus fold up wings and doors in the cargo section.
It also features fold-out guns and fireable rockets/torpedoes – the set comes with (or at least ours did) much needed additional spares. It also has retractable landing gear, which is cool but we have found to be a little temperamental.
While the dominant white colour scheme is not reflective of the colour of the ship in the movies, it makes for a more eye catching model, that is visually different from our other grey Star Wars sets.
Being a vehicle, to me it lacks the full on creative storytelling led playability of the Death Star Final Duel set, but my daughter still loves opening the doors, ramp, landing gear – and of course firing those missiles! It has prompted many creative play sessions, involving new adventures and scenarios.
While I found the Imperial Shuttle to be one of the less interesting craft in the movies, as a LEGO Star Wars model it looks great. It’s still one of the iconic ships of the original trilogy, and adding these classic minifigs to your LEGO collection is a nice bonus. My daughter and I had fun building it, and a great time playing with it too.
The LEGO Star Wars – Imperial Shuttle Tydirium (75094) has a RRP of £79.99, but please see below for your chance to win one.
** This giveaway is now closed, but the LEGO Star Wars Imperial Shuttle Tydirium set (75094) can still be purchased here **
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I think it’s important for boys and girls that female characters such as Princess Leia are included in merchandise like this. What do you think?
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Disclaimer: While I was not paid to write this piece, we did receive the set reviewed free of charge. All opinions remain ours.
Man vs. Pink 
It’s really important, there shouldn’t be this great divide of ‘boys toys’ & ‘girls toys’, just toys. Equally though there should be male influences in more stereotypically female toys. I think packaging is the biggest issue -boys would be more likely to pick up a nurses dress up kit if the person wearing it on the box was male, & girls more likely to pick up a fireman’s dress up kit if the person wearing it was female.
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I agree (though ‘Firefighter’ perhaps more apt).
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I agree. It is something that too many manufacturers have been missing. It teaches children that they are all equally important.
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I don’t think Princess Leia is a particularly good character as a female role model. But yeah, given that virtually all the other characters in Star Wars are male, it’s important that she’s included in sets like this.
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I think its important too when its people
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Man, I’m jealous of both the Lego and your Lego photography skills. Good to see that your daughter got her Leia eventually.
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Ha! I’d have hardly any blog images if I didn’t take pics of our toys…
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It is really important. I always wanted to play with my brother’s toys.
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I’m sure plenty of girls do like Star Wars.
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They most certainly do!
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I think people put too much importance on it all to be honest x
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Agree to disagree. I don’t think this issue is taken seriously enough.
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I definitely agree that it’s important!
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I cant see why they shouldn’t put in a female character for both boys & girls, could you imagine how the film would of gone without Leia.
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Hooray for getting a Leia! As a huge LEGO fan I’ve always played with the male mini figs which never bothered me tbh. It is nice now I have a son that they are introducing more female figs so he can play more realistically 🙂 x
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No reason why they shouldn’t
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i think there shouldn’t be so much focus on what gender toys are targeted at, me and my brothers shared all our toys
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Of course, as long as the character figures are there that is included with the theme then that’s great.
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l totally agree. There is far too much emphasis on gender specific toys.
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I hate typical girls’ toys. As a child, I adored Star Wars, Indiana Jones and superheroes. I hated ponies and dolls. My favourite toys were Lego and the original Star Wars figures. I have two boys and equally, my husband and I aren’t pushing them into football etc, just because they’re male. My best friend is doing a fabulous job raising her little girl and letting her choose for herself. She loves bikes, getting muddy and Star Wars. She prefers Big Hero 6 to Frozen. I was told to like girl’s stuff and act like a lady all the time as a child, or got called a tomboy. It destroys confidence and makes girls less likely to take up sports and be interested in male-dominated careers. It’s wrong to push boys and girls to like certain things and I wish pink wasn’t seen as just for girls!
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I agree with everything you’ve said. I particularly hate the term ‘tomboy’. It’s not being a boy, just a different way of being a girl.
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well, certainly seems a good idea to me
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It is important but I don’t think it’s ever a big concern with LEGO. They have always put female characters in their sets for boys and girls! Now LEGO Friends should have some male characters!
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Yes, LEGO is better in this regard than many other companies.
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i think its for boys and girls xx
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Of course she should be, she was an important part of the films too!
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Great idea – all individuals should be valued.
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i think its very important, not just for girl but for boys also. gender stereotypes are so old fashioned and its ridiculous how we still need to push through them in certain circumstances.
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I agree, shows strong female characters.
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I think it’s great to see female characters, but have been more pleased to see mini figures like the female scientists.
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Love the female scientist set 🙂
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Very good idea
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I don’t have any children but would love to win this prize to donate to charity, to go to Romania.
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How wonderful! I pick a random winner though 🙂
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I totally agree. I always wanted to have a girl toy when I played with my Brother’s toys! Usually ended up with a pink car 🙂
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I think it is a good idea too
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I agree, she was one of the main stars of the films
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I strongly agree! Barbie is not everything.
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Not really crossed my mind but now I’m thinking about it there is a lack of female Lego characters, hope this is the first of many.
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Hahaha…..of course there should be female characters. There are female characters in real life, and that should be reflected. There should be more men in the LEGO Friends too 😉
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There are girls and boys playing with Lego, girls and boys watching star wars and girls and boys LOVING Leya!! Of course she should be included 🙂
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I think more female characters are a great idea in Lego.
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Of course there should be a female character – why are we even having this conversation in 2015?!
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But sadly, we still are. While LEGO include them, many others do not.
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female characters should always be included – sometimes the boys prefer them
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Very true!
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It’s good see female characters included, I think it’s important that both male and female character are used
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Certainly, it’s important to have as many role models as possible, male or female
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Absolutely
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Not just because she is a strong female character, but because she is an integral part of the story – No Leia – No Star Wars – No Way!
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I think it’s important that there are male and female characters with any toys!
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I think it is important that there are female characters in Lego and that there should be many different role models, both male and female, to enable children to learn and understand the ways of the world be they real or virtual!
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Couldn’t agree more. Especially as a Dad who spent 16 years unsuccessfully trying to turn his daughter into a tomboy. She loves her football, hate dolls (“They’re evil”), throws a mean cricket ball but cries on a 1:1000000 ski slope!
She’s my girl.
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I totally agree, I think there should be a range of both male and female figures dresses in a range of clothes etc. Life is so diverse and toys should reflect that!
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I have to totally agree it shows that both boys and girls are equal 🙂
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I agree, the playsets should have all the characters regardless of gender!
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It’s very important. My 5 yr old daughter loves Star Wars but a lot of the toys are aimed at more boys.
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My little girl loves star wars lego I feel that it should have more female characters but she loves it no matter what
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Its important but then peer pressure & the media steer kids to boys & girls stuff. Seems like we have been discussing this subject for ever
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Which is why we’re still discussing it – because boys and girls are still feeling pressured into like/not like certain things because of their gender.
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yes i agress, very important
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theres no reason for her not to be in range as she is part of flims
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she should be included because she is just about the only strong female role in all the films , all the films have mostly strong male leads, and lego is for boys and girls and of cause adults
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