In the LEGO Star Wars series of sets, there have been six different versions of Slave 1, the ship used by Boba Fett, the bounty hunter. These six versions have ranged from small, almost pocket-sized models to larger ones measuring over a foot in length. Although he plays a relatively minor part in the overall Star Wars stories, his character has captured the imagination of many of the story’s fans. As a result, his ship has also become an object of great interest.
In the Star Wars story, the bounty hunter Boba Fett plays a key role in Episodes V and VI. He is the bounty hunter hired by Darth Vader to find and capture Han Solo and to bring him to Jaba the Hutt. His ship, Slave 1, was first owned by his Father, Jango Fett, who “acquired” it during his escape from the prison on Oovo IV. The ship was a prototype Firespray class patrol ship that he managed to steal during his escape.
Calling the ship Slave 1, he began a program of major improvements, and he put a lot of effort into arming the ship. After bringing the ship to the Kuat Drive Yards he had them install their powerful drive engines into the ship. They were a tight fit, as they took up two-thirds of the space available in the hull. The weapons that he added to the ship included double, twin blaster cannons, a pair of projectile launchers, plus two rapid-firing laser cannons. He also added a mine laying system that could deploy seismic charges.
The LEGO models of the Slave 1 reflect much of the weaponry he added. The level of sophistication of the models and the amount of detail has increased as each new model has been released. The first Slave 1, LEGO 7144 was released back in 2000, and while it captured the basic elements of Slave 1, it was somewhat primitive, as it lacked a lot of the specially designed elements that have been added to the later models. This first version looked a lot like something someone would create using nothing but generic LEGO parts.
The next version released by LEGO was designated LEGO 7153. It is in this model that the quality and level of detail begin to show a big improvement. The cockpit was now a special piece of smoky plastic, and the trim elements of the upper side of the landing shoe were special pieces as well, to give it the smoother, more rounded look it needed. This model was larger, having more than twice the number of elements (358) than the 7144 version (165). This set also came with mini-figures, unlike its predecessor.
The Slave 1 model designated LEGO 6209 came next, released in 2006. Once again it was a larger model than the previous one, having 537 elements. At this point the design of LEGO Slave 1 really began to come into its own. The number of specialized parts increased substantially, which gave the ship a much more finished appearance. The ship includes a cargo hatch that can open to load the Carbonited Han Solo aboard. The finished ship included the mine launchers, as well as the missile launchers. The twin cannon arrays are also present. The total of four mini-figures (five if you count the Carbonited Han Solo) was the most to be included in a Slave 1 set up to this point.
LEGO 8097, the current version of Slave 1, is the model still in production. It is once again a larger model than its predecessor, but only slightly – it has 572 elements vs. 537. The level of detail of the model has improved yet again, with more use of special pieces to create a really finished appearance. The cover of the cockpit can be opened, and you can seat a mini-figure inside. This latest set includes three mini-figures, and also has the Carbonite skid. The skid is designed to fit the Han Solo mini-figure, so it can be “Carbonited” for transport, for really great realism. The finish and details on this latest model are very impressive, and the finished ship has a look of gritty authenticity to it.
The other two versions of Slave 1 were small (think pocket-sized) versions of the ship. One, the LEGO 20019, was a promotional item that was sent out with the January 2011 issue of the Brickmaster Catalog. It was not intended for sale in stores. The other small set was actually part of a two-ship combination released in 2003 – it was packaged with a small model of Obie-Wan Kenobi’s Delta-7 Aethersprite Class Starfighter. All or these sets are still available in the secondary market, so it’s not too late to add to your collection. Get a version of this ship now, before it becomes too scarce.
For more about the LEGO Slave 1 sets, including where to buy them and find the lowest prices, click on Lego Slave 1. To find more great LEGO Star Wars themed sets, click on Lego Star Wars Sets, there you can find lots of information on many of the best Star Wars LEGO sets.