The 10 Most Iconic LEGO ‘Star Wars’ Sets

25 years ago, to commemorate the return of Star Wars with the release of The Phantom Menace, the brick wizards at LEGO teamed up with the franchise to bring forth a new line of buildable models. Since then, nearly 1,000 sets have been released under the Star Wars theme — celebrating the many vehicles, characters and scenes that make up the galaxy far, far away. In celebration of the line’s anniversary, and the annual Star Wars “holiday” of May the Fourth, we’ve assembled a list of the 10 most iconic LEGO Star Wars sets of all time.

UCS X-wing Fighter (2000)

Brickset/Lego

Year one of the LEGO Star Wars project was a major success alongside the release of The Phantom Menace, so LEGO took things to the next level for its second offering by introducing the Ultimate Collector Series — a new line within the partnership that was designed to appeal to adults with its large, display-oriented builds, standing out next to the smaller-scale, more kid-friendly sets that the inaugural launch focused on. To kick off the series, LEGO brought forth two sets — a TIE Interceptor, which notably has returned this year in UCS form, and an X-wing Fighter. The latter plays a more prominent role in the franchise, making it a go-to for fans when the 1,300-piece build landed on shelves. While outclassed nowadays by its two UCS X-wing successors, this set remains a crucial piece of LEGO Star Wars history.

Cloud City (2003)

Brickset/Lego

2003’s Cloud City may not look the part of a legendary LEGO set, but it has become the most valuable LEGO Star Wars retail release ever, sometimes selling for upwards of $10,000 USD in new condition. Its 698-piece build depicts various environments featured in the mining colony’s appearance in The Empire Strikes Back and is packed with play features. These elements include a lift that swaps the Han Solo figure for his carbonite counterpart at the freezing chamber to a window launcher that allows Darth Vader to press his attack against Luke Skywalker, guiding them to the platform where Vader reveals that he is Luke’s father. Its seven minifigures, four of which are exclusive to this rare set, includes a special Boba Fett with arm and leg printing that fetches over $1,000 USD on its own, but also the first Black LEGO figure with Lando Calrissian and his regal gold cape.

Clone Troopers Battle Pack (2007)

Brickset/Lego

There are many types of LEGO collectors — some enjoy the simple pleasure of building a set and placing it on their shelf at home to admire, others assemble their own creations with spare parts. When the Clone Troopers Battle Pack came out in 2007, a new type of collector was created: the army builder. Priced at $10 USD, its 58-piece build is nothing to write home about, but the inclusion of four Clone Trooper minifigures was major. Amassing large minifigure collections wasn’t a new concept, but this set ushered in an era of collectors buying tens of the same set just to create their own Clone Legions. It was accompanied by a Battle Droid-filled battle pack and led to many future battle packs that fans continue to look forward to collecting each year.

Trade Federation MTT (2007)

Brickset/Lego

Who needs battle packs when one set gives you 20 Battle Droids and a special Droideka to boot? 2007’s Trade Federation MTT remains hailed as LEGO’s best build of the transport vehicle to date, and its built-in army of Battle Droids is the cherry on top. No set quite replicates the feeling of wheeling up your MTT and deploying its set of 16 Battle Droids.

Republic Dropship with AT-OT (2009)

Brickset/Lego

After the theatrical release of Revenge of the Sith, the animated The Clone Wars TV show filled the void of new late-’00s Star Wars content. LEGO capitalized on the excitement around the show by loading its own release lineups with TCW-themed sets. Of the 82 sets based on the show, the Republic Dropship with AT-OT is the team’s crowning achievement. Not only is it a rare instance where LEGO designed two massive vehicles in one set, but their attention to detail is just as impressive. As expected, the Dropship attaches to the AT-OT walker and can be deployed into battle. LEGO went above and beyond by ensuring compatibility with the AT-TE walker that released the year prior and the Clone Turbo Tank that hit the market in the following year, making this the ultimate grail for TCW fans.

Luke’s Landspeeder (2010)

Brickset/Lego

Appearing eight times in 25 years (and that’s excluding the two mini builds featured in advent calendars), Luke’s Landspeeder is a vehicle that LEGO cannot keep itself from having on shelves, and for good reason too. Many of its releases have served as the quintessential starter set for new LEGO Star Wars fans, and the 2010 version is the most complete example. Whether you’re an accountant looking for a neat display model for your office desk or a 10-year-old who just watched A New Hope for the first time, this set does it all. The instantly recognizable Landspeeder is a vehicle that, while small, still delivers a satisfying build experience with its intricately detailed design. On top of that, the essential squad of Luke Skywalker, Ben Kenobi, C-3PO, R2-D2, a Stormtrooper and even a buildable Sentry Droid allows you to properly recreate the “These aren’t the Droids you are looking for” moment.

Republic Gunship (2013)

Brickset/Lego

Attack of the Clones — one of the most overlooked films when it comes to LEGO sets — has treated fans to some real gems, with 2013’s Republic Gunship as an exemplary recreation of its silver screen counterpart. Over ten years later it still holds up as a set that could be released tomorrow and would be embraced by even the most hardcore fans as it’s packed with play functions like flick-fire missiles and sliding doors, all the while maintaining an aesthetically pleasing form. Its minifigures, while limited on the amount of Clone Troopers and Super Battle Droids included, does feature two exclusive versions of the former, and is championed by the fan-favorite trio of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala in three of their best looks to date.

UCS Death Star (2016)

Brickset/Lego

2016’s re-released UCS Death Star puts the “ultimate” in its Ultimate Collector Series title. Its massive 4,016-piece recreation of the all-powerful space station hosts a wide variety of environments that are visited in A New Hope and Return of the Jedi. From the trash compactor with its moving walls to turbo lasers with spring-loaded shooters and even Emperor Palpatine’s ominous throne room, this set lets your imagination run wild and ensures each scene is well equipped for reimagining thanks to the inclusion of 27 minifigures, an all-time high for the line.

UCS Millennium Falcon (2017)

Brickset/Lego

Ask any fan which LEGO set best defines the line’s 25 years of existence, and one particular response will stand out the most: the UCS Millennium Falcon. While both the 2017 version and its 2007 predecessor are held in high regard, the former remains at the peak of the franchise. Taking one of Star Wars’ most iconic ships, building it to minifigure scale and then releasing it as LEGO’s most expensive and largest set to date, was the recipe for an instant classic. Its 7,541-piece build is a journey, with a Guinness World Record solo speed build still taking over seven and a half hours. The ship itself goes above and beyond, resulting in not only a breathtaking exterior but a functional interior as well. With its release arriving amongst the rollout of Disney’s sequel trilogy, it includes minifigures from both the original three films and its sequels while also making sure to feature interchangeable sensor dishes that indicate which era of the ship is being displayed.

501st Legion Clone Troopers (2020)

Brickset/Lego

Each wave of modern LEGO Star Wars sets promises to feature designs that will reach similar levels of legendary status. However, one has already achieved this: 2020’s 501st Legion Clone Troopers. With an overwhelming amount of fans clamoring for more 501st Legion Clone Troopers to go with the final season of The Clone Wars, the reveal of this set sent the community into a frenzy unlike any other that the scene has borne witness to. Equipped with a 501st-themed AT-RT Walker and BARC Speeder, its four 501st Legion Clone Trooper minifigures had fans calling every local store of theirs to locate the set for sale.