Review: LEGO 40547 Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader Brickheadz (2022)

July 9, 2022 | 0

Obi-Wan Kenobi is the biggest Disney+ streaming title ever, and alongside 2 LEGO play sets launching on 1 August 2022, LEGO will also be releasing a double Brickheadz pack – 40547 Obi-Wan Kenobi & Darth Vader Brickheadz

Obi-Wan Kenobi makes his long-awaited Brickheadz debut, and Darth Vader returns in a new and improved design, making this one of the most potent LEGO Star Wars Brickheadz packs yet.

LEGO Brickheadz have been a bit of a niche LEGO theme that thankfully remains relatively accessible, and they’re fun to build and collect, whether you’re into the Spice Girls, Pets or Stranger Things.

I really enjoyed the Kenobi TV series, and am a relatively big Star Wars and Brickheadz fan, so I was really excited to get into these, so let’s jump into this quick review!

Special thanks to the LEGO Group for providing this set for review

40547 Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader Brickheadz Set Details

Name: Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader
Set Number: 40547
Pieces: 260
Price: AU$29.99 | US$19.99 | £17.99 – Buy from LEGO.com [US] [AUS] [UK]
Exclusive to: LEGO.com, LEGO Brand Retail Stores
Theme: Brickheadz, Star Wars
LEGO Designer: TBD
Release Date: 1 August 2022, 26-29 May exclusive Star Wars Celebration 2022 release

Some fun trivia about this set – while it officially releases on 1 August 2022, the set was first made available at Star Wars Celebration 2022, where attendees could purchase it from the LEGO booth there.

Those that did so not only had the chance of owning and building it before everyone else, and you get a snazzy sleeve that says so. Here’s a photo of it above, but for all intents and purposes, the set and packaging is identical to the retail version.

Brickheadz #174 and #175 go to Obi Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader respectively, and with the series revolving around the long-awaited reunion (and rematch) between the Padawan and his Master, this Brickheadz double-pack makes heaps of sense.

Thematically, it’s awesome to get both of these Star Wars juggernauts in one Brickheadz set, and for LEGO Star Wars of Brickheadz fans, this is a great piece to pick up and display.

Here’s a look at the Obi-Wan Kenobi Brickheadz – this is Ben’s first outing as a Brickheadz, and the designers have employed some really interesting techniques to bring him to life.

Firstly, Obi-Wan has a pseudo-mouth, which is a visual effect created by his beard. You don’t usually see mouths on Brickheadz, so this is pretty interesting in itself! I also like the techniques used for his beard, which slightly protrudes out under his eyes.

It’s a simple, but clever technique to create a subtle sense of depth. His brown robes and belt is also well done, with impressive levels of detail to mimic the layers of brown fabric.

Here’s a look at the back where there’s some texture on his hair, as well as more robe details on the back.

Here’s a look at the Darth Vader Brickheadz, which is the star of the this duo, and he has been equipped with some snazzy updates for 2022.

Firstly, he has menacing red eyes, which look really cool, and returns with an entire array of printed elements, from his curved forehead piece, triangle mouth-piece, and belt/breathing apparatus/control panel on his front.

The buttons are like his own personal thermostat, keeping Anakin not only alive, but nice and comfortable inside his suit.

Darth Vader’s face looks so much more sinister and terrifying with the red eyes, and he also has a small nose bridge on the inside, and I like the use of the upside down pyramid piece under his chin.

Here’s how Darth Vader looks from the side, which showcases the excellent sculpting of his helmet.

Of course, the main question is how does he compare against the first 41619 Darth Vader Brickheadz from 2018? The years have not been kind to the older version, and the new 2022 version is a massive improvement in almost every aspect.

While they’ve retained the 1×4 printed tile for his belt, mouth-piece and forehead, the chest design is completely new, as are the eyes.

The eyes are the biggest improvement – the 2018 version had these blacked out Brickheadz-style round 1×1 tiles which looked a bit too cartoony for my tastes, so the designer did a great job not only with the dark red eyes, but with the recessed look.

Anakin always had the flair for the dramatic, an as such, the new version has a longer cape, and also benefits from being slightly taller than the older one, with more Vader-like proportions.

Oh, and two complete the review, here’ a look at the pink brains inside both Brickheadz.

And on the inside of them, Vader has a red cylinder, and Kenobi has a black one.

What I liked:

• A great Brickheadz duo with iconic Star Wars characters
• All of Vader’s cosmetic updates
• Being able to welcome Kenobi to the Brickheadz family
• Obi Wan’s robes

What I didn’t like: 

• Lack of printed anything on Obi-Wan
• Vader is a dust magnet
• Obi Wan’s face looks like the o_o emoji

FINAL THOUGHTS:

For Star Wars and fans of the Kenobi TV series, this is an easy recommendation, as you get two iconic Star Wars characters in one pack.

They both thematically go well with one another, and because the old Darth Vader Brickheadz is relatively rare (new copies go for about US$35), it’ll be great if you previously missed out and don’t want to shell out aftermarket prices.

Obi-Wan’s robes were a surprise for me, and I loved that they did with the simplicity of the design, and kinda makes up for not having any printed elements on him.

Darth Vader however, is the star, and knocks it out of the park with far superior proportions, menacing red eyes and an array of printed elements.

If you like Brickheadz and Star Wars, this is a nifty little set that won’t break the bank, and will provide you (and your partner) with a quick and satisfying LEGO fix.

Rating and score: 3/5 ★★★✰✰

Build [2] – Interesting techniques for Obi-Wan’s beard and robes, but standard Brickheadz fare
Real Value [3] – Fairly decent for Brickheadz, but you’re getting 2 huge SW characters
Innovation [2] – Not much is new here, save for Vader’s improved head
Coolness [3] – Two fan-favourite Star Wars characters make for a very cool set to display
Keepability [4] – If you collect Brickheadz, this is a particularly memorable SW-licensed set that you’ll want to keep. I enjoy having Darth Vader on my desk, next to my other Darth Vader sets/minifigures/builds

Thanks for reading this very quick review of 40547 Obi-Wan Kenobi & Darth Vader Brickheadz! I’ll leave you with this funny photo I took, re-enacting one of Obi-Wan’s and Anakin’s most famous duels.

Oh, and this one too – how good would a Star Wars What If series be?

40547 Obi-Wan Kenobi & Darth Vader Brickheadz will be released on 1 August 2022 from LEGO.com and your local LEGO Store.

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Special thanks to the LEGO Group for providing this set for review.