One Man Has Made The Ultimate Lego Millennium Falcon

Throughout its nearly 40 year history, Star Wars has inspired the young and old to dream and think big – galactically big. Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Lucasfilm/Disney’s latest outing, is breaking box office records and giving a new hope to fans across the globe. And Star Wars’ legions of enthusiasts show their love in many creative ways, whether via fan films, original artwork, and/or by building models (among other ways).

For years, the building block company LEGO has featured Star Wars tie-ins and models ranging from simple toddler models to complex adult kits. And without a doubt, Han Solo’s Millennium Falcon is an undeniable fan favorite. LEGO’s basic Force Awakens model Falcon contains roughly 1,300 pieces builds into a fair-to-middling duplication of the iconic ship. An advanced kit of the YT-1300 freighter can be found online and consists of 5,000 pieces, retailing for the princely sum of $6,000.

But this wasn’t good enough for one Star Wars aficionado. Over the course of a year, LEGO enthusiastMarshall Banana (via Kotaku) built a gorgeous replica of that thousand-year bird of prey using approximately 7,500 pieces – over two thousand pieces more than the largest LEGO kit for sale. At nearly 3 feet long, the impressive model weighs about 22 pounds and follows the design schematic of the actual Falcon meticulously.

Check out images of said “ultimate” Millennium Falcon LEGO design, below:

Banana’s facsimile, which bristles with lighted laser cannons and an illuminated engine, even includes the modified square radar dish to replace the one Lando lost inside the second Death Star. Its only real drawback is its lack of a fully rendered interior. Due to the weight limitations on the central construction, Banana wasn’t able to craft a fully functional interior. However, the model does allow you to “sit” inside a detailed version of the Falcon’s cockpit (view more images of Marshall’s Millennium Falcon in his album).

The dedication and drive of Star Wars fans and LEGO builders alike is truly impressive. And Marshall Banana’s Millennium Falcon is far from his first or only LEGO construct from the Star Wars universe. The block wizard also slapped together an impressive Sandcrawler, a meticulous X-Wing fighter, and several set pieces from famous battles such as Endor and Hoth.

Of course crafting Star Wars replicas from LEGO bricks is clearly not everyone’s forte. One of these beauties takes a great deal of skill, resources, and precision planning, as well as a sizeable chunk of time. If you’re like me, you may want to start with the 9-14 ranged sets and work your way up. However, when it comes to fan creativity, your only true limit is the boundaries of your imagination.