(Written by William)
When the X-Files initially aired, I didn’t watch the series. The rest of my family were big fans, but for whatever reason, I was always watching or playing something else and I told myself I’d get around to it later. So when the chance came up to review the #21369 LEGO Ideas The X-Files and the accompanying #40896 LEGO The X-Files Scully’s Lab, I figured it was time to finally take a look at the series.
The main model seems to focus on some of the earliest years of The X-Files. From the triangular craft at the top to little details like a page full of 1s and 0s. They are immediately recognizable even to novice X-Files fans like myself.
The accompanying gift-with-purchase set features Scully, the rational skeptic in the series. It is only fair that she has a place that reflects her disposition. This means we end up getting two versions of Scully. According to the IMDB page, Scully actually appeared in more episodes of the X-Files than Mulder did. So, it makes sense we get more of her between the two models as well.
LEGO THE X-FILES – THE BRICKS ARE OUT THERE
Given the insane number of details crammed into this model, it is surprising how many ordinary bricks are found in the set. This reliance on basic bricks for stability also makes the set remarkably approachable. It reflects the simple building techniques of the 90’s, which is appropriate as the original submission won the LEGO Ideas 90s Throwback Challenge. Yet, the techniques to craft some of the details, like the various glass cabinetry and smartly placed files, make the entire process feel very satisfying.
Add in the triangular display of the model, and the last thing you see is a basic brick. It gives a slightly off-centered perspective that meshes well with the various cases the two FBI agents tackle through the years. There are even little Easter eggs built into the foundational structure of the two levels. This means basic bricks feel far from basic, which is something you don’t often see in LEGO models these days.
LEGO THE X-FILES – PLAY & DISPLAY MODULARITY
Normally, I’d consider a model this full of detail and cramped design to only be a display set. Even the odd angle of the model gives everything a quasi-art appearance. So, allowing the set to come apart opens up not just one, but two options for fans.
You can pull out Mulder’s desk section as a smaller display piece. Additionally, you can remove the top level of the model and split things up even further. (You will have to remove the beams coming from the ceiling if you do this.) Check out the accompanying video below where I show the reason why. Even the ship simply rests on the long clear pillar, which gives yet another thing to display separately.
However, the modularity gives unprecedented access to the set, allowing for more play potential than I’m used to seeing in a display model. Removing Mulder’s desk gives full access to every nook and cranny of his office. Pulling off the top layer gives two scenes in which you can play. Technically, Mulder has a basement office, when Scully and he go on a case, they don’t just go upstairs. And the ship is purpose-built to pick up and fly all around your LEGO world.
Most of the time I see modularity in a LEGO set, it is merely to barely squeeze your hand into a space to position a minifigure or place an object. But this version is multi-purpose in its approach. I especially like how Mulder’s desk is locked in using rails rather than any sort of LEGO Technic pin connection. This makes the resulting separated elements look slick and professional and not half-built.
LEGO THE X-FILES – A FULL CAST OF CHARACTERS
This model has a total of eight minifigures, which was a lot more than I was expecting. Let’s start with the two main characters of Fox Mulder and Dana Scully. Both of them have dual-expression head prints.
Next up are some other government-type characters. You get Assistant Director Walter Skinner, Mr. X, Alex Krycek, and Carl Busch (the Smoking Man). All of these characters can help either fill out an investigation or give someone for Mulder and Scully to talk to. The only one of these four that doesn’t have a dual face is Walter since he doesn’t have a hairpiece to cover the back of his head.
Finally, we get two mysterious figures. The first of these is the Flukeman. He is a mutated experiment that doesn’t look very pretty in the show and still looks rather disturbing in minifigure form. And last but not least is the gray alien. This minifigure has a special molded head and short moveable legs. Unfortunately, the alien can’t ride in the ship since it is not built for anyone to ride in it, but would make a great patient for Scully’s lab with its examination table.
LEGO THE X-FILES – SCULLY’S LAB
LEGO values this GWP at $19.99. This seems like a fair estimate of what the set is worth. For all intents and purposes, this is a slightly larger-than-average vignette. The main value will come from having a new version of Scully in her medical scrubs. The only printed elements besides the minifigure are the sample tile under the microscope and the checklist Scully holds on a 1×2 tile.
There is also a doughnut on the counter and a bug on the outside of the wall in the back corner. Maybe not the most common of printings, but nothing I’d consider very rare. Some interesting dome elements make up the light bulb that is over her examination table and that are in the right glass cabinet. But as time goes on, I think this is a part that will appear more frequently in LEGO sets.
As for the build, I did like the sink section on the back wall. The sink is built to have water, which is kind of hard to see. Also, I really liked how the glass cabinets came together. They aren’t able to be easily opened. What LEGO designers ended up doing was creating the items that went inside the cabinets, then suspending those items onto the back wall. Then they surrounded these items with window frames and finally a solid glass panel in front. It is a compact yet elegant design that looks pretty impressive.
On the whole, fans will want this set for the minifigure. The build is nice but nothing mind-blowing. It might be hard to find the exact parts used for the light bulb in the lamp, but it is really the minifigure that is rare. Though collectors will value a set tied to an intellectual property a lot more than a non-branded model. In the video below, I discuss both sets in a bit more detail.
LEGO THE X-FILES – FINAL THOUGHTS
At $199.99, the main set does look to be a bit pricey for what you get. However, what you don’t see is the solidness of the building foundation. This is something larger models will find ways to skip out on. This model has a heft to it that makes it very easy to move around and not be worried it might fall apart.
There are several stickers in the model. Generally, the decorations you see on 2×2 and 2×3 tiles are stickers. The smallest sticker is a 1×2 with all the 1s and 0s on it. Thankfully, you also get plenty of small printed tiles and a large one in front, assuring us that the truth is out there.
Another big bonus is the number of minifigures you get in the model. I was expecting that the alien head might be a reproduction of an alien head we’ve seen in a collectible minifigure series, but from what I can recall, this is a new mold to fit the portrayal of it found in the show.
Add all these features together: a great building experience, a cast of characters, an iconic IP, and a model that pulls double duty as both a play and display set, and I think it fully justifies the price. Make sure to get it early to also scoop up the GWP to further soften the blow to your wallet and you’ll have a model you’ll also want to believe in.
What do you think? How do you like the LEGO X-Files sets? Are you planning to get them? Feel free to share your thoughts and discuss in the comment section below!
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I was hoping that Scully’s office could be clipped into the main set. A missed opportunity.
This X-Files set looks amazing – major fan response methinks … I would like to have seen Deep Throat as well as Mr. X, but other than that, this one’s a home run!
The race will be on for this as soon as it goes live. Remember the Enterprise D shuttlecraft GWP?
I know they are intended to be limited, but Lego really should increase the allotment of these GWP sets for popular IP. Like, five times the number they’ve been doing.
I like this set a lot. But it’s very expensive. I have to try to stay around the $100-$150 range max. But they did a great job with it. I like how stuffed the office looks.
It’s a good set, and the minifigs are amazing, but it’s too expensive.