In 1987, LEGO added factions to its space theme with the introduction of Blacktron and Futuron. Blacktron were the original “badguys”, wearing black jumpsuits similar to those worn by modern military pilots, with white trims and opaque black visors. Their ships, supporting vehicles, and space stations used a black and yellow color scheme, with transparent-yellow windscreens and transparent-red highlights.
The largest and coolest ship was the #6954 LEGO Blacktron Renegade, released in the spring of 1987, along with the smaller #6894 LEGO Blacktron Invader, and the #6941 LEGO Blacktron Battrax ground explorer. In the following year, two other sets were released; the #6876 LEGO Blacktron Alianator and the #6987 LEGO Blacktron Message Intercept Base. (Images from the Brickset.com database.)
Besides looking very slick, cool, and menacing, a signature feature of the original Blacktron sets was their modularity. The larger vehicles could split into smaller modules that could then be recombined not only with each other but also with modules from other vehicles in the theme. (This modular interchangeability remained a staple of most LEGO Space sets ever since.)
Blacktron reappeared a few times since its original golden era, mostly in the form of collectible minifigs and the reuse of their logo as an insider reference in other LEGO themes. Then, in 2023, LEGO released the #40580 LEGO Blacktron Cruiser (see above) as a gift-with-purchase set with a remake of the original #6894 LEGO Blacktron Invader. This was really exciting news for Blacktron fans and gave them hope that perhaps LEGO will release remakes of some of the larger sets from the original series as well.
And now, here we are at the beginning of 2025, with the updated and upgraded #10355 LEGO Blacktron Renegade, looking as cool and menacing as ever, and much bigger! And this set is more than just the Renegade! It can also be rebuilt into an enhanced version of the #6876 LEGO Blacktron Alianator plus a smaller walker. (If you purchase two sets, you can basically build an entire Blacktron faction!)
The set comes with two instruction books; one for the cockpit section of the Renegade and the planet-rover drop pod, and the other for the rest of the Renegade, including the two wing-mounted space speeders, the two removable engines, and the removable satellite module that can also work as an alternate engine. Just like some of the other recently released sets, this one also comes with paper bags. The paper bags are more environmentally friendly, however, because they are not see-through, you really have to make sure you take out all the pieces before discarding them.
Building the Renegade is different from building the also recently upgraded and rereleased LEGO Classic Space Galaxy Explorer. That set is full of interesting and unusual building techniques. Although the Renegade also has a solid LEGO Technic core that gives it stability, the rest of the build is pretty much just regular bricks, plates, and slopes – very similar to the building style of the 1980s. Because of the simplicity of the build, even though this is labeled as an 18+ set, I could see an 8-year-old building this just fine.
The set has three main play-features. Picking up and releasing the rover drop pod works very well. You can see this feature in action in the videos below. The rover is a chunky little vehicle with plenty of cargo room and attachment points. I could see LEGO fans customizing it in all kinds of ways.
The second main play-feature is that the cockpit section, the engines, and the satellite are removable and interchangeable. You can move the cockpit left or right, back or front, and the same with the other modules. This feature also works just fine. As you will see in the video review below by JANGBRiCKS, the connection points for the modules are not the same as in the gift-with-purchase set released two years ago, but they are similar enough that you could easily make them the same.
The third play-feature is the wing-mounted space speeders. They are too small to accommodate a sitting minifigure, but they could stand in the cockpit, or you could use the robot to fly them (I built two extra robots just for this purpose), and you can also use them as unmanned drones.
A couple of other functional parts in the set are the removable translucent-red energy pods and the retractable landing gear. The feet for landing are similar to the ones used for the upgraded Galaxy Explorer, but in my experience, they go too far up into the body and are thus hard to deploy. (I solved this problem by adding an extra brick above the feet. They can still fully retract but not so deep that I can’t lift them out easily.)
All the decorated parts you see in the set are printed. And there are quite a few! The cockpit’s printed control panels are especially welcome, so is the large Blacktron logo at the front. You get five 1×2 cheese-slope control panels, one 2×2 tile with control panel, four 2×2 black tiles with a yellow arrow, 2 1×2 regular slopes with yellow and red buttons, and the large Blacktron logo piece.
The set comes with three identical minifigures with classic smiley faces and in classic Blacktron jumpsuits with print both front and back. The little robot is all black with a translucent-yellow “face”. The story is that the Blacktron guys stole the robot from the good guys and painted it black for their own use.
In the videos below, you will find additional information and reviews on the set and alternate models that you might find helpful, including an interview with LEGO Senior Designer, Jae Won Lee.
Overall, the updated Renegade is a solid set. Both the final model and the building experience is very much reminiscent of the ’80s. For today’s kids, it may be too simplistic, but I think older LEGO fans who grew up with Blacktron will appreciate the return of this awesome faction. I actually like that it’s so simple. It makes it easy to customize to your liking. Even the colors are simple and commonly available. Some of the modern sets, including the ones marketed to kids, are so complex that making any modifications is challenging. This set is very user-friendly in this regard.
Oh, and I also have to add that the Renegade looks very-very cool next to the #10497 LEGO Galaxy Explorer! If you would like to check out the upgraded #10355 LEGO Blacktron Renegade, you can take a look at the LEGO Icons section of the Online LEGO Shop.
What do you think? Are you excited about the return of Blacktron? Do you have the new version of the Renegade already, or are you planning to get it? Feel free to share your thoughts and own reviews in the comment section below!
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