I just can’t get enough of this LEGO Venator-class Star Destroyer by FlyInSpace! The lines on this build are so clean, it looks like the edges were cut with a hobby knife. At 27 inches long, it’s hard to believe this model is actually a step down in scale from the LEGO Ultimate Collector Series.

In fact, I think scale is this model’s biggest point of success. FlyInSpace expertly communicates the Star Wars theme without minifigures, without a lightsaber or blaster, and without a printed canopy piece. While helmets and mosaics have become more common as the LEGO Star Wars theme has evolved, I’m always happy to see a builder eschew the fig in favor of a more challenging scale.

With that covered, we should get into some of the excellent details on The Negotiator. One of my favorite bits is the heavy turbolaser array. Each turret is made up of two minifigure hands clipped to an upside-down roller skate. It’s an absolutely ingenious design!

Next, don’t even get me started on these engines! That network of bars, clips and plates coming together is sheer beauty. It embodies all the mechanics involved in ion thrust propulsion. Similarly, this kind of detailing is present all over the ship in the gap where its wings meet. But it hits a definite crescendo at the aft of the star destroyer.

Finally, I have got to commend FlyInSpace for his excellent use of the anti-stud, or underside of a brick/plate. At this scale, it’s an efficient means to add texture. And the technique is used everywhere: the back edges of the wings, the tower up to the bridge, and a light gray island in the middle of the ship’s nose. I know I’m taking note for use in my own models.