The truth has finally been revealed: LEGO The X-Files is here, thanks to LEGO Ideas! If this model looks familiar, it’s because you may have seen an early version of it before (or you’re living in a ‘Monday’ episode situation and you’ve already read this review). Fan designer Brent Waller first submitted an early version of this model to LEGO Ideas in 2019. The submission reached 10,000 supporters in 2021, but was not selected by LEGO to be made into an official set. When the Build Your Nostalgia – 90s Throwback! challenge began in late 2024, Brent saw an opportunity to refine, enlarge, and resubmit the model – and it was selected as the winner! The LEGO Ideas team, including designer Chris McVeigh and graphic designer Anne Godsk, brought the new model to life with LEGO Ideas 21369 The X-Files and the GWP 40892 Scully’s Lab. We had the chance to meet with the design team after we’d finished building the model to uncover all of the mysteries of this paranormal set – read on to hear our thoughts!
LEGO Ideas 21369 The X-Files | 1,478 Pieces | Available August 1 to LEGO Insiders, August 4 for all | US $199.99 | CAN $269.99 | UK £179.99
The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with a copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.
The Box and Contents
I have to admit, I don’t know that I’ll ever get used to seeing The X-Files logo on an X-Files set. It’s seemed an improbable pairing for so long that it almost doesn’t feel real.
A top view of the box reveals the cast of minifigures, and inside we’re greeted with 12 paper bags, our instructions booklet, and two trans clear support parts for the UFO.
The instructions booklet cover is simple enough, but I really love the shot of Mulder and Scully on the back. Interestingly enough, the progress slider minifig is our Grey alien – a fitting choice as we build through the FBI and forest in hopes of a potential extraterrestrial sighting.
The instructions booklet contains some wonderful anecdotes and details from fan designer Brent Waller and the LEGO design team. Brent’s X-Files photoshoot is officially legendary.
Also included is a modest sticker sheet featuring 8 stickers that contain as many easter eggs and references as you’d expect in an X-Files set. LEGO graphic designer Anne Godsk is a dedicated X-Files fan, and the level of detail captured in the graphics and minifigures in this model prove it. We’ll leave some of the mysteries open for your own investigation, but you may notice a haunting minifig face on the moon (a nod to the Season 1 episode ‘Space’) and a ‘The Lone Brickman’ article on hidden frogs authored by a certain B.W. (a nod to fan designer Brent Waller).
We’ll jump ahead for a moment and take a look at two newly printed parts in this model that I absolutely love: the famous ‘I Want to Believe’ poster and ‘The Truth is Out There’ from the opening sequence (aside from those extra-exciting episodes where the text was different). Both are in the original typeface, or a very similar one, and look excellent. The image depicted on the poster itself is built entirely out of LEGO parts, down to a round 1×1 plate with a dish on top for the UFO. These are fantastic printed pieces, and I’m of the opinion that the sticker to print ratio in this model is a win.
The Build
The build process begins with a foundation and wall for Mulder’s office. This area will eventually support the rest of the build, and it uses an almost MILS-esque design to keep things sturdy.
This model contains some unique build techniques, and we’re greeted with one of my favorites immediately out of the gate in the second bag. Connected tiles and plates are assembled into a structure that will sit loose in a window pane to represent the contents of a glass cabinet.
Once set in place, the books are locked into place by the bricks of the wall behind the cabinet.
Mulder’s office is regularly messy and rarely organized (relatable – Ed.). As we progress through the build, the level of detail and clutter in the model becomes apparent. Two desks in the background contain another unconventional build that provides the appearance of stacked books atop each of them.
The boards on the office wall are covered in details, including a few of the stickers and some yellow 1×1 tiles representing Post-It notes that I absolutely love. There are also two file cabinets that utilize window panes for open drawers, with one containing Fox’s favorite snack: sunflower seeds. This is not a new part, but we’ll thank LEGO Friends for making it possible for The X-Files!
Additional cases on the wall are built with trans clear bricks that each contain different printed tiles. It feels so unconventional but works so well. A final look at the back portion of the office reveals the research of a dedicated agent.
The final details for this section are the tilted window assembly on the backside and a rock trim that is attached using SNOT bricks to tie the various sections of the build together.
The portion of the office including Mulder’s desk features the other printed tile, a cluttered desk with an open X-File on top, and some more sunflower seeds (of course).
This section is designed to be separable and has the ability to be displayed independently. It slides seamlessly into the rest of the office to finish the room.
As we begin to build the upper section that contains the forest floor, a micro build is assembled and hidden within. I asked designer Chris McVeigh if this was intended to represent a specific scene and was told that it’s up for interpretation, but he did note that the UFO build here is the same as depicted on Mulder’s poster.
The forest section is also separable and is able to be displayed independently, but Mulder’s famous pencil-tossing habits were impossible to omit. To accommodate this, a small section of the ceiling containing pencils is attached via a jumper plate and is able to be easily removed if the model sections are displayed separately.
We next begin building the lush forest floor of the upper section. This portion of the build reminds me so much of several of the early episodes that were shot in Vancouver, with so many of them in a forest setting. The Pilot, Darkness Falls, The Jersey Devil, Detour….I could go on and on.
The trees are assembled with a technic base and various sections of upside-down ferns, and the result works very well. There are five trees built to finish out the forest.
The geometry of UFOs in the X-Files has always fascinated me, and the model here does it justice. This craft has 3 sides with 60 degree angles, representing the most iconic version featured in the show.
With this interesting shape and angles, the design team leveraged three golden rings to bridge the smaller gap between sections.
The remainder of the flying saucer is constructed with flexible spike elements and tilted wedge plate assemblies to give the ship its geometric shape.
In a surprising turn of events, the final build is the Grey alien minifigure. This is the first time I’ve seen a minifigure built at the end of a bag instead of the start, but I like to think it represents Mulder’s journey in pursuit of our extraterrestrial visitor.
The Minifigures
The minifigure ensemble in this set is almost everything you could ask for from this show. While Brent’s original Ideas submission included 7 minifigures (including Eugene Victor Tooms and The Jersey Devil), the official set includes 8 and introduces Alex Krycek, X, and the Flukeman. These new additions are so incredibly welcome and bring the model to another level. The detail on the minifigures is excellent and captures their likeness very well (just look at the Flukeman).
Our iconic heroes Fox Mulder and Dana Scully look as great as ever, featured here in their early-seasons suits. Scully’s hair piece is a new mold and it captures her look well. Interestingly enough, the 1×1 cones used for their flashlight beams make only their second-ever appearance here (the other was in 2001’s LEGO Studios 4071 Bottles polybag).
Both contain an alternate face print, with Mulder appearing as if he’s been eluded again and Scully appearing very skeptical of whatever theory he’s on to next.
Our cast of secondary characters includes Alex Krycek (my favorite character), the Cigarette Smoking Man (or C.G.B. Spender), Director Walter Skinner, and Mr. X.
With the exception of Skinner (for hair reasons, or lack thereof), each of these figures also contains an alternate face print. The highlight for me is Krycek’s infected Purity ‘black oil’ eyes, which pairs nicely with the puddle of black oil on the floor of the office.
Our two monsters of the week (if you will) are the Grey alien and the Flukeman. The head piece for the alien is a brand new mold, and both are ripe with detail.
Brent shared that he initially considered adding the Flukeman to his original submission, but limitations in design caused him to abandon the idea. We absolutely love that LEGO included the fan favorite here in the main set.
The Finished Model
The finished model is a wonderfully detailed build that fits very neatly in a corner or on a shelf. There are several different spots to place minifigures, allowing each builder to recreate the scene or display however they’d like.
Each of the major sections of this model are easily separable and are able to be displayed independently. I asked the design team if this was part of their initial assessment of the model or if this was something that came up through development, and Chris stated it was the latter. During development they realized that the tight space within the office made it difficult to place minifigures, which prompted the idea to make the roof separable. This idea eventually spread to the other portions of the build, and it vastly improves the model in my experience. While I intend to display the model together, each section looks fantastic independently and provides an additional layer of customization.
The final model looks great from all intended view angles, meaning it displays well on both a lower and a higher shelf. The backside reveals one of several ‘hidden frogs’ and a lone bee that brings back memories of the X-Files: Fight the Future film. Even the underside of the UFO provides a detailed and finished look at an abduction scene.
LEGO Ideas 40892 Scully’s Lab | 221 Pieces | Available free with purchases of 21369 The X-Files between August 1 and August 10
As if one X-Files set didn’t seem improbable enough, a second exists in Gift With Purchase form as 40892 Scully’s Lab. This GWP includes an alternate version of Dana in her scrubs and provides an alternate workplace for her that’s mostly free of outlandish theories. This set feels fairly sizable for a GWP, and having built both I’d compare it most to the Stranger Things ‘Squawk’ Radio Station.
The GWP was also designed by Chris McVeigh, and the design language is very similar between this and its ‘parent’ set. The floating window pane cabinet displays are similar to those featured in Mulder’s office, and the level of detail in the various items contained below and within is also reminiscent of the larger set.
There are some wonderful little minifigure-scale builds featured in the lab, including a microscope and a table that allow for a minifig to be connected. Scully is no stranger to autopsies, and we have two creatures from the larger set that display nicely here.
The finished model makes for a wonderful little scene, giving us yet another build to display alongside or separately from the main model. A peek around the backside reveals a small fly.
This version of Scully is exquisite, and is one of my favorite minifigs out of both sets. While Scully’s hair and suits frequently changed between seasons, this is a look that we’ve seen her consistently in for decades.
She once again has dual face prints, both of which are new and differ from our other Scully minifigure. One contains goggles, and the other shows a skeptical or surprised appearance.
I think this a wonderful GWP, and it displays very nicely alongside the larger model. Exclusivity is always a balancing act, but I think having an exclusive figure of a character that is already represented in the larger set handles it well. Early adopters will be rewarded with an alternate version of Dana Scully, but those that choose to wait will still have the full ensemble of X-Files characters.
Final Thoughts
As a massive fan of the show and someone that has watched it the whole way through countless times, I am so incredibly pleased with this set. The level of intent and passion for the show that was evident in Brent’s original Ideas submission has been fully continued by the LEGO design team with this model. I found myself writing down a long list of references (and maybe less plausible ‘hypothetical’ references) as I worked through the model, which made this such a joy to build as a fan. I supported Brent’s original Ideas submission and voted for this build in the challenge, and I’m thankful that the designers kept this model so true to the original submission while also improving it in several ways. The minifigures, display options, and level of detail make this a top-tier set.
The Gift With Purchase is a wonderful side build that provides a detailed alternate version of Scully in a setting we frequently see her in. This GWP would have pushed me over the edge to pick this up on day one, but if you’d rather wait you’ll still have all of the iconic characters.
As someone that loves both LEGO and The X-Files, this is a pairing I frankly didn’t think was possible. Hats off to all of the designers that had a part in sticking the landing on this iconic set.
LEGO Ideas 21369 The X-Files | 1,478 Pieces | Available August 1 to LEGO Insiders, August 4 for all | US $199.99 | CAN $269.99 | UK £179.99
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