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    Discuss This Story ReviewThursday, February 18th, 2021 at 10:10pm by Benjamin, BZPower Reporter

    The dragon is an iconic creature of fantasy and lore. And we can expect at least one dragon set in every Ninjago wave, including this latest Legacy line. Reviewed today is the Overlord Dragon, a monster from Season 2 of the longest running Cartoon Network show and its first time appearing as a set. Watch and read the review of Lloyd vs the Overlord and his dragon.

    First, a thank you to LEGO is in order for providing the set in exchange for an unbiased opinion. What's cool about this set is that while the Overlord has appeared in sets before, it is exciting to see the dragon make its plastic brick debut. On top of that, the $30 set has 372 pieces and two minifigs, so a great price per piece ratio, but light in minifigs.

    Presentation
    From the design of the box to the instruction manual, these are the first things you see before building the set.

    Box front Box back

    The box boasts the Legacy line, indicating it was featured in Season 2 of Ninjago. You see Lloyd in his golden armor rushing into battle against the Overlord and his big dragon, both shooting bursts of energy. Honestly, Lloyd looks outmatched, but that's for the builder to decide when adding this to a collection! (This non-USA box does not include the piece count.) The back shows some play features, like the dragon's neck and tail articulation and a wingspan measurement (17.9 inches). There are also some cool clips from the show where inspiration was drawn.

    Building
    Half the fun is had building the set. How fun is it to build and how easy or challenging is it?

    Torso Waist Armor Neck

    Ribs Thighs Legs Head Tail

    Arms Wings Wingspan Pose Full set

    The build starts with the usual chest structure we've seen in dragons and small mechs, providing a secure structure to attach limbs and decoration. Next up are those decorations, like the ribcage and lightning, and then the usual things like limbs and adornments. It's not exactly a challenging build, but has interesting moments throughout when looking at parts use and design cohesiveness.

    Set Design
    Now that the set is complete, we can critique how it looks from every angle. New or interesting pieces can also be examined here.

    Parts

    There are lots of cool purple, dark blue and gold pieces here. The huge purple katanas stand out just by looking at the box. The dark blue shapes come in some interesting slopes and angles. And the little gold bits have great uses for MOCs. The two pieces for the dragon head are also interesting, having several connection points for hinges, bars and bricks. The decals are printed and the gold teeth are rubber from being dual-molded.

    Side Front Flex Wing side

    Back Belly Roar

    When it comes to admiring the dragon, the size first comes to mind. Its wingspan, as mentioned, is 19.8 inches wide, giving it an imposing form. The tail is also quite unwieldly, swinging around behind it on hinges. My favorite details is its belly, with the gold ribs and lightning. The underside is often forgotten and not noticed, so the details are nice.

    Minifigs front Minifigs AC 0 Minifigs back

    The two minifigs are both awesome, and quite an upgrade from what minifigs from 2012 were like. This is not the first time we've seen the Overlord, but he did not have the ghostly lower body. Of course Lloyd has been clad in gold before too, but the new details and molds are fresh. Overall, some great new looks for the characters. Unfortunately, this Golden Lloyd isn't part of the golden ninjas being included in the other Legacy sets in this line. He just happens to be gold.

    Playability
    The other half of the fun is in playing with the set. How well does the set function and is it enjoyable to play with.

    Doomed

    This is a nice-sized dragon to play with. It sits nicely in the hand and can be posed between the head, neck, and wings to look scary. The tail swings around freely, giving it a natural, life-like look. The legs can stand at various angles, and it will still stand if one foot is stepping forward. It won't lose its balance in the name of posing. You can see I have it looking various directions, standing in differnet ways, and still staring down the hero. The only drawback is that Lloyd only has his sword, training, and wits about him, but to give him a fighting chance would also increase the price of the set. Maybe his friends can come to the rescue?

    Final Thoughts
    Once it's all said and done, how does the set stack up? Should I get it?

    Pros
    What's to like?

    • Good priced dragon...
    • ...And still looks great.
    • Solid build and design.
    • Cool minifigs.

    Cons
    What's not to like?

    • Only two minifigs.
    • Lloyd seems out of his depth.
    • Golden Lloyd isn't one of the Golden Ninja collectibles.

    I appreciated that we got a solid dragon build in such an affordable set. Normally the smaller dragons cut corners, but since the Overlord dragon is spindly like a zombie, having the thin wings without the webbing looks just fine. The minifigs are very well detailed compared to their 2012 character releases, but we only get two of them. The set definitely focuses on the dragon more than the conflict, with which Lloyd might need extra help from one's collection, but the other Ninjas have his back. Between the dragon and the parts it has for building MOCs, the set offers a lot for its price.

    Discuss This Story

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