When the first season of The Mandolorian launched on Disney+ there was so much secrecy around the first live-action Star Wars, even merchandise was held back. This effort not to spoil the series also meant it would be a while before LEGO® sets inspired by the show would appear. That’s not been the case with the most recent series and as each new episode was released a new set was revealed. One of those sets includes this upcoming release inspired by the third season of The Mandalorian and Din’s trip to the ruins of Mandalore.
Product Details
Set Name: Spider Tank | Set Number: 75361 | Pieces: 526 | Theme: LEGO Star Wars
RRP: £47.99/$49.99/52.99€ | Number of Bags: Bags x 4 | Instructions: Paper booklet + Builder App | Stickers: N/A | Minifigures: The Mandalorian, Bo-Katan Kryze and Grogu
Availability: LEGO Stores, LEGO Online & General Retail from August 1st
After briefly removing his helmet, Din Djarin is a Mandalorian no more, well in the eyes of the Armourer and the Tribe. To right his wrongdoing, Din ponders that if he bathes in the Living Waters of Mandalore he will be redeemed. The only problem is, Mandalore is cursed and the atmosphere unbreakable thanks to the total dissemination of the planet by the Empire. But Din is determined to continue his quest and visits the planet of Mandalore. Once it’s established the planet’s atmosphere is good, he and Grogu descend into the planet’s vast underground mine. But something else lurks within the depths of Mandalore – a large, spider-like armoured tank piloted by an insectoid mech.
This is a unique vehicle for Star Wars, yes it’s mostly grey, but it’s not technically something not driven by somebody. As the name suggests, it has an insect-like quality to it, with a large disc-shaped body, a head and 8 limbs. It’s some of those legs which provide the set’s most interesting feature. Two of the limbs are arm-like claws which use the angled plates often used for legs in mechs. The rest of the legs are spread around the body and are connected in such a way as to give them a surprising amount of movement. They are not mounted by clip joints or hinges. Instead, they are attached with rods, pins and rubber connectors. This makes them unexpectedly flexible. It’s difficult to fully show this off but as you can see from the images below, they can be freely positioned on uneven surfaces.
In the episode we first see the Spider Tank, we learn it’s piloted by a Droid-like bug alien. This is first shown as a creepy eye peering through a small port on the tank’s head. For this set, that’s merely recreated with trans-red tiles. But it effectively does the job. There’s also a hidden panel in the body of the tank, which flips up to reveal a pair of stud shooters. It also reveals a gap which may seem like an area to place a minifigure but it’s not.
There are three characters featured in the set – The Mandalorian, Bo-Katan Kryze and Grogu. The Mandalorian has been gradually improved over the past few years. From wearing Beskar Armour to finally having a head, this version continues the trend of improvements, but this time it’s a weapon which has been updated. The Darksaber is a powerful weapon with strong ties to the Mandalorian culture. Its obvious similarities to a lightsaber have meant it used the same elements as other lightsabers but with a black blade. But it never truly captures the unique look of the famed blade. Thankfully, a new piece is now used along with the standard hilt. It’s a vast improvement and this set features two of them thanks to the extra pieces sets contain.
Bo-Katan has also had a design tweak. The armour is a darker colour compared to the previous version and the LEGO Group has really upped their arm printing game as the minifigure also has detail on both arms. Along with her helmet, she has a hairpiece and it’s a different version than previously used and I much prefer it. Grogu is the same as all other standard versions.
Overall
After the disappointment of the Yoda Starfighter set, the Spider Tank has more than redeemed this new wave of sets. It’s one of the most interesting Star Wars sets I’ve built in a while. Although it’s not on screen much and when it is, there’s never a clear shot, but you can just about make out much of its features. These have been nicely incorporated into the LEGO version. I absolutely love the ways the legs have been done. They are well connected to the body of the tank but have an amazing amount of movement. It’s a shame the creepy part organic, part mechanical alien which pilots the tank isn’t included but it’s such a unique-looking character, it would be tricky to do correctly.
I would have also liked Grogu’s hover pram to be included as it plays a key role in the scenes connected to the Spider Tank. Yet, this is a great set. It offers something new for LEGO Star Wars and the way it’s built is not only fun but results in a unique-looking and moving LEGO set. The Spider Tank is released on August 1st but can be pre-ordered now.
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These sets were provided to BricksFanz.com by the LEGO Group for review purposes. The thoughts within this review are that of BricksFanz.com and do not reflect those of the LEGO Group or Disney. Providing the set for free does not guarantee a favourable opinion of the set.
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