For years, the LEGO® NINJAGO theme has largely stuck to its tried-and-true formula. While popular, the success of larger, more experimental sets, such as the NINJAGO City modulars, has shown that innovation can pay off. This makes the new NINJAGO Legends spin-off series particularly exciting.
Legends explores events after the Merge, with its inaugural story, “Monstrosity,” following Kai’s adventures in the Land of Monsters. The early episodes introduce a sentient Fire Knight Mech and an elemental dragon, which directly inspired the first two LEGO NINJAGO: Legends sets. While these sets share some DNA with previous NINJAGO offerings, they are specifically designed as detailed, displayable dioramas. To coincide with the release of the “Monstrosity” shorts, let’s take a closer look at the Fire Knight Mech set.
Product Details
Set Name: Fire Knight Mech | Set Number: 71846 | Pieces: 996 | Theme: NINJAGO: Legends
Number of Bags: Bags x 10 + loose elements | Stickers: sheet x 1 | Characters: Kai & Fisherman
RRP: £109.99/$119.99/119.99€/199.99AUD/149.99CAD
Availability: LEGO Stores, LEGO Online and LEGO Retailers
One thing the NINJAGO theme loves is a good old mech. But the Fire Knight Mech stands out from other mech sets thanks to its dynamic display stand, which depicts the mech battling an ancient monster emerging from a murky sea. This focus on display elevates the set beyond a typical plaything.
The Fire Knight Mech, the first part of the set to be built, boasts impressive articulation due to well-placed click joints in its limbs, allowing for various dynamic poses despite some minor posing limitations. A unique feature is its large material cape, designed to appear windswept with integrated rods. While the effect is partially achieved, the rods remain partially visible, and the cape can be tricky to position.
Although the mech is sentient in the Monstrosity shorts and doesn’t require a pilot, the set does include a small cockpit for a minifigure, specifically Kai. However, integrating Kai into the display, rather than hiding him within the mech, would have been more effective given his role alongside the mech in the shorts. Where it’s been abandoned in the Land of Monsters by another Fire Master
The display stand alone is a highlight, similar to recent Marvel sets, it features a black-bordered disc that stages a detailed scene. This depicts a dock and beach where the mech is mounted, surrounded by murky water from which a tentacled monster emerges. The monster uses a pair of jaw elements, often used for dragons, along with a mix of printed and stickered pieces, to add further detail. The monster’s integration with the mech and a small, displaced boat creates a visceral display.
The set includes two minifigures: a Fisherman (similar to a character from a recent NINJAGO City set) and Kai, who wears an outfit similar to his “Dragons Rising” tunic. It’s a little disappointing that the minifigure isn’t more reflective of Kai’s appearance in the Monstrosity. The wandering nomad look is pretty cool and would have made a great minifigure. While the minifigures are a bonus, they aren’t essential to the set’s appeal.
The set’s box and accompanying poster, as well as the concept sketches found in the instructions, also enhance its appeal. The box really helps to position the set as being something different and distinguishes it from other NINJAGO sets.
Despite some discrepancies with the animated shorts, the Fire Knight Mech set represents an interesting new direction for NINJAGO. It offers a more complex and engaging build experience for older fans who have grown up with the theme, culminating in a vibrant and dynamic display piece. This “Legends” line offers an impressive building experience at a more accessible price point compared to the expensive NINJAGO City sets. The Fire Knight Mech is currently available, and its story continues in the animated shorts and, for a limited time, on Roblox.
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