Lego Grogu Mandalorian Apprentice review - Protect This Child At All Costs

Verdict

The Lego Grogu (Mandalorian Apprentice) set makes an adorable addition to your nerd shelf, with an enjoyable build that only makes the final model more delightful to look upon. While younger apprentices may have a spot of bother with some of the tiddlier pieces, the overall experience is a blast. If you love ‘Wars sets in general, don’t overlook this one - even if Baby Yoda isn’t normally your cup o’ blue milk.

Pros

• Well priced
• A properly fun build
• A surprisingly polished display model

Cons

• Youngling builders will struggle with tedious bits
• Not much posability in the wrists

I'm one of many Star Wars fans who fell off after Rise of Skywalker (can you blame me?) but I can still appreciate a solid entry into the franchise, and The Mandalorian TV show is one of my highlights from the Disney era. With The Mandalorian and Grogu movie releasing this week, I'm excited (and afraid) to see what happens with the duo on the big screen - but at the very least, the Lego Star Wars Grogu Mandalorian Apprentice set has put me in an optimistic mood about it all.

With thanks to Lego, I was fortunate enough to get my hands on the set to review a few weeks in advance of the movie dropping (this Sunday, April 26). Clocking in at exactly 1,200 pieces, it'll set you back $129.99 / £119.99 to pre-order.

That's roughly nine cents a piece, which is below the average, making it a fairly good deal, purely on price per brick - certainly compared with other big names in our list of the best Lego sets. But of course that's just one piece of the picture - is it actually worth buying? Spoiler alert: yes.

Specs

Ease of assembly

With the helpful (read: interrupting) hands of my six-year-old son, the Lego Grogu (Mandalorian Apprentice) model was a fairly simple build, especially after we completed the initial, internal part of 'baby Yoda'. Four of the ten bags encompass the parts of his body and cloak, then there's one for his hands, a couple for his head, and one final bag with the stand for the mini Grogu, as well as his Beskar shield.

Though many elements of this build should have made it tedious and tiresome, the actual experience here is truly a bunch of fun. Each part of his cloak feels slightly different from the last, avoiding the repetition I've found in other sets, and even the multiple bags for his head felt distinct. It didn't feel like I was having to leap back and forth between stages - which was a drawback of the Lego Eevee set I reviewed recently.

My son especially enjoyed making Grogu's hands, which comprised multiple smaller parts that meshed together, in that glorious way modern Lego does, to create a smooth finish. He adored the little fingers, and how a jumble of blocky parts could end up looking refined and lifelike (I'm obviously converting his words into fancy talk here). Anyway, while he enjoyed the arms, I personally loved doing the body itself, adding in all the panels in an overlapping pattern that gave the model some depth, as opposed to having four large beige slabs on either side.

Pleasingly, it doesn't take long for the final vision to become clear. As opposed to the Pikachu or Project Hail Mary sets, it's pretty clear from the first bag how the rest of Grogu will form. That said, I think the internal part is just a little frustrating for younger builders, requiring a number of fiddlier, interactive bits that allow the head to move once you're done. The recommended age of 10+ is pretty spot on, in my opinion; I handled the bulk of the building experience, because so many parts were just too aggravating for my six-year-old to deal with.

However, even with that small gripe, it's genuinely the most fun I've had with a Lego build in recent memory. The variations of similar parts, and the quick pace of each bag, made the overall build process much more engaging, and had me smiling throughout. I also enjoyed the weird, cute little design touches - like having blue cookies in a tube to simulate it being in his stomach. At first, that was an odd piece to add to the set, but now I see the vision.

Build quality

Early on, I was a little concerned that the Lego Grogu (Mandalorian Apprentice) would suffer the same issues as older display sets I've made, with tons of exposed studs showing, and reminding me on every glance that this is Lego, not Grogu.

I feared my perfect alien child would suffer the same fate as the various Yoda sets: to end up looking like a spiky, misshapen, uncanny-valley puppet, a soulless recreation of a beloved character. Fortunately, the final product is no such thing! It's authentic, it's adorable, it's surprisingly sturdy, and my son has fittingly stolen it for his display shelf.

As I mentioned, the various parts of the layered robe lend it convincing volume and, while some studs are clearly on show, I ended up feeling they add personality to the build, giving it a rustic charm. That robust, internal foundation, common to a lot of modern display models, give it far more strength and stability than the sets I remember from yesteryear. It's not a toy, mind - so don't start moving him around like a playset - but Grogu feels like a solid, weighty chap now he's done.

The wrists have some motion, but not enough to move it around into a different position, which is just a touch disappointing. However, you can swivel Grogu's head slightly, as well as adjust his fingers, giving you some adjustability - not a lot, clearly, but it's tweakable enough to make sure the precious little guy is facing you no matter where you plop him down.

I also love that you don't need to put on any stickers here, as the beskar shield and Grogu's eyes are printed pieces, making it a much better model in the end. To top it all off, the standard-sized Grogu is absolutely adorable, and the little plaque is a nice finishing touch to the end result, making it perfect for any shelves. Well, not mine, apparently - only my son can have it in this house.

Verdict

The Lego Grogu (Mandalorian Apprentice) model isn't just a great display piece and desk companion, it's a splendidly fun build from start to finish. Each bag of pieces feels distinct, making it more enjoyable than most sets I've built recently. While it can be a bit tedious at times for younger builders, olds like me will love it - and the final result is a suitably huggable take on this most beloved of modern Star Wars characters.