As Ninjago Dragons Rising approaches its second season, we look to the latest sets for a clue as to what might be coming up in the story next year. The largest set in this wave is 71809 Egalt the Master Dragon. This set has 532 pieces and 5 mini figures. It is priced at $89.99AUD/€69.99/USD69.99/£59.99/CAD89.99 [links to your local LEGO.com]

At this stage, little is known of the story or the role that Egalt will play in it, but there is one thing that is apparent from this model: The Master Dragon bears more than a passing resemblence to acertain missing Ninjitsu Master – eyebrows, Beard, Hat and Cape. What else is he hiding? Time will Tell!

The Elements

There is a distinctive colour palette for this set: black, white and dark tan. You can see a large number of curved and rounded elements, which will convey an organic form to the hero model of this set. There are a smattering of golden elements: swords and similar forms. There is a small sticker sheet included.

The Minifigures

The set comes with 5 mini figures: 3 good (Lloyd, Sora and Nya)and two on the side of Darkness: Lord Ras returns and is joined by Cinder, a new character for Season Two.

Lloyd and Nya feature new prints for 2023, while Sora’s outfit remains unchanged from the first sets of Dragon Rising, which we saw back in July-August. Nya also has the head wrap.

Lord Ras has a new look this year, with his orange robes exchanged for a similar outfit with Blue/ Azure hints. Cinder is a new villain, and features a double sided face print with silver highlights, as well as a swept back hair style and and a fur stoll around his neck. On this torso and legs are the Ninjargon words “Wolf Moon”. I wonder if this is a hint as to the direction that the plot will be taking in the upcoming season. I find the metallic face print to be somewhat intriguing: is it metal? Or merely ‘silvered’ facial hair, similar to Dr Oz in DREAMZZz? Ras carries a new hammer to swing, while Cinder carries a blade that appears to be part scythe, part dagger and all business.

Ras was functionally exiled from Imperium at the end of series one and it appears he is back with, sporting a new look. His head features the same wolf like mould, with the same forehead markings, but he is now clad in Purple and medium azure, rather than trhe Dark red and gold of the imperium.

The Build

The model starts off with a small tree build, embedding a printed gong in the side, with a mallet attached at its base.

We then start work on the dragon’s body. Arch elements, as well as inverse curved slopes help to give this dragon a serpentine look, and this is enhanced by the round tiles attached on the side of the body.

I appreciate the use of the 3×3 quarter dome elements, seperated by 1×3 curved slopes, to convey the sense of well developed pectoral muscles, while the rear hips appear less developed. The dragon is given a 4×4 saddle, with two arched slopes on each side. Each of these curved elements is decorated with a sticker, giving it the feeling of a saddle draped with soft fabric.

We add the tail, constructed with a series of modules interconnected by small ‘mixel’ ball joints. The first tail module is attached to the abdomen using a double joint, preventing the tail from automatically sagging.

We follow this with the dragon’s neck: featuring larger joint elements.Along the length of the dragon’s neck and spine, there are feathers attached.

The Dragon’s head is based around a new element, with printed eyes and eyebrows, while the lower jaw is a previous seen element (albeit not in white.) We add filagree elements to form an ornate moustache, as well as some steer horns to use as a beard. We cap the head off with a tan radar dish to form a hat.

We move on to the limbs, first right, then left. The front legs feature a fixed reverse angle, while the shoulders and forelegs have a number of jagged surfaces to convey the feeling of this dragon being an ancient creature. The use of tan stickers adds to this effects. The toes on the front feet are build up using bricks with attached clips. The rear legs have a fixed, bent knee, with an articulated ankle. Golden claw elements complete the toes on the rear leg.

Here are the front and rear right legs: they are mirrored on the left.

Finally, we build up the frame that will hold the wings. These frames attach to the torso using ball joints located behind the Dragon’s head. The frame features 5 attachment points, where technic pin-ball joints pop through the holes in the plastic wing material. A number of diamond shaped holes in the wings, as long with the jagged border between their tan-dark tan margin, conveys a further sense of age.

The construction of this dragon is not as complex as others we have looked at recently, but it is a suitably satisfying process. Beside, it is designed for play rather than display. The contouring of his shoulder girdle as well as the way thay the torso takes on its serpentine form are just a couple of things that really impress me with this model. I am intrigued by the way that Egalt appears to be a the dragonised version of Master Wu. Perhaps we will learn an Astonishing Secret Revealing His True Fate? Is this, in fact, Master Wu in Dragon Form? Or just another Master that happens to also be a Dragon?

I appreciate the minifigure combination in this set: A mixture of new and old Ninja, a revamped version of Lord Ras, as well as the mysterious Cinder.

It will soon be the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese Zodiac, and it is only appropriate that a wise dragon will be part of the opening salvo of Ninjago setsthis year. This set provokes enough mystery in its contents for me to want to find out what happens in the next season of Dragons Rising: Will the Ninja find Master Wu? Is Egalt, in fact, Master Wu in Dragon form with a severe case of amnesia? Do you have your own theories? Why not leave your thoughts in the comments below.

The set has 532 pieces and will be priced at $89.99AUD/€69.99/USD69.99/£59.99/CAD89.99 [links to your local LEGO.com]when it is released on January 1 2024.

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Until Next Time,

Play Well!

This set was provided by the LEGO Group for Review purposes. All opinions are my own.