Following up our review of the Mandalorian Starfighter from yesterday, we’re returning today in order to take a closer look at yet another builds from The Clone Wars. Entering as the most affordable set in the LEGO Star Wars summer 2021 lineup, the Duel on Mandalore kit arrives with two eye-catching minifigures in order to standout amongst the lineup. But does its affordable price tag make it a must have or a small set you should just pass? Head below for all of the details.
Hands-on with the LEGO Duel on Mandalore set
Arriving with 147 pieces, the $19.99 set itself is mainly comprised of two different builds alongside the pair of minifigures. The main aspect assembles the Mandalorian throne from season seven of The Clone Wars. It is certainly on the more simplistic side to fit into the price point, but manages to pack in some nice details. There’s a transparent piece on the back that can fold back for some action, as well as a compartment underneath for a hidden blaster.
The second main aspect of the Duel of Mandalore set is a LEGO version of the Mandalorian vault, which has room inside for Darth Maul. But more on him in a second. Its build is not all that complex, but gets the job done with some stickers and an opening design to imprison the Sith.
As always with these LEGO Star Wars Duel sets, the included minifigures are the stars of the show. This year’s addition to the collection is no different, following the trend by giving builders a pair of new figures from The Clone Wars. Fitting for the Mandalore scenery, you’re looking at both Darth Maul and Ahsoka Tano, both of which sport designs inspired by the more recent appearances in the final season of the series.
Starting with the Sith, Darth Maul Sports a pretty detailed design with printing that carries over from the legs up onto the torso. While there’s no arm printing, the expectational recreation of the onscreen counterpart certainly makes this one of the year’s more enticing minifigures.
Maul is complemented by his signature dual-bladed red Lightsaber, which ends up being a bit of a disappointment as-is. It would have certainly gone the extra mile for the LEGO Group to use one of the new longer hilts introduced by the Monkie Kid theme, but I suppose it’s a missed opportunity that will largely go unnoticed for many fans.
As for Ahsoka, the most recent version of the iconic Jedi is the same design as included in last year’s Armored Assault Tank. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as the more affordable $20 price point to grab this figure is certainly a bonus. But as for the figure itself, you have some nice printing on the legs to complement the torso alongside a molded headpiece to recreate the character about as well as we’ve seen from the LEGO side of things.
9to5Toys’ Take:
As the most affordable Star Wars set released in the summer wave, there’s certainly a lot to like about the Duel on Mandalore kit. The simplicity of the build paired with a chance to score two notable minifigures certainly makes this one of the best versus sets in a few years in my book. It’s also pretty noteworthy to have received a kit based around The Clone Wars period at this point, so have to give the LEGO Group props for its inclusion in the lineup this year.
That being said, I think the LEGO Duel on Mandalore set is going to fall into one of two camps for whether or not it’s worth adding to your collection. Fans of Ahsoka and the Clone Wars era overall will likely find it to be a must-have at $20, while those who aren’t as partial to the Prequels are bound to pass on theming alone.
As good as the throne build is, the kit is clearly all about the minifigures. And as good as both of the inclusions are, unless the theme resonates with you, I’d sale turn your attention to some of the other new kits instead. Although you certainly won’t be getting as good for a value with this one at as low of a price point.
Buy the LEGO Duel on Mandalore set at LEGO, Amazon, and Walmart
Other LEGO Star Wars summer 2021 reviews at 9to5Toys:
- Review: LEGO’s new Mandalorian Starfighter packs a standout build with even better minifigs
- Hands-on: Exclusive minifigures make LEGO’s Imperial Armored Marauder a great value
- LEGO Bad Batch Shuttle review: Clone Force 99 makes a long-awaited debut
- LEGO Star Wars Imperial Light Cruiser review: Exclusive minifigures steal the show
- Review: LEGO Slave 1 delivers a downsized Boba Fett’s starship with a Mandalorian twist
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