Opening Thoughts

Initially, I wasn't very interested in this model. I thought that most of the Seabound sets were lackluster, an opinion which I still agree with today. However, I really wanted that NRG Nya minifigure, and I couldn't pass up the chance to get it before it goes off-sale in a few months.

Build Experience

The building experience was similar to other Ninjago dragons, and while it wasn't as interesting as many more advanced sets, it is still simple to follow along.

Model

The completed dragon is LONG. I would recommend having a somewhat long space to be able to display this two-foot beast. The color scheme is brilliant and displays excellently. The head is printed magnificently. The tail looks splendid and almost natural. It swings around so well and certainly adds to the water dragon vibe.

Onto the disappointing parts of this model, let's start with the legs. The legs are fine, but they feel slightly basic, especially compared with the rest of the model. To be specific, I dislike the method used for the claws. The wings are another weak element of the dragon, specifically the play feature involved with them. The cloth pieces themselves are alright, certainly fitting for this dragon. However, the play feature is quite wimpy and hardly looks like something a water dragon would have. That being said, this feature is growing on me, so this opinion may change.

Zane's sub is also included. I personally despise these little submarines. The most annoying part about them is that they're not fully closed up (I understand that is hard for LEGO to completely do, but I feel as though they aren't even making an effort to conceal gaps). This little build does add some good play value, though I could have used a villain vehicle instead.

A small shrine holds the Wave Amulet, an incredible piece to be sure. The shrine itself is fine, but again, a villain vehicle would've been a better alternative. At least the two side builds don't take up too many pieces.

Minifigures

Let's address the elephant in the room first, NRG Nya. This minifigure is everything I could've wanted. The only modification I made was to switch the mask piece to be a much more fitting dark blue color. Zane is a great figure, but all the clunky armor that is on him doesn't really work for me. I'll probably just display this figure with his hairpiece.

For the villains, Kalmar looks superb. The quality of this figure is high and definitely sets a standard for LEGO Ninjago villain figures. The henchmen are also well done, with the prints on their torsos looking very deluxe. However, I wish we had got some more variety in terms of ocean creatures instead of just another batch of snakes.

These figures are very good, however, I wish there had been at least one more, possibly Benthomaar.

Comparison To Other Dragons

I will be comparing this dragon to Lloyd's Legendary Dragon, another dragon that I've reviewed.

The head on the LLD is undoubtedly much better, using a combination of brick-built and moulded parts. The tail on the water dragon is much better than that of the LLD. The wings are sort of split between both dragons for me. I prefer the look of the wings on the LLD, but the function is not hidden very well (it still works well, but I find it very intrusive). The wings on the water dragon look just fine, but the feature is pretty lame.

In terms of play and display, neither dragon excels. Overall, these dragons sort of cancel each other out.

Value

For $70, this dragon comes with enough substance to be worth it. The price per part ratio is average. While all the side-builds are supposed to add play value, I don't feel like much can be done with either of them (VILLAIN VEHICLE). The play value is still decent and the set will look alright on a shelf.

Pros

• Decent display piece
• Collectables (NRG Nya, Kalmar, Wave Amulet)
• Swooshable and colorful dragon
• Somewhat affordable

Cons

• No exclusive figures
• Weak play feature
• Lack of villains for the most part
• Some mediocre construction on the dragon (legs)

Overall

This dragon was certainly not one I expected to get, but I suppose I'm happy to have it. It's quite fun to play with, and the NRG Nya figure is something really special. While this set has its flaws (and quite a few of them) I still feel as though I got my money's worth. I'd recommend this to any Ninjago fans who like dragons. If you lean towards locations, I'd point you to the Temple of the Endless Sea as that provides the other important collectibles of this wave.

- Spruce