Star Wars

Emperor's Throne Room Diorama

The most cinematic window LEGO has ever printed, wrapped around a scene I can't stop staring into.

Brick Rated Score

3.6/5

Set 75352 · 2023

Pieces807

Minifigs3

Year2023

Set number75352

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The verdict

This is the confrontation that ends the whole saga, boiled down into a display piece you can hold in two hands, and the finished window genuinely stopped me the first time it caught the light.

The three minifigures are as good as this trio has ever been, and building that Death Star viewport is a small thrill. The catch is the price, because 807 pieces for a hundred dollars stings, and there are no Royal Guards to fill out the scene. If you love Return of the Jedi and you build for the finished shelf display, you'll adore it.

Best for: Return of the Jedi fans who build for the finished shelf, not the piece count

The full review

What it is

The Emperor's Throne Room Diorama takes the climactic scene from Return of the Jedi, Luke and Vader and Palpatine in that circular chamber above the second Death Star, and shrinks it into a slanted display box you can sit on a shelf. I went in expecting a tidy little vignette and came away genuinely won over by the window. That huge round viewport is the whole reason this set exists, and when you set the finished thing down and the light comes through it from behind, it does exactly what a good diorama should do, it pulls your eye straight into the middle of the action. LEGO built this as part of its Diorama Collection and tied it to the 40th anniversary of Return of the Jedi, and the reverence shows in every printed detail.

The catch

I'll be straight with you about the sticking point, and it's the price. Ninety-nine dollars, ninety pounds, for 807 pieces is a lot, and this is not a physically big model. It's the kind of number that makes you do the math twice, and plenty of builders have. The scene also feels a little thin once it's done, because there are no Royal Guards flanking the throne, and their absence is the first thing longtime fans tend to mention. Palpatine's new face is a mixed bag too, the yellow eyes have no black pupils, so depending on the angle he can look a bit vacant rather than menacing. None of this ruins the set, but it's the difference between a joyful yes and a considered maybe.

Who it's for

So here's how I'd think about it. If you love Return of the Jedi, if this specific scene means something to you, and if you build for the finished display rather than for a marathon of clever engineering, this belongs on your shelf and you'll be glad it's there. The minifigures alone make a strong case, and the window is the sort of piece you'll keep showing people. If you're chasing maximum brick per dollar, or you want a big meaty build that eats an afternoon, this isn't the one, and there's no shame in waiting for a discount. It's a small, beautifully made love letter to a single movie moment, and it knows exactly what it is.

The parts story

What the build is actually like, and the pieces worth knowing about.

The build itself is breezy and pleasant, on the shorter side, but with a couple of segments that are a real treat to put together. The window is the star of the process. You assemble it with Technic tubes and rings, and that whole circular cradle securing the printed dish is oddly mesmerizing to watch come together. The rest of the diorama leans on angled slopes to shape the chamber, and lining those up is the one genuinely fiddly stretch, though the payoff when it all clicks square is worth the fuss. Palpatine's throne swivels, which is a lovely little touch that lets you pose the final duel.

The headline part is a brand new printed Dish 10x10 in trans-clear, made specifically for this window and gorgeous in person, held in place by just two robot arms forming a cradle underneath with a pair of T-shaped pneumatic pieces bracing it. Luke finally gets a new hairpiece after 24 years, flatter and better textured for his ROTJ look, and there's a printed 1x4x3 brick reading '40 Return of the Jedi' plus a 2x6 tile with his 'I am a Jedi, like my father before me' quote. Every element is printed rather than stickered, which for a display set matters enormously. The part count value is where the grumbling starts, but part for part, the quality is high.

Fun facts

01The set was released in 2023 to mark the 40th anniversary of Return of the Jedi, and it includes a printed brick reading '40 Return of the Jedi' along with a plaque quoting Luke's line 'I am a Jedi, like my father before me.'
02The circular window is a brand new printed 10x10 trans-clear dish created just for this set, and it's secured underneath by only two robot arms acting as a cradle with T-shaped pneumatic pieces reinforcing it.
03Luke Skywalker's minifigure debuts a new hairpiece here, his first fresh hair mold in roughly 24 years of LEGO Star Wars.
04Every printed detail is genuinely printed rather than applied with stickers, unusual and welcome for a display diorama at this size.