Lego Star Wars Emperor's Throne Room Diorama review

Can you name a more iconic scene in Return of the Jedi than Skywalker and Vader facing off in the Death Star? Well, maybe you can: there are a lot of iconic scenes in Return of the Jedi, let’s face it. But this one is certainly up there, and it’s no surprise that it’s been recreated in the form of a Lego Star Wars diorama. The most expensive of the dioramas to date, there’s a lot to love about this set, even if its price point does give us pause.

Lego Star Wars Emperor’s Throne Room is one of five Star Wars dioramas currently available, all ranging in price from $69.99 to $99.99. Costing $10 more than the second-most expensive set of the range, the Emperor’s Throne Room doesn’t even contain the most pieces (there’s 807 here, while the $90 Jedi Training Diorama has 1,000), and so that price hike is a little hard to justify. 

Perhaps it’s the inclusion of the bespoke Death Star window, appearing only in this set? But the dent in your wallet aside, this really does deserve a spot amongst the best Lego Star Wars sets currently available. 

Lego Star Wars Emperor's Throne Room Diorama review: Build

Considering the amount of detail on show in Lego Star Wars Emperor’s Throne Room Diorama, we’ve been pleasantly surprised with how straightforward its build process has been. Aside from one or two awkward sections - which we’ll get to later - this is an exceedingly enjoyable build, and a fairly quick one to boot: we were done in around 90 minutes, although your own mileage may vary a little.

The bricks to put together the Emperor’s Throne Room are split over five sets of bags. There’s a methodical approach to building, with each numbered bag adding a new layer of detail to the model: you’ll start with the thick, black base before moving onto the upper platform, then the backdrop of the diorama and finally adding in the lower section of the floor and the finishing touches.

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Despite the complex details that have gone in to crafting the circular pattern that forms the backdrop, it was very easy to put together – if not a little repetitive at times. The fiddliest part is clipping the long pieces of tubing into place before you build the frame around it, but it shouldn’t cause too much of a problem. The detailing they provide once in place make it worth the extra bit of struggle.

Like the other Lego Star Wars dioramas, the Emperor’s Throne Room features three printed pieces displayed front and center of the model: there’s a Lego Star Wars logo, a Return of the Jedi ‘40th Anniversary’ brick and, finally, a quote from Luke Skywalker. They provide a welcome bit of context to the set (not that fans need it, of course) and make it stand out just that little bit more as a display piece. There are no stickers at all to be found here, which is always music to our ears.

Lego Star Wars Emperor's Throne Room Diorama review: Design

Just like each and every one of the Lego Star Wars diorama kits, the Emperor’s Throne Room makes a fantastic display piece. It doesn’t have a massive footprint, so finding room for this on any shelf or desktop shouldn’t be too much of a problem, and no matter where you place it, it’s bound to catch the eye. Is it the nicest-looking of all the dioramas? That’s a tough call to make. 

It doesn’t have the pop of color that the greenery of the Endor Speeder Chase or Dagobah Training dioramas offer. But despite being mostly grey, its shape and clever design really makes it stand out. 

As we’ve mentioned, the circular window - designed to replicate the one on the Death Star - can only be found in this Lego set. The pieces around the window have been placed expertly, creating an eye-catching circular pattern. It’s instantly recognizable as the Death Star, and even without the minifigures stood in front, we’d have no problem knowing exactly what we were looking at. 

A pop of color is provided by the two display consoles, placed either side of the set, and a focal point is provided with the well-crafted throne for Palpatine, nestled directly in front of the window. 

The chunky black base really finishes the set off, giving it a high quality appearance and securing it as a sought-after display piece. Whether you’re placing this by itself or alongside other dioramas, it’s going to look fantastic.

Should you buy Lego Star Wars Emperor's Throne Room Diorama?

Yes, absolutely. It’s a little on the pricey side, but if you’re looking to spend $100 on a Lego Star Wars set, you won’t be disappointed with the Emperor’s Throne Room Diorama. If you’ve got multiple diorama sets, it’s very much a worthwhile addition to the collection. It’s also a wonderful standalone piece. Be warned, though: if this is the first diorama set you purchase, you absolutely will want to pick up more.

Other Lego Star Wars sets to consider

The other four Lego Star Wars diorama sets are also worthwhile purchases. We particularly love the Death Star Trash Compactor, with moving walls to replicate the compacting action. The Death Star Trench Run is also wonderful - and is the cheapest of all the sets in the range.

Elsewhere in the Lego Star Wars brand, the recently-released UCS X-Wing makes an excellent entry into the world of Ultimate Collector’s Series sets without breaking the bank. And if money is no object, you’ll be the envy of all your friends with the epic UCS Millennium Falcon.