We Built LEGO 40730 Luke Skywalker's Lightsaber - LEGO Insider's GWP

The LEGO Luke Skywalker's Lightsaber was yet another gift with purchase we couldn’t wait to get our Rodian hands on. It's a great addition to the LEGO lightsaber family, and despite having twenty-eight fewer pieces than its predecessor (LEGO 40483), it is the largest of the current releases.

Continue reading to see the full review of this amazing new build, and let us know if you were a LEGO Insider, lucky enough to get your hands on one when you purchased the LEGO 75397 Star Wars Jabba’s Sail Barge.

COMPLETE THE LIGHTSABER CREATION TRIAL

Opening the box reveals three bags, a 1x32L Technic Axle (loose), and an instruction manual. The instruction manual contains twenty-three steps to build the actual lightsaber and fourteen steps to create the cradle it rests in.

CREATE LIKE CUATA

WATCH THE BUILD VIDEO HERE

Bag 1 has eight steps, creating the pommel of Luke’s Lightsaber, including the ring to hang it from his belt. This was a simple build section, with many small bits clicking together to recreate the aesthetic we all know from Return of the Jedi.

Bag 2 contains “kyber crystals,” cleverly hidden in the handle behind the curved 1x4 grey wall pieces. These are then slid onto the lightsaber kebab and other circular light grey parts. In the final steps of Bag 2, the power unit is created with red and green arrows and a black power button. Pearl gold 1x2 pieces perfectly create the golden circuit board cover.

The final bag replicates the black and grey bands of Luke’s Lightsaber, and LEGO has constructed nine of these sections just as we see onscreen. Following these bands, we have a couple more pearl gold pieces inserted amongst the grey, which does look excellent.

Once the lightsaber is completed, there is just the stand to build. This follows the same design as the previous releases. A printed plaque adorns the front of the stand in the same style as the LEGO Star Wars helmets range plaques.

YODA’S FINAL THOUGHT

This is a fantastic Gift With Purchase and will keep many Star Wars fans happy, especially those who manage to acquire one. It does seem a shame that the only way to receive LEGO 40730 is by being a LEGO Insider and spending £429.99 on LEGO 75397 Jabba’s Sail Barge.

The consensus about these LEGO lightsabers is that if LEGO were to release them as paid-for sets, people would jump on the nearest Dewback and gallop down to their local LEGO store to purchase them. Fingers crossed that LEGO hears our thoughts on this and will make them easier to come by rather than stuck behind an epic paywall or paying resellers with kidneys.

That aside, this is an awesome-looking set with clever build techniques. It’s a shame it’s so much larger than the previous two, but this one is life-size, measuring 28cm.

What are your thoughts on the accessibility of LEGO GWPs? Do you think they should always be available for everyone, or should LEGO Insiders get unique Gifts With Purchases?