Disney and Pixar’s LEGO 76832 XL-15 Spaceship set offers an unexpected and much-loved glimpse into an alternate reality.

Based on the Disney and Pixar film Lightyear, which aims to tell the in-universe story of Buzz Lightyear, the character the Buzz Lightyear toy in Toy Story was based on, 76832 XL-15 Spaceship is a toy based on a film based on a toy based on a film set in a film. As far as alternate realities go, we’re pretty far down the rabbit hole with this one.

However, the alternate reality we’re talking about in regards to the 76832 XL-15 Spaceship is where the LEGO Group has continued to produce space sets beyond 2013’s Galaxy Squad. 76832 XL-15 Spaceship is that realized sequel , and it’s exactly what you imagine a spaceship of a LEGO Space theme produced in 2022 might look like.

Theme: LEGODisney Set name: 76832 XL-15 Spacecraft Release: April 24, 2022

Price: £44.99 / $49.99 / €49.99 Pieces: four hundred ninety seven Figures: 3

LEGO: Available now

Believe it or not, we’re nine years after Galaxy Squad and the last time the LEGO Group produced a space theme or sub-theme. LEGO CITY took us beyond Earth’s atmosphere for a number of NASA-inspired sets, and Friends joined the NASA train this month, but nothing brought together spaceships, bases, astronauts and fantastic aliens for almost a year. entire decade.

76832 XL-15 Spaceship is officially a LEGO Disney and Pixar Lightyear themed set, but for the way it’s been put together with a surprising amount of detail and care – and even though it’s meant to resemble the animated source material from the Disney+ Movie – it speaks so deeply to LEGO Space fans.

This is one of those modern LEGO sets that looks as much like a custom build, put together by an expert LEGO fan, as something the LEGO Group has developed and tested.

We’ve mentioned Galaxy Squad before and in the color scheme and overall shape, 76832 XL-15 Spaceship certainly has 70701 Swarm Interceptor echoes of that theme, medium blue accents around a white pointed center area to the vehicle, to the wings aggressively angled down and forward as in attack mode, and even to the twin thruster engines in the rear.

But on top of that and the general space vibes that emanate from this set, 76832 XL-15 Spaceship is a LEGO spacecraft built and designed in 2022, and for that its design is all the more advanced as a result. It consists of just under 500 pieces of plates, tiles and angled bricks in a clever and very detailed way – the box may say 8+, but it’s a much more advanced LEGO spaceship than this that we’ve arguably never seen from LEGO Space, which highlights not only how good and satisfying this particular set is, but also how much Space is left behind.

The air vents on either side of the cockpit are a good example of the extra level of design on the 76832 XL-15 spacecraft – it’s those wonderful, accentuated “off-square” angles that have been created from bricks and pieces that flow from the top of the ship and into the wings, and which are conversely met in a sawtooth pattern at the front by the slopes of the bodywork. What might have been square in shape or cast from one large piece is rather neatly traced onto the XL-15’s construction.

It’s various aspects like this that make the 76832 XL-15 spacecraft such a curious LEGO spaceship to put together, and just as curious to look at and hold (read: play with) when finished.

There are glorious techniques in place to complete the look of the slanted wing and fill in any gaps otherwise created and these are amazingly hidden in plain sight, and really speak to the extra level of finesse that has gone into the overall design of this set.

Small details like the control stick and the overall look of the entire cockpit are also superior to what you’d otherwise expect, thanks to a mix of printed and stickered parts that capture so much detail with relatively little. On top of that comes the piece-of-the-resistance – an all-new trans-yellow windscreen.

As we say, it all makes for such a curious LEGO set – it’s fantastic in design and detail, packed with technique and shaping, and oozes such LEGO Space vibes. Still, it’s also curious because alongside all that, it’s an 8+ set to tie into a Disney+ property that’s very much targeting younger audiences. This level of LEGO building shouldn’t come close to such a set.

The final model is a decent size for a one man ship and even comes with a display stand which again indicates a much higher level than a LEGO 8+ set. The stand accommodates the wings that sit about half a millimeter below the ship’s landing gear, preventing it from resting properly on a flat surface. The stand also tilts the model for a more dynamic finishing touch to the 76832 XL-15 spacecraft.

Four characters are included, and for those watching Lightyear, they’ll all be appealing in a number of ways, mostly all tied to the authenticity with which they capture their respective character designs. Buzz Lightyear in his orange jumpsuit and choice of two heads makes for a great design, and one that also appeals to those who aren’t necessarily interested in this specific iteration of the character, but who may be more broadly interested in a detailed new spacesuit torso.

Likewise, the Daryl Steel and Mo Morrison minifigures are both true to their on-screen appearances and also very interesting designs with an industrial space feel that again offers great creative flexibility for those thinking in- beyond the Toy Story universe. Even Sox, the robotic cat, functions both as a specific design for Lightyear and as a simple cat to add to the collection.

The body armor for all three – but especially for Daryl Steel and Mo Morrison – also gives off particular Mandalorian vibes, for their colors and the fact that this piece debuted in a LEGO Mandalorian set in the first place.

The only possible criticism is in the eye print on the dark beige helmets for Daryl Steel and Mo Morrison. They’re both off center and once you see it, you can’t see it. For a set that is otherwise so beautifully accurate, this small flaw is only accentuated.

The extra head for Buzz is a nice bonus we don’t usually see in LEGO sets today, and makes for a potentially grotesque sequence for the characters included, especially with an eye to the size of their weapons…

As an 8+ LEGO set released to tie into Disney and Pixar’s Lightyear movie, £44.99 / $49.99 / €49.99 is pricey. This is disposable IP in the same way as the LEGO sets from the latest Toy Story movie or the Minions sets. At first glance, this price for lead set in such a theme which will usually only hold a small window of appeal to a larger audience is too high.

Still, for the real quality of the 76832 XL-15 spacecraft, for the depth and breadth of design expertise that goes into it, and for the way it all speaks to LEGO Space fans far beyond those who follow the latest adventures of Buzz Lightyear, there’s a lot of value to be felt in this award.

For the theme of which this is a part, 76832 XL-15 Spaceship is likely to be overlooked by the majority. This is a set of links for a film that is unlikely to appeal beyond the younger demographic, which at face value comes at a rather high price.

However, the 76832 XL-15 Spaceship is actually such a pure exploration and celebration of LEGO spaceship design that it’s one of the most collectible LEGO sets for years to come, for years to come. those who ignore it for what is likely to be a short lifespan. .

This LEGO set is as it once was for Disney and Pixar’s Lightyear, but so much more than that – it’s the LEGO Group’s chance to show off exactly what a LEGO Space set can look like in 2022. is complex, layered, playable, unique in form and style, and even celebrated in display. Heed this review – it may be camouflaged under the Lightyear brand, but it’s just as much the LEGO Space set we’ve been waiting for nearly a decade.

(Yes, we realize the irony that Disney is creating this opportunity to venture into LEGO Space, given the general perception that Disney-owned Star Wars is the reason we don’t have LEGO Space themes for the moment.)

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