Lego C-3PO (75398) review: "If you're content to see ol' threepy stand proudly on a shelf and not much else, this will serve you superbly"

In many ways, Lego C-3PO (75398) was always doomed to play second fiddle to the ever popular R2-D2 models, but that doesn't mean that everybody's favourite prissy, unpleasable, long-suffering metal mannequin isn't going to put the effort in.

The Lego C-3PO is not without its flaws, but they're overcome by a loving attention to detail. Some Lego kits are intended to be toys and some intended to be models, and this is undoubtedly the latter. Articulation and playability are made secondary to visual flourish, so while C-3PO might not do much once he's built, he cuts an undeniably impressive figure. It's not often you'll see somebody walking crotch-first, but Anthony Daniels undeniably did so in the movies, and even that gait is recreated here.

Lego C-3PO (75398) features

• Middling size and price
• Comes with presentation plaque
• Display piece - not a toy
• Pairs with R2-D2

In a world where Star Wars fans tend to gravitate more towards lightsabers, cool spaceships, and action-oriented characters, how does the burnished butler of the Skywalker Saga justify his presence? Well, it's a mid-size build that doesn't quite have the ridiculous price tag of models like the Lego UCS Millennium Falcon (even if it is one of the best Lego sets, and certainly amongst the best Lego Star Wars sets), with slightly over 1,000 pieces and an inherently thin, tall shape that means it wouldn't take up much in the way of desk or shelf space.

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And that is where it will live. If you're thinking about buying this one for a kid, they might be a bit disappointed by the fact that C-3P0 is more of a conversation piece than an action figure. He comes included with a base stand that you can't even separate him from without just... breaking the build, and there's not much articulation to speak of - though more on that when we discuss design.

None of this is necessarily a complaint, it's just worth being clear about. If you're content to see ol' threepy stand proudly on a shelf and not much else, this will serve you superbly. If you want an actual toy, you're going to have to look elsewhere. Still, the fact that this was designed to fit perfectly with the 75379 Lego R2-D2 build is a wise move (even if he apparently has to stand on a little bit of dirt to get the respective heights right).

Lego C-3PO (75398) build

• A few hours to build
• Occasionally unclear instructions
• Comes together satisfyingly, especially at the end
• Lots of spare pieces
• Ugh, stickers

C-3PO is one of those kits where you know exactly how far through you are at any point without even having to glance at the manual - because you are, in all important senses of the word, making a person. You build a leg, another leg, a nice shiny codpiece to hold them together, a base to stand them on, and then you just start working your way up the torso. The effort made towards making C-3PO actually stand in the right posture and not just flatly T-pose means there's some behind the scenes witchcraft, using special joints in such a way that feel like you're somehow breaking the rules - Lego is a reality of hard right-angles, after all.

But the instructions weren't necessarily great, and there were moments where I found myself having to go back and correct earlier errors, though thankfully never more than a few steps behind. Certain pieces are laid out in such a way that you can't see their placement unless you're actually looking for them, and the manual never figured out how to clearly delineate between the golden brown of the sandy base and the browny-gold of C-3PO's chassis, leading to occasional frustration.

Still, while the early legwork (ha ha) is a bit tepid, it's quite satisfying to see it all coming together in the back half, watching the torso raise and taper up. There were a lot of spare pieces at the end though - to the point of wondering if I'd missed something - and any set that includes those damn fiddly stickers is always going to be at least a little annoying.

Lego C-3PO (75398) design

• Great display piece
• Amazing attention to detail
• Lacks any meaningful articulation

Part of the reason the build comes together so well at the end is because C-3PO cuts a damn impressive figure, and the end result looks really good. Visual detail is a priority here, and while the face is a little off the mark, every other nuance is superbly represented, from the uneven sandy dirt of Tatooine to that aforementioned crotch-first gait that 3PO had in the movies when shuffling around.

What you're left with is a statue model that's clear and impressive from close-up or across the room, with enough rounded casing pieces to smooth down the appearance into something magnificently accurate.

What's lost is much in the way of articulation and control. C-3PO can swivel his head, has some limited finger movements, and lift his arms a bit, though not much. If you want to move his legs, or turn his torso, to have him lean forward or backwards even a smidgen, that ain't happening. I know in the movies he was about as physically flexible as a brick, but the Lego build is somehow even less compromising. The option to easily detach the torso to stick on a Wookie's back would've been a cute idea - just saying.

Still, that visual flourish is undeniable, and if you're happy with this model's status as a model, the lack of movement shouldn't really be an issue

What's lost is much in the way of articulation and control. C-3PO can swivel his head, has some limited finger movements, and lift his arms a bit, though not much. If you want to move his legs, or turn his torso, to have him lean forward or backwards even a smidgen, that ain't happening. I know in the movies he was about as physically flexible as a brick, but the Lego build is somehow even less compromising. The option to easily detach the torso to stick on a Wookie's back would've been a cute idea - just saying.

Still, that visual flourish is undeniable, and if you're happy with this model's status as a model, the lack of movement shouldn't really be an issue.

Should you buy the Lego C-3PO (75398)?

Considering there's no other variant of C-3PO on the market, what else are fans of the character going to get? In all seriousness, this is a good build - maybe a touch overpriced and fiddly at times, but I've seen Lego sets at twice the size of C-3PO and still lack the attention to visual detail that's present here. If you make your peace with the fact that he'll never do more than a gentle wave, this should serve every need you have.

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How we tested the Lego C-3PO (75398)

I made the Lego C-3PO (75398) over an evening and a morning, aided by a couple of beers and a couple of coffees depending on the time of day, in two slots of roughly two hours per piece, working fairly single-mindedly on the project. The end result was finished around three and a half hours, though the occasional correction (as mentioned above) may have caused it to take slightly longer than it would have otherwise.

For more, check out our guide to how we test products.

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