@Wallace_Brick_Designs said:
"Skull helicopter! 2011 Ninjago was peak"

You know, I don’t remember that thing ever being in the show.

Somewhere I have a MISB Lightning Dragon set that I won as a door prize (probably at Brickworld Chicago), but I don't know which version it is. If this is the first, it might be the one.

@BlackFalconBirdman said: "I remember that this one was quite difficult to get. I had to go to Toys r Us (which was still around at that time)."

I remember having trouble buying this one, too. I think I had to buy it from a Korean seller on eBay. I'm not even sure it was available for sale in Australia.

I cleaned and dusted this guy recently. He's still one of my favourite ever Ninjago sets.

The dragon is such a beautiful build. He's gigantic (the wingspan is enormous), with a real presence. Sure, they've done bigger and better dragons since, but for 2011, this set was brilliant.

@Wallace_Brick_Designs said:
"Skull helicopter! 2011 Ninjago was peak"

I prefer Skull Monster Truck 2506.

How brutal are the skullkin that they would use the dismembered heads of their own as missiles like that :o

@StyleCounselor said:
" @Wallace_Brick_Designs said:
"Skull helicopter! 2011 Ninjago was peak"

I prefer Skull Monster Truck 2506."

I prefer Skull Dungeon 71722 Skull Sorcerer's Dungeons

@GSR_MataNui said:
"I actually had all four of the original Ninjago dragons back in the day (and the Ultra Dragon!) and they're still mostly intact. One of Ultra's jaws is loose around the axle joint and keeps falling off, and as others have mentioned this one looses its spines easy, but I've got most of their important parts still together.

One thing I liked about the first four dragons was how varied yet similar they manged to be. Flame and Shard were both wyverns, Rocky was a drake, and Wisp was a full on dragon. This did mean Flame and Shard's body types were a bit too similar and the Rocky set lacks his canon wings, but still it helps you tell them apart more than just color. I'm a particular fan of the elongated and flexible body on this one.

LORE TIME:

When the First Spinjitzu Master died, he entrusted his Four Golden Weapons to his sons, Wu and Garmadon. Eventually Garmadon was seized by the dark influence of the Overlord, and tried to claim the Golden weapons for himself. He and Wu fought, and eventually Wu banished Garmadon to the Underworld.

Wu took the Golden Weapons and hid them across Ninjago, placing a dragon to guard each. Wisp the Lightning Dragon was placed within the Floating Ruins, trapped inside an endless storm, and there they watched over the Nunchucks of Lightning.

Several decades later and Garmadon's forces (the Skulkin) began marauding around Ninjago searching for the Golden Weapons. Wu assembled a team of Ninja to retrieve them first. These Ninja managed to outwit and outrun the dragon guardians, retrieving most of the weapons.

But their mission nearly failed. Through Garmadon and the Skulkin's meddling, Wu and all four weapons wound up in the Underworld. The Ninja decided to forge an alliance with the dragons to retrieve the weapons and traveled to the Underworld together. Jay the Blue Ninja took Wisp as a mount, and the two would continue flying together and protecting Ninjago for the next few months.

Eventually the four dragons reached an age of maturity and had to "molt." They left together for the Spirit Coves and there melded their bodies and minds into the four-headed Ultra Dragon. They returned to the Ninja's side just in time to fend off the Great Devourer and stop her gluttonous reign.

The Ultra Dragon would then serve as Lloyd's mount for the upcoming battles with Garmadon, the Stone Army, and the Overlord. Some time after the Overlord's defeat the Ultra Dragon expressed longing and homesickness for the land it's components had come from. Lloyd released the beast from its service and it returned the the Realm of Oni and Dragon, where it would live with Firstbourne, mother of all dragons for some time.

But this peace was not to last. In an infuriating offscreen death to rival all offscreen deaths, the Ultra Dragon was slain by Iron Baron, their heads fashioned into a throne of bone to show his might. "

Don't forget how Samukai forced Dr. Julien to invent the Skulkin vehicles!

It's interesting to look back on this set. I encountered it exactly once in the wild, in an expensive toy shop during one of my trips. The box was huge, really selling that you don't only get two sizable builds, but that each is really substantial. I didn't feel like spending that amount of money though, as I recall that it was very expensive.

Truly an odd one, considering that the dragon itself was so integral to the pilot season. I also recall seeing the dragon first as a sprite from a screenshot from the Ninjago Lego Battles game. Remember that one? If I recall correctly it was the first time people knew what the set would look like.

@TeriXeri said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
" @Wallace_Brick_Designs said:
"Skull helicopter! 2011 Ninjago was peak"

I prefer Skull Monster Truck 2506."

I prefer Skull Dungeon 71722 Skull Sorcerer's Dungeons"

True. Great set.

One of best Lego dragons ever.
This pic does not make it justice. Its very nicely shaped.

@TeriXeri said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
" @Wallace_Brick_Designs said:
"Skull helicopter! 2011 Ninjago was peak"

I prefer Skull Monster Truck 2506."

I prefer Skull Dungeon 71722 Skull Sorcerer's Dungeons"

I prefer 7093 Skeleton Tower, 4748 Ogel's Fortress and 10192. I know it's not Ninjago. But this Ninjago with skulls is also cool.

@MusiMus said:
" @TeriXeri said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
" @Wallace_Brick_Designs said:
"Skull helicopter! 2011 Ninjago was peak"

I prefer Skull Monster Truck 2506."

I prefer Skull Dungeon 71722 Skull Sorcerer's Dungeons"

I prefer 7093 Skeleton Tower, 4748 Ogel's Fortress and 10192. I know it's not Ninjago. But this Ninjago with skulls is also cool."

I prefer 21145. It definitely doesn't look completely stupid. It is one of only two sets with a gapple in though.

@MusiMus said:
"@... and 10192. I know it's not Ninjago. But this Ninjago with skulls is also cool."

The Space Skulls seem to be a fleet of alien zombies. If that doesn't make them some of the coolest Lego villains ever, then I'm out.

@Zordboy said:
" @MusiMus said:
"@... and 10192. I know it's not Ninjago. But this Ninjago with skulls is also cool."

The Space Skulls seem to be a fleet of alien zombies. If that doesn't make them some of the coolest Lego villains ever, then I'm out. "

Space skulls, watch out!!

I'm getting strong EXO Force vibes from this one.

@alLEGOry_HJB2810 said:
" @MusiMus said:
" @TeriXeri said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
" @Wallace_Brick_Designs said:
"Skull helicopter! 2011 Ninjago was peak"

I prefer Skull Monster Truck 2506."

I prefer Skull Dungeon 71722 Skull Sorcerer's Dungeons"

I prefer 7093 Skeleton Tower, 4748 Ogel's Fortress and 10192. I know it's not Ninjago. But this Ninjago with skulls is also cool."

I prefer 21145. It definitely doesn't look completely stupid. It is one of only two sets with a gapple in though."

I prefer my little skull storage container full of D&D Mind Flayers.

@Zordboy said:
" @BlackFalconBirdman said: "I remember that this one was quite difficult to get. I had to go to Toys r Us (which was still around at that time)."

I remember having trouble buying this one, too. I think I had to buy it from a Korean seller on eBay. I'm not even sure it was available for sale in Australia.

I cleaned and dusted this guy recently. He's still one of my favourite ever Ninjago sets.

The dragon is such a beautiful build. He's gigantic (the wingspan is enormous), with a real presence. Sure, they've done bigger and better dragons since, but for 2011, this set was brilliant. "

I can't even remember if this was available at lego.com, but I think in the US it was lego.com and Toys'r'us only, so also very difficult to get here (seems better than for you though). It's also one of my favorite Ninjago sets as well (maybe also because it was hard to get?). I don't know if I have collected all of any of the other Ninjago dragon waves.

@PurpleDave said:
" @alLEGOry_HJB2810 said:
" @MusiMus said:
" @TeriXeri said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
" @Wallace_Brick_Designs said:
"Skull helicopter! 2011 Ninjago was peak"

I prefer Skull Monster Truck 2506."

I prefer Skull Dungeon 71722 Skull Sorcerer's Dungeons"

I prefer 7093 Skeleton Tower, 4748 Ogel's Fortress and 10192. I know it's not Ninjago. But this Ninjago with skulls is also cool."

I prefer 21145. It definitely doesn't look completely stupid. It is one of only two sets with a gapple in though."

I prefer my little skull storage container full of D&D Mind Flayers."

I missed out on 71721 Skull Sorcerer's Dragon. I think it also looks brilliant. I like 6279 Skull Island

@Zeitgeist said:
"One side gets a dragon, the other gets a rolled-up newspaper."

Ooh, clever! Yeah, you bap that dragon on the nose with a newspaper, it’s going to stop it dead in its tracks. You won’t even need to bust out the bitter apple spray.

Much better than the How To Train Your Dragon set just announced.

@BlackFalconBirdman said:
" @PurpleDave said:
" @alLEGOry_HJB2810 said:
" @MusiMus said:
" @TeriXeri said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
" @Wallace_Brick_Designs said:
"Skull helicopter! 2011 Ninjago was peak"

I prefer Skull Monster Truck 2506."

I prefer Skull Dungeon 71722 Skull Sorcerer's Dungeons"

I prefer 7093 Skeleton Tower, 4748 Ogel's Fortress and 10192. I know it's not Ninjago. But this Ninjago with skulls is also cool."

I prefer 21145. It definitely doesn't look completely stupid. It is one of only two sets with a gapple in though."

I prefer my little skull storage container full of D&D Mind Flayers."

I missed out on 71721 Skull Sorcerer's Dragon. I think it also looks brilliant. I like 6279 Skull Island"

I prefer 910038 Ominous Isle, but 71721 was epic!