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Greetings, adventurers! As you have probably seen, the next Creator Expert set, 10273 Haunted House, was announced this morning and it features many references to Adventurers and other themes as it is designed to be a fairground ride that is modeled after the manor of the notorious villain Samuel Von Barron. There is a large haunted portrait of the baron, a sign saying "Manor Von Barron" and several stolen artifacts from the Egypt and Orient Expedition subthemes.

So my question is: is this canon to the Adventurers theme? If so, that opens up a lot of questions. We don't know how accurately the fairground operators recreated Sam's manor, but assuming it is accurate, we can gleam a lot of information from it.

First, let's talk about the name. Baron Von Barron's infamous name change to Sam Sinister has been confusing Lego fans to this day, and TLG is muddying the waters even more here by calling him Samuel Von Barron which seems to be a combination of the two. Is this his real full name and was "Sinister" just a nickname?

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The portrait has a play feature that causes Pharaoh Hotep to appear behind the baron. This suggests that the baron was cursed by the pharaoh, possibly for stealing all of these treasures. Did the baron die from this curse?

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On the other side of the manor, there is "strange altar" with skull candles, a chalice, and a vassal with some dark red contents. There is also a skeleton with a top hat just like the one that both Sam and Slyboots (a.k.a. the other Sam Sinister) used to wear hanging from chains from the ceiling. This has some surprisingly dark implications. Did Sam used to practice some kind of blood rituals up here? Is the skeleton meant to be him or Slyboots or someone else? Were the rituals meant to free him of the curse?

There is also a red snake hiding under the table which according to a German Adventurers audio drama is venomous and killed the first people who raided Pharaoh Hotep's tomb as part of his curse, so it would make sense that Baron von Barron would suffer the same fate.

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There is a coat of arms over the manor that references Fright Knights, specifically set 6007 Bat Lord. Does this mean that Sam is a descendant of Basil the Bat Lord?! :oh: As a fan of both Adventurers and Fright Knights, I am absolutely fine with accepting that as canon!

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There is also one of Ogel's orb bombs from Alpha Team in the attic along with a rusting Junkbot. Does the baron have some kind of connection to Ogel?

There might be even more interesting references that I missed, but this gives us a lot to think about. So what do you think? Do all these things mean what I think they mean? Or am I just overthinking some fun easter eggs in a silly haunted house set?

It's probably the latter, but either way, discuss! :sweet:

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Are there any other pics of the “rusting Junkbot” that show if he maybe has a face on there?

as for wether it is real or not, in the designer video they mention it being like a legoland park if I’m remembering correctly. That would imply that in universe it’s based on the adventurers LEGO series as fiction, not based on “real people”. 

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Can we for a moment stop and appreciate that pipe organ? Between Imperial Flagship and Vampyre Castle, this one is the most detailed realistic and best looking one so far... I love it!

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3 hours ago, Oky said:

First, let's talk about the name. Baron Von Barron's infamous name change to Sam Sinister has been confusing Lego fans to this day, and TLG is muddying the waters even more here by calling him Samuel Von Barron which seems to be a combination of the two. Is this his real full name and was "Sinister" just a nickname?

Thanks for opening this theme - it will be a great discussion!

As for the names: There were two guys - Lord Sam Sinister (the one with the top hat) an Baron von Barron (the one with the hook on his left hand, the scarf in his face and the monocle). This is clearly explained in the LEGO MANIA MAGAZINE January/February 1998, page 2. In the Orient Expedition subtheme this was mixed up by TLG. The bad guy is obviously Baron von Barron (hook, scarf, monocle) but is wrongly named Sam Sinister. But from the very beginning in the Desert subtheme, the names and the persons are very cleary stated.

But: Back in 1998 the first name of Baron von Barron was never reveiled. So it might be that his name is Samuel - the very same as Lord Sam Sinister. Perhaps both of them had the same first name. So Baron Samuel von Barron might be correct. The portrait in the attic cleary shows Baron von Barron from the Desert subtheme.

And the skeleton with the top hat must be Lord Sam Sinister. 

 

A question to the coat of arms: What do the roman numbers  "VMVII" mean? "V" = 5; "M" = 1,000; "I" = 1. A lower number before a higher number means that the lower number has to be deducted. A lower number after a higher number meas it has to be added. So  "VMVII" = 1,000 - 5 + 5 + 1 + 1 = 1,002. What is the sense?

 

 

 

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5 hours ago, The Reader said:

A question to the coat of arms: What do the roman numbers  "VMVII" mean? "V" = 5; "M" = 1,000; "I" = 1. A lower number before a higher number means that the lower number has to be deducted. A lower number after a higher number meas it has to be added. So  "VMVII" = 1,000 - 5 + 5 + 1 + 1 = 1,002. What is the sense?

I think it's a combination of a typo and yes, nonsense Roman numerals.

It should read VIMVII or 6-(1)000-7 or 6007 the set number of Bat Lord as @Oky highlighted above.

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So, name wise, I think this set seems to have put more mud in the water than it cleaned it up actually. :blush:

The press release notes the manor's titular owner as one 'Samuel Von Barron', which who knows where marketing got that from? :wacko: All the designers in the official video refer, only and on multiple occasions, to a 'Baron von Barron', and even at one point note that distinctly saying,  "that there was a villain called Baron von Barron and Sam Sinister and they were going about...", i.e. two distinct characters. 

Ultimately, I concur with the sentiment that Orient Expedition just messed everything up by mixing up the two characters names when visually they merged the designs. Was that an actual mix up? It could have just as well been intended too. But regardless, we all know his name is Baron von Barron. All the Lego designers know his name is Baron von Barron. And we all know whoever writes the press releases know nothing of the subtly of Lego Adventurers. Case closed! :laugh: 

--

Regarding Ogel--that's a bit of a strange link I think, regarding Baron von Barron at least. The Adventurers connection of Ogel is actually from the Jungle wave's villain, Senior Palomar; Ogel's face print is a light copy and paste of Palomar's face from two years prior. The other notable point is that Ogel is apparently canonically related Knights Kingdom's II villain, Vladek...

So that tangent is only relevant in that this set seems to suggest with the coat of arms, that likewise, Baron von Barron is also related to another famous villain: but that villain being Basil. Again, it's just a weird thing. This is the first time I've seen that suggested, and I suspect the link is only made because of their similarities regarding mustaches. I would say that it is more arguable that Basil was the first vampire minifigure (not) than it is he was ever intended, when created or during that era, to be shown to be Barron's ancestor (And no Basil was not the first vampire minifigure, the 2002 Studios Vampire was, come at me bro :grin:). I don't know about those potential numerical typos, but regardless of the number the clear intent was to link the Barron name to the Basil name (judging by the coat of arms and Basil's background helmet in the video). 

 

But that's what's fun about Adventurers--its all confusing! And like an adventurer you are constantly discovering new things: I've been collecting official Adventurers wearable costume-swag for three (?) years now, and I'm still constantly finding previously unknown artifacts from 1998 or 1999 that shine new light on the theme. So frankly I'm just happy this set has turned the communities attention and discussion back to this rich theme once more. 

 

 

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4 hours ago, Lucarex said:

I think it's a combination of a typo and yes, nonsense Roman numerals.

It should read VIMVII or 6-(1)000-7 or 6007 the set number of Bat Lord as @Oky highlighted above.

I have to correct myself: As far as I can see there is a dash on top of the first "V" on the coat of arms which means that it reads "5,000". So it is:

V with dash = 5,000

M = 1,000

V= 5

II = 2

Makes 6,007.

But according to this page "6007" should be written as "VI with dash VII".

 

 

 

Regarding the obelisk in the ground floor: The tan 1x2x5 brick has a new hieroglyph pattern. There were four pattern in the 1998 Egypt-subtheme: 1, 2, 3 and 4. So this is new pattern is a fifth pattern.

Edited by The Reader

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Cant wait to buy it ands turn this into the real manor of Baron Von Barron/Sam Sinister/Whatever his name is.

Also I hope turning this into a modular wont be too hard.

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3 hours ago, The Reader said:

I have to correct myself: As far as I can see there is a dash on top of the first "V" on the coat of arms which means that it reads "5,000". So it is:

Good spot...I didn't even see the dash above.

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Well, at least it's Baron Von Barron's "house" and not Lord Sam Sinister. I've already got a real mansion for Sam, and this would be bad if they came out with a competing one. Then I would have serious problems!

But anyway, I might have to snag some designs from this newer model, (Including that awesomely huge organ!) to have on my 70912-inspired Sinister Hall.

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I like all the references in this set and you could probably make a great Frankenstein lab (change the elevator into the raising table), but this is a pass for me.

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10 hours ago, Nicotoa said:

turn this into the real manor of Baron Von Barron

Great idea! I would shorten the tower by the two middle floors because it looks much too high.

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On 5/15/2020 at 8:08 AM, The Reader said:

Great idea! I would shorten the tower by the two middle floors because it looks much too high.

Agreed, but I dont know how to handle the elevator part.

Besides, anybody knows what's the blue gem for ?

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I really liked this, but am having serious 2nd thoughts about actually getting it.  I guess I would really like it to be more an actual haunted house, like others have said. 

There's enough vertical space to put in another floor without adjusting the structural build, and the elevator could be replaced with a staircase to the attic.  The organ would be tricky.  Maybe someone will do a really good mod I can follow to take out the ride aspect.

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Pharaoh Hotep face appearing in the sky has to be one of my favorite features in a LEGO set EVER. That is just prefection... Whoever came up with that idea needs a raise

 

I wonder why the baron is shown holding the Re-Gou Ruby? Does that mean he defeated Johnny Thunder at the end? 

I love all the Adventurers references, but I'd like to get some Amazon ones, instead of the Ogel nonsense, like the sun disc hidden in a secret room or something, but I guess bringing the mold back would be too costly. 

 

I hope the nod to Basil the Batlord actually means something... maybe an Adventurers/Fright Knights crossover subtheme? 

I mean, at this point they have to do something with Adventurers, right? If they keep bringing it back here and there is because they know the theme is popular among the LEGO community: The LEGO Movie, Scooby Doo, CMF S19 and now this... (I still can't believe they didn't make a steampunk Johnny Thunder for TLM2...:hmpf:)

And Fright Knights has been referenced recently in CMF S19 and now here...

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6 hours ago, Robert8 said:

I mean, at this point they have to do something with Adventurers, right? If they keep bringing it back here and there is because they know the theme is popular among the LEGO community: The LEGO Movie, Scooby Doo, CMF S19 and now this... (I still can't believe they didn't make a steampunk Johnny Thunder for TLM2...:hmpf:)

And Fright Knights has been referenced recently in CMF S19 and now here...

I've been waiting for an Adventurers comeback for years and now with all the hints you've listed makes me hopeful.

Cmf s19 Monkey King was obviously a teaser for Monkie Kid,hopefully that same logic can be applied to the Haunted House and Adventurers.

Edit:You mentioned Scooby Doo,was there a Adventurers easter egg that I missed?

Edited by LOTR34

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5 hours ago, LOTR34 said:

Edit:You mentioned Scooby Doo,was there a Adventurers easter egg that I missed?

Johnny Thunder was in the Museum set

 

The Lego Brick Guy

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23 hours ago, Robert8 said:

Pharaoh Hotep face appearing in the sky has to be one of my favorite features in a LEGO set EVER. That is just prefection... Whoever came up with that idea needs a raise

 

I wonder why the baron is shown holding the Re-Gou Ruby? Does that mean he defeated Johnny Thunder at the end? 

I love all the Adventurers references, but I'd like to get some Amazon ones, instead of the Ogel nonsense, like the sun disc hidden in a secret room or something, but I guess bringing the mold back would be too costly. 

 

I hope the nod to Basil the Batlord actually means something... maybe an Adventurers/Fright Knights crossover subtheme? 

I mean, at this point they have to do something with Adventurers, right? If they keep bringing it back here and there is because they know the theme is popular among the LEGO community: The LEGO Movie, Scooby Doo, CMF S19 and now this... (I still can't believe they didn't make a steampunk Johnny Thunder for TLM2...:hmpf:)

And Fright Knights has been referenced recently in CMF S19 and now here...

As adventurers was my favourite theme as a kid, I absolutely love it when they pop up in modern sets, even ones I won't buy. Like Johnny in TLM, or scooby doo, or even the recent CMF. They do seem to like throwing easter eggs to us (slightly) older guys who were building in that golden age! 

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On 5/13/2020 at 10:15 PM, mrfang2 said:

Are there any other pics of the “rusting Junkbot” that show if he maybe has a face on there?

as for whether it is real or not, in the designer video they mention it being like a legoland park if I’m remembering correctly. That would imply that in universe it’s based on the adventurers LEGO series as fiction, not based on “real people”. 

I'm afraid not, but I'm pretty sure that's what it's supposed to be. We'll have to wait until reviews start popping up to find out.

I suppose that's a possibility too, but that would be kind of lame and I can't find anywhere in the designer video where they say that. They say that it's a theme park ride and they refer to Adventurers as a Lego theme, but that's just for those who don't know what it is.

Actually, I believe the "Sam Sinister Switcheroo" already happened in the Dino Island subtheme.

On 5/14/2020 at 7:04 AM, Captain Nemo said:

So, name wise, I think this set seems to have put more mud in the water than it cleaned it up actually. :blush:

The press release notes the manor's titular owner as one 'Samuel Von Barron', which who knows where marketing got that from? :wacko: All the designers in the official video refer, only and on multiple occasions, to a 'Baron von Barron', and even at one point note that distinctly saying,  "that there was a villain called Baron von Barron and Sam Sinister and they were going about...", i.e. two distinct characters.

The designers seem to be going by the original North American names, which is odd coming from Denmark. But yeah, he was always Baron von Barron for me. No idea why they tried to retcon that in the final wave. A little late much? :laugh: But as I said, I like to think that they tried to combine them in this set by claiming that his first name is Samuel.

On 5/14/2020 at 7:04 AM, Captain Nemo said:

Regarding Ogel--that's a bit of a strange link I think, regarding Baron von Barron at least. The Adventurers connection of Ogel is actually from the Jungle wave's villain, Senior Palomar; Ogel's face print is a light copy and paste of Palomar's face from two years prior. The other notable point is that Ogel is apparently canonically related Knights Kingdom's II villain, Vladek...

Interesting thought. Maybe Vladek and Basil were allies back in the day (with the similar color schemes and all) and that close relationship between the two lineages remained intact to modern times? Who knows.

On 5/14/2020 at 7:04 AM, Captain Nemo said:

But that's what's fun about Adventurers--its all confusing! And like an adventurer you are constantly discovering new things

That's a nice way to look at it! Although I'd rather look for treasure than for tidbits of information that give us a clue as to who the heck everybody is. :tongue:

On 5/14/2020 at 12:33 PM, Nicotoa said:

Cant wait to buy it and turn this into the real manor of Baron Von Barron/Sam Sinister/Whatever his name is.

I thought of doing the same thing - if I'll ever be able to afford this. :tongue:

On 5/16/2020 at 12:56 PM, Nicotoa said:

Besides, anybody knows what's the blue gem for ?

There were several of these gems in the Orient Expedition theme, so it could be any one of those, although I like to think that it is the one from Secret of the Tomb which revolves around the Baron trying to steel such a gem (along with a yellow one).

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On 5/17/2020 at 9:13 AM, Robert8 said:

I wonder why the baron is shown holding the Re-Gou Ruby? Does that mean he defeated Johnny Thunder at the end? 

I love all the Adventurers references, but I'd like to get some Amazon ones, instead of the Ogel nonsense, like the sun disc hidden in a secret room or something, but I guess bringing the mold back would be too costly.

Good question. In a German Adventurers audio drama, Baron Von Barron and Slyboots/Sinister leave the Temple of Anubis thinking they have stolen the Re-Gou Ruby, but Johnny later figures out that that was a decoy and retrieves the real ruby, so perhaps what the baron is holding in that portrait is the cursed decoy.

As for the Amazon subtheme, remember that the Baron was absent in that adventure, so there is no way he could have an artifact from it unless maybe he stole it from Senior Palomar afterwards.

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While waiting for our sets to arrive; some info is published on lego.com/hauntedhouse. It gives us some background on the baron, his house, the blue ruby and the organ.

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9 hours ago, Gorki247 said:

While waiting for our sets to arrive; some info is published on lego.com/hauntedhouse. It gives us some background on the baron, his house, the blue ruby and the organ.

Thanks for the tip! There certainly are some interesting bits of information there, but once again, they just open up more questions than they answer.

They refer to the blue ruby as the Re-Gou Ruby, even though it's a different color. :wacko: Maybe that's an effect of the resonator?

Also, it says that he built the device to "harness the ruby's legendary power for his own evil empire". Since when does Von Barron have an evil empire? I always thought he just wanted fame and fortune. However, if he had ambitions of global domination, that would explain the Ogel orb.

The info on the site also implies that this is the actual former home of Von Baron which is now being used as an attraction rather than just a theme park recreation, so everything we see here is canon. :thumbup:

I like the fact that the curse caused Von Barron to go insane from bad puns. It adds some good old fashioned Lego humor to this dark subject matter! :grin:

Still no clarification about the altar or the Fright Knights connection, but I'll take what we can get.

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8 hours ago, Oky said:

Thanks for the tip! There certainly are some interesting bits of information there, but once again, they just open up more questions than they answer.

They refer to the blue ruby as the Re-Gou Ruby, even though it's a different color. :wacko: Maybe that's an effect of the resonator?

 Also, it says that he built the device to "harness the ruby's legendary power for his own evil empire". Since when does Von Barron have an evil empire? I always thought he just wanted fame and fortune. However, if he had ambitions of global domination, that would explain the Ogel orb.

 The info on the site also implies that this is the actual former home of Von Baron which is now being used as an attraction rather than just a theme park recreation, so everything we see here is canon. :thumbup:

 I like the fact that the curse caused Von Barron to go insane from bad puns. It adds some good old fashioned Lego humor to this dark subject matter! :grin:

Still no clarification about the altar or the Fright Knights connection, but I'll take what we can get.

Two possibilities for the blue stone, I think.
- It doesn't actually say that the blue stone is the Re-Gou ruby, does it; so it could be another stone needed to power the device. 
- or like you said, it's the effect of the resonator.

Also, It's not that far fetched that the villain after fame and fortune, would go after power next. Especially when they get their hands on mystical artefacts. I don't mind this, especially if it helps to explain his possession of the Orb of Ogel.

I do like that the Baron is a real person in this universe as opposed to a character invented for the attraction. It fits the narrative of my city layout.

I was hoping that the instructions would include some more background info; both on the creation of the set as well as some in-universe information. However, it doesn't look to be the case (from what I've seen so far; hope to be proven wrong).

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Making this building *the actual former home* of the Baron makes no sense in the fairground/themepark setting.  Even the elevator was the Baron's design?  

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