LEGO LotR - general discussion

[deskp]

I really do wish they would stop being so stingy with minifig materials. Would it cost that much more for all of the mordor orcs to come with hair or all of the uruk-hai to come with armor?

All the orcs shouldn't come with hair and all the uruks shouldnt come with armor. Variety!

[Str0ngbad]

I'm all for variety but I'd rather have the choice of how to add variety left up to me. I really shouldn't be whining about little stuff like this though. I can still hardly believe that LOTR LEGO even exists.

[Fives]

It seems that this topic became dormant over the past couple months, so I'm bringing it back to life.

I was thinking about what vital scenes are still left for LEGO to cover. Hopefully, the next LOTR wave will be mostly Gondor stuff, but here are still two important FOTR scenes and one important TTT scene to make, being Amon Hen, the Balrog, and Treebeard. If these sets are made, LEGO will have covered FOTR and TTT well enough. But that is three sets of the next wave that could be used to make ROTK sets, which we need desperately. So, how could LEGO make these sets without them taking up too much space in the wave, but still do the scenes justice?

Well, looking at this years wave, we're obviously getting less sets in exchange for the Orthanc exclusive. That is very unlikely for next years wave, so we can be hopeful that the set number will be back to the usual 5 or 6. So, given six sets to potentially work with, what could we realistically expect from the next (and very possible last) wave of LOTR?

Every wave has the small, two minifig set, roughly $10-15. Perhaps LEGO could cover Amon Hen in the smallest set of the wave. They could make a condensed version of the Seeing Seat, or just make some ruins and trees, and include Lurtz in some armour and wielding a bow, and Boromir, maybe with a new Horn of Gondor piece.

With the small set slot taken, the next set, usually $20-30, they could easily cover Treebeard, with the set similar in size to the Shelob set, and have three figs, Merry, Pippin and Grishnakh.

After that, the next set, usually $50, give or take some. This could easily be the Balrog set. If its a little bigger than Treebeard, and only have Gandalf and maybe a Moria Orc or two, then the first two films will have been covered relatively well.

So that leaves three sets in the wave to be Gondor centric. The flagship set would obviously be Minas Tirith, with likely Denethor, Gandalf, Pippin, and the just grunts, maybe a Troll. The $80-100 set (similar to Mines of Moria) could be Osgilaith, with Faramir, Gothmog, and orcs and Gondor soldiers. That leaves one last $60-75 set. This could either be a Minas Tirith expansion, or the Witch-King.

Now, if LEGO were to do one last wave after next year, they could cover all of these scenes easily, but if not, then we may not get all the scenes wanted to make a complete LOTR collection.

I'm very hopeful that we will see a fourth LOTR wave, but if not, I fear that Gondor won't get enough sets, or at least the army building sets so many want, in exchange for sets that give us the secondary characters that we also so desperately want (Eowyn, Faramir, Witch-King).

[Blakstone]

Fives, I really like your Amon Hen, Treebeard, and Balrog ideas. I would be very pleased with those.

I have a hard time envisioning a Minas Tirith centered on Denethor. There is just not any action for that character. I know that he is important to the story, though not to any battle. I think our only hope would be that he would be a LEGO Store promotion. It would not take any new molds to make him.

The two biggest sets should tie in together with Gondor. Though my wish would be for the Witch King to come with Eowyn, Merry, and Theoden.

[Fives]

Fives, I really like your Amon Hen, Treebeard, and Balrog ideas. I would be very pleased with those.

I have a hard time envisioning a Minas Tirith centered on Denethor. There is just not any action for that character. I know that he is important to the story, though not to any battle. I think our only hope would be that he would be a LEGO Store promotion. It would not take any new molds to make him.

The two biggest sets should tie in together with Gondor. Though my wish would be for the Witch King to come with Eowyn, Merry, and Theoden.

I really doubt we'll see Theoden again in any set. The only characters we have seen multiples of are Fellowship members, grunts, and servants of Sauron (Saruman is an exception since Orthanc is an exclusive). I also believe, due to the way they made the Eagles, LEGO's version of the Fell Beast with be identical from the video game, with large, hard plastic wings, much like the Eagles. The only difference is it will be bigger with a detachable tail and head/neck. That means that he will either be included in a larger set (Minas Tirith) or a smaller one with only three figures (Merry, Eowyn and Angmar) at a price point of $20-30.

[Deathleech]

I imagine wave three will have at least five sets and the line up will be similar to what you suggest Fives, but with a few major changes.

I pretty much agree completely with your Treebeard set. Making a brick built Treebeard as the main building piece in the set and including Merry and Pippin and a (named) Orc seems like a no brainer for the $20 price point. It would be very similar to the Shelob Attacks set. A $40-60 Balrog set with Gandalf, maybe a Fellowship member, and 2-3 Moria Orcs (with their cool helms, pleeeease?) seems very likely as well.

As for the rest of your ideas, I don't see Amon Hen being a "must have" set. While a new Lurtz in armor and another Boromir would be nice, they are nothing totally new and unless the set is $30+ it's not going to have anything really distinctive to build in it. I think most people would much rather have Eowyn and/or the Witch King dueling. That would make a great cheap set if not for the need to include the Fel Beast.

As for the rest of the sets, I don't really see Lego doing both Osgiliath and Minas Tirith. Minas Tirith seems like the most logical choice for Lego as the big flagship set, if not for it's immense scale. Still, I would love to see what Lego is capable of. I would also love the third wave to have I a $30 set with Gondor Soldiers and Mordor Orcs and serve as an army builder that mirrors the Uruk-Hai Army set. This would put us right at 5 sets and would have pretty much every main character and scene featured in the films covered. Ideally I would love Minas Tirith to be a 3 part set (upper, lower w/gates, army builder/wall add on) but I don't think it would be terribly likely.

[Gremer]

What about just the gate with a little bit of wall, the battering ram (I forgot it's name), Gondor soldiers, 2 orcs and Gandalf the White. That could be about $40.

[wesker]

One set I'd really love to see is Edoras. There's no reason why Lego couldn't release something like this at a reasonable price point.

[Gremer]

One set I'd really love to see is Edoras. There's no reason why Lego couldn't release something like this at a reasonable price point.

I like the idea and the MOC. Yeah, there's nothing stopping LEGO from making it.

[Fives]

Wesker, the reason Edoras is likely not going to happen is because it wouldn't offer any new figs. We have Gandalf the White, Theoden, Eomer, and we'll likely get Eowyn from ROTK. And Grima comes in Orthanc. Unless it were down as an exclusive, there is no reason for this to be a set. It would just take up space in a wave that needs emphasis on Gondor for the larger sets.

And the reason I feel like Denethor is necessary in a set is that, while included in the video game as an extra character, he was completely left out of the story. Like the Mouth, he was acknowledged, but not included in the actual levels. So, in a set, he gets the recognition he deserves. Plus, they could find a way to launch him off the Citadel in a ball of flames as a function.

They also need the White Tree section because the Tree is a very important and iconic part of the story. If LEGO can put the rods of the five wizards in Orthanc, the Eye in Rivendell, the Palantir pedestal in Weathertop, they can include the White Tree in Minas Tirith. So, with that part, they will need to include the giant triangle stone wedge that is at the centre of the city. This could be done like the back section of the set, much like the Helm's Deep throne room section, while the rest of the set is the gate and some wall.

[Gremer]

We could get a cursed Theoden from Edoras.

[BlueberryWaffles]

Fives, your ideas are great but I think if TLG makes an Osgiliath (which they probably will) it would be when Frodo and Sam come in TTT. I think Amon Hen would be a good exclusive like Orc Forge. That or a small Lorien like the game model would be perfect for a $40 exclusive.

[Fives]

Fives, your ideas are great but I think if TLG makes an Osgiliath (which they probably will) it would be when Frodo and Sam come in TTT. I think Amon Hen would be a good exclusive like Orc Forge. That or a small Lorien like the game model would be perfect for a $40 exclusive.

Yeah, Lorien would be nice. If they didn't do a full sized Lorien, they could do the small set with Galadriel, Frodo and the Mirror.

Also, Osgiliath could be based on that scene, and in that case, we could get another winged Nazgul, which would be really nice, and sought after.

[wesker]

Wesker, the reason Edoras is likely not going to happen is because it wouldn't offer any new figs. We have Gandalf the White, Theoden, Eomer, and we'll likely get Eowyn from ROTK. And Grima comes in Orthanc. Unless it were down as an exclusive, there is no reason for this to be a set. It would just take up space in a wave that needs emphasis on Gondor for the larger sets.

But it would offer new figures - Cursed Theoden instead of the armoured one from Helms Deep, and Eowyn in a dress instead of battle armour. Eomer could be given hair instead of a helmet for the sake of variety. Even Hama or Gamling could be tossed in.

Besides its not all just about the figures. Edoras is an iconic location that was featured very prominantly in the films and has just as much reason to be made as the other locations.

[Gremer]

But it would offer new figures - Cursed Theoden instead of the armoured one from Helms Deep, and Eowyn in a dress instead of battle armour. Eomer could be given hair instead of a helmet for the sake of variety. Even Hama or Gamling could be tossed in.

Besides its not all just about the figures. Edoras is an iconic location that was featured very prominantly in the films and has just as much reason to be made as the other locations.

It could also be a cheaper way to get Gandalf the White and some Rohan soldiers.

[SheepEater]

I imagine wave three will have at least five sets and the line up will be similar to what you suggest Fives, but with a few major changes.

I pretty much agree completely with your Treebeard set. Making a brick built Treebeard as the main building piece in the set and including Merry and Pippin and a (named) Orc seems like a no brainer for the $20 price point. It would be very similar to the Shelob Attacks set. A $40-60 Balrog set with Gandalf, maybe a Fellowship member, and 2-3 Moria Orcs (with their cool helms, pleeeease?) seems very likely as well.

As for the rest of your ideas, I don't see Amon Hen being a "must have" set. While a new Lurtz in armor and another Boromir would be nice, they are nothing totally new and unless the set is $30+ it's not going to have anything really distinctive to build in it. I think most people would much rather have Eowyn and/or the Witch King dueling. That would make a great cheap set if not for the need to include the Fel Beast.

As for the rest of the sets, I don't really see Lego doing both Osgiliath and Minas Tirith. Minas Tirith seems like the most logical choice for Lego as the big flagship set, if not for it's immense scale. Still, I would love to see what Lego is capable of. I would also love the third wave to have I a $30 set with Gondor Soldiers and Mordor Orcs and serve as an army builder that mirrors the Uruk-Hai Army set. This would put us right at 5 sets and would have pretty much every main character and scene featured in the films covered. Ideally I would love Minas Tirith to be a 3 part set (upper, lower w/gates, army builder/wall add on) but I don't think it would be terribly likely.

Agree with your whole post, but I also want Faramir.

And let's not forget that there is NO WAY Lego will risk creating a wave without Gandalf, Frodo + Aragorn each making at least 1 appearance - the primary target is kids and Lego wants to make sure kids, who might not collect sets from every year let alone every set in a wave, have access to the main characters.

So... my list:

- A brick-built Treebeard with Merry, Pippin, Grishnak

- A balrog set with Gandalf and Moria Orcs

- A Minas Tirith set with Gandalf the White, and an army builder extender set

- A witch King + Eowyn + Merry set.

- A Mount Doom set. Otherwise we won't see Frodo, Sam or Gollum at all in that wave.

- A Pelennor Fields based Mumakil set with Aragorn, Legolas and (maybe) Gimli. Otherwise we won't see them at all in that wave.

That hardly leaves room for Faramir, unless they do a set with him and Frodo & Sam instead of Mount Doom.

[Gremer]

They could do my idea (gate and ram) and a piece of wall that can attach to either side and comes with generic soldiers and orcs.

[wesker]

Agree with your whole post, but I also want Faramir.

And let's not forget that there is NO WAY Lego will risk creating a wave without Gandalf, Frodo + Aragorn each making at least 1 appearance - the primary target is kids and Lego wants to make sure kids, who might not collect sets from every year let alone every set in a wave, have access to the main characters.

So... my list:

- A brick-built Treebeard with Merry, Pippin, Grishnak

- A balrog set with Gandalf and Moria Orcs

- A Minas Tirith set with Gandalf the White, and an army builder extender set

- A witch King + Eowyn + Merry set.

- A Mount Doom set. Otherwise we won't see Frodo, Sam or Gollum at all in that wave.

- A Pelennor Fields based Mumakil set with Aragorn, Legolas and (maybe) Gimli. Otherwise we won't see them at all in that wave.

That hardly leaves room for Faramir, unless they do a set with him and Frodo & Sam instead of Mount Doom.

Why not put Faramir in Minas Tirith?

[SheepEater]

Why not put Faramir in Minas Tirith?

Sure, why not? He was in there for a short while in the middle of the movie after all.

As for Denethor, I highly doubt we'll ever see him in minifigure form. His character arc is WAY too dark for kids, he's too unlikeable, he's neither a hero nor a clear-cut villain, and doesn't feature in any action scene. Even the videogame designers steered clear of him in the storyline.

[Fives]

It seems that the only way that LEGO can do justice to the trilogy in the eyes of the fans is if they do four waves total. Even if the last wave is a little lighter like this years, that would give them roughly 7-8 sets to fill in the gaps they still have. And I wouldn't be surprised if LEGO did do a fourth LOTR wave. This is my reason why:

Since the Hobbit takes place before LOTR, the story of the Ring isn't finished by the end of the Hobbit. But, the Ring still has a vital role in Bilbo's journey. One of the major things LEGO has been pushing is how in LOTR it is all about the journey to destroy the Ring. So, it would make sense for them to finish the Middle-Earth license with LOTR, because the Ring ends there too. So, we'll see a DOS wave of Hobbit sets, then another LOTR wave, hopefully tying up FOTR and TTT for the most part, and covering the majority of Gondor stuff. Then the TABA Hobbit wave, which ends Bilbo's journey and leads to Frodo's journey, and then have a final LOTR wave (with a Mount Doom set to show the destruction of the Ring) and the end of the license.

This way, LEGO will have enough time to give us the characters who are important for the collection, both from the Hobbit and LOTR, and it ties up both stories nicely.

[Lynx]

I think Lorien is a given. We've already seen it in the video game (which had the exact versions of the Black Gate, Weathertop and Imladris). It would also create the option for unique figures. Lady Galadriel, of course, but also Celeborn and possibly Haldir in his cloaked outfit. Add Frodo and the mirror, and you have a nice 40 US$ set.

[Fives]

I think Lorien is a given. We've already seen it in the video game (which had the exact versions of the Black Gate, Weathertop and Imladris). It would also create the option for unique figures. Lady Galadriel, of course, but also Celeborn and possibly Haldir in his cloaked outfit. Add Frodo and the mirror, and you have a nice 40 US$ set.

We do have quite a bit of evidence, thanks to this years wave, that LEGO is more than willing and capable of recreating figures and sets featured in the video game. Gandalf the White, Saruman, the Dead Men, the Mouth of Sauron, the Eagles, Aragorn, Elrond and Arwen are all pretty much identical to the way they looked in the game, as well as the Rivendell and Black Gate sets. So I think that when it comes to how the Witch-King, Eowyn, Faramir, Gondorian soldiers, and the Fell Beast will look, we can just look to the video game and that's what they will be.

[Dr.Cogg]

I,m trying to think of sets Sauron could come and here's what I have come up with :

1.The Forging of the Ring, a small set that includes: Sauron, the Ring and a small part of Mount Doom.

2.Sauron/The Necromancer vs. The White Counsel a set that includes: Sauron/The Necromancer , Saruman , Gandalf , Elrond , Galadriel and the ruins of Dol Guldur.

3.The last Alliance, the set would include: Sauron , Elrond , Orcs ,Isildur, the Ring and some weapons.

4.Mount Doom, the set would include: Frodo,Sam,Gollum,the Ring and Sauron as an extra figure , the set would have a Bridge and lava on the inside and the outside would kind of look like these 3 sets combined :

[DragonKnights]

I'm all for structures that would work well with MMV such as the Golden Hall or the Prancing Pony, but I think these sets are unlikely. I'll be satisfied with the entire LOTR venture if they can do justice to Mina Tirith.

[Haltiamieli]

If only we could get another exclusive set like Orthanc before the end (of all things), I think Meduseld/Edoras would have a very, very good chance (and Prancing Pony wouldn't be completely out of the competition either, though it would certainly be a dark horse). But Orthanc would probably have to outsell hotcakes and more before Lego would greenlight another exclusive for any other theme than SW.