Why Was Benny's Helmet Broke In The LEGO Movie?

[CrazyDalton777]

I watched the LEGO movie an noticed Benny's helmet was broke and thought, there must have been an issue with real classic spacemen for them to do that. I found my blue classic spacemen and they have a little fading on their face but no broken helmet, could someone explain this to me?

[AncientDayz]

You already nailed it on the head. There was a tendency for these helmets to crack. I know I had several. That's probably why (or part of the reason why) the new helmets are made of thicker plastic in that area.

Edited August 6, 2014 by AncientDayz

[kevin8]

I think because TLG hates all classic space lovers...

As TLG is aware of this obvious fact, it makes the right helmet but already broken...

[CptPJs]

My hand-me-down blue spaceman has the exact cracked helmet, I was very excited when I saw him in the movie!

[lightningtiger]

I too have been told the story of the blue helmet cracking, that section is too thin and broke too easily......that's what I was told.

[Bob De Quatre]

That's what I've been told too...

So much suffering by BobDeQuatre, on Flickr

[DPrime]

May I ask how old you are? Just wondering, because if you didn't actually grow up with Classic Space, I could see why this might not be obvious.

The helmets were quite prone to breaking, and on a similar note, those golden moons didn't stay golden for long. I guess I may have played with my old Space sets quite a lot back in the day, but I wouldn't describe it as excessive or anything - just normal play! I had more than one broken helmet in my collection even at a very early age...

[Lyichir]

Yeah, those helmets had a tendency to crack. The idea of having the character's helmet cracked was part of the film's attempt to give all the characters a "played with" quality—that's also why his torso printing looks so worn away.

[TheLegGodt]

That's what I've been told too...

So much suffering by BobDeQuatre, on Flickr

That's what my ones look like too. Chewed, cracked, demter: used and loved!

[CrazyDalton777]

May I ask how old you are? Just wondering, because if you didn't actually grow up with Classic Space, I could see why this might not be obvious.

The helmets were quite prone to breaking, and on a similar note, those golden moons didn't stay golden for long. I guess I may have played with my old Space sets quite a lot back in the day, but I wouldn't describe it as excessive or anything - just normal play! I had more than one broken helmet in my collection even at a very early age...

I am 15. I picked up a bag of LEGO with about 5 classic space minifgures and the ones with their helmets didn't have cracks so it puzzled me a little. If I have time I could upload pictures if you like.

Edited August 6, 2014 by CrazyDalton777

[BritishBrick]

@CrazyDalton777

First of all, may I see a picture of the bag? And second, it was probably a movie effect, because, remember, in the Lego movie, it was a story being told by "The Man Upstairs" son, so the Lego figures where actually played with, so his helmet probably got cracked while being played with.

[CrazyDalton777]

I haven't got the bag as it was (separated into my collection) but I can photograph my blue spaceman to show it (this will have to be done tomorrow).

[danth]

I think because TLG hates all classic space lovers...

As TLG is aware of this obvious fact, it makes the right helmet but already broken...

There is a lot of supporting evidence for this theory I think! :)

[mostholycerebus]

They all crack eventually. You play with your beloved space guys, fighting aliens with your antennas, exploring brave new tables and loveseats, making kitchen-livingroom-frontroom runs in under 12 parsecs, dodging gigantic sistermonsters, and one day, the chinstrap cracks. You freak out. Elmers glue does nothing. But its OK, only a slight oxygen leak. You just have to take it easy, and top-up the airtanks at base more often. But space isnt 'easy'. One gravity fluctuation and BAM, chinstrap hanging out like a half-ripped-off toenail, and just as painful to the psyche. Catching on every fiber of couch, in clothes, tangling in the carpet. Until finally that dangler goes and all thats left, the final indignity, YOU snap off the last half of the chinstrap. Because NO chinstrap is better than half right? WRONG. All you're left with is a mono color generic lego guy, and everywhere you go people ask "Why does this scuba guy have a motorcycle helmet on?"

Everyone. Cracks. In Space.

Edited August 7, 2014 by mostholycerebus

[Artanis I]

A contributing factor to the cracking chinstrap is that the helmets used to get stuck on the heads. These days with the recessed stud or the hole in the head, headgear is a lot easier to remove, but back then they'd get stuck fast. Because the helmet wouldn't come off or turn when you wanted it to, you'd try to lever it off and thereby put extra pressure on the frail chinstrap.

Have a look at the current helmet, you may notice that it is on an angle rather than being flat on the bottom.

[DPrime]

I am 15. I picked up a bag of LEGO with about 5 classic space minifgures and the ones with their helmets didn't have cracks so it puzzled me a little. If I have time I could upload pictures if you like.

I had a feeling! Enjoy the vintage figs. IMO those are the best. :)

A contributing factor to the cracking chinstrap is that the helmets used to get stuck on the heads. These days with the recessed stud or the hole in the head, headgear is a lot easier to remove, but back then they'd get stuck fast. Because the helmet wouldn't come off or turn when you wanted it to, you'd try to lever it off and thereby put extra pressure on the frail chinstrap.

Have a look at the current helmet, you may notice that it is on an angle rather than being flat on the bottom.

Yeah, I remember that... Once that neck got loose, it was nigh impossible to get that helmet off.

[VK-318]

I am 15. I picked up a bag of LEGO with about 5 classic space minifgures and the ones with their helmets didn't have cracks so it puzzled me a little. If I have time I could upload pictures if you like.

You're lucky, then; those guys are really, really hard to find in good condition. I was recently lucky enough to get four with uncracked helmets - then one helmet cracked within about an hour. And I kind of need to get another one of them off a head so I can straighten it - the yellow space guy who's wearing it is looking out of the side of his helmet with one eye almost obscured.