Fives

I'm pretty sure LEGO would make a new beard for Gimli. Also, they will have to give us all thirteen dwarves, or they may as well call the sets "Bunch of little people running around with swords". All of LEGO's previous beard designs are becoming too old, and with this being a licensed theme, they will probably be sure to make as many new moulds as possible so as to make the sets more expensive.

I guess so. if it weren't for the Ring, Frodo would not have changed like he did, whereas Bilbo changed just because he went on a grand adventure. Speaking of Bilbo, I'm really excited to see how they do the sets for The Hobbit. I don't think there will be as many new beards as people are expecting, seeing as a bunch of the dwarves have shorter beards that can just be printed on. I could see beards being made for Balin and Dwalin, Oin and Gloin, Bifur, Bombur, Nori and maybe Ori. Thorin, Dori, Filli, Killi and Bofur have shorter beards that can just be printed on the heads of the figs.

I suppose you are right, but from what I understand, and anti-hero is someone who does not want to be involved in stuff, but is stuck there anyway, much like both Bilbo and Frodo. Then again, I may be wrong, because what you said about Jack Sparrow makes sense.

Of course, I realize this. I actually just recently wrote an assignment for school on The Hobbit, and discussed how Bilbo is an anti-hero, very similar to Frodo. I just was making an observation of how it just happens that these sets are all scens in which Frodo is stabbed.

And the reason they are good action scenes is because Frodo is not in them! But enough Frodo bashing.

That's the thing I like about LOTR more than Harry Potter: It doesn't really have a central title character, but rather a fellowship. It makes sense that Frodo would only be in some of the sets. A lot of the good action scenes don't even involve Frodo. Also, did anyone else notice that three of the sets (two of which Frodoth is in) are of scenes where Frido gets stabbed (Weathertop, Balin's Tomb, Shelob's Lair). I just found that a bit funny.

Short skeletons in LEGO would just be a bad idea. I am pretty positive that it is Haldir. You can tell because in the lineup in the Moria set, Legolas has a greenish body and what looks to be grey pants, whereas in the Helm's Deep lineup, the elf A: has a cape, and B: has a reddish looking body. On the note of elves, I really hope that TLG has some sort of special hair-quiver piece, much like Jack Sparrow's hair-hat piece. The quiver could just be part of the hair that goes down the back, giving the look of a quiver sitting there. Of course, this would make it impossible to have the figs turn their heads and it look right, but I think we will already have to give up that for the new long hair anyway.

It is not a matter of the head, but rather the legs. But anyway, I don't think LEGO will change their skeleton design in any case. Still, it is nice to see the return of the loose armed skeletons, rather than the ones win battle droid arms.

It was a dwarf skeleton. A human skeleton would make no sense. And the reason for the LEGO skeleton not being dwarf size is just because TLG probably didn't want to bother with a whole new mould just for one set.

I really like the idea of having three different Frodo's. They have the one in the Gandalf Arrives set, the one at weather top, and the one in Shelob's Lair could be similar to the first one, but maybe with some spider web printed on his shirt. Also, on a note unrelated to LEGO, I just watched the Hobbit trailer on Apple.com, in the trailers section, and all I can say is that it looks amazing!

Ya, LEGO giving us early pics That would never happen!

Ya, I could see pikes done with two separate pieces joined together in the middle some how. Actually, I'm just plain worried about the weapons. A lot of LEGO's current castle weapons (particularly the swords) just wouldn't fit in with LOTR. I hope they make special moulds for Sting, all Rohan, Gondor, Uruk-Hai, Orc (Mordor), and Goblin swords, and maybe for Aragorn's sword (both Anduril and his ranger one), and Glamdring (Gandalf's sword).Whatever they do, I don't want to have a bunch of really awesome figs and crappy weapons in their hands.

Ya, Lurtz killed Boromir in the movie. I think, from what I can tell from the blurry pic of Helm's Deep, is that the Berserker has a white hand on his head. Then again, I may be wrong, because the pic is so blurry. I like the idea of having variations of Uruks. I think that the ones with hair with have their own face, the ones with helmets and swords will have another, and the pike Uruks with have a third variation, and the Berserker will have his own, special print. Sorry for the double post, but you posted this before I got my previous post done. If they did Rohan BPs, I would rather more foot soldiers and then just put them on my own horses. Then again, they could have new barding for Rohan horses and such, so that would be nice.

Ya, you can easily tell which sets were ready sooner than others. In the Uruk Army set, they have a new shield piece, and the "brick" bricks are light blew, whereas in the pic of Helm's Deep, they are still holding the old shields, and all of the "brick" bricks are dark tan. Those should all change, and I also hope that all the sand green bricks on the walls of Helm's deep will be changed to dark bley.

Ya, the Orc thing doesn't bother me much. I'm glad that this wave is more centered on Helm's Deep, because it is my favorite battle in all of LOTR. Also, goblins are pretty much orcs, and Tolkien did use those two names interchangeably.

I was just thinking, I really hope they make a new mold for elven swords and Legolas's white knives.

I just noticed something weird: in all of the minifig lineups on the boxes, none of the figs have accessories, which is odd, because usually the figs are holding their accessories in the lineup.

No, it is not wrong to make MOCing assumptions, it is just I personally don't MOC, but rather leave the sets the way they are. I was just stating the fact that I don't MOC.

No, it is Pippin. If you look closely, you can tell the jacket is dark blue, which is what Pippin wears, whereas Frodo wears brown. LEGO has given us all the fellowship, but just made it so that we have to but most of the sets to get them.

I have a bit of a prediction on how the waves will be set up: First, we get this initial LOTR wave. Then, in November, we will see some sets based on the first Hobbit movie. Then, the following June (2013) we will have another LOTR wave. Then, a second wave in November 2013 for the second Hobbit movie, and finally either a last wave of LOTR or one big exclusive set to finish it off, with maybe a few other exclusives sprinkled throughout. Also, on the matter of people simply MOCing these sets to perfection, I myself rarely MOC a set any more than it already is out of the box. I keep sets the way they are and love them so. In the past, I have rarely actually played with my sets, but I think hat I will get a lot of fun playtime out of a combination of Helm's Deep and two of the Uruk-Hai Army sets, along with all the others. All of these sets have gone on my list, and I probably won't buy any other sets, even Star Wars, this year.

They will have to do a new mold for the elves. Also, I have a feeling that the elf on the Deeping Wall in the Helm's Deep set is not Legolas. Off you look at the bottom row of minifigs, it looks like the elf has a red ape and some red stuff on his body. I'm guessing it will be Haldir. Also, I think that Helm's Deepwill be the first of many big $149 sets.

These sets are AMAZING! I know that these pics are just preliminary, but that just means they will get better! Gandalf Arrives: This is exactly what I was expecting! I really hope Gandalf has his staff and sword, and a new beard. Shelob Attacks: Again, exactly how I imagined it would be! Gollum looks like he will be great! Weathertop: Better than I expected! Well done LEGO! Uruk-Hai Army: A pleasant surprise! This is obviously an add on to the Helm's Deep set, so as to make the Deeping Wall bigger and to add more guys to the battle. Mines of Moria: Exactly what I thought it would be! Amazing! Helm's Deep: OMG! This is the best of them all! I can't believe how many Uruks they are putting in this set! And added with the other Uruk set, you can easily build up a good sized Uruk army! LEGO has done an amazing job, and these are just the prelim pics! After ten years of waiting, my childhood dreams have come true! EDIT: I just noticed that the Rohirrim Rider in the Deeping Wall set looks an awful lot like Eomer. Look at how reddish brown his torso is, similar to Eomer's armor in the movie.

I am for sure gonna buy all of these sets when they first hit the stores. I have been waiting for this theme for a decade, and I have never been so excited for a LEGO theme in my life! When should we expect the teaser site to be up?

The Harry Potter theme contradicts what you just said. The Hogwarts set from 2010 had around 12 minifigs, and that theme also had impulse sets. But, I have a feeling that it will not be an impulse set, because impulse sets usually have obscure set numbers.

I have a feeling that the Uruk-Hai Army set could be an expansion on Helm's Deep, due to the lack of Uruks in the set? It could have an Uruk ballista, two Uruk swordsman, and Uruk crossbow man and a Berzerker. If they release the scene of Boromir's death, it will most likely be called Amon Hen, and have the seeing seat.