Deathleech

Wow the rooms look really tiny from the inside.

Possibly because the 2013 winter wave was split into two smaller waves to make up for the fact two movies turned into three? The sets we just got are probably 1-4. That's my guess anyways.

79017 is most likely a retailer exclusive so it wouldn't show up for other retailers.

They might have looked into it, but I am pretty sure Lego was aware it would be near impossible to obtain since, like you said, Hasbro owns the action figure license and is fiercely protective of it.

There are a few possibilities if this news is correct. 1.) Lego stuck to their original release schedule which was in place when the third Hobbit movie had a summer 2014 release. Lego is releasing the third Hobbit wave in the summer and the third and final Lotr wave in the winter like they originally planned. This would also explain why their was a Hobbit advertisement in the second Hobbit sets rather than a LotR advertisement (it was the next Middle Earth wave, 2 Hobbit waves back to back). Of course the reason this doesn't really make sense is because switching a waves release around isn't that hard (not like totally building a set from scratch, it's all done already they just choose when to ship it). Why would Lego have the Hobbit wave be released a few months before the movie is even out, potentially ruining spoilers and obviously not riding the free advertisement from the movie AND Christmas sales? 2.) This wave is going to cover sets Lego missed with their previous two Hobbit waves. It will be sets based on the first two movies. I don't see this as very likely considering they labeled TABA sets... 3.) The info is just wrong as this is a LotR wave and the winter wave will be a Hobbit one like the past two years. This would probably be the best case scenario. 4.) The forth possibility is probably the worst. This is the last Hobbit wave and there will be no December wave. LotR is done and the second wave was it. Why would Lego choose not to do a Gondor set and choose the lackluster second wave? Well there is the chance that they had more waves planned but cut the line short prematurely after poor sales. Rather than continue with a third wave they decided to cut their loses and not release it. I really hope this isn't the case...

So Lego is going to release the TABA Hobbit sets over 2 months before the film is released rather than the same month like the previous two waves? That doesn't seem very wise...

Again I am a little torn. A Mount Doom like Bring More Popcorn described would actually be pretty cool and offer some new and exciting figs. If they just did a Mt. Doom with Sam, Frodo, and Gollum hanging out though I think the minifigure selection would be very lame despite any cool play features the mountain may have. I think Lego would probably just focus on the trio and not including anything else like Sauron or Frodo and Sam in orc costumes so I have to go with the Rohan Battle Pack yet again.

It depends what scenes Lego decided to re-create. If it's a Bo5A set they might not. These are just a band of guards for Lake-town, the human fighting force at the Bo5A is a rag dag band of survivors left from Lake-town after Smaug's attack.

Actually this was one of the comments from Lego on the Star Wars Dark Bucket Cussoo project: "This is a (very) fun concept, but since we have the construction toy license and not the action figure license for Star Wars, it will not be possible to release a set consisting solely of minifigures. If the Dark Bucket concept were to go further, it would need to include some significant brick-based model component to be considered a construction toy for licensing purposes." That was at the 5000 votes mark. As you can see, Lego had no intention of acquiring the action figure license or selling this project as it existed. They recommended adding some brick built components and when the project hit 10,000 votes they didn't even put it through review as they already knew it wouldn't pass.

I must of had a memory lapse because you guys are right, Lego has had figure packs for decades now. Heck, I even had the city one, and the pirate one when I was younger that included nothing but the minifigures and the chest full of gold. Still, I think Lego advertises them different now. They have City blisters where the figures are assembled and sitting out for you to see more like action figures where as before it was more a box of minifigure parts. vs

That sounds more like an AFOL MOC than something Lego would realistically do for a Mount Doom set. So many details and play features just for the lava! I could see Lego putting a light brick under some transparent orange tiles and maybe having some sort of "fireball" catapult action that shoots a rock out the top. They might also do a break away bridge to simulate when the mountain erupts. I don't think a Mt. Doom set would lack play features. I think the biggest issue would just be the uninteresting minifigures. Another Sam would be nice, but I doubt many people are clamoring for another Gollum, or especially Frodo fig. I mean Gollum couldn't even have a different facial expression in the set since by that point in the film he is pretty ticked and we already got that face. The only difference with Frodo would be a weathered battered look and a light brown shirt. Do fans or kids really care about those tiny differences? Sauron on the other hand would be a GREAT minifigure to include.. but he couldn't really interact with any of the other minifigures if you are trying to recreate scenes from the film since they never meet.

I don't think so. I was considering doing one after I did my MEA review, but the only problem is I already opened and assembled the entire set and don't have anymore I plan on opening I suppose I could take it all apart and do one if we don't get a review soon...

It's interesting you feel that way because I feel the exact opposite. I think the first LotR wave was by FAR the best from either Middle-Earth line so far. Helm's Deep (and Uruk-hai Army by association), Weathertop, and Shelob Attacks were all instantly recognizable. They all captured the look and feel of their source material very well despite being shrunk in many aspects. Even Mines of Moria which catches a lot of criticism hit on a lot of key features like the pillars, big wooden door, tomb, well, etc. despite it only being a few walls not even joined together. On the other hand the second LotR wave was so forgettable. Sure Wizard Battle was nice, as was Council of Elrond. Council of Elrond was WAY to small though, it was a small platform with only 3 chairs. They could of at least made the platform a little bigger and added more seating. The Pirate Ship doesn't even look that distinct, I mean sure it has some features from the film version but the source material isn't that distinct or memorable itself and it's only in the film a few minutes. Black Gates looks nice and somewhat similar to the movie (I would hope so considering it's just a black wall/gate) if you rule out the fact they are a fraction of the height and even combining two as Lego shows doesn't give you the same long opening gate in the middle without MODing it. The Hobbit sets have been even worse imo. I would tend to think it's not Lego's fault since the Hobbit films have changed so much, but the Warg Attack set had a big fat tree that looks nothing like the thin one in the movie. Yazneg isn't even there since he is already dead by that point in the movie. MEA is a wall that doesn't even appear in the film and DGA has minifigures from a scene cut from the theatrical release. Riddles for the Ring is a set that is completely fabricated by Lego and was just an excuse to give us a redundant Bilbo and Gollum. As per the questions, they don't really apply to me but when I was a kid I was a HUGE Castle fan before going into my dark ages. When I heard my favorite movies were being made into Lego, one of my favorite toys growing up, I just had to buy them all. I think in a lot of ways the LotR has kind of spoiled us and that's why so many are disappointed with the current Castle theme. I think if Lego did an ultra detailed and realistic Castle theme using a lot of the techniques they have for LotR/Hobbit it could be a huge success. Imagine the current castle but instead of blue just more nutural colors and instead of huge panels all over it had detail bricks and tons of small slops and rock work. It might not be the most suited for kids but AFOLs would eat it up.

We think the set is an altered version of the water gate seen in the film. That is what it most closely resembles. Lego probably went off preliminary images and the film changed last minute before Lego could change the set. MEA doesn't particularly resemble anything seen in the final version of the film.

I can see how a mountain would be fun, but wouldn't a cool creature be just as appealing? Maybe not to a little girl, but I think boys would eat a Balrog up in droves.

I think if Lego focused SOLELY on Smaug as the build, anything from the $80-130 would be plenty to cover him. Remember a large portion of Smaug is his super thin neck and tail which shouldn't require a vast amount of bricks to create. Surely he will be scaled down, but I think twice as big as the t-rex in the T-Rex Hunter set would be fine. That set was only $70 and half of it was the helicopter and small buggie build.

Ya, things seem to be turning around a little. All Hobbit and LotR sets save 1 or 2 sold out at Lego S@H, Orthanc a best seller, good sale reports from stores, and now a summer wave which is most likely LotR. Now lets just hope Lego actually covers the stuff people want. Knowing our luck the last LotR wave will probably have sets based on Farmer Maggot's farm.

Eomer is fine imo. Actually he is better than fine, I think he is a perfect example of what Lego SHOULD do. They should give us a character who is unique, but at the same time looks plain enough to serve as a normal soldier. I just mix and matched Eomer and Rohan Soldier heads, helms, torsos, and legs and it made for a decent looking army. I kept the cloak off all but one figure and the one that does have it is my "real" Eomer. Thranduil on the other hand is a terrible example of what Lego should do. The only head piece he has in the set is his crown and hair which are super distinct looking. His head also has the bushy eyebrows which aren't terribly noticeable, but still more unique looking than Eomer's face. This figure is incredibly hard to use as anything but Thranduil, especially if you are using him strictly in a LotR/Hobbit setting.

Hey samiam, I sent you a PM about some of the polybags you have.

Why? TMNT only got one page. Ninjago only got 3. Super Heroes had 4 and they just came out with a slew of new sets for 2014. LotR/Hobbit doesn't have any 2014 sets out yet. Actually they only have 4 new sets in the last six months compared to the other themes which have that many new ones from January alone. If Lego were to dedicate more pages to LotR and the Hobbit they would only have 1-2 sets on each page.

Wow! This MOC looks amazing! I love all the detail you crammed into such a small space. I will say it does look a little cluttered though. The train tracks are mere feet away from the fort entrance and the indians are all directly below the fort. The mines and the indian camp also come right out to water. This is understandable since you said you had limited space. Overall a wonderful MOC that is oozing detail!

I think skaro wanted to contact the seller since those deals seem pretty good and he wanted them for himself (joking obviously). Anyways yes, both deals seem pretty good. I assume they are used or..? And all pieces are accounted for? Instructions? Boxes?

There could be any number of explanations. The seller may have bought hundreds of sets, like you said, and is breaking the pieces down and selling them all off at a profit. The seller could of purchased them all from PAB. They might of also bought up all the other lots on BL and are creating artificial inflation by being the only seller with multiples of the same piece available. Of course they could be knock offs as well. It's really hard to say without more info and without knowing the seller.

I think presently minifigures play a bigger role in Lego sets than they use to. Sure Lego has had minifigures in sets for a long time now, but have they always been so prominent? Lego just recently started introducing battle packs and blister packs with nothing but minifigures and a few weapons or accessories. They never had these before. Older sets never even displayed the figures prominently on the front of the packaging like they do now either. Heck, I remember as a kid trying to count the minifigures littered through a set because you only saw them interacting in the build. There was no nice display in the bottom or right part of the packaging. And like naf points out, older sets use to have 2-3 builds where as nowadays all sets except Creator only have a single build (and Creator has no minifigures...). I would say the emphasis use to be 25% on the figures and 75% on the build where as now it seems more 50/50. Personally I don't see this as an issue as long as the build is still engaging and good. I mean what 8 year old wants to build a castle and then set it on display because they can't really play with it? A castle by itself is fun to build and a nice display piece but has little play value without the minifigures. The figres and build really compliment each other. With just bricks all kids can do is build a set, take it apart and build something else. While this may keep them thinking and be engaging the minifigures are what are needed to make up stories and interact with their creations.

If Lego had included some sort of helm with Thranduil on top his hair and crown, I don't think it would of been as bad. You could have one of the minifigures with the crown be Thranduil and all the other duplicates could be his royal guard or something. As is there is no way to make the other Thranduil's useful unless you use them for some other purpose and BL extra parts to change him up.