Lord of the Rings Ongoing Discussion

[Khargeust]

1 hour ago, RichardGoring said:

Oh yes, I realize, and it's obvious even when you watch the films and think about it for a second or two. But, having not seen them for a while, I could very easily believe that a lot of those things happened really near each other, or even in the same place, so it would be fairly easy for LEGO to add those scenes into Barad-Dur.

Very true. Especially since Isengard is located by LEGO in Mordor on the Plateau of Gorgoroth !  (see the map on the first sticker here) 

Unless it is Minas Morgul but I doubt it given the representation of the tower....

 

Edited January 3, 2024 by Khargeust

[Cyprinus]

3 hours ago, Khargeust said:

Very true. Especially since Isengard is located by LEGO in Mordor on the Plateau of Gorgoroth !  (see the map on the first sticker here) 

Unless it is Minas Morgul but I doubt it given the representation of the tower....

The top part - kinda an eye - makes me think of Barad-Dur...

[Khargeust]

1 minute ago, Cyprinus said:

The top part - kinda an eye - makes me think of Barad-Dur...

I'm talking about the tower at the West of Barad Dur. 

[Cyprinus]

Just now, Khargeust said:

I'm talking about the tower at the West of Barad Dur. 

Ah, sorry - looked at the wrong sticker. It does look like Orthanc, though the location doesn't make much sense for any of the towers...

[MAB]

19 minutes ago, Khargeust said:

I'm talking about the tower at the West of Barad Dur. 

And maybe it also gives a clue about how high a LEGO Barad Dur will be compared to the existing Orthanc ... !

[Horation]

On 12/31/2023 at 4:49 PM, Balrogofmorgoth said:

As of now, the only rumored figures for Barad-Dûr are Sauron, Sam, Frodo, and an unknown number of Orcs. Also, Rivendell had 15 figures, not counting statues. I don’t think statues really count since they aren’t characters 

Statues should count, since they still cost as much to make as other figures...

[Cyprinus]

16 minutes ago, Horation said:

Statues should count, since they still cost as much to make as other figures...

Even LEGO doesn't count them as such - probably to avoid people complaining about "false advertising" if they did...

[Khargeust]

Sauron being rumored to be included as a minifigure isn't proof that there should also be figurines from War of the Last Alliance? Could we see reasonably see to appear Elrond, Gil Galad, Elendil, Isildur and soldiers from respective factions ?

But if it is pure LOTR temporality there should be none of them, and so for Sauron. In this case it should be only Frodo, Sam, Nazguls and Orcs.

Edited January 3, 2024 by Khargeust

[Lordhelmet]

On 1/1/2024 at 3:50 PM, Balrogofmorgoth said:

I thought the same thing at first but it is those weird eyelashes…

Yes! Armories for sure and that was specifically mentioned in the leak, you’re right

I saw that white horse in the pick a brick standard section just before it was suspended for the end of the year (maybe the day before).  I am waiting for it to open back up to grab one (among some other bricks).  Just so I have an unbridled white horse for $5.  I will have to reinspect the eyelashes though.  

[Modal]

Hey everyone, had a quick question about Rivendell expansions. I've seen two big expansions on Rebrickable, one that enhances the rocky base of the set, and then one that adds more to the actual building. I was wondering if anyone had more MOCs that build upon the Rivendell set? Specifically, I would love to see someone expand on the waterfall on the right side.

[Cyprinus]

17 minutes ago, Khargeust said:

But if it is pure LOTR temporality there should be none of them, and so for Sauron. In this case it should be only Frodo, Sam, Nazguls and Orcs.

While it wasn't used in the movies (beyond that abandoned idea of him dueling Aragorn during the final battle), Sauron very much has a physical form during the time. Gollum got to see him during his imprisonment and torture.

Quote

Frodo: "It was Isildur who cut off the finger of the Enemy."

"Yes, He has only four fingers on the Black Hand, but they are enough,' said Gollum shuddering. "And He hated Isildur's city."

"What does he not hate?' said Frodo.

Two Towers, The Black Gate Is Closed

 

Edited January 3, 2024 by Cyprinus

[mirkwoodspiders]

19 hours ago, MAB said:

The sets are based on the movies, not the books. I imagine the average movie fan is less well versed than the average person that got through the books.

They're based on the movies and the books, actually.

Case in point, LEGO Orthanc Tower has details like the staffs of the five Istari, who did not all appear in the LOTR films but obviously do in the books. So, yes the facades are mostly from the movies (which actually take some of their inspiration from the book's illustrations lol), but the details are taken from both, which is what I was suggesting they might do with Barad-Dur.

Edited January 4, 2024 by mirkwoodspiders

[Horation]

5 hours ago, Cyprinus said:

Even LEGO doesn't count them as such - probably to avoid people complaining about "false advertising" if they did...

Yes, but I meant in the count of how many figures are included, not how many characters...

[hikouki]

1 hour ago, mirkwoodspiders said:

They're based on the movies and the books, actually.

Case in point, LEGO Orthanc Tower has details like the staffs of the five Istari, who did not all appear in the LOTR films but obviously do in the books. So, yes the facades are mostly from the movies (which actually take some of their inspiration from the book's illustrations lol), but the details are taken from both, which is what I was suggesting they might do with Barad-Dur.

I think Lego is perhaps careful about how it describes references. That elder dwarf included in the Rivendell set could not be named publicly in its promotional materials.

[Artanis I]

9 hours ago, Cyprinus said:

9 hours ago, Khargeust said:

But if it is pure LOTR temporality ... it should be only Frodo, Sam, Nazguls and Orcs.

Sauron very much has a physical form during the time. Gollum got to see him during his imprisonment and torture.

Further to that, Frodo & Sam were never there!

[Khargeust]

2 hours ago, Artanis I said:

Further to that, Frodo & Sam were never there!

Right. I'm OK with 20 orcs !

[Lordhelmet]

50 minutes ago, Khargeust said:

Right. I'm OK with 20 orcs !

agreed

[mtrsteve]

On 12/31/2023 at 1:30 PM, kuzyabricks said:

Falconbricks on instagram posted about baradur. Allegedly $450 and 5471 pieces, comes out in June. I'm not complaining, I'll have plenty of time to save up.

If that June release date turns out to be accurate, when do y'all expect we would get an official announcement?

[Cyprinus]

18 minutes ago, mtrsteve said:

If that June release date turns out to be accurate, when do y'all expect we would get an official announcement?

Early May. Rivendell got an official reveal about a month before release.

4 hours ago, Khargeust said:

Right. I'm OK with 20 orcs !

Ugh, that would suck.

6 hours ago, Artanis I said:

Further to that, Frodo & Sam were never there!

Not an issue - as shown by the Avengers Tower.

[Balrogofmorgoth]

It would not be a good thing to include whole scenes inside Barad-Dûr that take place in a completely different location. Easter eggs are one thing. For example, having Frodo be captured in Barad-Dûr and pretending it’s Cirith Ungol would be stupid. But including the armory we briefly see in Minas Morgul would be fine

[Graupensuppe]

On 12/31/2023 at 10:23 PM, BrickBob Studpants said:

Personally, I‘d be satisfied with just Sauron, Sam, Frodo, and a bunch of orcs. What else could we realistically expect?

Gil-galad and helmeted elves are pretty much the only thing that would make me care about the set.

[mtrsteve]

49 minutes ago, Balrogofmorgoth said:

It would not be a good thing to include whole scenes inside Barad-Dûr that take place in a completely different location. Easter eggs are one thing. For example, having Frodo be captured in Barad-Dûr and pretending it’s Cirith Ungol would be stupid. But including the armory we briefly see in Minas Morgul would be fine

I have to disagree. Unless this were to be a microscale display only piece, it's still a (huge and pricey) play set to at least some degree. Including adjacently related features is totally fair of they enhance the playability of the set. Including last alliance figures as lots of people are clamouring for would be as bad as an anachronism as including geographically misplaced scenes, but would still be fine with me because people want to recreate those scenes and moments (And not everyone is a skilled MOC creator or has that sort of time).

Now, if they include the mount doom scene that might be a bridge of khazad dum too far...

[Cyprinus]

1 hour ago, mtrsteve said:

I have to disagree. Unless this were to be a microscale display only piece, it's still a (huge and pricey) play set to at least some degree. Including adjacently related features is totally fair of they enhance the playability of the set. Including last alliance figures as lots of people are clamouring for would be as bad as an anachronism as including geographically misplaced scenes, but would still be fine with me because people want to recreate those scenes and moments (And not everyone is a skilled MOC creator or has that sort of time).

Now, if they include the mount doom scene that might be a bridge of khazad dum too far...

Agreed. I would consider it being an issue if we'd have detailed descriptions/depictions of Barad-Dur's interior, but we don't. We can logically extrapolate certain features, but even then there still is room to spare. And considering we have less of a chance to get a Cirith Ungol set than we have of anyone making a LotR movie better than what Jackson did all those years ago, they might as well allow people to play out the scene in Barad-Dur. A better fit for it than Rivendell ;P

[MAB]

20 hours ago, mirkwoodspiders said:

They're based on the movies and the books, actually.

Case in point, LEGO Orthanc Tower has details like the staffs of the five Istari, who did not all appear in the LOTR films but obviously do in the books. So, yes the facades are mostly from the movies (which actually take some of their inspiration from the book's illustrations lol), but the details are taken from both, which is what I was suggesting they might do with Barad-Dur.

We didn't see each floor of Orthanc in the movies or much detail, and LEGO had to fill the rooms of the tower with something. If you watch the official designer video, it is stated that they included the two keys and the other staffs in this 'trophy room' because of what Saruman says to Gandalf in his death scene in the movie.... "what does Gandalf want ... the key of Orthanc or of Barad Dur itself, the crowns of the 7 Kings and the rods of the 5 Wizards". So that was actually based on the movie. (2 min 45 sec)

 

[Balrogofmorgoth]

5 hours ago, mtrsteve said:

I have to disagree. Unless this were to be a microscale display only piece, it's still a (huge and pricey) play set to at least some degree. Including adjacently related features is totally fair of they enhance the playability of the set. Including last alliance figures as lots of people are clamouring for would be as bad as an anachronism as including geographically misplaced scenes, but would still be fine with me because people want to recreate those scenes and moments (And not everyone is a skilled MOC creator or has that sort of time).

Now, if they include the mount doom scene that might be a bridge of khazad dum too far...

I don’t think that’s the same thing. Including minifigures that don’t necessarily fit the scene but still kinda make sense is something lego has always done and usually works pretty well, especially if it’s the only logical way to get certain figures. I’m all for Last Alliance figures, and I’m all for Frodo and Sam figures even though they are never anywhere near Barad-Dûr. I don’t even mind if they have their Orc disguises they get from Cirith Ungol. But I think including the interior of Cirith Ungol inside Barad-Dûr would just be wrong. There is plenty they could do for a Barad-Dûr interior. A dungeon is a no brainer. A throne room is a no brainer. An armory is a no brainer. I think a Palantír room is also essential but we’ll see if lego agrees. Aside from those, it could have a room that hold the nine Rings of Men, that the books tell us Sauron keeps. Maybe it could have a forge. Maybe a sort of barracks for the Orcs. Plenty of things that fit Barad-Dûr itself, I don’t see any reason to merge it with an entirely different interior location