Should Lego bring back the green dragon in its original form?

[SpacePolice89]

YES!!!!! The green dragon is a cultural icon and must be brought back immediately.

[Murdoch17]

7 minutes ago, SpacePolice89 said:

YES!!!!! The green dragon is a cultural icon and must be brought back immediately.

The molds were last used over 20 years ago. They are long destroyed, so this isn't happening, especially since the small pin used to hold the fire in place is no longer a connection type that's being used. It just isn't coming back.

[SpacePolice89]

Can someone from the staff please add [Poll] to the name of the thread. I forgot to add it myself and now it's too late.

[zoth33]

6 hours ago, Murdoch17 said:

The molds were last used over 20 years ago. They are long destroyed, so this isn't happening, especially since the small pin used to hold the fire in place is no longer a connection type that's being used. It just isn't coming back.

They can make a new mold they've done it before they just brought back the goat.  

[Murdoch17]

14 minutes ago, zoth33 said:

They can make a new mold they've done it before they just brought back the goat.  

It's not one mold, it's several:

tail

body (might be multiple molds glued together)

wings

snout

left arm

right arm

fire w/ pin

You probably see where I'm going with this by now: The original molds are gone, and ain't coming back even if you did have the money, because LEGO doesn't do bribes / petitions.

However, If you have several million dollars to spare, (it's over $200,000 for a single mold, but can be more depending on size and other factors) then send it to a CNC milling company along with the measurements of every mold cavity required. Be prepared to recut some of the molds from scratch when they don't work when they send it to a plastic maker to have the parts made. Be prepared to also shell out major bucks for a full production run and for the raw materials. You might also fail safety testing and have to redesign from the ground up. (and so on and so on)

Simply put: the goat was one mold which had a digital file they could use to recreate it. This is a whole lot more complex than that, and it probably doesn't have a CAD file you could use!

Edited November 6, 2024 by Murdoch17

[zoth33]

Just now, Murdoch17 said:

It's not one mold, it's several:

tail

body

wings

snout

left arm

right arm

fire w/ pin

You probably see where I'm going with this by now: The original molds are gone, and ain't coming back even if you did have the money, because LEGO doesn't do bribes / petitions.

However, If you have several million dollars to spare, (it's over $200,000 for a single mold, but can be more depending on size and other factors) then send it to a CNC milling company along with the measurements of every mold cavity required. Be prepared to recut some of the molds from scratch when they don't work when they send it to a plastic maker to have the parts made. Be prepared to also shell out major bucks for a full production run, and for the raw materials and for safety testing.

You seem to be quite upset about it.  I'm well aware that it's more than one mold.  It's just a fun discussion.  I think your taking this way to seriously. 

 

 Yeah lego has that money.  Lego is a Multibillion dollar company.  

I know the old ones are gone I have one of the original green dragons from when I was a kid.  

 

[Murdoch17]

1 minute ago, zoth33 said:

You seem to be quite upset about it.  I'm well aware that it's more than one mold.  It's just a fun discussion.  I think your taking this way to seriously. 

 

 Yeah lego has that money.  Lego is a Multibillion dollar company.  

I know the old ones are gone I have one of the original green dragons from when I was a kid.  

 

I'm simply pointing out it's apples and to oranges to compare the dragon molds to the goat. I also think the OP was dead serious in him wanting it brought back as it was.... or at least, it certainly reads that way.

[Renny The Spaceman]

It will never happen and makes no financial sense but the answer is yes. The classic LEGO animals are almost all infinitely more charming and memorable

[Black Falcon]

7 hours ago, SpacePolice89 said:

Can someone from the staff please add [Poll] to the name of the thread. I forgot to add it myself and now it's too late.

I do belive you should be able to do that yourself actually.

19 minutes ago, Renny The Spaceman said:

It will never happen and makes no financial sense but the answer is yes. The classic LEGO animals are almost all infinitely more charming and memorable

Yeah likely it won´t. Though in the end it is a very iconic part of the Lego history, so I would still not rule it out completely. Wouldn´t be surprised if they make a brickbuild version of it one day (in a bigger size).

[zoth33]

1 hour ago, Murdoch17 said:

I'm simply pointing out it's apples and to oranges to compare the dragon molds to the goat. I also think the OP was dead serious in him wanting it brought back as it was.... or at least, it certainly reads that way.

Ok like I said though it's not really that serious.  Would you not like the old dragon mold back yes or no?  I think that's what the OP was asking and I think it would be great to have it back.  Whether that happens or not who cares.  

48 minutes ago, Renny The Spaceman said:

It will never happen and makes no financial sense but the answer is yes. The classic LEGO animals are almost all infinitely more charming and memorable

It may never happen but that old dragon mold was great and would be nice to get again someday.  I mean look at Disney's recent fiscal decisions they literally are burning money with what they have done to Star Wars, Marvel and their own IP.  

[KotZ]

It was good for its time, but it doesn't scream "dragon" to me anymore, especially in size. We've gotten so many great new dragons over the years from pre-fabbed pieces to ones completely built in sets like Ninjago. The old one just is too puny for minifigures now after what we've been used to.

[zoth33]

4 minutes ago, KotZ said:

It was good for its time, but it doesn't scream "dragon" to me anymore, especially in size. We've gotten so many great new dragons over the years from pre-fabbed pieces to ones completely built in sets like Ninjago. The old one just is too puny for minifigures now after what we've been used to.

You could always use it as a lesser dragon or a young dragon.   Ninjago does have some impressive dragons.  The new red source dragon from Ninjago is a really nice set and the dragon is huge.   

[Black Falcon]

27 minutes ago, KotZ said:

It was good for its time, but it doesn't scream "dragon" to me anymore, especially in size. We've gotten so many great new dragons over the years from pre-fabbed pieces to ones completely built in sets like Ninjago. The old one just is too puny for minifigures now after what we've been used to.

If they would bring it back, than they would bring it back as a Nostalgia-Set anyways and not for Ninjago or something. They also could use it to make an other Legoland Set for instance though.

[Lyichir]

To be honest while I liked the classic dragon I see no reason to bring it back, especially now that they've gotten so good with brick-built dragons and now that the expected standard of detail for the majority of molded Lego animals tends to look different (more rounded, with printed features). And it's not like the classic dragon is rare or expensive on the aftermarket—if you want a classic dragon it's quite easy to get one without needing it to come in a modern set.

[KotZ]

3 hours ago, zoth33 said:

You could always use it as a lesser dragon or a young dragon.   Ninjago does have some impressive dragons.  The new red source dragon from Ninjago is a really nice set and the dragon is huge.   

True, but it doesn't necessarily fit in style, but maybe that's a good thing with the wide variety we do have no over the years.

3 hours ago, Black Falcon said:

If they would bring it back, than they would bring it back as a Nostalgia-Set anyways and not for Ninjago or something. They also could use it to make an other Legoland Set for instance though.

I feel like if they did that, they would just have it be brickbuilt, like the GWP Tahu or an upscaled version of the 90th anniversary set.

[ILoveSeatron]

I think the old dragon is very nice! I think it would be way cooler though if Lego brought back the monorail. 

[SpacePolice89]

7 hours ago, Black Falcon said:

I do belive you should be able to do that yourself actually.

I have tried but only been able to change the content but not the name.

27 minutes ago, ILoveSeatron said:

I think the old dragon is very nice! I think it would be way cooler though if Lego brought back the monorail. 

They should bring back both! And the original monkey as well as the original skeleton. 

9 hours ago, Murdoch17 said:

I also think the OP was dead serious in him wanting it brought back as it was.... or at least, it certainly reads that way.

This is simply a question if people want the dragon back or not. If Lego will actually bring back the dragon is completely another question.

[MAB]

8 hours ago, Lyichir said:

To be honest while I liked the classic dragon I see no reason to bring it back, especially now that they've gotten so good with brick-built dragons and now that the expected standard of detail for the majority of molded Lego animals tends to look different (more rounded, with printed features). And it's not like the classic dragon is rare or expensive on the aftermarket—if you want a classic dragon it's quite easy to get one without needing it to come in a modern set.

Same here. Modern dragons are much more impressive and are actually building toys, unlike the little dragons. They are typically the star of their set. If LEGO make new moulds for dragons that are smoother looking, I think I'd prefer Kingdoms style or Smaug style molded parts that are build into the dragon so it is still built and posable, with an impressive size. 

[Alexandrina]

5 hours ago, SpacePolice89 said:

They should bring back both! And the original monkey as well as the original skeleton.

The monkey at the very least must presumably still exist as a digital file somewhere - it's not that long ago it was retired

[Renny The Spaceman]

35 minutes ago, Alexandrina said:

The monkey at the very least must presumably still exist as a digital file somewhere - it's not that long ago it was retired

God the new monkeys are so lame, new dragons are cool even if they're not as charming as the OG so bringing that piece back is a funny joke, bringing back the old monkey is something that wars should be fought over, it's such a baller piece and the new one just isn't up to the task of replacing it. The new monkey looks like it'd have a "pop culture podcast" and several allegations the classic one would offer you a refreshing cup of banana milkshake on a hot day

[BrickBob Studpants]

No. While it‘s an icon, it‘s very much outdated and I doubt kids nowadays would like it much. The nostalgia goggles are strong with this one!

[SpacePolice89]

1 hour ago, Alexandrina said:

The monkey at the very least must presumably still exist as a digital file somewhere - it's not that long ago it was retired

The last time a monkey in the original style was released was in 2016 with the silver Ninjago monkey.

It seems to be a little different from the Pirates monkey

The head and back seems different but the differences are very minor. Bricklink has it listed as the same part but I think they are different molds. What do you think?

https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=2550&idColor=0#T=S&C=0&O={"color":0,"iconly":0}

If the silver monkey is a different mold it has only been used for a couple of sets in 2016. It would look nearly identical in brown.

[Wardancer]

They should make a dark green Smaug!

[Renny The Spaceman]

1 hour ago, BrickBob Studpants said:

No. While it‘s an icon, it‘s very much outdated and I doubt kids nowadays would like it much. The nostalgia goggles are strong with this one!

That's a reductive way of looking at it, LEGO's modern aesthetic isn't inherently better because it looks less like it's made of bricks. Wouldn't think people would still view it that way in a post Slugger world, they're unlikely to ever go back to that aesthetic outside of occasional throwback sets marrying the best of old school aesthetics and modern engineering (Like the Galaxy Explorer redux) and it'd make no financial sense too but this isn't a pure nostalgia thing, that aesthetic is more timeless and charming, the classic green dragon still holds up today but if I look at Ninjago dragons from 2016 they look like robots compared to modern ones.

This isn't a progress thing, it's a fundamentally different aesthetic with different benefits and drawbacks

[ILoveSeatron]

9 hours ago, SpacePolice89 said:

I have tried but only been able to change the content but not the name.

They should bring back both! And the original monkey as well as the original skeleton. 

This is simply a question if people want the dragon back or not. If Lego will actually bring back the dragon is completely another question.

I agree!