I agree, I don't really care for the Goblin King set but I think it's more so because of the source material, not the actual set itself. I mean sure the set could of been a little better, but in the movie all we really see is a bunch of ropes and bridges way up in the air as the dwarves try to escape so I imagine that's pretty hard to replicate the feeling of in a Lego set. It doesn't help the Goblin King himself looks a little ridiculous (and acts even worse in the movie: a fat, grotesque... flamboyet goblin, what the HELL?!?). I will say it was nice to get 3 totally different goblin minifigure prints, and it had some fun features like the bridge collapsing and the seat for the goblin scribe, but other than that the set was a let down (another Gandalf and probably the least interesting dwarves were in the set save Nori).

Don't forget though, The Hobbit was written as a children's book, so it is more lighthearted and humorous. (heck, they even added in a part of the Goblin Town song before Gandalf shows up which was a nice little touch!)

The material doesn't really start to get more grimdark until the mid point of The Fellowship.

Don't forget though, The Hobbit was written as a children's book, so it is more lighthearted and humorous. (heck, they even added in a part of the Goblin Town song before Gandalf shows up which was a nice little touch!)

The material doesn't really start to get more grimdark until the mid point of The Fellowship.

I know. I don't mind the whimsical nature of The Hobbit. I'm even okay with the campy humor in the film but that Goblin King took me out of Middle Earth and made me feel like I was watching Saturday morning cartoons. Anyway, I think LEGO did a good job with the set aside from the goblins headwear. My beef is more with Jackson's version of the scene. I DID appreciate Goblin Town though and I could never stay angry with PJ.

I was looking at some pictures of the Black Gate set, and I was wondering if the spikes on it are brand new pieces or if they've been made before. Anybody know?

I was looking at some pictures of the Black Gate set, and I was wondering if the spikes on it are brand new pieces or if they've been made before. Anybody know?

They are new pieces that were introduced in the Legends of Chima theme: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=11089

They are new pieces that were introduced in the Legends of Chima theme: http://www.bricklink...tem.asp?P=11089

...and they're made of the flimsy plastic stuff.

...and they're made of the flimsy plastic stuff.

...Which cats, (or at least my cats), love to chew on and leave very visible teeth marks in them!

Don't forget though, The Hobbit was written as a children's book, so it is more lighthearted and humorous. (heck, they even added in a part of the Goblin Town song before Gandalf shows up which was a nice little touch!)

The material doesn't really start to get more grimdark until the mid point of The Fellowship.

Hard to believe maybe, but I have never read the Hobbit, so what happens after the first movie is unknown to me, but I hope it does get more interesting. Scenes with the brown wizard for instance, were pretty silly I thought. I am a big LOTR fan, but am still on the fence about the Hobbit.

It most likely will. I know that they are including a whole storyline not "present" in the book about battling the Necromancer/ Dul Guldur. No one knows what those scenes will be like as it is all up to the writing and Peter Jackson's imagination. Also the third movie is supposed to climax with "The Battle of Five Armies" Google it if you want but it will spoil some things possibly.

Hard to believe maybe, but I have never read the Hobbit, so what happens after the first movie is unknown to me, but I hope it does get more interesting. Scenes with the brown wizard for instance, were pretty silly I thought. I am a big LOTR fan, but am still on the fence about the Hobbit.

I was a little disappointed with how silly Unexpected Journey was in places (coughbunnysledgoblinkingcough) but I still went back to see it over and over.

The book was much less dark but not really silly. The huge shift is partially writing style but also largely due to the fact that Bilbo goes on the adventure for adventure's sake where LOTR has a cloud of imminent doom over it. You really should pick it up and read it if you're an LOTR fan. It's a much easier (less dense) read and it will give you added perspective for LOTR. Plus, I know you can find it almost anywhere for cheap since the movie came out. The not "present" storyline that jmagaletta is referring to is mentioned in the book but only as an aside; no details are given. In The Simarillion however, Tolkien gives us a very brief run down of what happened. God bless Jackson for working that story in. It was something I felt to be needed in the book and now we will have legos of it to boot.

It most likely will. I know that they are including a whole storyline not "present" in the book about battling the Necromancer/ Dul Guldur. No one knows what those scenes will be like as it is all up to the writing and Peter Jackson's imagination. Also the third movie is supposed to climax with "The Battle of Five Armies" Google it if you want but it will spoil some things possibly.

So basically the second movie will likely be loaded with unnecessary plot tangents.

Splendid.

On another note I liked how Azog and his band of Moria orcs spoke in their own language for just about the entire movie; it sort of gives them their own culture and civilization, so to speak.

So basically the second movie will likely be loaded with unnecessary plot tangents.

Splendid.

On another note I liked how Azog and his band of Moria orcs spoke in their own language for just about the entire movie; it sort of gives them their own culture and civilization, so to speak.

Splendid, yes. Unnecessary, no. Otherwise Gandalf just disappears for huge chunks of the story and then re-materializes randomly. Plus it ties the two trilogies together neatly. And who doesn't want a Necromancer minifigure?

I know I do want to see a Necromancer and Sauron. Lego has really yet to see the amazing sets that can be produced from this line. It's sad. How long does TLG have this License for? I hope it is for a more years then just after the last Hobbit movie.

Edited February 21, 201312 yr by jmagaletta

It most likely will. I know that they are including a whole storyline not "present" in the book about battling the Necromancer/ Dul Guldur. No one knows what those scenes will be like as it is all up to the writing and Peter Jackson's imagination. Also the third movie is supposed to climax with "The Battle of Five Armies" Google it if you want but it will spoil some things possibly.

The Dol Guldur plot can be found in The Hobbit appendicies. There should actually be very little work on PJ's end to flesh out that part of the story.

Although he has it seems left out about half of the White Council and replaced the actual Ringwraith who was there... (stupid usurper Witch King! )

I just looked at my copy of The Hobbit and it doesnt have appendicies. Do you mean ROTK appendicies?

I just looked at my copy of The Hobbit and it doesnt have appendicies. Do you mean ROTK appendicies?

ROTK is the only book that has appendices, so probably yes.

Does anyone think that they may go beyond the hobbit movie? It is possible with the appendices. The fall of numenor perhaps?

Which capes do you guys and girls use on Aragorn and Legolas? I am currently using dark green for both. (in the book Aragorn is described wearing a dark green cloak in Bree.)

Does anyone think that they may go beyond the hobbit movie? It is possible with the appendices. The fall of numenor perhaps?

Considering that the fall of Númenor is told very briefly in the appendices and much more fully in The Silmarillion (which they have no rights for), trying to film it would be a legal nightmare, impossible really.

Considering that the fall of Númenor is told very briefly in the appendices and much more fully in The Silmarillion (which they have no rights for), trying to film it would be a legal nightmare, impossible really.

Are you sure they are restricted from using material from the Silmarillion? If memory serves the story of the Necromancer being driven from Mirkwood (or the bulk of it) is found in the Silmarillion. Regardless, I do not see how the fall of Numenor would be woven into the story of The Hobbit. Calmindon could be a gorgeous MOC in the right hands though. If only LOTR had enough weight in pop-culture to cause LEGO to produce Silmarillion sets.

Edited February 24, 201312 yr by Str0ngbad

Are you sure they are restricted from using material from the Silmarillion? If memory serves the story of the Necromancer being driven from Mirkwood (or the bulk of it) is found in the Silmarillion. Regardless, I do not see how the fall of Numenor would be woven into the story of The Hobbit. Calmindon could be a gorgeous MOC in the right hands though. If only LOTR had enough weight in pop-culture to cause LEGO to produce Silmarillion sets.

There are enormous and complicated legal dividing lines in terms of what can and can't be used by PJ and Lego - if it's in LOTR and it's appendices or the Hobbit it's ok, if it's in the Silmarillion it's not. It's to do with the rights the Tolkien Estate sold and has caused others to get into difficulties in producing metal miniatures that were really from the Silmarillion rather than the LOTR. So although we can see aspects of the Second Age in the films and official sets, Numenor and Beleriand will be MOC territory.

I don´t get why TLC used Isengard´s Uruk-hai shields in Mines of Moria set and Isengard´s Uruk-hai helmet in Battle at the Black Gate. Was this in movies? No.

Cut cost. There would have to be be multiple molds which in turn cost more to produce.

For my part I am just saving up to get the Goblin king Battle, it is the only one I have not got yet so for completeness I want it. I have to say that it does not look appealing really though. I hate the look of the Goblin king, especially as during the movie my wife leans over and whispers "He looks like you." which annoyingly is probably true! None the less I will get it. I did not get the same feeling for the Moria set that everyone keeps going on about, but I guess maybe as I mounted it on a 48 X 48 base plate and built a bit of extra corridor to go with it for more playability. (Sadly no pictures and the set has been packed away, (Without the base plate and extra wall.)) But I have to say with both of these sets that take place underground it is fairly easy to build other sections as essentially they are grey rock walls. I also think the best Hobbit set so far is the Unexpected Gathering, I have mine on display right now and I have been contemplating building it back a bit with a couple of Bag End corridors and rooms. Maybe a bedroom and kitchen?

I really liked the mirkwood spider set it was a great colorful set and some really great figures. The elves are awesome addition to anyone's collection and who doesn't like spider baddies to fight?

For my part I am just saving up to get the Goblin king Battle, it is the only one I have not got yet so for completeness I want it. I have to say that it does not look appealing really though. I hate the look of the Goblin king, especially as during the movie my wife leans over and whispers "He looks like you." which annoyingly is probably true! None the less I will get it. I did not get the same feeling for the Moria set that everyone keeps going on about, but I guess maybe as I mounted it on a 48 X 48 base plate and built a bit of extra corridor to go with it for more playability. (Sadly no pictures and the set has been packed away, (Without the base plate and extra wall.)) But I have to say with both of these sets that take place underground it is fairly easy to build other sections as essentially they are grey rock walls. I also think the best Hobbit set so far is the Unexpected Gathering, I have mine on display right now and I have been contemplating building it back a bit with a couple of Bag End corridors and rooms. Maybe a bedroom and kitchen?

A bedroom would work; the original set already features sort of a mix of his dining room and a kitchen so you probably wouldn't need to add that. Just put in stuff that you would expect to find in normal homes or whatnot (living room, etc.)