Review: 21343 Viking Village
Posted by CapnRex101,
LEGO has paid homage to various past themes over the last few years, including Space, Castle and Pirates. While the Vikings theme is much more modern, this range is hugely memorable and inspired the fantastic Viking Village LEGO Ideas project, by BrickHammer.
21343 Viking Village seems similarly impressive and seemingly improves upon the original submission in some regards, creating more space between the buildings, for instance. Comparable location-based 18+ sets have consistently proven spectacular recently, so I am hoping the Viking Village achieves the same standard.
Summary
21343 Viking Village, 2,103 pieces.
£124.99 / $129.99 / €139.99 | 5.9p/6.2c/6.7c per piece.
Buy at LEGO.com »
21343 Viking Village continues the trend of outstanding location-based models recently
- Outstanding model for display
- Attractive village layout
- Consistently detailed
- Realistic architecture
- Only four minifigures
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
Minifigures
Four minifigures are included, which is fewer than I think the village needs. Nevertheless, these characters look superb, beginning with the chieftain, whose shoulder armour distinguishes him from other villagers. The torso returns from 31132 Viking Ship and the Midgard Serpent and is perfect for this minifigure, especially in combination with new decorated legs.
The archer, meanwhile, features a new torso and legs, alongside an exclusive bearded head. Once again, these elements look marvellous and I love the stag design on the back, although this is usually covered by the quiver. Additionally, both minifigures wear horned helmets, which are often associated with Vikings, despite the dearth of contemporary evidence for their use.
In some respects, I would have preferred them to wear the more authentic helmet created for the Viking Collectable Minifigure, but these pearl dark grey helmets are certainly eye-catching and work in reference to the Vikings theme from 2005. The chieftain is armed with a longsword and an attractive circular shield, while the archer fittingly carries a bow.
Two female Vikings are included as well, the first of whom is another warrior. Like the chieftain, her torso was introduced in 31132 Viking Ship and the Midgard Serpent and is paired brilliantly with new legs. The metallic silver mail looks lovely and complements decorative accents on the feet, while this hair component captures wonderful texture, appearing in tan for the first time.
Moreover, I like the blacksmith's dark orange hair piece, which was created for Autumn in the Friends range. The pin hole on the back looks odd, but the wavy detail is effective and seems appropriate for a Viking. The torso and legs are comprehensively detailed too, but the dark red printing on the black torso is incredibly dark and comes nowhere near matching the legs.
The minifigures' accessories are more appealing, fortunately. The warrior carries another shield and an axe, while the blacksmith includes a paintbrush and a hammer. The latter item features an apt reference to the fan designer, BrickHammer, with their initials in a runic style. These are not genuine Elder Futhark runes though, probably because the letters Bjarkan and Hagall seem too similar to their Roman equivalents, B and H.
The Completed Model
LEGO has taken an interesting approach to location-based 18+ sets recently, often seeking to deviate from the traditional grid. 10305 Lion Knights' Castle and 10316 The Lord of the Rings: Rivendell are fantastic examples, each positioning structures at unusual angles using wedge plates or clever geometry. 21343 Viking Village follows the same pattern, albeit much simpler because of its smaller size.
The village is constructed in three sections, connected using clips. The central part is oriented normally, while those on either side are attached at 45 degree angles, which greatly improves the natural appearance of the model. You could push the outer sections together to create an alternative shape, but the above configuration is obviously the one intended.
10320 Eldorado Fortress provides a great point of comparison, showing the more naturalistic form of the village, relative to another maritime dwelling. Moreover, this model offers amazing presence on display and arguably surpasses the Eldorado Fortress in that respect, measuring 46cm across, despite being considerably cheaper than its pirate-themed counterpart.
Reddish brown and dark brown are combined to great effect throughout this set, starting from the wooden jetty across the front. Again, I like the irregular shape and the dark brown mooring posts look perfect. The dark azure plates underneath are perhaps an unexpected choice for the cold waters of the North Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, but this shade brightens the model.
Various round plates and tiles are scattered across the ground, creating a cobbled texture and complementing the mixture of light bluish grey and dark bluish grey pieces around the edge of the island. The tree on the water's edge also looks marvellous, with a few exposed roots at the base, while the stone marker displays a symbol resembling that on the sails of 7018 Viking Ship Challenges the Midgard Serpent.
Occasional patches of snow also cover the model and another snow-covered tree is found on the back, behind the blacksmith's workshop. This building is only partially enclosed and looks fairly realistic, built primarily from wood, but featuring a stone fireplace and chimney. I like the stylised smoke placed on top, represented by an ornamental scroll piece.
The combination of reddish brown columns and medium nougat tiles is effective as well, while reddish brown tiles create beams on either end of the roof. The roof itself comprises tan plates and tiles, with dark tan 2x2 curved slopes interlocking along the ridge. I think the mix of colours looks excellent, especially given the snowy accents.
A decorative hammer is attached to the front of the workshop and similar accessories are found inside, easily accessed by removing the roof. The blacksmith's shop also contains some of her current work, including an unfinished shield and the authentic Viking helmet mentioned earlier. However, the most prominent interior features are the bellows and fireplace.
Pushing down on the bellows causes the trans-orange flames to rise, using an extremely basic Technic mechanism under the flames. This is the only real function included and it works quite well, completely covering the actual mechanism. The building also houses a small anvil and a bucket of water, where the blacksmith likely quenches her wares to strengthen them.
The central building appears far more ornate, housing the chieftain. The colour combination of dark brown and reddish brown across the walls is unchanged, but the medium nougat parts on the roof are an appealing addition, perhaps denoting a denser thatch. In addition, the pearl gold accents on the exterior look marvellous, again brightening what could otherwise be a relatively drab model.
Golden antlers are accordingly placed above the windows and pearl gold sausages adorn the ridge turret atop the roof. Such features are usually associated with stave churches in Norway, but this is definitely a welcome addition to the chieftain's hall, particularly because I think it aids the transition between the small blacksmith's shop and the more substantial lookout towers.
NINJAGO armour pieces have proven surprisingly versatile in the past, serving as decorative details in 71741 NINJAGO City Gardens, for instance. Another example is integrated here, as shoulder armour introduced last year brilliantly forms ornamental a pair of carvings on the roof. The armour is unrecognisable, which attests to the success of this technique.
In addition, I like the printed 1x4 tiles placed on either end of the chieftain's hall. Elements from 10185 Green Grocer were used on the Ideas submission and they have undergone only minor updates for this set, retaining their interesting serpentine design. Also, the pearl gold elements set into the walls look nice, complementing the narrow window on the back of this building.
Like the blacksmith, the roof is easily removable, revealing the chieftain's throne, a fire pit and some food inside. Banners flanking the throne provide lovely splashes of colour and match the sails on 31132 Viking Ship and the Midgard Serpent, although that vessel seems rather large to dock at such a small settlement. Presumably this is merely a distant outpost.
The chair makes ingenious use of the finger elements created for mechs, forming a decorative back and armrests. The fire pit is also nicely constructed, sunk into the ground and surrounded by stones. Clips for some more accessories are provided as well, including a spear, an axe and an additional yellow and dark green shield.
A pair of connected towers are situated beside the chieftain's hall, with a rope bridge between them. These structures remain the closest to the original Ideas submission and I like how they are integrated with the environment, standing on the tallest outcrops. In addition, the colours of the larger tower are interesting because its dark tan walls contrast with the other buildings.
Unsurprisingly, fish and beer were essential parts of a Viking's diet, so both are available in the village and stored beneath the towers. The medium nougat barrels placed here display the sea serpent symbol shown on the aforementioned stone marker, which also appears on the back of the instruction manual.
While their construction is simple, the rocks around the island look relatively natural. Light bluish grey and dark bluish grey slopes are mixed to wonderful effect, with some attached sideways to introduce varying shapes. However, I think the transition between these rocks and the corner of the building could be improved, maybe with some beams reinforcing the structure over the cave entrance.
Instead of the hidden treasure commonly found in LEGO caves, this chamber contains some dark orange elements, representing minerals to be mined. I think there was an opportunity for further detail inside, although this practical feature is fun and is appropriate with the blacksmith nearby, as shown in official images.
Carved stone steps lead to the tower entrance and these look outstanding. The uneven shape and changing direction of each step is very realistic and I like the occasional studs, as well as the olive green pieces denoting moss. The contrasting colour is appealing too, conveying the sense that the stairway has actually been carved from the surrounding darker stone.
The door makes impressive use of wands to simulate hinges, but is connected to the building using clips. Initially, I was disappointed that the door did not seem to fit the frame well, but it is actually intended to angle inwards slightly, matching the steps underneath. The use of irregular angles throughout this set is outstanding.
The whole back wall of the tower is removable, revealing the limited space inside. Even so, the wooden ladder looks nice and a couple more food accessories are available here, including a dark orange pumpkin, only otherwise found in 10314 Dried Flower Centrepiece. Climbing the ladder leads to the rope bridge, which occupies the upper floor.
I like the changing orientations of the roof slopes above, especially because the wooden frame remains partly visible from the sides. The continued use of 1x2 grille tiles across the roof works well, while mech fingers also return, this time adding architectural features on the corners of the primary tower.
Rope bridges have appeared in many sets, sometimes represented by a single element, but more recently using 21L string with handgrips for support. A similar rubbery piece has arrived this year and replaces the standard string. Although the individual sections are dislodged quite easily, the bridge looks superb and minifigures can stand on its studded surface.
The smaller lookout tower stands on four pneumatic cylinders, which are reinforced with clips, so the structure is completely stable. The dark tan accents and uneven 1x3 tiles look nice and those red and white colours reappear on the flag, like the banners inside the central longhouse. Another quartered shield is mounted below, featuring a stylised depiction of Odin's ravens.
Overall
I was not particularly impressed when I received 21343 Viking Village and examined the box, partly because I had envisaged a denser arrangement of buildings. However, my opinion has changed after building the model. The standard of detail nears the likes of 10305 Lion Knights' Castle and I am pleased with the variety of construction techniques between the buildings.
Their irregular arrangement is impressive too, greatly enhancing the natural appearance of the model on display. I think a couple of additional minifigures would have been helpful, but the set is otherwise near-flawless, in my opinion. Additionally, the price of £124.99, $129.99 or €139.99 feels very reasonable to me, so I would have no hesitation in recommending this set.
266 likes
67 comments on this article
I am def considering getting this, I would make one change though, and that is to remove that sickly green fish and replace it with something more appropriate.
Nice review of a great little set.
But I must ask, how is "no goat" not a con :p
Truly a wonderful set, especially for the price that they're asking for for it. I just wish it included the hat/hair combo from the Viking Ship set
Looks good. That is a good-looking set.
Needs far bigger and/or more horns, though.
Hot take: I thought the original Vikings line was...kind of ugly. But this plus the previous Creator longboat are gorgeous. Will buy once the power company stops threatening to shut off electricity to my house due to unpaid bills.
I wasn't planning to get this (or the Ship/Serpent) but I might need to.
1. It looks great.
2. No stickers.
3. Solid price/value.
It doesn't really fit with any of my other themes or collections, but it's just so good. I don't have a ton of other minifigs I could add, but still. Just...damn.
I might get this for my marvel goat boat to go with,I really love this.
Thanks for the nice review! This set is a must buy for me, and probably I will get two copies eventually to expand the village. I wonder how the set scales to the ship 31132. I guess that the ship is quite large compared to the village.
This needs at least 2 extra minifigs. The village looks very underpopulated as it stands. Is this after a Grendel attack or something?
Would it be too much to ask for a picture of it next to 31132?
Just a reminder: In the U.S.A. this is a Target exclusive. (Also available at Lego stores and Lego.com, of course.)
@GenericLegoFan said:
"I might get this for my marvel goat boat to go with,I really love this."
Nice suggestion to combine the viking village with 76208. I hadn't thought of that myself since the Marvel sets are usually not on my radar. The goat boat might scale much better with the village than the viking ship/serpent set.
Another 2 or 3 vikings would have been amazing, but this set is very solid overall. Will definitely pick this up.
Now, where do I put it though...
How many printed shields are in the set, 3?
That hole on her hair is just…
But it’s a gorgeous set. Definitely on my wanted list.
Very nice, just like eldorado I might buy it.
@alfadas said:
"Another 2 or 3 vikings would have been amazing, but this set is very solid overall. Will definitely pick this up.
Now, where do I put it though... "
ATM you can PAB the minifigs from 31132 and the part from this set might be available in the future.
Very nice, especially with 31132 : Viking Ship and the Midgard Serpent
31132 alternate builds weren't terrible but this IDEAS set would make a much better expansion set for more buildings/terrain.
Wonderful set! I love the details. My only criticism is that there are only 4 figs. Perhaps they could have at least included a child.
I love it. Idk if I'll be able to afford it in time and the build looks to be tedious and full of fiddly crumbs (1x1s) at times, so I'm not in a rush.
But an actual historical settlement set seems nice!
Oh, and it could have been a little bit more colorful in my taste.
Finally: someone at Lego must REALLY like the Viking Ship versus Midgard Serpent from 2005 XD
Great review! You did a fantastic job showcasing all the clever details and building techniques.
I'm especially impressed with the throne design, which does a great job implementing those hinged finger elements for detail without the end result looking too fiddly or mechanical. The hearth inside the longhouse is also very attractive for its compact size, and I love the authentic raised monitor roof with small windows (or "wind-eyes") — allowing the wind from outside to vent some of the smoke as it rises, while still allowing plenty of warmth to accumulate inside.
The SNOTted wooden slats on either side of the longhouse door are also a very unique way of building a wooden wall. To be honest, I kind of wish the same technique had been used on the back wall of the building. But thankfully, log/palisade bricks are used sparingly enough on the other buildings that even those on the longhouse don't look basic or boring.
The brick-built door designs themselves are also very effective — while the original proposal used the now-retired half-arch doors from the 90s, it didn't really use them in a way that would necessitate the arch shape on the top, so nothing is really lost with their brick-built replacements in the final set. In fact, I think it's an improvement that the longhouse doors now open outward instead of inward.
It is a bit of a shame that by combining the smithy with the adjacent Viking house from the original project, the final set ends up omitting that house's cozy little bedroom. It kind of makes me wish that the "attic" space of the smithy had a floor of its own so it could be used for a small loft bedroom without making the entire model too much larger. That would probably be a simple enough modification for owners of the set to make on their own, though!
The designers did an amazing job making the most of the new element slots afforded to them with lots of gorgeous new prints for the minifig and non-minifig parts alike! And numerous play scenarios are provided for the villagers by both the new printed accessories and those using existing unprinted parts: a great variety of food and drink pieces for banquet and market scenes, weapon and armor pieces for defending the village, and tool and material pieces for working in the smithy.
In addition for allowing the set to have a creative off-grid design, I also imagine that the set's three-section foundation will present a great opportunity for builders to design their own expansions to the village that fit in between the official builds! I also appreciate the comparison to Eldorado Fortress (minus the ship and rowboat), which really shows how visually impressive the complete set is, especially for such an affordable price — lower even than some other Ideas sets with similarly rustic designs like the Medieval Blacksmith and A-Frame Cabin!
The minifig count is comparable to those two earlier Ideas sets, but of course, those two depicted individual houses rather than village made up of smaller buildings. In that respect, the limited number of minifigs is indeed a drawback. On the plus side, this allows all four villagers to gather in the longhouse together for banquets. Moreover, BrickHammer's proposal only included three minifigs, so the four provided here are a decisive improvement any way you slice it.
Thanks for the detailed review! Not sure yet whether or not I'll get this set myself — since my display space is so limited, I'm leaning towards holding out for sets more suited to display in close proximity to the Lion Knights' Castle and Medieval Blacksmith which I currently have displayed together on top of a bookshelf.
Either way, it's clear the designers did an amazing job with this model, which makes me especially grateful that LEGO held the contest which gave this concept a second chance at becoming a set after it had previously been passed over. It makes me hopeful that we might we'll see similar opportunities for previously declined Ideas projects to make a comeback in the future!
I love it :D
I wouldn't have thought so, but the set is growing on me. Thanks for the excellent review.
If I get it I m definitely going to populate it with a couple more figures - and one of the (aftermarket) goats that I bought recently.
Wow. Who knew? In addition to inventing German opera, Vikings were the first to sport soul patches (I can’t dignify calling that a beard).
@CapnRex101 said:
"The pin hole on the back looks odd…"
Maybe the archer was trying to get the blacksmith’s attention? And is this the first standard yellow head to feature lipstick, but _not_ eyelashes?
Dash! You have now gotten me interested in yet another set to purchase. Personally I'm glad it's only four minifigs, probably keeps the price that reasonable.
@Montyh7 said:
"Nice review of a great little set.
But I must ask, how is "no goat" not a con :p
"
Alas, those horns on their helmets had to come from somewhere :(
If you look at other unlicensed 2000+ piece Lego ideas sets (with the exception of Pirates of Barracuda Bay) they all have 4 minifigs. I do agree that the Viking Village could have used 2-3 more minifigs but it would probably increase the price by $20-ish.
I’m always a little happy to see obviously decent sets even when I have no interest in them!
140 EUR, but 1820 SEK? Is this some kind of Viking tax on Scandinavians? The set is on my wish list, but this is a deal breaker.
@Harmonious_Building said:
"Will buy once the power company stops threatening to shut off electricity to my house due to unpaid bills. "
Make sure you pick up a good flashlight when you do buy it.
If anyone could smile like that with a hole in the back of their head, it's a Viking!!
@CapnRex101 said: "The dark azure plates underneath are perhaps an unexpected choice for the cold waters of the North Sea and North Atlantic Ocean..."
Glacial-fed waters often have that color. Perhaps this is meant to represent such a body of water. I'm not familiar with the shade of glacial-fed fjords. Perhaps a helpful Scandinavian could elucidate us on this?
@StyleCounselor:
Looking at satellite images, the Norwegian fjords themselves appear to be basically the same color as the surrounding ocean, which seems logical. They’re incredibly deep, and the water chemistry is likely to be similar, if not identical. If you look at an inland lake, however, like Forsvatnet, it has that wintergreen color I remember seeing at Portage Lake in Alaska. Portage Lake was created in 1914 by the retreat of the Portage Glacier, and is surrounded by five additional remnant glaciers that were left behind during the retreat. This still looks more like Caribbean waters, which are shallow, lit from directly above, and not full of minerals caused by glacial abrasion of the surrounding mountains.
@CapnRex101 Great review, really well done! It was a pleasure to read and I'm very happy with how detailed your review was.
I love history, I find Vikings interesting (they are quite popular in Australia despite us being literally on the other side of the world), however I'm not quite sold on this set. Something's missing.
I have previously mentioned that more minifigures and a boat of some sort (a small one would be fine) would have helped, although that may or may not be the issue.
One thing I did note from your review is that this is much more spread out then the original Ideas submission so naturally that makes it look more sparsely populated.
The building techniques as you pointed out well, are great. It would be nice to have more structures, I don't mean it should be bigger necessarily but a level above the blacksmith, maybe if the tower was larger so had more space inside? The build overall is pretty decent, I just find it's not 100% right with me. It's great that it's cheaper than usual, but I'm saving money for the Orient Express. I may decide to get this one day in the future.
This is a Target and Ideas exclusive set. Target is originally form Minnesota. Coincidence, I think not.
@CapnRed101 "Banners flanking the throne provide lovely splashes of colour and match the sails on 31132 Viking Ship and the Midgard Serpent, although that vessel seems rather large to dock at such a small settlement. Presumably this is merely a distant outpost."
7016 Viking Boat against the Wyvern Dragon from 2005 seems like a decent scale for the village dock. Perhaps it's a fishing village? But could easily expand the village with two or three copies to be a compatible scale with 31132
As for the dark azure plates, they could easily be swapped out.
Also, Lego couldn't spring for a matching white flag to go with the red, instead of the white horn piece?
Overall, looks like a great set! Will definitely pick up a copy at some point.
Only thing I can think of that's wrong/missing is a lack of a boat...How do that get off the island for emergencies and such...?
@KingCobraIV brought up the "Target" thing (IE: "Exclusivity"); anyone know if it'll be in other markets/stores, like say TRUs in Canada...or the various online International Lego sites/stores...?
The blacksmith minifig looks like a mixture of Emmett and 8805-10
Would love to see the Vikings theme return with updates on the originals. I had the fort but it was indeed a faf as it was apt to fall apart if you looked at it the wrong way.
Agree as others have pointed out that there should be some animals included.
For minifigures, I'll be adding 71027-8 , 8804-6 , and 8831-13.
@twentythree: Good choices, the figures from 31132 would good well with the Village too. Last I saw, the fig parts were on online PAB; although the whole set's also available (which would fill that 'lack of boat' I mentioned...)
@PurpleDave said:
" @StyleCounselor :
Looking at satellite images, the Norwegian fjords themselves appear to be basically the same color as the surrounding ocean, which seems logical. They’re incredibly deep, and the water chemistry is likely to be similar, if not identical. If you look at an inland lake, however, like Forsvatnet, it has that wintergreen color I remember seeing at Portage Lake in Alaska. Portage Lake was created in 1914 by the retreat of the Portage Glacier, and is surrounded by five additional remnant glaciers that were left behind during the retreat. This still looks more like Caribbean waters, which are shallow, lit from directly above, and not full of minerals caused by glacial abrasion of the surrounding mountains."
Where mighty Vikings fear to tread, the Great Lake Purple Wonder steps in to fill the void. We all know the color of the water by Detroit = dead people.
That all sounds technically correct (the best KIND of correct!!). You also had me laughing at the idea that the lack of animals, opera horns, and sunny disposition is due to this village's location on one of the remote Bahamian isles. Maybe the Disney-owned one when the cruise ship isn't in port?
Yet, I wonder if you might also get some of that mezmorizing light blue glacial color in Scandinavian shallows before it gets diluted in the deep fjords?
Sounds like StyleCounselor is due for an exploratory mission to Norway!
I love vikings, I love history and I love LEGO. But I just can't fathom why they still portray vikings with horns on their helmets. It's just not right, I don't care if it's popular culture. And even more idiotic coming from a DANISH company!
This year I visited the Viking Museum in Stockholm and in the past I've been to the vikingfortress at Trelleborg (south Zweden), Vikingeskibsmuseet at Roskilde, Ribe Vikingecenter, Vikingemuseet Ladby. None of this places have vikings with horns, but the biggest toy producer in the world (from Denmark), who's always boasting about Education for the Kids, Learn & Play, Equality and Justice for All keeps messing with their own history. Very strange.
And yes, they finally made a more accurate helmet: one in plain pearl dark gray in 76218 and 60368, and one with a bit of gold accents in 71027 aptly named Viking. My suggestion: USE IT!
Love it. Looks great. Affordable, innovative and an appealing theme.
@aes1982 said:
" @GenericLegoFan said:
"I might get this for my marvel goat boat to go with,I really love this."
Nice suggestion to combine the viking village with 76208. I hadn't thought of that myself since the Marvel sets are usually not on my radar. The goat boat might scale much better with the village than the viking ship/serpent set."
Was more thinking to use this for a Rohan MOC. I call this set Medieval Village Building Kit.
@brick_r said:
@KingCobraIV brought up the "Target" thing (IE: "Exclusivity"); anyone know if it'll be in other markets/stores, like say TRUs in Canada...or the various online International Lego sites/stores...?]]
It will still be available at Lego stores and online, just no other retailers besides Target.
@Montyh7 said;
“But I must ask, how is "no goat" not a con :p”
They’re holding the big goat return until next year’s medieval village
Really digging the use of angles in the layouts lately!
@bobaphat107 said:
"I love vikings, I love history and I love LEGO. But I just can't fathom why they still portray vikings with horns on their helmets. It's just not right, I don't care if it's popular culture. And even more idiotic coming from a DANISH company!
This year I visited the Viking Museum in Stockholm and in the past I've been to the vikingfortress at Trelleborg (south Zweden), Vikingeskibsmuseet at Roskilde, Ribe Vikingecenter, Vikingemuseet Ladby. None of this places have vikings with horns, but the biggest toy producer in the world (from Denmark), who's always boasting about Education for the Kids, Learn & Play, Equality and Justice for All keeps messing with their own history. Very strange.
And yes, they finally made a more accurate helmet: one in plain pearl dark gray in 76218 and 60368, and one with a bit of gold accents in 71027 aptly named Viking. My suggestion: USE IT!"
The absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. Just because nobody ever FOUND horned helmets, doesn't mean they never existed. More horns! Bigger horns! We need horns we can see from SPACE, and then, I suppose, also a Viking-themed spaceship so we can gawk at the horns.
Ah, 76208. Yeah, that'll do nicely.
Also, relax, my dude. That 'historically accurate' helmet is also included in this very set, it's at the smithy. Breathe it in, bask in the historical accuracy. Mmm, that is some good historical accuracy.
@EarthGirl83 said:
" Also, Lego couldn't spring for a matching white flag to go with the red, instead of the white horn piece?"
I assumed the white horn piece was meant to be rime (built-up ice blown sideways by the wind), rather than a second flag.
gives me how to train your dragon vibes
@bobaphat107 I 100% agree. Lego should use historical sets to educate kids and teach them to appreciate history, especially as you rightfully point out, given that this subject matter is quite relevant to Denmark. Considering the new, quite realistic, helmet exists, why the hell they haven't used them for any Viking minifigures, except the CMF, is bamboozling. Also, since this village appears to lean more towards a peaceful, realistic setting, it's a damn shame Lego didn't also take that approach with the minifigures. As I've argued previously, it would have been really nice to explore different aspects of ancient Nordic culture. And by the way, for all the haters out there, I really don't see why historical accuracy has to be in competition with 'fun' or 'interest'? This is an 18+ set after all, the horned helmets and Hollywood minifigs come across as tacky and detract from the workmanship put into the buildings.
@Lyichir said:
" @EarthGirl83 said:
" Also, Lego couldn't spring for a matching white flag to go with the red, instead of the white horn piece?"
I assumed the white horn piece was meant to be rime (built-up ice blown sideways by the wind), rather than a second flag."
I assumed the whole thing is supposed to be _one_ flag, that’s 2/3 red and 1/3 white.
@Brickchap said:
" @bobaphat107 I 100% agree. Lego should use historical sets to educate kids and teach them to appreciate history, especially as you rightfully point out, given that this subject matter is quite relevant to Denmark. Considering the new, quite realistic, helmet exists, why the hell they haven't used them for any Viking minifigures, except the CMF, is bamboozling. Also, since this village appears to lean more towards a peaceful, realistic setting, it's a damn shame Lego didn't also take that approach with the minifigures. As I've argued previously, it would have been really nice to explore different aspects of ancient Nordic culture. And by the way, for all the haters out there, I really don't see why historical accuracy has to be in competition with 'fun' or 'interest'? This is an 18+ set after all, the horned helmets and Hollywood minifigs come across as tacky and detract from the workmanship put into the buildings. "
I mean, apart from the fact that the hornless helmet - besides its initial appearance in the CMF - is also present in 60368, 76218 and 21343 (yeah, that's THIS set), does that mean you want no whimsy or myth whatsoever? Just straight-up facts? No cool world-serpents, no shapeshifting gods giving birth to horses for their step-dads, no magic hammers or belts, no trolls or dwarves? Just plain old slavery, sexism, oppression and dying of dysentery or scurvy at the ripe old age of 30?
Because - in a way, that's fair. You build what you like, dude. I don't think I'm hugely interested in such dour and dire MOCs, but you do you. Everything is awesome and all that. But here's the thing; you can do that by taking a set like 31132 and then REMOVING (or omitting) the Midgardsormr.
And then add as much dysentery as you like, it's your raiding-party.
@Ridgeheart:
The issue isn’t that people don’t want Norse mythology in these sets. It’s that the horny helmet is distinctly German in origin, so far as anyone has been able to prove. And by German, I mean opera. It’s about as Viking as Elmer Fudd.
@PurpleDave said:
" @Ridgeheart :
The issue isn’t that people don’t want Norse mythology in these sets. It’s that the horny helmet is distinctly German in origin, so far as anyone has been able to prove. And by German, I mean opera. It’s about as Viking as Elmer Fudd."
If that's the case, what's stopping them from just plopping the hornless helmet from the forge on one of the minifigs instead? I mean - I know the instructions probably specify that the horned helmets should be worn, but deviating from the instructions isn't illegal. You will not go to Lego jail for this, I promise! Movies have been made about how awesome it is to deviate from the instructions! You can throw the horned helmets in your personal Bin of Shame, for parts that may NEVER SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY, EVER AGAIN.
Or just send them to me. I like the horned helmets. I think they're awesome. I'm going to put Kylo Ren lightsabre-bars in there. Light-antlers are now a thing.
@Ridgeheart said:
" @PurpleDave said:
" @Ridgeheart :
The issue isn’t that people don’t want Norse mythology in these sets. It’s that the horny helmet is distinctly German in origin, so far as anyone has been able to prove. And by German, I mean opera. It’s about as Viking as Elmer Fudd."
If that's the case, what's stopping them from just plopping the hornless helmet from the forge on one of the minifigs instead? I mean - I know the instructions probably specify that the horned helmets should be worn, but deviating from the instructions isn't illegal. You will not go to Lego jail for this, I promise! Movies have been made about how awesome it is to deviate from the instructions! You can throw the horned helmets in your personal Bin of Shame, for parts that may NEVER SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY, EVER AGAIN.
Or just send them to me. I like the horned helmets. I think they're awesome. I'm going to put Kylo Ren lightsabre-bars in there. Light-antlers are now a thing."
deviating from the instructions isn't illegal
sacrilege j/k
All debate about horny helmets aside, I think this is a cracking set. It looks great, uses some interesting techniques, and is surprisingly good value (for modern Lego anyway). It could do with a few more figs and perhaps a boat, but if that would up the price by 30 monies or so then it's probably better off without.
Not sure if I'll buy it or not - I'm running out of space, and it's definitely behind the insects. Thanks for the review!
@Ridgeheart:
Right, right, the fact that they put _ONE_ proper helmet in that you can use to replace _ONE_ of the Viking-equivalent-of-disco helmets is totally an adequate fix for putting those on _TWO_ of the minifigs. What’s the other guy supposed to do, go bald? Do you know how cold Viking winters are? Ragnar went bald, and they killed him off not too much later. Bjorn finally shaved off the last strip down the center of his head, and that was it for him as well. Bald Vikings are dead Vikings!
@bobaphat107 said:
"I love vikings, I love history and I love LEGO. But I just can't fathom why they still portray vikings with horns on their helmets. It's just not right, I don't care if it's popular culture. And even more idiotic coming from a DANISH company!
This year I visited the Viking Museum in Stockholm and in the past I've been to the vikingfortress at Trelleborg (south Zweden), Vikingeskibsmuseet at Roskilde, Ribe Vikingecenter, Vikingemuseet Ladby. None of this places have vikings with horns, but the biggest toy producer in the world (from Denmark), who's always boasting about Education for the Kids, Learn & Play, Equality and Justice for All keeps messing with their own history. Very strange.
And yes, they finally made a more accurate helmet: one in plain pearl dark gray in 76218 and 60368, and one with a bit of gold accents in 71027 aptly named Viking. My suggestion: USE IT!"
In general, even the most "historic" LEGO themes tend to be based on reflecting the way those time periods are enjoyed and perceived in the popular imagination (by way of folklore, literature, film, etc) than on portraying "real" history authentically.
I mean, a real pirate captain would probably not have a peg leg, eye patch, hook hand, pet parrot, and hat with a Jolly Roger proudly embroidered on it. But LEGO pirate captains usually do, because those are iconic narrative signifiers within the tradition of pirate fiction.
A real medieval band of robbers would probably not live in hollow trees, wear bright green tunics and leggings at all times, and adorn their caps with colorful feathers even when they're trying to camouflage, but LEGO forest people usually do because these are firmly established visual cues in the tradition of Robin Hood stories.
So while I get that there's scant archaeological evidence for horned Viking helmets or career shield-maidens during the Viking Age, I don't think either is at all out-of-character for the way that LEGO tends to approach historic subject matter. Whether you pin the blame on Hollywood/Disney or German opera, the reality is that LEGO has always approached this subject matter from the perspective of the stories kids tell and the way they play, rather than from the perspective of modern archaeological understanding.
I mean, we're talking a company that has made multiple waves of Duplo sets with dinosaur-riding cavemen, an archetype that's been understood as fictitious for longer than the company has existed! So while you may feel that LEGO has a duty to educate kids about historical (and pre-historical) truths, I don't think that has EVER been one of LEGO's core goals for sets and themes based on pre-modern subjects. Not even for those inspired by their own geographic heritage.
This set really has me wishing the Lord of the Rings line had done more with Rohan than 9471 and 9474.
@TheOtherMike said:
"This set really has me wishing the Lord of the Rings line had done more with Rohan than 9471 and 9474."
I know, right? Although Rohan was based more on some of the people the Vikings raised than the actual Vikings themselves. But Edoras was one of the coolest sets, with one of the coolest backstories in the entire trilogy. Really, only Bag-End has a comparably interesting backstory.
@PurpleDave said:
" @Lyichir said:
" @EarthGirl83 said:
" Also, Lego couldn't spring for a matching white flag to go with the red, instead of the white horn piece?"
I assumed the white horn piece was meant to be rime (built-up ice blown sideways by the wind), rather than a second flag."
I assumed the whole thing is supposed to be _one_ flag, that’s 2/3 red and 1/3 white."
Possibly, but personally I would prefer a matching white flag to go with the red, and will swap it out once I pick up a copy.
@EarthGirl83 said:
"Possibly, but personally I would prefer a matching white flag to go with the red, and will swap it out once I pick up a copy."
That...might be more difficult than you expect. There are two mirrored versions of this flag. This appears to use the "righthand" version. According to Bricklink, only the "lefthand" version has been produced in white, and not in almost two decades. So, you'll probably have to get a matched pair, and be prepared for high prices on the white ones.
@PurpleDave said:
" @Ridgeheart :
Right, right, the fact that they put _ONE_ proper helmet in that you can use to replace _ONE_ of the Viking-equivalent-of-disco helmets is totally an adequate fix for putting those on _TWO_ of the minifigs. What’s the other guy supposed to do, go bald? Do you know how cold Viking winters are? Ragnar went bald, and they killed him off not too much later. Bjorn finally shaved off the last strip down the center of his head, and that was it for him as well. Bald Vikings are dead Vikings!"
Yes. That is exactly what I'm suggesting, but - not the chieftain; I imagine he has long, luscious, silken locks underneath his helmet, the hat-hair only mildly ruining the effect. So it's to be the archer, who went bald prematurely and decided to own it.
And because he went so far as to shave off all of his remaining hair, he now goes by "Balder", because I'M going for -hysterical- accuracy.
*Mic drop*
@Ridgeheart:
You want to make him go bald, in Viking winters, _and_ name him after the Norse god who died like a chump? What did the archer ever do to you? Wait, are you the boacksmith whose attention he was trying to get?
@PurpleDave said:
" @Ridgeheart:
You want to make him go bald, in Viking winters, _and_ name him after the Norse god who died like a chump? What did the archer ever do to you? Wait, are you the boacksmith whose attention he was trying to get?"
*Mic pick-up*
In fairness, that Norse god was effectively immortal, so this archer's playing it pretty safe. It's not his fault Loki tricked Hoder into killing OG Balder. It wasn't the spear/arrow's fault for being made out of the one thing that could kill OG Balder. It's not even the mistletoe's fault for striking OG Balder dead. That was all Tom Hiddleston's fault. Curse you, Tom Hiddleston!
Spears and/or arrows don't kill immortal gods, immortal gods kill immortal gods.
@PurpleDave said:
" @TheOtherMike said:
"This set really has me wishing the Lord of the Rings line had done more with Rohan than 9471 and 9474."
I know, right? Although Rohan was based more on some of the people the Vikings raised than the actual Vikings themselves. But Edoras was one of the coolest sets, with one of the coolest backstories in the entire trilogy. Really, only Bag-End has a comparably interesting backstory."
There are quite a few large holes in terms of set coverage for LotR. They missed Rohan and Gondor, as well as the Balrog, Sauron, and Barad-Dur. I'm covering the biggest areas, but the Prancing Pony, an Oliphant, and Amon Hen are other notable missing opportunities. I'm hoping they make more LotR sets, but it looks like LotR will be relegated to massive display sets which will naturally slim down what they can cover.
@PhantomBricks:
The Witch King’s birdie, and his, um, flail. Treebeard. The creature from the lake. Second breakfast. Bilbo’s trolls. Elevensies. I don’t think any of the named Uruk-Hai ever got minifigs. And the white boats.