Lego Minifigures Series 7 Review Part 3
June 11, 2012
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Thanks for staying with me till the end of my review trilogy of the excellent 7th edition of the Lego Collectible Minifigures Series. Previous reviews available here:
Want to pick one up? Do swing by Toys ‘R’ Us Malaysia or Brickboy Toys to snag yourselves some minifigs. Each packet containing one seemingly random minifig goes for RM10.90.
Let’s not delay any further and jump right into the third and final part of my Series 7 review!
To make it easier, I’ve inserted a tip under each minifigure’s review to help you on your search.
Aztec Warrior “No, you can’t have our gold! Go find your own!”
Here’s another winner that Lego came up with for series 7, with Lego delving deep into Meso-American mythology/history with this brilliant rendition of an Aztec Warrior. A cursory glance and a few clicks and Googles reveal that the Aztec Warrior is in fact based on Aztec ‘Eagle Warriors‘ who were basically an elite class of infantry soldiers made up of ‘bravest soldiers of noble birth and those who had taken the greatest number of prisoners in battle’. The wiki article also describes the appearance of the Eagle Warriors, who: use spears, shields that were round, brightly coloured and decorated with feathers, as well as the ornate headgear based on historical accounts that Eagle warriors wore the heads of eagles, including an open beak, and used eagle feathers as adornments.
Here’s a closeup showing the amazing detail that Lego packed into the Aztec warrior. First up, the face painting is great and contrasts really well with his golden headgear (which we’ll get to in a bit) complete with a very stoic facial expression well suited to one who’s supposed to guard some secret chamber filled with Aztec treasures and gold. Moving down below, we see that he’s adorned with a fairly detailed tribal necklace of sorts made out of both gold (wish the printing was shiny) and feathers complete with a little Lego minifig head. I’m not sure if this is a shrunken head or just a form of decoration… but since the Aztecs were pretty renowned for their human sacrifices, I’m going to go ahead with the former. The Aztec Warrior is arrayed with a green sash that beautifully continues down on to his legs where we’re treated to more tribal designs for his pants. Overall, one of the most detailed minifigs I’ve ever seen. Huge score. His shield is also packed with detail, featuring an Aztec-motif eagle on it on a red background. I love everything about this minifig so far.
Lego really went out of their way to design the Aztec Warrior’s headgear. It is by far, one of the most impressive headgears ever created by Lego and they certainly didn’t disappoint. At first, I didn’t like the pearl gold colour that they opted for, but after awhile it made sense seeing that the spear and shield were also in the same colour. Initially, I had expected it to be of the same metallic gold paint that was present in Series 5’s Gladiator, but hey, I’m not complaining. The best bit about the headgear other than it’s outstanding design is the fact that Lego didn’t take the lazy route but instead made sure that all the tiny details such as the eagle’s eyes, even including a symbol of the sun, which was a prominent component in Aztec worship as well as the black flecks on the eagle’s feathers. Absolutely breathtaking as a minifig and I can’t really find anything wrong with this.
How To Find One: The headgear is one of the most bulky elements in Series 7 and easily confused with the Galaxy Patrol’s space armour. You can tell it’s the Aztec by the spear, which is really easy to spot since its long and bendy. The headgear is also easily differentiated from the Galaxy Patrol’s armour because it has a huge V-shaped ridge on its back.
Minifig Rating: 10/10
Computer Programmer “Hello, World.”
Say hello to the Computer Programmer, the first Lego-certified geek/nerd minifig! This was one of the early fan favourites of Series 7 (because I think Lego enthusiasts are kind of huge nerds) and there’s just something extremely endearing about a nerdy looking minifig in a world where machismo is the dominating force (Knights, Pirates, Space Police, Superheroes etc.) and here we are with a timid, probably socially awkward minifig to add to our ensemble. Complete with side-parted hair, glasses which I think are taped together with scotch-tape ala Harry Potter, bow-tie, a blue sciency looking shirt held together with quite an ugly looking plaid-inspired sweater vest. Oh and not forgetting his gaudy brown pants – Lego truly went all the way in bringing to life the nerd-appearance stereotype in minifig form.
The accessories that come long with our Computer Programmer are nothing short of brilliant. His C-drive cup is a brilliant geek accessory, something that an IT engineer would carry around and use at work. As quite a huge geek myself, I wouldn’t mind a C-drive cup for my regular morning coffee at work. We also get a Lego laptop which is always nice to have more of. It’s even coloured in such a dull grey!
I really like the computer programmer, simply because I love civilian-type minifig. While I really appreciate the larger than life Sci-Fi and Mythological minifigs, there’s a place in my heart for minifigs that are accurate representations of real life.
Here’s a closeup of the Daredevil’s helmet. The star print on it is really cool, matching the design on his torso. Again, no back printing, but that’s okay in this case seeing that the cape obstructs most of his back anyway.
Here’s a fun action shot of the Daredevil on a dirt bike! Overall, a nice addition to the Minifig roster and bonus points of him being a civilian-type character with an exhilarating job!
How To Find One: The Computer Programmer is a pretty tricky one to find, because the laptop is pretty hard to identify. Your best bet would be to look out for the cup. Shaking around the package should dislodge it quite easily and you can tell that it’s the cup because of its handle.
Minifig rating: 8/10
Rocker Girl “I’m the best and I know it!”
Zing! Finally, a spunky partner for Series 4’s Rocker, a Rocker Girl! First up, WOW, that headpiece’s colour is fantastically eye-catching. The fringe is slightly longer than usual and achieves that edgy effect very nicely and it’s got a very anime-ish look with the spikes and textures. Bubblegum pink is a brilliant colour to have for girls and will see quite a bit of use. The pink lightning bolt seems to be the rocker’s signature motif and features prominently as face paint on the minifig’s head, on her electric blue zebra -inspired neon suit as well as her guitar. I would’ve preferred the Rocker Girl’s face to be a little more smug/determined like all good rockers are, but instead we’re treated to a look of happy astonishment. Due to the longer than usual fringe, the minifig’s eyebrows are obstructed slightly, but I like it that way.
Here’s a better view at the Rocker Girl’s outfit and the guitar as well. It’s really great that Lego made a female companion for Series 4’s Rocker and we’re treated to another excellent guitar accessory, but this time in white and decked out with the pink lightning. Personally, I’m a huge fan of the Rocker Girl’s outfit with special mention going to the belt. The dual-coloured sleeves are also a nice touch. Great to see Lego creating suitable partners for minifigs previously released and getting more female characters are always a good thing. Also, we got TWO musical instruments in Series 7. Historic move by Lego. Now… where’s our sax and acoustic guitar??
How To Find One: Look for the guitar, which has an extremely distinct V-shaped body followed by a long cylindrical bit that’s the fretboard. You could also opt for finding the hairpiece which is a little on the bulky side and is textured with bumps.
Minifig Rating: 7/10
Viking Woman “Now that the fight is over, it is time to sing!”
Alright, another double-sided face minifigure! Series 4 gave us a fierce viking warrior and Series 7 doesn’t disappoint with his female acquaintance, the Viking Woman! Very timely from Lego seeing as how Brave is due to be out in a couple of weeks and viking-mania will be at an all time high since How To Train A Dragon. We get a plain wooden shield, which is a bit of a disappointment seeing how Series 4’s viking had a very intricately designed shield. What stands out for her is the design of her dress which I think is top notch. The plain brown dress features a cool necklace thingy flanked by two golden discs as well as a golden belt and more trimmings at the bottom. Aside from her shield, the Viking Woman shows off her willingness to fend off invaders with a short sword.
The best part of the Viking Woman is this exceptional headpiece which fuses her pigtails to her horned helmet itself. The helmet is based on the Series 4’s Viking with the same soft horns attached but this time, we’ve got the Viking Woman’s hair attached to the end to create a humongous headpiece. I love that Lego went with this although it’ll be a little difficult to put it to use outside of Viking/Medieval MOCs. That small complain aside, it’s still a solid solid accessory.
How To Find One: Look for the massive headpiece! It’s extremely easy to pick out due to the long pigtails!
Minifig Rating: 6/10
Ocean King “Beware the wrath of the lord of the seas – and no splashing in the pool!”
Yet more proof that Lego went all out with Series 7, we are treated with a staple of mythology: Poseidon (or Neptune if you’re Roman) himself, generally labelled as The Ocean King. The thing that instantly stands out is the mermaid tail-piece which we were introduced to in the Pirates of the Caribbean sets which is a sweet sweet accessory to have since I didn’t buy any of the sets that featured the mermaid tail. As a huge fan of ancient Greek mythology since I was a wee kidling, so this a huge huge huge plus for me. I’m still holding out for an Icarus minifig or even a Medusa minifig. In fact, I’m calling it right now that we’ll get Medusa very very very soon since we’ve got snakey legs from the Ninjago sets and all we need is a hair full of snakes. Anyhow, in addition to the merman fins, we’re also treated to a pretty sweet trident that has made appearances in the Atlantis series (duh, where else would it be) as well as a nice Oriental beard that we’ve seen on Sensei Wu from the Ninjago sets which is nice to have.
Here’s a look at the Ocean King sans his headgear and beard. First up, I really like his bushy eyebrows and stern “I’ve got Ocean King business to do” facial expression. You can also see that there’s quite a thin line on the merman fin-piece that’s due to the fact that it’s actually two pieces of plastic fused together. A small cosmetic detail, but it irks me for some reason. It would’ve been nicer if we’d gotten a solid piece of plastic. Rounding it off is the Ocean King’s extremely toned and buffed physique, something you really wouldn’t expect from a dude sporting white bushy eyebrows and a beard that can rival a Chinese Kung Fu Master.
Now for the best accessory on the Ocean King, his crown and hairpiece. Like the Viking Woman, they’re both one and the same, but the Ocean King’s headpiece is a thing of beauty. I loved that they used glimmering gold paint for his crown spikes but what I really like is the detail they put to his flowing white hair. It really ties everything together: his bushy eyebrows, beard and his wave textured white hair gives him this erudite look of power, peacefulness and wrath all at the same time. Very very cool. Now, please give us that Medusa minifig we all sorely want.
Galaxy Patrol “No outer-space menace escapes the Galaxy Patrol!”
Presenting arguably, the most anticipated minifig from Series 7, Lego’s astounding homage to the legendary Classic Space theme, the Galaxy Patrol. At first glance, the Galaxy Patrol will blow you away with how perfectly its designed. I have zero things to complain about the Galaxy Patrol, it’s just THAT great of a minifig. I really think Lego is going to hit us with another epic revisit of the Space theme again next year since they’ve invested so much into new moulds. The helmet is completely new and a smaller version of the larger one we’ve seen fitted on Series 1’s Spaceman, Series 3’s Space Villain and Series 6’s Intergalactic girl. The helmet is smaller and can’t be fitted with a visor. His space armour that lends very heavily from Warhammer 40k and Starcraft’s Terran marines is an absolute beauty. It’s hefty, looks spectacularly sci-fi AND has studs on both the front and back so you can customize it slightly.
Here’s a side and back view of the Galaxy Patrol’s armour. The Classic Space logo on his pauldrons is a nod to the well beloved theme, an excellent addition by Lego. Like I mentioned earlier, tons of customization opportunities are made available to us via the studs on the front and back of the armour. At the back, we also have two ‘jetpack’ looking thingies which can be gripped by minifig hands or even a droid arm. I’ll probably have a tinker to see what kind of things I can come up with using the Galaxy Patrol’s armour.
Here’s the Galaxy Patrol without his armour, to give you a better look at the printing on his body and legs. We’re treated to another dual-sided head, which brings the tally up to 4 in Series 7. One side featured an orange visor, complete with targeting reticule as well as some HUD effects. Turned around, we see the gruff human face of the Galaxy Patrol, complete with a cybernetic eye and some nice facial hair to give him a grizzled look, which reminded me a lot of Tychus Findlay from Starcraft 2. As you can see, the helmet can be griped comfortably by the minifig as well.
The blaster included is the same one that we were introduced to in Alien Conquest. I beefed up one of my blasters with a regular binocular to make it look extra menacing.
Due to the popularity of Space and ‘male-oriented’ minifigs, the Galaxy Patrol is a hot favourite in Series 7, with a lot of Lego fans amassing them as much as they can. Lucky thing is that there are 5 Galaxy Patrols in each box, making it one of the most common ones available this series. Thank goodness. If they were released in limited quantities like bunnies, there would hell to pay for and we’d get the same inflated prices as Series 6’s Romans.
Dual-wielded one of my Galaxy Patrols for his face off with another galactic menace, the Space Villain from Series 3, who now has a worthy adversary.
Seriously, don’t mess with a guy packing serious armour.
Apart from intergalactic peace-keeping duties, the Galaxy Patrol also helps out with space denizens looking for directions and such. Honestly, if not for the Bunny Suit Guy, I’d have named the Galaxy Patrol as the best minifig in Series 7. But then again, I’m biased. Objectively, I have to admit that the Galaxy Patrol is one of the best done minifigs that Lego has ever plonked into its Collectible Minifigure Series.
How To Find One: The Galaxy Patrol’s massive space suit is a dead giveaway. Also try looking for the blaster to confirm that you have a Galaxy Patrol. There are 5 in each box, so unless the scalpers and hoarders have gotten to them, you shouldn’t find it difficult to get one on your own.
Minifig Rating: 10/10
Here’s the lineup from my 3rd and final part of the Series 7 review. I’ve arguably left the best minifigs for last!
(reader Wtf informed me that in my original picture below, I missed out the Bunny Suit Guy and had 2 bagpipers. Here’s the fixed lineup!)
Final thoughts on Series 7: Thanks for staying tuned to my Series 7 review. I have to underscore again how amazing Series 7 is due to the wide variety of colours, parts and character that each minifigs possess. With such a rich collection of different characters spanning mythology, everyday life, history and sci-fi, Lego has arguably given us more than we’re used to expect when it comes to Collectible Minifigures. Another great plus I can think of is that we were treated to a whopping 5 female minifigs in series 7, which I think is Lego listening to its fans demands for a more gender-balanced collection of minifigs. They’ve definitely set the bar incredibly high and it’s now all up to Series 8 to see if it can best Series 7. This was the first ever time I’ve ever completed a set as I felt that collecting ’em all this time was totally worthy of my hard earned cash.
Hope you enjoyed my review, happy hunting and may you find the minifigs that you want!
For my previous 2 Series 7 reviews, check em out here:
