Great set! Mary has his foot in the fire, though…

So wish I'd gotten this way back when. Alas...

" @PurpleDave said:

" @BabuBrick said:
"What are you doing?"

"Tomatoes, sausages, nice crispy bacon!"

"We saved some for you, Mr. Frodo."

"Put it out, you fools! Put it out!"

"That's nice! Ash on my tomatoes!""

Now, where the heck did they have all this food hidden? Hobbits clearly eat twice their body weight every day, just based on the sheer number of meals they eat."

Good point. I don't think Peter Jackson thought that one through. I know you can sometimes see Sam carrying some sausages and things, but not near enough for a hobbit appetite, never mind four hobbits plus a Ranger.

Wild to see what this goes for now - I seem to remember this sort of sitting on the shelf on release.

LEGO remains a pretty decent hobby to invest in.

@Nuclearxpotato said:
"Rip the Microfigures, they made great generic statuettes. A heavy modification of them still exists with the Minecraft baby zombie body, but that's it."

I know they came in 70608, at least the tan version. But that was in 2017 which is longer ago than I want to accept. I’m assuming they retired since then?

Edit: it looks like all colors retired in 2018 or even earlier.

My first and still favourite LotR set (Until I get Rivendell)! Love how they captured the Ringwraiths, and while there are some strange play features that don't make a whole lot of sense (the missiles for example), it's a lot of fun.

Also the only way to get Merry until Rivendell as well.

Great set, well overdue for a remake, but going by that book nook, you would only get two figures, half of Weathertop and be charged £800 for it.....

Such a fun little recreation of the scene in FTR, great playset. I wish LEGO would return to these types of sets for LOTR.

@StyleCounselor said:
" @BabuBrick said:
" " @PurpleDave said:

Now, where the heck did they have all this food hidden? Hobbits clearly eat twice their body weight every day, just based on the sheer number of meals they eat."

Good point. I don't think Peter Jackson thought that one through. I know you can sometimes see Sam carrying some sausages and things, but not near enough for a hobbit appetite, never mind four hobbits plus a Ranger."

Strider kills a deer in the Extended Edition. There's also apples."

Don't forget they had Bill the pony and Aragorn's horse Brego.

@GSR_MataNui said:
"Fitting with the recent book-nook. I always liked the name "Weathertop." Tolkien (unsurprisingly) had great names for just about everything in Middle Earth, but that one always stood out to me. Ancient, imposing, and mysterious, its a title that fits just perfectly. "

Agreed. Feels like Tolkien ran out of ideas at one point tho, bro literally calls a volcano 'Mount Doom'

The set is cool, but at the time felt a bit big for what it was. It's mostly because it's a fully enclosed model that hinges open.
Also, remember that the price listed here is in 2012 money.

The two horses probably also added up. Or was it one?

Btw, I like the trapdoor. That way you can simulate the Frodo becoming invisible scene.

@Elcascador said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
" @BabuBrick said:
" " @PurpleDave said:

Now, where the heck did they have all this food hidden? Hobbits clearly eat twice their body weight every day, just based on the sheer number of meals they eat."

Good point. I don't think Peter Jackson thought that one through. I know you can sometimes see Sam carrying some sausages and things, but not near enough for a hobbit appetite, never mind four hobbits plus a Ranger."

Strider kills a deer in the Extended Edition. There's also apples."

Don't forget they had Bill the pony and Aragorn's horse Brego."

Mmmmm, horsemeat.

@alLEGOry_HJB2810 said:
" @GSR_MataNui said:
"Fitting with the recent book-nook. I always liked the name "Weathertop." Tolkien (unsurprisingly) had great names for just about everything in Middle Earth, but that one always stood out to me. Ancient, imposing, and mysterious, its a title that fits just perfectly. "

Agreed. Feels like Tolkien ran out of ideas at one point tho, bro literally calls a volcano 'Mount Doom'"
Still better than Judge Doom from "Who framed Roger Rabbit" though imho.

My first LotR set! Still, quite possibly, my favourite. LotR, despite being my favourite books by far, came at a BAD time for me to get them: old enough to want them, but making $0.00 per month. This was a graduation present, and a welcome one.

If you were limited to a medium-sized set to each theme, this was THE best option for LotR: villains, heroes, horses, a solid build--even an Easter egg winking toward the books in that black stand on the inside that's clearly a palantír reference.

And, yes, Weathertop is a great name. Though Amon Sûl isn't bad either.

Such a nice play set. I should have bought it back in the day. If it came out now, it would contain +2000 useless grey pieces and an enormous price tag. So sad.

@TheOtherMike said:
"This was how I completed my Fellowship.

@Wallace_Brick_Designs said:
"Great set! Merry has his foot in the fire, though…"

Merry, not Mary. Short for Meriadoc."

Oh no… as a LOTR fan I don’t know what happened….yikes

@Elcascador said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
" @BabuBrick said:
" " @PurpleDave said:

Now, where the heck did they have all this food hidden? Hobbits clearly eat twice their body weight every day, just based on the sheer number of meals they eat."

Good point. I don't think Peter Jackson thought that one through. I know you can sometimes see Sam carrying some sausages and things, but not near enough for a hobbit appetite, never mind four hobbits plus a Ranger."

Strider kills a deer in the Extended Edition. There's also apples."

Don't forget they had Bill the pony and Aragorn's horse Brego."

Aragorn didn't get Brego until the next movie.

@StyleCounselor said:
" @BabuBrick said:
" " @PurpleDave said:

" @BabuBrick said:
"What are you doing?"

"Tomatoes, sausages, nice crispy bacon!"

"We saved some for you, Mr. Frodo."

"Put it out, you fools! Put it out!"

"That's nice! Ash on my tomatoes!""

Now, where the heck did they have all this food hidden? Hobbits clearly eat twice their body weight every day, just based on the sheer number of meals they eat."

Good point. I don't think Peter Jackson thought that one through. I know you can sometimes see Sam carrying some sausages and things, but not near enough for a hobbit appetite, never mind four hobbits plus a Ranger."

Strider kills a deer in the Extended Edition. There's also apples."

Excellent point. In the books, too, they mention a few times that they'll have to "tighten their belts" and trudge on towards Rivendell. The four of them (and Aragorn) weren't exactly eating heartily at this point in the journey.

@Elcascador said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
" @BabuBrick said:
" " @PurpleDave said:

Now, where the heck did they have all this food hidden? Hobbits clearly eat twice their body weight every day, just based on the sheer number of meals they eat."

Good point. I don't think Peter Jackson thought that one through. I know you can sometimes see Sam carrying some sausages and things, but not near enough for a hobbit appetite, never mind four hobbits plus a Ranger."

Strider kills a deer in the Extended Edition. There's also apples."

Don't forget they had Bill the pony and Aragorn's horse Brego."

How dare you.

Oh, never mind, I interpreted that the wrong way. XD

This first wave of LOTR was SO great! I am a fervent LOTR fan (first book, then movies) and bought all of the sets I needed to get the fellowship together (same with the Hobbit). I like that it was a proper theme back then with small, medium and large sets. Thus you could buy according to wallet size (and available shelf space).

I have not bought a single one of the current sets: Too expensive. I can't justify spending hundreds of Euros on a single (albeit gorgeous - like Rivendell) set.

@BabuBrick:
Aragorn could survive off tree bark if he had to, but where do you pack a tomato in a soft-sided backpack without it getting smashed to a pulp?

@SearchlightRG:
They did make a ghost version of the Witch-King, and of course now there’s the updated print from the Fellbeast GWP, but they don’t encounter them that frequently. I don’t see them making four Hobbits hiding under a log, unless they get into more diorama-style sets like SW. There’s not much to the chase until they got to the river (which, again, would favor the diorama). I think stabbing the beds at the inn is right out. The one untouched scene that might result in new horses is the Hobbits escaping on the ferry. Otherwise I think a remake of this is the only other way they’ll produce new horses outside of a GWP that’s hard to obtain once, let alone in quantities sufficient to field a full set of nine.

After the first film, all the likely scenes switch to fellbeasts. I expect someone will come to their senses and design a scene with the Witch-King facing off against Eowyn and Merry, but that doesn’t get us the generic variant again. With the basic fellbeast being a GWP, it might be a long time before we see another generic rider.

Of course, even if they make a new Weathertop, they may change things up and do it as Frodo has the Ring on, so we’d get some ghostly ringwraiths instead of wearing their black robes.

@StyleCounselor:
First LotR sets launched June 2012, and the first Hobbit sets followed six months later. LotR wouldn’t have seen discounts until mid-2013. People tend to forget that the LotR theme basically piggybacked on the Hobbit film license, even though they released first.

@Elcascador:
Well of course you can load Brego up with Bill, but how do you haul around all of Brego once you’re done with Bill?

@Brickalili:
Ironically, you’re right, but more because Aragorn was able to use a burning branch from the fire to more effectively fend them off than cold steel would have managed.

@Binnekamp:
Bag 1 definitely had two mounted ringwraiths.

@TheOtherMike:
So Brego would never have had to suffer the indignation of hauling Bill, and would have had no warning as to what was to come?

@BabuBrick:
Wait…what do you mean the “wrong way”?

This reminds me of one of my favorite LEGO things to ponder: What was the best year for LEGO? 2012 has a strong claim. Wouldn’t that be a fun article/poll? Cough… @Huw…cough…cough

@PurpleDave said:
" @StyleCounselor:
First LotR sets launched June 2012, and the first Hobbit sets followed six months later. LotR wouldn’t have seen discounts until mid-2013. People tend to forget that the LotR theme basically piggybacked on the Hobbit film license, even though they released first."

This takes me back. :o)

https://brickset.com/article/2077/it-s-official-lego-lands-hobbit-license

@PurpleDave said:
" @BabuBrick :
Wait…what do you mean the “wrong way”?"

Because I interpreted @Elcascador 's comment the wrong way when I first read it. I thought he was saying that they had Bill and Brego for food, lol. That's why I said, "How dare you."

I have this one! Recently put it back together after it was all smashed up in a box when I moved a decade ago! Lol

@yellowcastle said:
" @PurpleDave said:
" @StyleCounselor:
First LotR sets launched June 2012, and the first Hobbit sets followed six months later. LotR wouldn’t have seen discounts until mid-2013. People tend to forget that the LotR theme basically piggybacked on the Hobbit film license, even though they released first."

This takes me back. :o)

https://brickset.com/article/2077/it-s-official-lego-lands-hobbit-license"

I forgot all about this. Makes sense. No wonder.

I wanted to stick strictly to Star Wars Lego which had dragged me back from the Dark Ages. My son walked into the store and demanded to buy 79016: Attack on Lake-town with his birthday money. The rest is history.

@BabuBrick said:
" @PurpleDave said:
" @BabuBrick :
Wait…what do you mean the “wrong way”?"

Because I interpreted @Elcascador 's comment the wrong way when I first read it. I thought he was saying that they had Bill and Brego for food, lol. That's why I said, "How dare you.""

What, are you saying you’d rather have those poor Hobbitses starve? Are you in league with Saruman and Wormtongue? Did you lament that they never included the Scouring of the Shire? You…monster…

@PurpleDave said:
" @BabuBrick said:
" @PurpleDave said:
" @BabuBrick :
Wait…what do you mean the “wrong way”?"

Because I interpreted @Elcascador 's comment the wrong way when I first read it. I thought he was saying that they had Bill and Brego for food, lol. That's why I said, "How dare you.""

What, are you saying you’d rather have those poor Hobbitses starve? Are you in league with Saruman and Wormtongue? Did you lament that they never included the Scouring of the Shire? You…monster…"

The answer to all of your questions is no. I actually rejoiced when the Scouring was omitted.

All I was saying was that it would send Sam into a nervous breakdown if they had to resort to eating poor ol' Bill.

@SearchlightRG said:
"It baffles me that this was the only way to get any Ringwraiths."

It wasn't the only way. They were being parted out on Ebay all day long, I got my nine.

@oldtodd33 said:
" @SearchlightRG said:
"It baffles me that this was the only way to get any Ringwraiths."

It wasn't the only way. They were being parted out on Ebay all day long, I got my nine."

I've currently got 15, all by buying sets. Twelve are this version, from buying this set (two from one copy at MSRP, eight from four copies at 50% discount, and two as replacements because the fifth discounted copy turned out to have had Bag 1 and all the other minifig parts stolen out of it). I also got two copies of 79015, which comes with the ghost Witch-King, and got my order place in time to earn 40693 to get the updated version. Unfortunately, I never managed to catch the torso on sale in OPAB, so I couldn't complete a set of the new version. And I'm not even going to try to snag eight more copies of that fell beast set.

However, while the horses are pretty specific, it's not too hard to fake the minifigs using parts from more common minifigs like Dementors, so there's always that route for the more budget-minded. The horses still become a problem for Fellowship, but the wings might show up on OPAB and make it possible to Bricklink a set of fell beasts for a more reasonable price.

@oldtodd33 said:
" @SearchlightRG said:
"It baffles me that this was the only way to get any Ringwraiths."

It wasn't the only way. They were being parted out on Ebay all day long, I got my nine."

The only OFFICIAL way, then. Like I’m surprised Lego didn’t have them in any other sets.