Review: 40893 The Lord of the Rings: Grond
Posted by CapnRex101,
40893 The Lord of the Rings: Grond is definitely an appropriate choice for the gift-with-purchase to accompany the spectacular 11377 The Lord of the Rings: Minas Tirith. This battering ram looks excellent, particularly displayed at the city gates, without feeling integral to the model.
In addition, the actual ram includes no exclusive parts, so you could build it separately, though one of the included orcs does feature a unique element. That said, Grond's design is not entirely faithful to the movie, so perhaps this model is not quite as faultless as first appears.
Summary
40893 The Lord of the Rings: Grond, 307 pieces.
Grond is a superb set, arguably too good, considering its limited availability!
- Very detailed, particularly the wolf's head
- Cleverly adapted for a smaller scale
- A nice complement to Minas Tirith
- Ram struggles to reach the gates of Minas Tirith
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
Minifigures
The set includes two Orcs, mostly re-using elements from the minifigures in 10333 The Lord of the Rings: Barad-dûr. I think it would have been nice to have Gothmog again, but these generic orcs are more suitable for pushing the ram and they still look good. One wears a pearl dark grey Viking helmet, which is surprisingly effective because it seems oversized on the head.
The armour on the torso and legs looks excellent too, on both minifigures. I particularly like the spikes on the olive green-skinned orc's armour. Notably, this figure's double-sided head is new, which may be annoying for The Lord of the Rings minifigure collectors, but I would be surprised if it remains exclusive.
A sword and bow are provided for the orcs, which is fine, but I was hoping for more. I wish the printed shield available in 10333 The Lord of the Rings: Barad-dûr was also included here, for example, as that is a brilliant piece.
Reference
Source - The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, New Line Cinema
The Completed Model
Grond is an enormous structure in Return of the King, driven by several unnamed siege beasts and mountain trolls, with ordinary trolls standing about as tall as the wheels. Clearly, the design has been scaled down to mirror 11377 The Lord of the Rings: Minas Tirith, which actually works remarkably well, as the model is still highly detailed and feels substantial beside minifigures.
The designer has paid careful attention to the construction of Grond's wooden frame onscreen, including its angled braces, spikes underneath the ram and the ornate details on top. However, there is one significant difference from the film because Grond is much longer onscreen, with a third pair of vertical supports and wheels.
While this is a major change, it does not bother me at all. Grond's overall shape is not really its iconic feature and you never get a clear view of the entire structure in the movie, so the shorter design works for me. More importantly, the wolf's head looks marvellous. The shape is basically perfect and details like the teeth and nose are accurately captured too. I wish the flames inside the mouth were highlighted a little more, but I am not sure how at this scale.
The dark bluish grey battering ram is suspended on four short chains, firmly connected to the frame via 1x1 round plates with bars. Turning the handles on each side will rock the ram back and forth, which does feel realistically loose and gives the ram a sense of momentum to batter down the gates.
On that subject, Grond cannot actually reach the gates of Minas Tirith without the front wheels rolling up onto the plates around the city, which is awkward. Nonetheless, I think the ram looks nice outside 11377 The Lord of the Rings: Minas Tirith, roughly in proportion with the gates and therefore this interpretation of the whole city.
Overall
This topic has come up a few times recently, but I think the key to a successful LEGO gift-with-purchase is making something rewarding for those who buy a set immediately, which is ideally complementary to that set, without it feeling essential and thus annoying anybody who decides to wait. 40893 The Lord of the Rings: Grond strikes the right balance, in my opinion.
The decision to reduce the battering ram's length is interesting, though I think it works. In some ways, this model is a caricature of the source material, but you hardly notice because the major features are captured accurately, such as the facial details and claws, so I am very satisfied with Grond.
107 likes
103 comments on this article
GROND!
GROND!
GROND!
GROND!
GROND!
GROND!
I agree, it’s a good balance for a GWP. As many of us, I just wish it was more widely available - not having the funds to buy, or space to display, Minas Tirith means I’m missing out on TWO sets. More lower cost LOTR sets, please!
GROND!
GROND!
GROND!
GROND!
A great GWP but I unfortunately have no interest in Lord of the Rings so, as there are plenty of other sets I'm after on June 1st, I hope there are some GWP alternatives.
GROND!
GROND!
GROND!
GROND!
GROND!
PICKLES!
GROND!
BEEF!
TOT DE GROND!
exclusivity is an obvious and needed negative point. This would make a fine set. The ol' LAN fever getting to you leaving out that negative point
GROND!
GROND?
GROND!
GROND!
I’d say the smaller size might actually be a feature of the set. Minas Tirith is so large it’s already difficult to find a place to put it. Then you have to put Grond in front of it and you really have trouble.
GROND!
Grond.
GUNGAN?
GROND!
@KyloBen1012 said:
"exclusivity is an obvious and needed negative point. This would make a fine set. The ol' LAN fever getting to you leaving out that negative point"
I completely agree that this would be good as a retail set available to buy, although I am not convinced it would actually perform that well independently. Nonetheless, I really wish there was a selection of smaller and more affordable The Lord of the Rings sets available alongside the Icons sets.
However, I do not consider the set's limited availability a negative point, as such, because it is an inalienable feature. If this set was not a gift-with-purchase, it would not exist at all.
GROND!
@Samuel4El said:
"GROND!"
You are soldiers of Gondor! No matter what comes through that gate, you will stand your ground!
@Crux said:
"PICKLES!"
@BrewNomad said:
"BEEF!"
CHEESE!
_We_ are Grond.
GROND!
*in best Groot impersonation*
I AM GROND!
GROND!
GROND!
GROND!
SHEEP!
GROND!
Anyone else notice that the helmeted orc’s helmet is pretty much the perfect mold for Eowyn’s Rider disguise?
ROGER ROGER
Oh wait sorry, wrong IP
I love LotR but honestly have little recollection of this thing. This is where I usually depend on @FlagsNZ to provide all the additionally missing context, backstory, originating images for comparison, personal connectivity, YouTube videos, etc. o)
@KyloBen1012 said:
"exclusivity is an obvious and needed negative point. This would make a fine set. The ol' LAN fever getting to you leaving out that negative point"
This anti-LAN sentiment is getting so old and tired, at least with me. I wish folks would find a new hill to die on. The LAN gives our community a conduit and voice with LEGO, it doesn’t guarantee that each and every one of our gripes will be immediately and/or ever eradicated.
As for the evergreen GWP or NO GWP debate, I’m still on the side of GWP so long as the set is not otherwise incomplete without the GWP (i.e. Tie Fighter Rack and Aquarium filter). I’m also perfectly fine with a GWP having unique pieces and/or figures. I am not usually a Day 1 purchaser but a good GWP, so long as it lasts at least a day or two, can absolutely sway me to buy early.
Why is there no reference picture? Bring up the reference picture!
Cool that Lego is making ancient New Zealand war artifacts now. I remember when Grond was rediscovered after thousands of years preserved in the dead marshes. Everyone in the country was shouting GROND so loudly, the Australians could hear us.
GROND!
@CapnRex101 said: "
However, I do not consider the set's limited availability a negative point, as such, because it is an inalienable feature. If this set was not a gift-with-purchase, it would not exist at all."
Plus, as nothing is exclusive aside from an orc head, any fan can build it so there isn't really a need for it to exist as a regular set.
@Murdoch17 said:
" @Crux said:
"PICKLES!"
@BrewNomad said:
"BEEF!"
CHEESE!"
I don't know, man. I saw this set and I just wondered "has Nova finally gone too far?".
GROND!
GROND?!
Hoping that new F1 helmets might be announced tomorrow... plenty of rumours but an official release would be nice!
GROND!
GROND!
I would comment "GROND", but I doubt anyone would get the reference.
GROND CONTROL TO MAJOR TOM
GROND!
GROND!
"Gronda, Gronda. Doogy rev."
My partner has assured me this is an excellent reference.
GROND!
@CapnRex101 said:
"However, I do not consider the set's limited availability a negative point, as such, because it is an inalienable feature. If this set was not a gift-with-purchase, it would not exist at all."
I strongly disagree. People buying into and accepting GWP programs is why Lego keeps walling sets away and stopping from making smaller sets otherwise.
GROND!!!!
@CCC said:
" @CapnRex101 said: "
However, I do not consider the set's limited availability a negative point, as such, because it is an inalienable feature. If this set was not a gift-with-purchase, it would not exist at all."
Plus, as nothing is exclusive aside from an orc head, any fan can build it so there isn't really a need for it to exist as a regular set.
"
I think the helmet is too, at least in that color.
@yellowcastle said:
"I love LotR but honestly have little recollection of this thing. This is where I usually depend on @FlagsNZ to provide all the additionally missing context, backstory, originating images for comparison, personal connectivity, YouTube videos, etc. o)
@KyloBen1012 said:
"exclusivity is an obvious and needed negative point. This would make a fine set. The ol' LAN fever getting to you leaving out that negative point"
This anti-LAN sentiment is getting so old and tired, at least with me. I wish folks would find a new hill to die on. The LAN gives our community a conduit and voice with LEGO, it doesn’t guarantee that each and every one of our gripes will be immediately and/or ever eradicated.
As for the evergreen GWP or NO GWP debate, I’m still on the side of GWP so long as the set is not otherwise incomplete without the GWP (i.e. Tie Fighter Rack and Aquarium filter). I’m also perfectly fine with a GWP having unique pieces and/or figures. I am not usually a Day 1 purchaser but a good GWP, so long as it lasts at least a day or two, can absolutely sway me to buy early."
“ Grond they named it, in memory of the Hammer of the Underworld of old. Great beasts drew it, orcs surrounded it, and behind walked mountain-trolls to wield it. The Return of the King”
The hammer of the underworld was Morgoth's mace. Sauron was his lieutenant in the First Age.
GROND!
GROND!
GROND!
@emQ said:
" @CapnRex101 said:
"However, I do not consider the set's limited availability a negative point, as such, because it is an inalienable feature. If this set was not a gift-with-purchase, it would not exist at all."
I strongly disagree. People buying into and accepting GWP programs is why Lego keeps walling sets away and stopping from making smaller sets otherwise."
I strongly disagree. LEGO stopped making smaller LotR sets because they simply weren’t selling well.
I too wish they would come back, maybe for the next Peter Jackson film.
In either case, I don’t see how GWP have any affect on smaller sets, only on early purchasing.
GROND!
GROND!
GROND!
Since I was beaten to the Groot joke, I'm going to go in a completely different direction. THIS. IS. SPARTA!
Grond.
"Ram struggles to reach the gates of Minas Tirith."
Archers must be doing a good job.
GROND!
Re: GWP, my least favourite are the set-specific ones like this, since they’re almost always the hardest and most expensive to get on the aftermarket. However, while if the choice was “GWP or available for purchase” I’d choose the latter, I’m reasonably sure the actual choice is “GWP or it doesn’t exist” and there are a lot of GWPs I very much want to exist, so I’ll opt for the former every time.
But that’s all more or less besides the real point, which is that reviews are opinions from individuals, not a survey of whatever the loudest community complaints might be. If someone is reviewing something that’s a GWP or has stickers or is colourful or is grey or is on a topic you don’t like or is the umpteenth remake of an already well-worn spaceship and none of those things bother *the reviewer* then they won’t be listed as a negative. Even if those things bother you, the reader.
No opinion is ever going to be universal. (And wouldn’t life be boring if they were?)
GROND!
HODOR!
GROND! Purchase of Minas Tirith and its great GWP at the very minute they are released tonight (or rather early tomorrow morning), obviously :-)
This is exactly the kind of set LEGO should be selling for around 30–40 euros. I think there would be huge demand for them. I simply don’t have the money or enough space to display these massive sets like Minas Tirith.
GROND!
GROND!
ISILDUR!
GROND!
GROND!
Aren't you a little short to be a GROND!
@CapnRex101 said:
" @KyloBen1012 said:
"exclusivity is an obvious and needed negative point. This would make a fine set. The ol' LAN fever getting to you leaving out that negative point"
I completely agree that this would be good as a retail set available to buy, although I am not convinced it would actually perform that well independently. Nonetheless, I really wish there was a selection of smaller and more affordable The Lord of the Rings sets available alongside the Icons sets.
However, I do not consider the set's limited availability a negative point, as such, because it is an inalienable feature. If this set was not a gift-with-purchase, it would not exist at all."
Well they could have included a couple of orcs and Grond WITH a 650€ set, but it's the same FOMO tactic used as with the previous D2C sets. Taking out the side build and offer it as a very limited GWP to try and bring as many customers as possible to buy an overpriced, mass produced set on day one at full RRP. It will be another scalper feast for sure.
And yes, I absolutely hate TLG for forcing me to stay up late (or set an alarm) and fight the overloaded website, just so that I don't miss out on this like I did with the Fell Beast, because I know that by the time I wake up it's gone.
@TheOtherMike said:
"Since I was beaten to the Groot joke, I'm going to go in a completely different direction. THIS. IS. SPARTA!"
One does not simply This into Sparta.
@Hiratha said:
"No opinion is ever going to be universal. (And wouldn’t life be boring if they were?)"
If two people agree on absolutely everything, one of them is unnecessary.
This would make such a great standalone set if you throw in a couple of hero figures. But nope, Lego has to be a gatekeeping greedy company.
GROND! GROND! GROND!
@busyman said:
"This would make such a great standalone set if you throw in a couple of hero figures. But nope, Lego has to be a gatekeeping greedy company. "
And this is my point. It would be nice for the reviewing community to still highlight this as an issue. Either include it in the set (which it does indeed fit with), or sell it as a playset, because those people who splash on this would also buy a range of playsets no question
@SearchlightRG:
Pearl-titanium actual-Viking helmet? Nope, it's the most common use of that mold. One Marvel set, one City/Arctic set, two BDP models, one Ideas set, and something called "EG00162-1". Anyone know what that is? Brickset doesn't have a listing for it, and Rebrickable comments only consist of one person asking what it is.
@TheOtherMike said:
" @Hiratha said:
"No opinion is ever going to be universal. (And wouldn’t life be boring if they were?)"
If two people agree on absolutely everything, one of them is unnecessary."
That's not true.
@TheOtherMike said:
" @Hiratha said:
"No opinion is ever going to be universal. (And wouldn’t life be boring if they were?)"
If two people agree on absolutely everything, one of them is unnecessary."
The second person’s purpose — and one of them is always the second person from a certain point of view — is to make the first person feel extremely smug and vindicated, obviously. A vital role!
(Not that I’ve ever come across such a remarkable confluence of opinion, but I suppose it might exist somewhere right down to whether they like milk in their tea and what their favourite Lego theme is.)
"Bring up the wolf's head!"
@Hiratha said:
""Gronda, Gronda. Doogy rev."
My partner has assured me this is an excellent reference."
I'd say it was a very good reference :)
GROND!
I would ha-GROND!-ly liked to ge-GROND!-arately, I'm never go-GROND!-pend that muc-GROND!-gle set.
Never watched these movies. I heard there is a lot of walking and something about a ring.
GROND!?
Thanks for the review! Now, where's the review for Minas Tirith itself?
Frankly, if all the parts can be bought and the design isn't exactly perfect, I'm happy with having it be a GWP for those who really prize the box, but I plan to build it for myself, with all three sets of supports. The Minas Tirith set is excellent looking, but too big for my space, so I might just build the main gate and set up the scene of the confrontation (one of my favorite parts of the LOTR books).