Review: 76084 The Ultimate Battle for Asgard
Posted by CapnRex101,
76084 The Ultimate Battle for Asgard is priced at £49.99 or $49.99 and contains exactly 400 pieces so is a little smaller than 76088 Thor vs. Hulk: Arena Clash. However, it is as just as appealing in my view, if not even more so, as the set includes a tremendous range of minifigures such as Hela, Valkyrie and the much-requested Bruce Banner!
Personally, I have also been looking forward to the Commodore spacecraft as its circular shape is quite unusual and the colour scheme looks very interesting in relation to other Marvel Super Heroes models. Distinctive vehicle designs are always fun and I appreciate this example, although it seems sure to divide opinion among Marvel fans.
Minifigures
Thor has appeared in several previous sets but this latest rendition is by far the best yet in my view. I love the pearl dark grey helmet and the double-sided head looks great, featuring a neutral expression on one side and a grimace, complete with crackling electricity around the eyes, on the other. The same elements appear in 76088 Thor vs. Hulk: Arena Clash but this figure wears a unique cape which is shaped as though it is billowing in the wind.
The left arm is printed with some shiny armour which looks brilliant while the right is left bare, just as in the film. I like the pearl dark grey torso and legs, both of which feature layered armour plate designs which appear quite similar to those found in 76088. In fact, this figure does not feature red symbols on his chest and the blue kneepad is missing. Presumably he wears that while fighting on Sakaar but not in Asgard, in which case I appreciate the attention to detail on the part of the graphic designer.
Thor is without his famous hammer but still packs a mighty punch as two trans-light blue power blasts are included. These clip into the hands and will launch when the tail is pressed, sending the projectile about a foot and knocking over any minifigures in the way. I rather like the feature and am sure they were thoroughly tested during the design phase but still worry about the power blasts stressing the minifigure hands if used too frequently.
Several new characters will be introduced in Thor: Ragnarok and Valkyrie seems to be among the most important so this figure will probably prove popular. She sports the same hairstyle as Taserface from 76079 Ravager Attack which matches her appearance in the movie quite well, as do the white markings around her eyes. The dark flesh skin tone and stern expression are perfect but it is a shame that the hair does not cover a large enough area for a double-sided head as a second, angrier face would have been welcome.
The soft fabric cape hangs over one shoulder, not unlike that worn by Thor. I like the combination of the blue cape with a dark blue uniform and the front of the torso is particularly impressive, featuring a metallic belt alongside black gloves. Unfortunately, Valkyrie's legs are left plain but the warrior does wear black gloves for gripping the pearl silver gladius with which she is armed.
Marvel Super Heroes fans have been clamouring for a Bruce Banner minifigure since the first Avengers sets were released in 2012 and he has finally arrived. We have yet to see Banner's human form in promotional material for Thor: Ragnarok but I think the figure looks pretty impressive on the whole, with a tousled hair piece which matches Mark Ruffalo's unkempt hairstyle reasonably well.
The new torso is decorated with a simple black jacket over a grey shirt but the most interesting aspect of the minifigure is definitely the head. One side shows a subtle smirk while the other captures the moment of his transformation into the Hulk! The grimace looks superb and I love Bruce's bright green eyes. It is slightly disappointing that a Hulk bigfig is not included in this set but the selection of figures is already very satisfying.
The teaser trailer for Thor: Ragnarok demonstrates the intimidating might of Hela and exhibits her incredible helmet. I have been excited to see how LEGO would recreate such an unusual accessory and the results look tremendous, with ten horns which are an exact match for the source material and a dark green symbol on the forehead. The element is made from rubber to ensure that the horns will not break and it looks great against Hela's white eyes.
Removing the helmet reveals an otherworldly domino mask on one side of the head and a cunning smile with green eyeliner on the other. The figure also comes with a black hair piece so you can display it with or without the helmet and she is armed with two black power blasts. Oddly, these are shown in red on the official set image but they look much better in black and suit Hela perfectly. Presumably they were originally designed in red but were swapped for a more accurate black elements at a late stage of production.
The torso is primarily black but also features some green decoration to match the helmet and small areas of exposed skin around the shoulders. It looks absolutely brilliant and I like the matching dark green cape too, especially in contrast with the bright green designs on both sides of the torso. A continuation of the green printing on the legs would have been great but it looks alright in plain black to me.
Hela also comes with a dark green pillar which elevates her above other character and gives the impression of her natural power. I wonder whether she will be able to manifest greater height through control of the cape in the movie or perhaps the columns will be summoned from the ground beneath her. Either way, it looks great and helps to distinguish the villainess. Hela is armed with a pearl dark grey sword and a poleaxe.
An army of Berserkers support Hela in her conquest of Asgard and feature a similar colour scheme to their mistress of black and dark green. I love the bared teeth and the lack of visible eyes is very striking, resembling the design of the Xenomorph from the Alien franchise. Printed detail continues onto the back of the head as well as the torso, although the rear is partially covered by a spike attached using a neck bracket. Both Berserkers are armed with a pair of black blades which are a fairly close match for the on screen weapons.
The Completed Model
The Fenris Wolf is the smaller of the two main models but occupies a relatively high volume of pieces and this is certainly apparent in its thorough detail. I love how spiky and textured pieces have been used to give the impression of fur and the general shaping appears very organic, much like a real wolf in every regard other than its substantial size. The model measures some 16cm from nose to tail and towers above a standard minifigure, standing at over double their height which seems appropriate for such a fearsome beast!
The wolf looks brilliant from a distance but is equally impressive when viewed at close quarters. I am particularly satisfied with how some recently introduced elements have been used on the head as rock elements appear on the sides and top while a pair of relatively new curved slopes form the ears. Both pieces have been integrated perfectly and the articulation is great too, with a hinged lower jaw and ears alongside a ball joint at the neck. It is also worth noting that the eyes glow in the dark which is always a pleasing feature.
This high level of poseability continues throughout the figure as each leg includes ball joints at the hips and ankles so you can create a really dynamic display. It is disappointing that many of the small ball joints appear to remain colour locked in dark and light bluish grey as black would have been more appropriate, although these muted colours do not look too bad against the rest of the model. However, the tan claws do seem slightly out of place to me and I would rather they had been replaced with black ones.
The body is remarkably slender, with a width of just two studs for much of its length, but looks great as the wide shoulders give the impression of real strength. The proportions are therefore slightly exaggerated but I think it works on this model, as does the attractive sloping of the wolf's back. It continues with a smooth shape, but for the ridges of fur, from the neck to the tip of the tail so presents a lovely profile from the side.
Just six pieces make up the tail but it includes two points of articulation, a hinge towards the end and a ball joint at the base. The rear feet are a little less poseable which is restrictive but you can work around this quite easily by positioning them as though the Fenris Wolf is prowling on its toes. This is an excellent model on the whole and the extensive articulation has proven to be a pleasant surprise; I only wish the colours were a little more consistent.
The Commodore spacecraft appears only very briefly in the teaser trailer for Thor: Ragnarok but seems to confirm the accuracy of the LEGO model to its source. The bright colours are certainly appropriate and really distinguish this vehicles from many of those which appear in Marvel Super Heroes sets. I love the black, red and yellow design and the balance of colours is just right so it looks neither too vivid nor too drab.
The cockpit opens on a hinge and reveals a seat for one minifigure along with a small control panel. Valkyrie will need to lean back quite a lot in order to close the canopy but I suspect this was unavoidable given the sleek design of the craft. Two pairs of stud shooters are fitted behind the cockpit and this area is ideal for gripping the model to fly it around as Technic beams run through the structure, thereby ensuring durability.
Large curved elements form the outer ring of the Commodore and are very effective, although comparison with the film reveals that the wing should be a little narrower. Nevertheless, I like the shaping and am especially impressed by the interior edges which make good use of 1x4 and 1x1 slopes. Moreover, the stickers look great in conjunction with the brick-built details and the 2x2 curved corner tile appears in yellow for the first time.
Turning the model upside down reveals seventeen light bluish grey sliders which strengthen the hull as well as another function. You can attach Bruce Banner, or any other minifigure, to the underside and then release them by pressing the yellow button situated just behind the cockpit on top. It works well and is particularly enjoyable if you already own a Hulk bigfig as Bruce can transform as he falls. Presumably such a scene will appear in the movie.
Four more stickers are used to form some stripes and the thrusters at the rear. There is also a hatch for storing accessories which is very useful as this set is absolutely packed with weapons and power blasts, although only the gladius belongs to Valkyrie! Once again the designer has used every inch of space throughout the vessel which seems to be a trend in sets this year and I am certainly hoping that it will continue.
Overall
This is definitely my favourite of the two Thor: Ragnarok sets. The entire minifigure selection is excellent and the balance of heroic and villainous characters offers tremendous play value, although their relative strength will only be revealed with the movie. The models also incorporate some fun play features such as stud shooters, a minifigure-dropping function and impressive articulation on the Fenris wolf.
Furthermore, the wolf is highly detailed and looks great on display from almost every angle. The Commodore is splendid too as I really like the vivid colours of the hull as well as its durability and associated swooshability. The price point of £49.99 in the UK or $49.99 in the US seems slightly expensive but represents better value than many other current Marvel Super Heroes products in my opinion so I would recommend it, especially if you are only intending to buy one Thor: Ragnarok set.
I hope you have found this review informative. Let us know by liking this article and share your thoughts on the set in the comments below.
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25 comments on this article
I didn't like this set when I saw the first official images, but it is starting to grow on me!
The heads of Hela and Banner look great!
I just bought and parted out this set. :) All of the minifigs are very good and definitely worth getting. Six is also a very generous number!
The minifigures look great for what they are, but hold no interest for me. As a guy who grew up reading comics in the 70s, I'd like to see the costumes from that era. "More realistic" clothing for Asgardian warriors just doesn't work for me.
When pictures of both sets first dropped, I couldn't wait to get them. After that initial reaction, I kind of cooled off to them, since they don't represent the best value. Now, though, I am warming back up--I definitely want this one more than the arena set (although the figures in that are ace)--but I will try to resist until I can find it at a better price: $50 just seems too much, but I will probably cave if I find it at $40.
I love the wolf.
I like the minifigs, but I've never bought sets just for those. The wolf, from certain shots/angles, reminds me of Voltron lions. The ship, meh. But all of the pieces combined probably means this is a 'buy' for me.
Recolored Chima Super-Wolf thing? Not quite, I know, but it certainly looks it.
Sweet!
I hope that Hela can get a date with Lord Business, they seem made for each other. That would be Hela Cool.
I love the ship; it feels very old-school to me somehow. Maybe all that red is bringing back memories of M-Tron...
Thanks for the review CapnRex. When the images were first revealed, I didn't like this set too much, but after a while, I seem to like the set more and more.
Love that this version of Thor is available to play Lego Marvel Superheroes 2.
"As the fire inside
Is ignited by bloodshed
In berserkers from north
Could it be as was said
When the serpent be woken
Fenrir howls"
-"Swedish Pagans" by Sabaton
Sorry, that popped into my head upon reading this. Great song for a great looking set.
This is actually Lego's second Fenris wolf, the first being a Bionicle-y version in 7015-1 in 2005.
Buying just for the minifigures.
I love the Hela figure and Fenris, but the rest of it leaves me nonplussed, even Bruce Banner.
Cool review. If I get this I will finally have all the avengers. I love the drop function on the ship
hm, I only want Thor's cape and helmet and the fenris wolf. what should I do?
This is a definite buy for me! Love the Fenris Wolf, and the red / yellow / black color combination has always been a favorite. Plus my wife is a huge Mark Ruffalo fan!
Hela, Thor, and Fenris look nice, but the rest of it seems a little bland. Valkyrie and the Berserkers are translated fairly well, but the designs aren't overly impressive themselves. Was there really demand for a Bruce Banner minifigure? The green eyes are nice, but it's not very exciting. The space craft looks alright, but the build wouldn't seem to merit the $50 pricetag. It looks better than the arena, but not much better.
Both Thor sets (thanks to your reviews) have gone from 'meh' to must buys for me. Mainly for the minifigures (and the big gladiator Hulk).
Interesting that both this and the newly revealed action figures feature handheld lightning blasts for Thor. Is this film going to lead to upgraded powers, perhaps?
I kind of want to get this just for the spaceship. I can easily pop it in the background of some kind of star wars scene.
I'm more interested to this set than the arena one. It does look really retro for me and the minifig selection is incredible for this price. The only flaw that i can see is the wolf with the light and dark grey legs. And I can agree, the Beserkers looks like Xenomorphes.
That ship is way too colorful, but if that's how it is in the movie then alright. I need some of those berserker heads.