Random set of the day: Thunder
Posted by Huwbot,
Today's random set is 7157 Thunder, released in 2010. It's one of 15 HERO Factory sets produced that year. It contains 47 pieces, and its retail price was US$12.99/£9.99.
It's owned by 1232 Brickset members. If you want to add it to your collection you might find it for sale at BrickLink or eBay.
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28 comments on this article
A dude named Thunder, and he doesn't have a lightning based weapon?! Why even have the name?
@MCLegoboy said: "A dude named Thunder, and he doesn't have a lightning based weapon?! Why even have the name?"
I know, I was just about to ask, does he have a partner called Lightning? If not, he should.
Is his zamor sphere, printed?
Von Ness was once a part of HERO Factory, an organization that assembled robotic heroes to protect and defend the galaxy. One day, during a destructive mission at New Stellac City, Von Ness abandoned his squad and deserted the organization, going into hiding.
Several years later the ex-hero reared his head once more. Now known as Von Nebula, he had obtained the power to create powerful vortexes and portals and had begun recruiting bots into a new criminal organization, though his plans would ultimately be thwarted by his ex-partner Preston Stormer and Stormer's new team of HERO Factory rookies.
Thunder was a member of Von Ness's crew. Aside from that I don't think he did anything in the show. Other characters like X-plode, Meltdown, and Corroder had full episodes and fights dedicated to them. Thunder just kinda showed up in the finale.
I just looked up his wiki to see if there's any info on him I forgot, only thing of note is he escaped during the Breakout arc and is still on the loose, but with the HF theme over any repercussions of that are unknown.
Judging by the parts list, this came out before the big shift to CCBS, and I think I see a few Bionicle parts in the mix. Sadly, none of them are the Bionicle parts I actually liked, from the first few years.
Kachow!
Oh wait-
KaChIGa
This was my first constraction set, and he’s still my favourite Hero Factory villain. I don’t know, there’s just something about his weird asymmetric lopsided arms. Also, the full black legs make it look like he’s wearing trousers which is always hilarious.
Feel the Thunder...
@MCLegoboy said:
"A dude named Thunder, and he doesn't have a lightning based weapon?! Why even have the name?"
I think it's referring moreso to the low rumbling sound, something along the lines of "his footsteps boom like thunder" I guess.
Can someone give me the very short, simpleton’s version of the difference between Bionicle and Hero Factory please?
and thank you.
@CarolinaOnMyMind said:
"Can someone give me the very short, simpleton’s version of the difference between Bionicle and Hero Factory please?
and thank you. "
Bionicle: Cyborg Polynesians living in a giant robot in a world far far away with elemental powers and magic masks.
Hero Factory: robot police from space that patrol the Milky Way stopping intergalactic criminals.
@CarolinaOnMyMind said:
"Can someone give me the very short, simpleton’s version of the difference between Bionicle and Hero Factory please?
and thank you. "
I know there's already been an answer, but I felt the need to reply to this as well.
Bionicle: extensive lore that got way too complicated for any average kid so was cancelled after a great 10 years.
Hero Factory: very simple lore that made the Bionicle fanbase hate it 'because it killed Bionicle' (not true btw). Also got cancelled because kids didn't seem to like action figures anymore.
Then Bionicle G2 happened, but we don't talk about that ;)
@Monopoly said:
"Also, the full black legs make it look like he’s wearing trousers which is always hilarious."
Oh gosh now I can't unsee it, that's so funny though hahaha
Interesting.
Though the lore might be completely different, I guess to the uninitiated parent in the LEGO toy aisle this must have looked just like Bionicle.
Can he be paired with 6934 ?
Back in 2010, Hero Factory was one of the first LEGO themes I ever got into. I got several of the 1.0 heroes, and I really wanted to get a villain for them to fight. I really, really wanted to get 7148 Meltdown and asked my mon to get that one specifically when she went to the LEGO store. However, she ended up getting this guy instead. I was very disappointed.
Thunder is by no means a bad set, but in my opinion, he was easily the least interesting of the 2010 Hero Factory villains, all of which had incredibly unique and cool designs. Despite that though, I still have fond memories playing with this guy, even if he wasn't the exact set I wanted.
That's not Johnny
@mr_Fikou said:
" @CarolinaOnMyMind said:
"Can someone give me the very short, simpleton’s version of the difference between Bionicle and Hero Factory please?
and thank you. "
Hero Factory: very simple lore that made the Bionicle fanbase hate it 'because it killed Bionicle' (not true btw). Also got cancelled because kids didn't seem to like action figures anymore.
Then Bionicle G2 happened, but we don't talk about that ;)"
Correction: The reason Hero Factory was cancelled wasn't because it wasn't popular enough, but rather, it was cancelled in order to make room for Bionicle G2 to release (which was in development as early as 2013).
This proved to be the huge mistake than ended up killing Constraction. Who knows, if it weren't for Bionicle G2, Hero Factory might have lasted even longer than it did. Even with Bionicle G2 secretly in development all along, Hero Factory still managed to last for almost five years, which is an impressive feat considering how other LEGO themes such as Chima or Nexo Knights had much, much more marketing behind them, yet they both barely made it passed their second year.
@xboxtravis7992 said:
"Is his zamor sphere, printed?"
They don't really print Zamor Spheres. They did dual-mold (marble) them. In this case the part is the same colourscheme as the ones from the Piraka
Ah, the weird pieces in my lego stash find its origine
Just what is going on with his right arm? Are those giant fingers? Part of some jackhammer weapon?
Another entry in the "odd names for sets" category, and coming on the heels of the "Sonic" motorcycle, it's another "loud noises make cool names" sort of name.
Hero Factory was after I'd lost interest in Bionicle (I was too old for it, really, when it came out, but it was cool and I liked the lore, so I retained interest almost until the Glatorians), so I was almost unaware the earliest ones had a more "Bionicle" look than the later CCBS style. I like the Bionicliness and missed it in G2 (which really did not come at a great time for me to have any interst in Bionicle, period, but that didn't help). This guy's colour-scheme is great, but it's hard to mess up black-and-silver.
Too bad many of the first-wave Hero Factory villains had stickers, like this one. Admittedly, they did look good.
@Brickalili said:
"Just what is going on with his right arm? Are those giant fingers? Part of some jackhammer weapon?"
It's a crusher claw. This was one of the last 1.0 villain sets I obtained, but ended up being one of my favorites due to said claw! It was a blast to play with lol
@CarolinaOnMyMind said:
"Can someone give me the very short, simpleton’s version of the difference between Bionicle and Hero Factory please?
and thank you. "
Someone's already answered but here's my take:
BIONICLE: On a far away tropical islands a bunch of cyborgs living in run-down ruined temples go on a quest to discover their mysterious origins and awaken their god from an ancient evil. The theme carried motifs of mystery, horror, apocalypse, overcoming personal biases, and most importantly the value of teamwork and togetherness. It was aimed at a slightly older audience
HERO Factory: A team of robotic space police try to train their newest recruits as different crime syndicates and gangs pop up around the galaxy. The theme carried motifs of heroism, sci-fi action, learning to respect and listen to those with less authority than you, and discovering one's own identity. It was aimed a slightly younger audience.
@xboxtravis7992
@mr_Fikou
@GSR_MataNui
Thank you.
@GSR_MataNui said:
" @CarolinaOnMyMind said:
"Can someone give me the very short, simpleton’s version of the difference between Bionicle and Hero Factory please?
and thank you. "
Someone's already answered but here's my take:
BIONICLE: On a far away tropical islands a bunch of cyborgs living in run-down ruined temples go on a quest to discover their mysterious origins and awaken their god from an ancient evil. The theme carried motifs of mystery, horror, apocalypse, overcoming personal biases, and most importantly the value of teamwork and togetherness. It was aimed at a slightly older audience
HERO Factory: A team of robotic space police try to train their newest recruits as different crime syndicates and gangs pop up around the galaxy. The theme carried motifs of heroism, sci-fi action, learning to respect and listen to those with less authority than you, and discovering one's own identity. It was aimed a slightly younger audience. "
Horror is a shockingly prominent element of Bionicle. Even if it was 2001 dial up internet animation quality that final Makuta fight in MNOG is pure Lovecraftian style eldritch horror. "You cannot defeat me, for I AM nothing." Classic.
@xboxtravis7992:
Yeah, I hadn't really thought about it before, but so many times the next villain class is revealed by way of glowing eyes in the darkness, before walking out of the shadow. In the Mata Nui Online Game, many jump-scare moments initiated a combat sequence. But maybe it's a measure of my age at the time that I thought Makuta looked cute in his first reveal (hence why I made both Makuta and Mata Nui in McToran style).