Review: 40549 Demogorgon & Eleven
Posted by Huw,
With a fourth season of Stranger Things set to drop on Netflix later this year I suspect we'll see another minifig-scale model based on the series sometime soon, but in the meantime this double-pack of BrickHeadz featuring two of the main characters in the show, 40549 Demogorgon & Eleven, will tide us over.
Summary
40549 Demogorgon & Eleven, 192 pieces.
£17.99 / $19.99 / €19.99 | 9.4p/10.4c/10.4c per piece.
Buy at LEGO.com »
Exactly how you'd expect BrickHeadz of the characters from the hit series to look
- Printed pieces
- The monster looks cute and scary!
- Eleven's short hairstyle does not make for an interesting figure
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
Eleven has grown up and changed appearance whilst doing so during the first three seasons of the show. The version of her depicted in this set is modelled on an early appearance in series one, in a dirty pink dress and blue jacket.
Her blocky representation replicates her as well as can be expected, although without the rather nice printed 1x2x3 brick for her dress she could be anybody. The printed 1x1 tile waffle provides a further clue to her identity.
Unfortunately her shaved head provides little scope for adding interest: contrast this with Bellatrix Lestrange in 40496 to see what a difference an elaborate hairstyle can make!
The main antagonist in the show is the demogorgon, the monster which changes form throughout the series. It begins as a slug-like creature, then morphs into something resembling a dog, before reaching what might be the final stage of its lifecycle as a humanoid-like creature with terrifying jaws instead of a face.
The BrickHeadz version looks excellent. The five 5-sided tiles are printed with a toothy pattern and more teeth in the middle add to its menacing appearance.
Its ribs have been created using the 1x2 plate with ladder, which first found use under train doors in the 1980s.
I believe this might be the first BrickHeadz without eyes!
Other than the jaws it's made entirely from sand yellow (dark tan) pieces, and it lacks any detail at the back.
Despite a boring hairstyle on the telepathic human and a largely monochromatic monster, I think they are great, and exactly how you'd expect BrickHeadz versions of the characters to look.
With Stranger Things enjoying a cult status and a new series on the way, they are bound to be popular. Let's hope so: perhaps we'll see Will, Mike, Dustin and Lucas in blocky form later in the year.
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27 comments on this article
The demegorgan feels a little dull at the back, and I do hope we get more sets! Eleven is great, if not a little big. Hopefully season 4 comes out soon!
Odd thoughts: the current two Stranger Things sets are either relatively affordable, or super-not affordable.
Unless you count the keychains.
I understand why this is a 2 pack but it feels so unbalanced. Eleven is just so uninspired compared to the Demogorgon which might be my favourite Brickheadz yet.
I think the Brickheadz wearing helmets are the first without eyes, well parts representing eyes anyway. Like Kylo Ren with the Sith Trooper, The Madalorian, Sweet Mayhem, Frozone, Stormtrooper, Boba Fett, Captain Phasma.
Surprisingly, Darth Vader has 1x1 round black tiles.
Having made BrickHeadz of four of the five children from the Custom Instructions website, I don't think this official Eleven is as good as his design. Especially as it includes a red tile for the blood from her nose.
It seems to be a very common theme in sci-fi. The monster eventually morphs into something close to its prey (in most case a human). We've seen that in Alien (also somewhat in Prometheus, an Alien prequel), spoiler: also visible in Eternals and in Stranger Things - assuming the demogorgon has eaten other animals before eventually catching Barbara Holland.
Demogorgan Brickheadz: Proof that something can be horrifying and adorable at the same time :~P
I wish they had done a 3 pack like Ninjago, and added Mike perhaps. Would have added some balance
@EDHS1989 said:
"I wish they had done a 3 pack like Ninjago, and added Mike perhaps. Would have added some balance"
What do you mean "added some balance"? What about this pack is imbalanced?
Not even an optional nose-bleed sticker...
Maybe they should have given her her blonde wig instead of the shaved part. Maybe as an add on to help add some extra texture.
And if we are going to get any other characters in this form, we really need Steve "the hair" Harrington. He is the true hero in the story.
You should use pics of the source material way more often in reviews, just saying...
The image of the Demogorgon used here is apparently fan art, because it inaccurately portrays the creature as having six "petals" on its head. The actual creature in the show has only five. Just wanted to point that out in case someone is led to believe the model is incorrect.
In his belly you will find a new definition of pain and suffering.
The use of the ladders for a ribcage is ingenious and creepy.
Fanmade Demigorgon looked way better. There I said it.
Maybe detail some of the back of head and lower back with some ridges.
Honestly it’s kinda cringe when the Brickheadz are inconsistent with the Minifigures and/or are of characters that don’t have figures so the fact that the Minifig has her wig (which could’ve added way more detail to this) stings even more. Same with the Demogorgon’s claws, the Wolverine piece was too big for the Minifigure imo but it would’ve worked amazingly here.
Demogorgon by itself could've served as a secondary parts pack (like the Ghost Brickhead),
As a 2 pack this doesn't appeal to me.
"Other than the jaws it's made entirely from sand yellow (dark tan) pieces..."
Does this mean it doesn't have the pink Brickheadz "brain?" Does it do something like the BH Creeper?
I want the Demogorgon enough that I'll accept its outrageous price and put the unnecessary other pieces with my Go Brick Me set. I know the monster from role-playing games, and neither know nor care about Eleven...but that's an inspired Demogorgon, no question!
I've never seen Stranger Things, but I understand Eleven to be the main protagonist or at least the most prominent one so I don't really know how people expect her to look in BrickHeadz form. I think maybe the set is trying to contrast her simplicity to the Demogorgon's eldritch form on purpose. To that end I think this set works well as a bundle.
Ah, the nostalgic 1x2 plate with ladder. Those were the days... anyways, while I do like Stranger Things, I have trouble finding the resemblance between the actual characters and these BrickHeadz ones. So hard pass for me with this set, but looking forward for future ones. Plus, I'm still waiting more Universal monster BrickHeadz sets. There is still hope, right?
Demogorgon looks like E.T. shacked up with a Sarlaac.
For everyone who complained the Road Runner and Wile E Coyote Brickheadz didn't look good, this set is the prime example of how some Brickheadz wouldn't be recognizeable without some context. Eleven could be anyone with brown hair and pink ruffles. Only with the Demogorgon do you realize who it's supposed to be. I think people who complain about Brickheadz design should relax and have a nice day.
I'm not a Brickheadz fan at all, so take this criticism accordingly - Eleven looks terrible. I think she could have been a little better if instead of a 2x4 skin tile giving her a massive forehead, they used a 1x4 skin tile and 1x4 hair tile -- just look at the photo (or any young person without a receding hairline). I assume there's some way you can turn her arm around so it's in her iconic "using her power" pose, though I guess it'd look pretty silly given how short her arms are.
Demogorgon is great. Maybe that's true for most non-human Brickheadz. You've got precious little wiggle room to get a human face right in this medium.
@Padmewan:
Hair on the front surface reads as bangs, and you need quite a bit more than 1/2” growth for that to be possible. There’s just not enough to her S1 look to really translate into an interesting Brickheadz design. Maybe if they did all of the kids together, people would be more lenient on such a plain design (after all, it would look bad if she were the _only_ character they skipped). As it is, this pair hits the extremes of interesting and bland.
The back of the monster is kinda plain, but honestly, who's going to display it with the back visible. Some detail would have been cool, but not a big deal.