Review: 76208 The Goat Boat
Posted by CapnRex101,
76208 The Goat Boat completely embraces the cultures associated with Thor, combining Norse design and Asgardian technology! The longship looks marvellous and includes some fantastical features, but those can be removed to produce something more traditional.
Additionally, several interesting minifigures are provided, including two that are exclusively available here. Those minifigures, the impressive longship and the price of £44.99, $49.99 or €49.99 should blend to create an outstanding set.
Summary
76208 The Goat Boat, 564 pieces.
£54.99 / $59.99 / €59.99 | 9.8p/10.6c/10.6c per piece.
Buy at LEGO.com »
76208 The Goat Boat looks fantastic, benefiting from an attractive hull shape.
- Beautiful shaping
- Excellent minifigures
- Easily adaptable design
- Stickered shields
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
Minifigures
Thor almost invariably wears spectacular armour, although this design appears uncommonly colourful. The predominant blue looks great, accentuating the metallic gold and black designs across this character's torso and legs. While these colours seem unusual, the rounded armour panels are familiar and the double-sided head returns from past sets as well.
Mjölnir has passed between numerous comic characters, imbuing each with Thor's Asgardian abilities. Jane Foster takes the mantle during Thor: Love and Thunder, becoming Mighty Thor and featuring resplendent armour. This dual-moulded helmet and hair component is particularly majestic, while the torso and legs exhibit complex decoration. Both minifigures wear red capes, common among depictions of Thor.
Unfortunately, removing Mighty Thor's helmet reveals an existing head beneath. This heroine certainly warranted a unique piece, especially because such a design could presumably have been used for Padmé Amidala. Mjölnir seems disappointing too, lacking printing to recreate its cracked texture. Stormbreaker looks good though, with minor adjustments from previous appearances.
Thor departs with the Guardians of the Galaxy at the conclusion of Avengers: Endgame, leaving King Valkyrie to rule New Asgard. This minifigure also incorporates six circular designs across her armour, evidently common among Asgardians, alongside a blue cape. The continued detail on Valkyrie's legs is similarly effective and I love her unique hair piece, which captures authentic texture.
Korg has also been updated for Thor: Love and Thunder. The leather straps that comprise his armour remain, but now display more ornate decoration. This ram's head belt buckle appears striking and the enormous fur collar reflects Korg's appearance during the teaser trailer. I like this double-sided head too, while the attached headgear befits a Kronan.
Smiling expressions seem appropriate for the optimistic Korg, but I am surprised that Valkyrie lacks an angry or annoyed face. Two distinct smiles are present instead, hardly conveying her personality. Nevertheless, her sword is a welcome addition and I like Korg's club, which makes clever use of little-used light bluish grey flowers.
Relative to the heroes, Gorr appears rather bland. This minifigure definitely captures the God Butcher's malevolence, including light bluish grey skin, bright orange eyes and a sinister smile. However, his white clothing is surprisingly basic, resembling the bandages around an Egyptian mummy.
This design likely reflects Gorr's onscreen appearance, although I think decorated legs were needed because the minifigure looks drab without them. The torso exhibits reasonable detail though and the villain is armed with a black sword, definitely recalling the mighty All-Black the Necrosword from Gorr's comic appearances.
The Completed Model
New Asgard has become a tourist attraction during Thor: Love and Thunder, seemingly toured using interesting vehicles like this one. The wonderfully-named Goat Boat looks excellent and measures 43cm in length, including the goats, which is larger than I anticipated. This dark tan colour works nicely and the presence of dark tan highlights is attractive, without overwhelming the traditional wood construction.
While moulded goats remain desirable, I think actually assembling these magical animals was appropriate here. After all, Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder are significantly bigger and stronger than typical goats, pulling their eponymous boat at remarkable speeds. Admittedly, their printed faces seem odd, but these designs convey great personality and the goats' different horns are perfect.
While their faces are printed, stickers represent texture across the back of each animal. Their shaping is rudimentary but captures essential features, including the goats' articulated trotters. The heads are also articulated. However, the harness that links these goats to the boat seems very basic and I think something more realistic was needed, especially relative to the trailer.
However, this simple Technic assembly allows easy removal, leaving a more authentic Viking longboat behind. The vessel now measures 32cm long and its elegant shape is immediately apparent, displaying flamboyant curvature at the prow and stern. Curved shaping continues along the whole length of the boat and I believe anyone interested in Vikings could enjoy this model, even those without interest in Marvel.
Longships are frequently decorated with ornate carvings, especially on their prow. This vessel features a twin prow which reflects the source material and I like the brick-built design situated here, resembling a stylised dragon. The dark red stripes underneath look splendid as well, with stickers identifying the Goat Boat as an Asgardian touring vehicle! The name of the ship, Aegir, refers to a Norse personification of the sea.
Stormbreaker can be stored on a clip between the prows and positioned nearly out of sight, as presented above. The model is surprisingly spacious, offering ample deck to accommodate the minifigures. In fact, the deck seems too vacant in some respects and might benefit from a barrel or similar addition to break up this uniformly dark tan surface.
Four shields are mounted on either side, reflecting their common position on actual longships. These designs provide great colour, but I was disappointed to find that they are formed using stickers. The accessories should probably have been printed because suitable round shields regularly appear in other sets and accompany Collectable Minifigures.
Longships were designed for relatively short voyages, so enclosed cabins were unnecessary. Even so, this structure matches the aesthetic associated with Viking architecture and features crossed bargeboards. The dark red stripes on the walls look brilliant too, while the combination of tiles and plates across the roof provide satisfying texture.
Both panels open, revealing the room inside. There is enough space for minifigures to stand, among accessories on shelves and clips. They include a trans-opal jewel, a trans-green bottle and a stickered map of New Asgard. Of course, the model also carries a fire extinguisher, which is an apparent prerequisite of Marvel sets!
Two clips are available for additional accessories outside the cabin, while the rear deck could accommodate minifigures as well. The traditional symmetry between the bow and stern of the longboat is faithfully recreated, albeit including decorative snakes, rather than sculpted dragon heads. While the blending of smooth and studded surfaces is imperfect, I am unsure how that could have been enhanced.
Four trans-light blue thrusters underneath the hull further demonstrate the Asgardian influence on this vessel, although these are fairly subtle. Perhaps more interesting is how 3x4x3 curved panels create the bulging hull shape which characterises longships. These parts are attached between clips and the 3x8x2 shells fitted on both sides, ensuring great strength and curvature.
Overall
The reaction which followed the announcement of 76208 The Goat Boat was overwhelmingly positive and deservedly so, in my opinion. This vehicle combines the historical inspiration and fantasy which are associated with Thor, balancing these attributes to achieve potentially broad appeal. The shape of the longship appears absolutely beautiful, reflecting reality.
The minifigure selection is also impressive, even though the protagonists are also available in 76207 Attack on New Asgard. In fact, my only issues with the set are the stickered shields and relatively featureless deck, but such problems are minor. Moreover, the price of £44.99, $49.99 or €49.99 represents fair value, so I would definitely recommend this set.
179 likes
34 comments on this article
So much space for figures!
This is just a fun set, just like that cool one eyed monster.
It will be a bestseller for sure!
Between this, Attack on New Asgard and the Viking Longship it is a good time for viking fans.
This is such an awesome build, I’m really glad they put so much effort into it! Only real drawback I can see is those stupid single-hole capes. I’m really disappointed Lego has pivoted too them, they look so much worse than the two-hole ones
Any chance of a demonstration with “real” goats?
You forgot about one minus - no real goats!
Sköl
@NatureBricks said:
"Better than the Creator ship."
Better to see the creator irl and not just on one not perfect photo before you judge...
I think this is one of the best Marvel sets ever, especially for a solo movie. I wish Jane had a new face print but that’s the biggest drawback for me, which is saying something! Love the build here and can’t wait to get it.
it's a Goat Boat
that can't float float
cool set overall, only one negative:
Jyn Erso head = huge L
It's basically become the new angry clone head. Imagine the next Padmé figure having that faceprint...
I only came here to see the requisite picture of this set swarming with goats.
Alas, I was disappointed!
Overall it looks neat enough. I'll likely consider picking it up. I loved Norse stuff as a kid. I know Marvel Thor is only a sliver of what I used to read, but still.
New figures are always welcomed. Maybe will get this and the Viking Creator ship and blend the two somehow. Should be fun.
Looks like there are at least 20 dark tan quarter circles in this. I think that piece was only previously available in small quantities in one promo set, so it's good to see them get less rare.
Edit: looks like 3 more sets with this piece were released since I last checked, making goat boat the 5th set. None of the others had more than 6 though
@Ephseb said:
"Imagine the next Padmé figure having that faceprint..."
The last one from the 2019 Podracer already did
@G_man284 said:
" @Ephseb said:
"Imagine the next Padmé figure having that faceprint..."
The last one from the 2019 Podracer already did"
tbh I competely forgot about that. Even worse for TPM Padmé, who's 14.. I even preferred the face used in 2011 which Padmé shared with Hermione back then.
Where is the Cocktails & Dreams neon sign?
(seen in the trailer)
So often we climb on to the bitch bus when it comes to complaining about prices on sets. Gotta give LEGO credit here, the set is a great price for what you are getting here. Upon any eventual 20% drop that gets even better. The stickered shields likely contribute to that 50 price, so I’m in favor here. And in my experience it’s a bit easier (as in there’s a bit more margin for error) in centering in a circle than centering in a square. Depends on the design, colors etc, but it’s easier for me, anyway…
@blogzilly , I rarely apply stickers but when I do, I wet the surface with a bit of Windolene liquid. It allows you to move the sticker until it’s in the perfect spot. It’s the method recommended by LEGO, and tried, tested and approved by me!
https://www.lego.com/ms-my/service/help/fun-for-fans/behind-the-scenes/brick-facts/apply-decals-blt39ee67a2a9490ca7
It's cool, but the newly revealed longship is way cooler!
I don't mind the viking ship, but the only reason I'd think about this set is for Gorr and Lady Thor figs, and they're available cheaper, elsewhere.
@Zander said:
" @blogzilly , I rarely apply stickers but when I do, I wet the surface with a bit of Windolene liquid. It allows you to move the sticker until it’s in the perfect spot. It’s the method recommended by LEGO, and tried, tested and approved by me!
https://www.lego.com/ms-my/service/help/fun-for-fans/behind-the-scenes/brick-facts/apply-decals-blt39ee67a2a9490ca7"
I’ve never seen this, thanks! I would’ve thought that the sticker adhesion would be affected by the liquid. But apparently not enough to matter in this case.
4 out of 5 minifigs have leg prints. Is this the Lego Marvel set I know?
@DamianMa said:
"4 out of 5 minifigs have leg prints. Is this the Lego Marvel set I know?"
Is this what we've come to? Glorifying simple leg prints? Just shows how much the LEGO Marvel sets need to up their game.
The boat definitely looks good from a LEGO builder's perspective, but the Viking source material fails to interest me too much.
Objectively, the price of this set is great, but for me it is too expensive, and the money can most definitely be spent elsewhere, for example on Star Wars sets.
I will be picking up Attack on New Asgard, which is fairly underrated and which I think is perfect for me.
For a so-called goat boat, I do detect a distinct lack of ACTUAL GOATS THANKS OBAMA
Between the Goat Boat and the Creator viking ship I'd pick this any time. TLG should have known it's a dumb idea to release two similar sets at the same time and would lead to product cannibalisation.
Personally I think a new face print for Mighty Thor would have been a waste given how little of her face you can actually see
It really is astonishing that pretty much every leading Star Wars or Marvel female character has to share the same exact head piece. I'm surprised no one is yet to call out LEGO on the slight, but inherent misogyny behind that decision.
@Mandalorian6285 said:
" @Ridgeheart said:
" @Mandalorian6285 said:
"someone please explain to my why Valkyrie's name is 'King' Valkyrie...? I find it very very weird"
King Valkyrie doesn't care about your feelings. King Valkyrie does not need to explain herself. Thor declared her King, and he does not answer to you."
but why not just say Queen Valkyrie? Is there some Asgardian rule that says you have to be a King?"
Eh, maybe it's like Starfleet, where all superior officers are addressed as "Sir" unless they prefer otherwise. A wierd gendered "gender-neutral" title.
@Mandalorian6285 said:
" @Ridgeheart said:
" @Mandalorian6285 said:
"someone please explain to my why Valkyrie's name is 'King' Valkyrie...? I find it very very weird"
King Valkyrie doesn't care about your feelings. King Valkyrie does not need to explain herself. Thor declared her King, and he does not answer to you."
but why not just say Queen Valkyrie? Is there some Asgardian rule that says you have to be a King?"
There might be! It’s not unheard of for real-life kingdoms to refer to a queen regnant as “king” or the equivalent in that language, especially if that kingdom’s laws traditionally associate the titles “king” and “queen” with different duties and powers. Some historical examples include King Hatshepsut of Egypt, King Jadwiga of Poland, King Tamar of Georgia, and King Christina of Sweden. For that matter, even to this day, Queen Elisabeth II also holds the titles Duke of Normandy, Duke of Lancaster, and Lord of Mann (despite “Duke” and “Lord” traditionally being gendered titles).
In Asgard’s case, the kingdom has never had a female reigning monarch before Valkyrie, and she’s a character who doesn’t seem too preoccupied with adhering to conventional gender roles. So it’s not too surprising to me that she’d willingly embrace the customary title for that seat of power (and the reputation it carries).
Also keep in mind that Valkyrie is bisexual in both the comics and MCU, even if the scene originally intended to confirm that in Thor: Ragnarok was cut. Tessa Thompson has vocally expressed an interest in Valkyrie taking a romantic interest as her queen in a future appearance.
Lovely set! The custom hull, roof, and figureheads are brilliantly designed, and while the color scheme is fairly monotonous compared to what I'd expect to see in in-house historic and fantasy themes like Castle, Pirates, Elves, etc, that seems to be accurate to the source material — which is a strength in its own right for this sort of licensed set.
The brick-built goats are packed with charm and personality, especially due to their silly face prints, individualized ears/horns, and amazing articulation. As nice as it'd be for molded LEGO goats to make a comeback after so many years, I think brick-built was the right choice for this set in particular, and molded goats would have been a considerable downgrade.
I did find it a little perplexing that the brown-haired goat (not sure which is Toothgrinder and which is Toothgnasher) had no molded ears, but after looking at some other promo images and merch, it looks like its ears in the source material are much shorter than the long, floppy ears of its white-haired companion. So I think the sideways studs on the pieces used to attach the horns are an OK representation of them in this case.
I understand the reasoning behind the stickered shields, even if printed ones might've been more of a selling point. After all, the set already introduces several set-specific printed parts for the goats and minifigures Printing the shields would have meant introducing more set-specific prints, and wouldn't even eliminate the need for a sticker sheet (since they're used on other parts of the boat). The prospect of potentially having to sacrifice four printed character parts just to print the shields doesn't seem worth it to me.
That said, I don't quite understand why they put the stickers on tiles instead of just having ring-shaped stickers for the shields themselves, especially since the raised center stud on this shield mold would be authentic to the raised iron boss in the center of actual Viking shields. Maybe it was just meant to allow builders to rotate the patterns in case people applied them crooked?
All in all it's a very fun and attractive-looking set! It is nice to see more references to the mythology that inspired Thor's comic-book counterpart, as well as more of the humor and whimsy I loved so much in "Thor: Ragnarok". I hope there will be plenty of both those things in the movie this set is based on! :)
@Aanchir said:
"The prospect of potentially having to sacrifice four printed character parts just to print the shields doesn't seem worth it to me."
We can agree to disagree. :) I would trade leg printing for new printed shields any day of the week!
It looks great, but I have one problem with it: maybe there's a bit too much dark tan. It doesn't look all that great due to that drab color.
Oh, and I think it really needed more details on the deck.
Otherwise a great set, especially for the price.
If my main reason to get this set is for the Viking longship, should I still get this set when the 3-in-1 Viking ship is just around the corner?