We're pausing the Space Tools Parts Festival for a week as we have a thrilling look at the new range of LEGO® Avatar sets, coming 1 October 2022.
Today we land on the moon Pandora to explore the unique new recolours that grow here, and maybe even spot some wild moulds that have never been seen before!
Thirteen years after the first movie came into the cinemas, LEGO have decided to make four sets and one BrickHeadz depicting the second movie, Avatar - The Way of Water that is planned to be released in December this year.
Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.
- 75571 Neytiri & Thanator vs. AMP Suit Quaritch - 560 pieces, 2 minifigures and priced at 44.99 AUD / 59.99 CAD / 49.99 EUR(DE)/ 54.95 EUR(FI) / 39.99 GBP / 44.99 USD
- 75572 Jake & Neytiri's First Banshee Flight - 497 pieces, 3 minifigures and priced at 89.99 AUD / 79.99 CAD / 54.99 EUR(DE)/ 64.95 EUR(FI) / 49.99 GBP / 59.99 USD
- 75573 Floating Mountains: Site 26 & RDA Samson - 887 pieces, 5 minifigures and priced at 159.99 AUD / 129.99 CAD / 99.99 EUR(DE)/ 124.95 EUR(FI) / 89.99 GBP / 99.99 USD
- 75574 Toruk Makto & Tree of Souls - 1212pieces, 4 minifigures and priced at 249.99 AUD / 199.99 CAD / 149.99 EUR(DE)/ 179.95 EUR(FI) / 129.99 GBP / 149.99 USD
- 40554 BrickHeadz Jake Sully & his Avatar - 246 pieces and priced at 29.99 AUD / 24.99 CAD / 19.99 EUR(DE)/ 24.95 EUR(FI) / 17.99 GBP / 19.99 USD
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Na'vi Minifigures
Surely the biggest change that the LEGO Avatar theme introduces are the new Minifigures. To represent the taller Na'vi LEGO decided to give the figures longer limbs and a new head mould. This is particular eye-catching when a Na'vi meets a regular human Minifigure.
A Na'vi Minifigure consists of five pieces, which use Medium Blue for the skin tone.
Biggest difference to the regular Minifigure is in my eyes the change of the head. LEGO Graphic Designer Casper Glander and his team moulded a new head, which is taller, has pointy ears and a chin. In an interview New Elementary attended, Casper said that they prototyped possibilities in all directions and even some with a moulded nose, but in the end went with the flat face as it allows a surface to print all the details better.
This is not the first time we see the longer limbs. In 2010 Woody from Toy Story had the longer legs and arms, but a the moulds got adjusted ever so slightly as you can see at the back of the legs for example.
Two specific Na'vi hair pieces where also designed as they not only had to leave space for the ears, but also have a bar connection, so the Na'vi can bond to their mounts.
Minifig Hipwear Tail (6385602 | 77263) is used for the first time in Medium Blue for the Na'vi, but appeared in Medium Nougat before in the Speedy Gonzales Minifigure.
Side note: You'll get a lot of tails if you get the whole range. Almost each figure comes with a spare, but it also occurred that one was missing the spare and another set came with double.
I'm not really convinced by the Na'vi Minifigures. Longer limbs are okay with me, but the head make them too different from the Minifigures we love and that are always somewhat abstract. The chin and the printed-on nose is too much for my taste and I would have preferred a more classic take, with a normal Minifigure head with additional ears on the hairpiece.
New Moulds in LEGO® Avatar
Most obvious in terms of other new moulds are for sure the animal heads to represent the iconic Pandoran beast from the movie. There are four heads, with three different moulds spread over three sets.
With the detailed printings and the usage of multi-coloured plastic they are really beautiful, but also stand out in comparison to the brick-built bodies of the creatures.
In our interview with LEGO Designer Atticus Tsai McCarthy, he told us they first tried out a brick-built solution for the heads, but in the end went with the new moulds as they capture the flowing lines better.
Two sets also come with Direhorses, which get moulded from Bright Blue/ Blue and Light Royal Blue/ Bright Light Blue plastic.
It's an important part of the Avatar movies that the Na'vi can connect via the Tsaheylu bond with all these Pandoran creatures. Therefore a new flexible element got made, that comes in Black and Light Royal Blue/ Bright Light Blue (6388510).
The part will make a great addition to the various whip elements already available, especially as one end is a bar-holder and allows to string them together to a long rope. I really hope we get the piece in browns or greens soon!
After we already have a Minifigure wheel chair in the LEGO system is was a surprise to find a complete new mould for Jake's wheelchair in set 75573.
The reason for the new mould is its smaller size. The previous version couldn't fit through normal LEGO doors, but this wheelchair does: it is only 3 modules wide.
One wheelchair consists of the following pieces:
- 1x Wheelchair (6400771 | 20440) in Bright Yellow/ Yellow
- 2x Wheelchair Wheel (6400773 | 80441) in Black and Transparent/ Trans-Clear
- and not new 1x Wheel Skateboard / Trolley (2496) in Black
The connection of the wheels is very interesting, which hold together with a half Technic pin. For this reason the wheels also fit on Technic axles and a stud.
Recolours
Next to the new moulds there are also a very wide range of pieces in new colours in the LEGO Avatar line. While building it really felt like the design team had freedom to use a lot of recoloured pieces, so the changes sometimes don't even add that much to the general look, but give each fan of new LEGO pieces a smile on their face.Here I list for you all the recolours, set by set:
75571 Neytiri & Thanator vs. AMP Suit Quaritch
560 pieces, 2 minifigures and priced at 44.99 AUD / 59.99 CAD / 49.99 EUR(DE)/ 54.95 EUR(FI) / 39.99 GBP / 44.99 USD
The smallest set of the range shows the final fight of Neytiri versus Quaritch.
The AMP Suit uses a bunch of small useful pieces for the first time in Sand Green.
- 2x Wedge Curved 1 x 2 x 2/3 No Studs, Wing End (6416000 | 47458)
- 4x Slope Curved 2 x 2 with Stud Notches (6416005 | 66956)
- 4x Ingot 1 x 2 (6372467 | 99563)
- 2x Plate Special 1 x 2 Rounded with 2 Open Studs (6303004 | 35480) came first in 40521 Mini Disney The Haunted Mansion recently
The Thanator on the other side uses next to no new pieces. Only exception is the moulded head with two of the flexible Tsaheylu bonds attached.
Each Avatar set comes with a few pieces in Glow in the Dark to recreate the Pandora flora that glows in the night. In this set the Carrot Top is exclusive in this colour.
- 1x Plant, Carrot Top (6365597 | 33183)
- 3x Headwear Accessory Crown Long with Bar (6364986 | 25516)
For the faked knees the Mech uses 2x Plate Angled 2 x 2 with Step and Hole in Center (6395097 | 79846) in Dark Stone Grey / Dark Bluish Gray. The piece was introduced with LEGO Ninjago EVO sets and gets a useful recolour here.
75572 Jake & Neytiri's First Banshee Flight
497 pieces, 3 minifigures and priced at 89.99 AUD / 79.99 CAD / 54.99 EUR(DE)/ 64.95 EUR(FI) / 49.99 GBP / 59.99 USD
The set brings two banshees, built the same but in different colours. The additional landscape allows to display the creatures while flying.
Next to the two moulded heads and four Tsaheylu bonds (6388510), the set includes the relatively new 1x Support Half Round 2 x 4 x 13 (6410522 | 1749) in Transparent Light Blue/ Trans-Light Blue. It gets used to build a waterfall.
The flying creatures bring a bunch of good pieces. In Medium Azure we get:
- 1x Animal Body Part / Plant, Tail / Neck, Middle Section with Pin (6410520 | 40378)
- 1x Animal Body Part / Plant, Tail / Horn / Tentacle, End Section (6410521 | 40379)
And in Bright Bluish Green/ Dark Turquoise:
- 1x Animal Body Part / Plant, Tail / Neck, Middle Section with Pin (6410519 | 40378)
- 1x Plate Special 1 x 2 Side Handle Closed Ends (6210775 | 48336)
Exclusive in the flora of this set 5x Plant, Carrot (6365600 | 33172) in Glow in the Dark turn into unique flowers.
In combination with the Carrot Top from the 75571 it is now possible to build a complete carrot that glows in the night.
75573 Floating Mountains: Site 26 & RDA Samson
887 pieces, 5 minifigures and priced at 159.99 AUD / 129.99 CAD / 99.99 EUR(DE)/ 124.95 EUR(FI) / 89.99 GBP / 99.99 USD
The group around Jake hides on the floating mountains with their portable laboratory.
This is one of the two sets that comes with the new Direhorse and therefor also with the Tsaheylu bond (6413262) and 2x Brick Special 1 x 1 with Clip Horizontal (6413261 | 60476) in Light Royal Blue/ Bright Light Blue.
After White and Cool Yellow/ Bright Light Yellow and fresh colour for the Technic Beam Round 11 x 11 (6411632 | 77107) is Dark Stone Grey / Dark Bluish Gray and gets used for the helicopter twice.
The Door 1 x 4 x 5 Train Left (6411633 | 4181) is new in Sand Blue.
This roof has been around for five years already, but I never had it in my hands before. Now we get 3x Slope 4 x 6 x 2/3 Double (6411629 | 32739) in Medium Stone Grey/ Light Bluish Gray, which may make this piece more attractive to Space builders.
A new addition in Transparent Brown/ Trans-Black is 5x Glass For Frame 1 x 3 x 3 (6411773 | 51266). The Window Frame 1 x 3 x 3 (51239) in Medium Stone Grey/ Light Bluish Gray is not completely new, but was only used in a single set before.
From the LEGO Speed Champions theme the RDA Samson borrows the shape of its windshield. Windscreen 6 x 7 x 1 1/3 (6411530 | 80222) in Transparent Brown/ Trans-Black is decorated with a metal frame and a blue line.
75574 Toruk Makto & Tree of Souls
1212 pieces, 4 minifigures and priced at 249.99 AUD / 199.99 CAD / 149.99 EUR(DE)/ 179.95 EUR(FI) / 129.99 GBP / 149.99 USD
The Tree of Souls not only speaks to Avatar fans, but immediately caught our attention with its vivid colour scheme and a bunch of pieces in new colours.
A mould with a very impressive size is the head of the Great Leonopteryx. On its back you can attach two of the flexible Tsaheylu elements (6413262), so the Toruk Makto can connect with the creature.
While Brick Curved 4 x 6 with 2 x 4 Cutout (6409626 | 78522) in Flame Yellowish Orange/ Bright Light Orange looks like it found its origin in a LEGO 4+ set, it actually was introduced as the faces for the upscaled LEGO 76393 Harry Potter & Hermione Granger.
- 12x Equipment Whip (6409623 | 2488) in Lavender
- 48x Antenna Whip 8H (6362970 | 2569) in Transparent Medium Reddish Violet/ Trans-Dark Pink
Around the trunk of the tree the root are part of the Pandoran Neural Network and allow for a connection with Eywa. Instead of Glow in the Dark the designers her used mostly Aqua/ Light Aqua. And three elements that never came in that colour before:
- 16x Plant / Creature Body Part, Vine / Tail / Tentacle (6410137 | 55236)
- 8x Bar Holder with Clip (6410136 | 11090)
- 4x Tile 4 x 4 Curved, Macaroni (6199901 | 27507)
In the other plants there still get some Glow in the Dark parts used. While the crown comes in other Avatar sets too, the other two elements are exclusive here at the moment:
- 6x Headwear Accessory Crown Long with Bar (6364986 | 25516)
- 2x Dish 2 x 2 Inverted (6365601 | 4740)
- 4x Weapon Hilt Symmetric (6365596 | 66909)
40554 Jake Sully & his Avatar
246 pieces and priced at 29.99 AUD / 24.99 CAD / 19.99 EUR(DE)/ 24.95 EUR(FI) / 17.99 GBP / 19.99 USD
LEGO® BrickHeadz only rarely shine in terms of having lots of recolours, and this one is not really an exception. But it is an inclusive addition to the theme, as the set features the first official BrickHeadz in a wheelchair.
Jake is built in a sitting position and also the arms are placed on hinges to let them go over the wheels of the wheelchair.
Among the 246 pieces are 3x Plate Special 1 x 2 with Clip Horizontal on Side (6411821 | 11476) in Medium Blue, which are now in that shade of blue.
Also we found three new decorated pieces:
- Tile 2 x 2 (6411504) in Medium Blue
- Tile 2 x 4 (6411503) in Medium Blue
- Tile Round 1 x 1 (6415285) in Bright Yellow/ Yellow
Closing thoughts
Befitting the unique flora and fauna of Pandora, the LEGO Avatar theme takes the opportunity to introduce a huge quantity of great recolours. There are also various new moulds starting with the Minifigure pieces for the Na'vi, the creature heads and a new wheelchair. I'm most excited about the Tsaheylu bond, which might come handy in future builds.
In overall appearance I also like the Avatar sets, but I'm not completely convinced by the flora, which doesn't quite reach the richness and strangeness of the source material. There I would have loved to see more Glow-in-the-Dark!
READ MORE: Our contest winners: Make a Wishbrick
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Can't wait to pick these up on steep clearance in a year.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this look at the pieces! I'm most excited about the new vine piece, and especially the new wheelchair wheel! It will be so awesome to have that small wheel size able to attach via pins/axles/studs.
ReplyDeleteThe new wheel could indeed turn out as a very useful piece. I immediately thought about building my own bicycle frame.
DeleteIndeed, I've toyed with the existing wheels on certain early armored vehicles as well as cargo bicycles/bakkies, but this wheel will make that much easier!
DeleteI'm fairly indifferent to Avatar as a franchise, but there's a lot to like here. The new wheelchair is nice and I hope it sees use elsewhere, as a more modern-looking wheelchair that's more compatible with regular doors and door frames. I'm also a big fan of that new transparent support piece from Lego Mario, and Trans. Light Blue is a great color for it. The brightly colored animal and foliage elements are neat but mostly make me wish once more that the Lego Elves theme was still with us.
ReplyDeleteThat wheelchair could work great as a housing for a bionicle dude.
ReplyDeleteWell there are some nice new parts and recolours but those Na'vi look like the bad clone brands you expect to see in a pound or dollar store. And the horse thing, shame there is no articulation whatsoever.
ReplyDeleteVery happy to see a new wheelchair mold. I guess the disabled minifigs' organized clamorous protests must have paid off!
ReplyDeleteOtherwise, like Andrew Barnick, I'm not a superfan of the franchise, itself, although I found the first film entertaining. The combination of Elves-like vibrant fantasy and drab, subdued sci-fi is fairly interesting, though, so I guess I would try to pick up some of the more interesting parts separately, later.
Another thing I thought of is that a black mold of the direhorse might work as Odin's horse Sleipnir. (Which might very well be an original inspiration.) At least the mythological version, I have to look up how Sleipnir is depicted in the Marvel comic books or the MCU franchise.
You didn’t mention Grace (Sigourney Weaver)’s hair 11256 is new in Dark Orange in set 75573! That’s my most coveted piece in the whole line, specifically so I can use it as a more accurate replacement for my Avengers (2012) version of Black Widow, but also because I like the mold in general.
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