Dear Lego: Vikings 2.0

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Mr. President
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Dear Lego: Vikings 2.0

Post by Mr. President »

With the recent discussion about revisiting Kingdoms, I got to thinking about other themes that might be revisited - and as a fan of medieval and fantasy themes, the first thing that came to mind was Vikings.

I know that Vikings was intended to be more similar in its release and pattern to "action" themes like Adventurers, which tend to get one run and then be finished, than evergreen themes like Castle. But, I recall reading that it was popular in 2005 and 2006, and perhaps it could be again. And after all, we did get a second dinosaur-related theme not too long ago (which came as a surprise to me, if no-one else!).

I also know that it would be difficult to maintain the pattern set by the original Viking theme, of warriors vs. monsters. I'm not sure there are really any likely opponents from Norse mythology who weren't covered in the original theme (maybe a kraken?). Nonetheless, I still think that a second Viking-related theme might have potential.
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Re: Dear Lego: Vikings 2.0

Post by Bruce N H »

I'd love to see another Vikings run as well. Personally I'd rather see it as historical than monster-driven, but either way would be great.

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Re: Dear Lego: Vikings 2.0

Post by Forestboy »

I second this. While I found it nice that Kingdoms was going back to its more historical roots (I'm using that term loosely) and somewhat like an homage to classic castle sets, I'm very disappointed that our current Castle line is now the most bland retread of about every single Castle line. I'm so completely disinterested in the new line, that I think Castle needs more flavor back to it. It should be Vikings(Or Forestmen :wink: ). I would love to see a group of vikings raiding a town in a set, or something similar.

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Re: Dear Lego: Vikings 2.0

Post by OverLoad »

Bruce N H wrote:I'd love to see another Vikings run as well. Personally I'd rather see it as historical than monster-driven, but either way would be great.
As would I. My first thought was "Well, how would they show Vikings pillaging and seafaring? That could be a bit gruesome." but then I figured it could be done along the lines of Mill Village Raid, with a few peasants comically defending themselves against the "bad" Dragon knights. If it were to be historically accurate, it could be from the perspective of England and France (ala Vikings = bad) or it could be the peasant based theme most of us (I included) have been dreaming of for years, with focus on Viking life and society (longhalls and shipbuilding come to mind).

That's my 2 cents on what I'd like to see. :)
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Re: Dear Lego: Vikings 2.0

Post by Bluesecrets »

I would like to see it too. And yes I agree with Bruce, not monster driven please. It was a fun line to build at least for the first line of it. The second was okay but very fig intense which is always a nice surprise.
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Re: Dear Lego: Vikings 2.0

Post by Lil_Curt »

I would love to see a come back of the vikings but from the perspective of the acctual people an not the evil blood thirsty tyrants most history portrays them as. Heck they were a family based socity who were acctually considered extremly clean for the time! When most english only bathed once a month, vikings had a bathday once a week :shock: !

An just keep in mind that bad is in the eye of the beholder, for me the dragonn knights, vikings, an forest men were all good as opposed to those evil sowrd weilding, religon pushing crownies an lion knights ! 8)

I would also love to see the forest men come back as well.

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Re: Dear Lego: Vikings 2.0

Post by falsusnominatim »

Can i make a few corrections? Just as a follower of the nordic faith?
the kraken was a greek monster. Yes the nords did make it as far south as greece and istambul. However the climate was not what they wanted.
as far as exploring they went from the northern edge of canada into russia, so showing those expidtions (and battles) could be intereasting

Personally i would love to see a common village of the viking era made. From the bakeries to the metal workers who made some of the finest armor and jewerly seen in the time. The boat makers were skilled craftmen looked up to for their abilities. Really the possibilties are endless in my mind. As far as "villans" go there are more than enough stories throughout the poetic eddas to draw from. Trickesters who convince brother to kill brother, and men willing to die to fight back the frost giants who threated thier homes. I will say though that the dragons in the first run were awesome.
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Re: Dear Lego: Vikings 2.0

Post by Karalora »

You know all this monster stuff was just the Danes indulging in a little historical revisionism to make themselves look like the good guys...yup yup... :wink:

In all seriousness, I think a renewed Vikings line could be a lot of fun. It wouldn't have to focus on monster fighting or historically accurate raiding--what if they delved more into the exploration and trading side of the Norsemen? Lots of room for village sets if they were framed as brand-new settlements, and they could bring other cultures into it by having the Vikings meeting other peoples on their travels, like Middle Easterners and Native Americans. If combat must be included, let it be between different factions of Vikings the way Castle has good and evil knights. The "good" Vikings could be the ones who just want to explore and see the world, and the "evil" Vikings could be the ones who sack monasteries.
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Re: Dear Lego: Vikings 2.0

Post by Ferretclaw »

I would love to see a vikings theme brought back. I own most of the old sets and love the dragons. Anyway, i think that there are a lot of things that could be done with this theme. More dragons and monsters vs vikings, like the days of old, viking exploration series, which would revolve around all the many places that the vikings sailed too (Greenland, Iceland, North America, England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Italy, Greece, Rome, even into Russia, plus there could be tons of fictional or non important islands added along the way) or a viking raid series, which would be viking bands attacking villages and castles, we could have viking conquest series, which would have a lot of battle packs and lots of minifigures to stage large scale battles, theres also viking culture series, which would be all about the land the vikings came from and could have more realistic and historically accurate helmets perhaps, or a viking myths series with all the places and people of norse lore ( :shock: ). I mean there are practically limitless numbers of possible sets for this theme. Im all for it!


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Re: Dear Lego: Vikings 2.0

Post by Bluesecrets »

Only thing is that i prefer fleshies to yellow. BEAR THAT IN MIND PLEASE, LEGO :)
You do know that fleshies are for licenses, yes?
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Re: Dear Lego: Vikings 2.0

Post by Forestboy »

Bluesecrets wrote:
Only thing is that i prefer fleshies to yellow. BEAR THAT IN MIND PLEASE, LEGO :)
You do know that fleshies are for licenses, yes?
That's it. I think we're onto something. :tasty:

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Re: Dear Lego: Vikings 2.0

Post by Bluesecrets »

Do you really want a Vikings line ruined by being a license? They have less parts. They are more expensive. Sometimes the builds are...meh. Don't we have enough licenses right now?
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Re: Dear Lego: Vikings 2.0

Post by Lil_Curt »

Bluesecrets wrote:Do you really want a Vikings line ruined by being a license? They have less parts. They are more expensive. Sometimes the builds are...meh. Don't we have enough licenses right now?

NO NO License, there are enough to choke a horse :shock:

Im with blue, besides how would you license the viking sets :? I havent seen anything recent on vikings in the theaters, though I do live under a rock :lol: . More parts lego exclusive = more product for me to build with.

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Re: Dear Lego: Vikings 2.0

Post by SSchmidt »

I agree and disagree with the licensing. I think the number of licensed sets are appropriate. It was actually the first LOTR wave that got me back into LEGO. I doubt I ever would have if I didn't notice those sets.

The LOTR sets also got my brother (AFOL now) back into LEGO as well. They were a fishing bait that none of us could resist.

I do, unfortunately, agree with my counterparts related to VIKINGS LICENSING. While I think there are some interesting concepts, I fear, on the whole, it would be awful. The Vikings show was far too graphic for a LEGO line (nudity and everything) and now that I am a father, and I much much much much more mindful of what I am taking in. I would hate for my child (when he is one day old enough) to love one of these LEGO themes and then get crushed when he finds out he is not permitted to watch the show.
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Re: Dear Lego: Vikings 2.0

Post by Ferretclaw »

Lego has made star wars and harry potter (both licensed (probably spelled that wrong)) with yellow figures in some sets/waves, so I don't see why Lego cant start including fleshies in non-licensed themes. I do agree that I do not want a licensed vikings theme. Just flesh figs :wink:
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