It seems as if the legends were true, because Lego The Shire has just been unveiled after months of leaks and rumors - and Samwise Gamgee himself, Sean Astin, has pulled back the curtain.
Astin shows viewers around miniature Bag End in a rather heart-warming video some ways down the Lego store page that recreates scenes from Fellowship of the Ring in brick form. It's a hint of how you can set up your own Lego The Shire set; the kit includes the hobbit hole's iconic living room where Sam drops some eaves, Bilbo's study where he starts his book, and the party tree with 111th birthday celebrations. Oh, and Gandalf's cart is here too... complete with a dragon firework.
You'll be able to pre-order the set from Lego shortly ahead of its April 5 release. However, Lego Insiders (e.g. those who've signed up to its free rewards program) can get their hands on this precious kit from April 2.
Considering how good the previous two Lord of the Rings models have been, I suspect this one will be a contender for our list of the best Lego sets too. Want to find out more? I've dug in further down the page.
Lego The Shire
As the third Lord of the Rings kit (following on from Lego Rivendell and Barad-dur), we've got a pretty good idea of what to expect from Bag End. To be precise: a heck of a lot of hidden details, fan-service, and hidey-holes that give you something new to discover whenever you look at it. If it's anything like the previous two, there will be secrets during the build process too.
In terms of what it actually includes, Lego The Shire features a significant chunk of Bag End (the hallway, living room, and study). This is accompanied by the party tree you might remember from the field below Bilbo's home alongside the tent where Merry and Pippin set off the dragon firework.
Speaking of which, said firework is included here in addition to minifigures of Bilbo Baggins, Frodo, Mrs. Proudfoot, Farmer Proudfoot, Merry, Pippin, Rosie, Samwise Gamgee, and Gandalf. In a fun twist, Merry and Pippin can be built with soot-blackened faces and hair after they've unleashed that firework.
OK, there is a hefty price tag that may make your bank balance feel like butter spread over too much bread. But in terms of what you're getting there's a decent amount of bang for buck.
Honestly, I could go on about this thing for ages. It allows you to turn a burning letter into the One Ring, for example, and makes Bilbo vanish "at the turn of a dial." I'm very curious to see how that will work, so roll on April.
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