Which LEGO minifigures could feature in rumoured Lord of the Rings set?

A rumoured price reveal has prompted LEGO fans to wonder which – if any – minifigures could feature in the rumoured LEGO Lord of the Rings Rivendell set.

While we know that LEGO Lord of the Rings will definitely make a comeback, LEGO Icons 10316 Rivendell is still just a rumour, so needs to be taken with a pinch of salt. Nonetheless, it’s believed to be on its way with 6,167 pieces for $499.99. This price and piece count combination is roughly similar to 71043 Hogwarts Castle, leading some to theorise that it could be another microscale set.

Although this would likely mean fewer minifigures, which might come as a disappointment to some, it would mean that it would likely be easier to display. Also, microfigure scale doesn’t mean absolutely no minifigures. 71043 comes with the four Hogwarts founders as minifigures, existing outside of the world of the set. By that logic, what groups of minifigures could make sense for 10316 Rivendell? If we go by the same rule of four minifigures, as in 71043 Hogwarts Castle, here are three potential options.

3 – Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin

Perhaps the most beloved quad in the entire Lord of the Rings franchise, four hobbit minifigures would be a welcome addition to the set. All four spend time in Rivendell together on a few occasions, at the beginning and end of the trilogy. Despite being separated from each other several times, Rivendell is where they reunite at the end of their epic adventures, so it would make sense for them to feature together in this set.

2 – Thorin, Bilbo, Balin, and Gandalf

The trio of LEGO Lord of the Rings BrickHeadz all focus on characters from the Lord of the Rings trilogy, so this could suggest that the larger set will also do the same. However, the LEGO Group could also be planning to balance out its coverage of the films by focusing on the Hobbit movie trilogy, which also features Rivendell.

By this logic, Thorin, Bilbo, Balin, and Gandalf could be smart choices to feature. You’d get varying levels of height, offering interesting minifigure leg combinations between wizard, dwarf, and hobbit proportions, and each one of the four has his own unique style. Of course, this would mean that they’d be skipping over several members of Thorin’s company, but in terms of the film plot and Lord of the Rings lore, these four are some of the most prominent figures from the trilogy.

1 – Gandalf, Arwen, Galadriel, and Elrond

Yes, we put Gandalf in two of these groups, but if any one figure is being immortalised as a minifigure, it’s got to be Gandalf. In 71043 Hogwarts Castle, the four minifigures are the Hogwarts founders, existing outside the set’s timeline. Gandalf, Arwen, Galadriel, and Elrond are the suggestion most closely associated with this. All four are (or were in Arwen’s case) immortal and lived or visited Rivendell throughout the centuries.

It seems hard to have a set of the Elven city without Elrond, Lord of Rivendell. His daughter Arwen and close friends Galadriel and Gandalf are similar beings of mythical grandeur, often featuring in Tolkien’s lore. They hold similar positions of weight to the Hogwarts founders and so would make a lot of sense to be included, if the LEGO Group designers are using the same rule book as 71043.

Of course, we don’t know for sure if 10316 Rivendell will follow the same formula – or even if it will exist at all. Nonetheless, the cogs in our brains are constantly turning until we get any official word from the LEGO Group.

Featured image: New Line Cinema

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