As much as I like the Bag End build incorporated in 10354 The Shire (I keep wanting to call it ‘Bag End and a Long Awaited Party’), many people might want some kind of sweetener to go ahead and pick it up on opening week. I understand this. At $AUD399.99, it is an expensive set. So, will the LEGO Store Exclusive 40761 Sméagol and Déagol be enough to make you pull the trigger? The LEGO Group were kind enough to send a copy of the set over to look at, but it has probably been available for a few hours before we are able to publish our reviews.

Let’s dive in >ahem< and take a closer look.

In the cinematic version, we briefly encounter the story of Sméagol and Déagol during the opening of The Fellowship of the Ring, and more completely at the start of The Return of the King. In the book, the story is told when Gandalf tells Frodo the history of the One Ring (The Shadow of the Past).

Sméagol and Déagol are fishing in their boat on the river. Déagol is pulled overboard by a large fish, and while underwater, finds the Ring.

Sméagol asks Déagol to give him the ring (‘It’s my birthday…’) and eventually takes it by force, killing Déagol in the process.

This is possibly the darkest backstory behind any LEGO set I know. Never mind monsters and dragons, this is person against person, possessed by greed for the ring.

The Elements

In this 181 piece set (one of the smallest ICONs badged sets ever), we have a mixture of blue and brown/green: a collection of elements for telling a story that takes place above, below and beside the river.

The Minifigures

We have the figures of Sméagol and Déagol: short legged like the hobbits

Sméagol’s torso (left) was previously used by Argus Filch in Harry Potter, while Déagol was previously used for Sam Gamgee in both Rivendell and Bara Dûr (and would be ideal to use in a ‘Shadow of the past’ set, where he is found eaves dropping before heading for Bree.

Déagol features the standard Hobbit hair, while Sméagol’s hair has been been used once before in this colour (but it also features on Nova in Friends!). Both figures have dual face prints: Sméagol looks content on one side, and like a man possessed on the other, while Déagol has a chatty smile on one side, and is holding his breath on the other. This is very similar to the. ‘Oh my goodness, I’m going to be sick’ face that has featured in several of the amusement park rides over the years.

The Build

We start the build with the riverbed: a mix of blue and dark green. A clip holds the fish in place. I really like the way that the tiles are used to form a border here.

As we move upwards, we add some pale blue plates, covered in transparent tiles to act as the river. A turntable is used here to allow the rowboat to turn.

We build up the rowboat: it has room for both figures to stand in.

The tree is a simple, but effective technique, using a bracket to attach the trunk: a curved plate us used to form a branch, while 1×1 round plates with handles (‘espresso plate’ are used to attach the foliage elements on jaunty angles.

Déagol uses a whip as his rod, which has been snatched by the fish, while a sneaky plate with a bar gives him the illusion of being dragged along under water

There is sufficient space on the river bank for our figures to have a robust debate over who should take possession of the ring (but, to be fair, the set comes with a couple of spare rings. Surely they could use one each?).

In conclusion: 40761 Smeagol and Déagol fills a gap in the storytelling of Middle-earth, in a set that would be unlikely to receive normal commercial release. The dual level of the build, along with the technique used to make Déagol swim underwater makes for an interesting display piece. While the printed torsos might not be unique to this set, they fit the bill nicely. It is a shame that there are not really any hair pieces that truly capture the thinness of Sméagol’s hair. Nonetheless, this set will be one sought by fans of the Lore of Middle Earth.

What do you think of this set? Does it justify The Shire for full price on release week?

Let us know in the comments below.

40761 Smeagol and Deagol is available now, when you purchase 10354 the Shire. That set has a recommended retail price of $AUD399.99; €269.99 £229.99 $USD269.99. It is now on sale to LEGO Insiders, and will be available to all on April the 5th.

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Until Next Time,

Play Well!