Buildable helmets and disembodied heads have long been dominated by the worlds of Marvel and Star Wars. But the latest release seeks inspiration from beyond the multiverse and galaxies far, far away by taking a trip to Middle-earth. Joining the range of large-scale LEGO® sets – including the recently released Minas Tirith – is the helmet worn by the Dark Lord himself, Sauron.
Sauron first appears in The Lord of the Rings, where his rise to power began with the forging of the Great Rings. Three were given to the Elves. Seven to the Dwarf-Lords. And nine rings were gifted to the race of Men. But they were all deceived, for another ring was made. Deep in the land of Mordor, in the fires of Mount Doom, the Dark Lord Sauron forged a master ring, and into this ring he poured his cruelty, his malice, and his will to dominate all life. Despite being defeated by Isildur, Sauron’s spirit endured as long as the One Ring remained, and his evil nature is perfectly conveyed through his imposing helmet. Here’s a closer look at this latest, wallet-friendly set inspired by The Lord of the Rings.
Product Details
Set Name: The Lord of the Rings: Sauron’s Helmet | Set Number: 11373 | Pieces: 538 | Theme: Icons/The Lord of the Rings
Instructions: Paper booklet + Builder App | Sticker: N/A | Minifigures: Sauron
RRP: £64.99/74.99€/$69.99/129.99AUD/89.99CAD
Availability: LEGO Stores, LEGO Online & selected retailers from August 1st
The Build
Despite being inspired by a completely different film franchise, Sauron’s Helmet shares plenty of DNA with the Star Wars and Marvel character helmets. Most noticeably, it utilises the same style of display plinth, featuring a black stand and a printed display plaque. However, one major departure here is the inclusion of a minifigure – but more on that later.
Compared to other sets in the collection, Sauron’s imposing helmet is a far more straightforward build. The stand acts as a central core onto which several distinct sections are attached to form the exterior armour. These sections are clipped into place and angled to capture the helmet’s unique, spiked silhouette, neatly overlapping to give the impression of a single cohesive structure. Because of this layering, a couple of the smaller sections are a little tricky to snap into place around the surrounding parts, but it’s nothing too difficult.
The Minifigure
As alluded to above, this set deviates from previous Marvel and Star Wars helmets by including a minifigure. This is the same Sauron minifigure that appeared in the massive, expensive Barad-dûr set from 2024. Unsurprisingly, its reappearance here caused some outrage – mostly among those who purchased the larger set, hoping the exclusive figure would be a lucrative investment. This has happened several times now, and each time I find it amusing. It’s a great minifigure, with Sauron’s imposing armour, perfectly captured on a smaller scale.
The Verdict
Sauron’s helmet may be monochromatic, but clever element selection and contrasting textures give it plenty of definition. Despite being spread across six bags, the build experience is relatively simple, yet the finished display piece feels far more complex than it actually is.
While the minifigure has caused some controversy, my only real complaint is that it breaks the visual consistency of the wider helmet collection. It’s a shame previous sets lacked companion minifigures, as this one now stands out on the shelf. Fortunately, if you prefer uniformity, it would be incredibly easy to modify the stand and remove the minifigure platform entirely. The Lord of the Rings: Sauron’s Helmet is available now.
