With 2020 firmly behind us, I thought we would take a moment to reflect on some of the highlights of the year. It certainly was one for books. However, despite pandemics, politics, and environmental disasters, it was not all bad. For LEGO® collectors, there were many great moments. For my look back, I decided to reflect on my top 10 favorite Minifigures of 2020. This was a hard list to compile. At first, I actually thought it would be easy to find 10 stand out characters. However, as I started going through to cornucopia of LEGO® personalities I collected this year, cutting it down to 10 became a real challenge. Ultimately, I prevailed. Without further ado, here are my favorite Minifigures from the past year.
NOTE: these Minifigures are in no particular order… LOL – that would have been too hard.
GIRL WITH COCHLEAR IMPLANT
This is the first Minifigure ever to sport a cochlear implant. I love when the LEGO® Group strives to make their characters more inclusive and representative of the real world. This Minifigure appears in Main Square (60271) from the City theme. The set includes several great characters and it was hard to pick just one. However, I found this one the most touching.
1989 BATMAN
Tim Burton’s 1989 film made me the Batman fan I am today. The Batmobile from the movie remains my all time favorite rendition of the car. Consequently, I was overjoyed when the LEGO® Group produced sets and Minifigures based on the film. This Batman minifig appears in two sets, the 1989 Batmobile (76139) from 2019, and the 1989 Batwing (76161) from 2020. I just got the Batwing for Christmas and will provide a review soon.
TATTOOGA
Tattooga is a pirate. However, he is not just any pirate. He hails from my all time favorite set of 2020, the epic Pirates of Barracuda Bay (21322). That set is an AFOL’s dream come true. It brings you straight back to the Pirates sets of the 1990s with a story to match. Additionally, the build is super detailed and converts into a replica of the classic Black Seas Barracuda ship. I just cannot get enough of that set. Consequently, picking only one Minifigure was really difficult.
AVATAR HARUMI
I am not going to lie, I bought an entire set just for this Minifigure. She sports a yellow jumpsuit almost identical to one worn by Uma Thurman in the Kill Bill films. Supposedly, designers were inspired by that very look. Avatar Harumi comes in the Gamer’s Market Set (71708). While the set contains many great minifigs, Harumi was by far my favorite because I love the Kill Bill movies.
MONKIE KID
The Monkie Kid theme strikes me as a bit of a flop. It produced some interesting sets and intriguing characters. However, the show that develops those sets and characters never aired in Canada. That was hugely disappointing for me. Regardless, Monkie Kid makes my list. The level of detail in this character is amazing. Additionally, I love his little headphones and new hairpiece. Despite the lack of show to develop his character, this Minifigure impressed me. Luckily for collectors, the minifig is easy to get even if the show is not. Monkie Kid comes in numerous sets, including Monkie Kid’s Team Secret HQ (80013) and the Demon Bull King (80010).
CHRISTMAS DARTH VADER
This Minifigure just barely made the list! However, that has nothing to do with likeability. Instead, he was the last character to come from the 2020 Star Wars Advent Calendar. Consequently, he only joined my collection on December 24. I have skipped the Star Wars advent calendars for a number of years. Interestingly, the 2020 edition contained two ugly Christmas sweaters, including the one worn by Vader above. As a result, my streak of holidays without LEGO® Star Wars came to an end.
HUNTRESS
The comic book geek in me squealed with delight when the DC Comics Collectible Minifigure Series was announced. Subsequently, I almost died when I found out Huntress was in it. Additionally, it was not just any Huntress. Her mask and costume featured designs akin to the comic book version that attracted me to the character in the first place. If your mind is straying towards the recent Birds of Prey film, stop. I do not feel that movie did one of my favorite characters justice. If you are looking for a great story containing Huntress, read the Batman No Man’s Land crossover from ’99, or Huntress: Cry for Blood from ’00. Those stories are the reason Huntress is on the list of my top 10 favorite Minifigures of 2020.
MARTIAL ARTS BOY
Martial Arts Boy makes a pretty obvious reference to Karate Kid from the 1980s. However, that is not what drew me to this Minifigure. I spent my teenage years in karate classes. Additionally, I had that same mop haircut for many of those years. While I never learned to use nunchaku, the character strikes a chord. This Minifigure featured in Collectible Minifigures Series 20.
VIKING
I missed out on the Vikings theme in my LEGO® dark ages. Consequently, I was stoked to see a Norseman included in Minifigures Series 20. This character is very detailed and comes with some great, unique accessories. I am also happy to see a hornless helmet. Incidentally, Viking helmets did not actually sport horns often seen on TV. I was born in Finland. Though Finns were never historically Vikings, I still feel some connection through northern mythology and culture.
AHSOKA TANO
Ahsoka is one of my favorite Star Wars characters. However, I do not often purchase Star Wars sets for budget reasons. Regrettably, I let Rebel Combat Frigate (75158) slip through my fingers for that reason. As such, I also missed out on an amazing rendition of Ahsoka. 2020 saw the release of a new, more affordable set containing the character. Determined not to miss out again, I bought the Armored Assault Tank (75283). While I have yet to build the set, I have already removed the Minifigure from the box for display.
I have reviewed and acquired a lot of sets in 2020. Consequently, picking just 10 Minifigures turned out to be rather difficult. There are so many others I had to cut in order to make this post. Perhaps some of them are on your lists. What were your top 10 favorite Minifigures of 2020? Please let me know in the comments below or reach out on social media.
Until next time,
-Tom
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