- This article is about the LEGO System theme that lasted from 1998 to 2003. For other uses, see Adventurers (disambiguation).
Adventurers is a LEGO theme that was introduced in June 1998 and was discontinued in Spring 2003. The main character of the theme is an Australian adventurer, by the name of Johnny Thunder (also known as Sam Grant and Joe Freeman). It includes subthemes such as Egypt, Jungle, Dino Island and Orient Expedition. A ride was made in LEGOLAND California and LEGOLAND Florida, based on this theme, where the rider must shoot enemies with a laser-pointer gun.
Contents
Overview
Unlike most other themes, which take place in fictional locations, most of the Adventurers sets take place in areas in real world countries and places, such as Egypt, the Amazon Rainforest, and the Himalayas, India, and China. The only fictional subtheme that did not take place in real life environments took place on Dino Island, where prehistoric creatures still resided. Johnny Thunder also was part in the LEGO Massively Multiplayer Online Game or MMOG, Lego Universe. This was his first appearance since this theme was discontinued.
The theme essentially consists of four distinct subthemes, Egypt, Jungle, Dino Island, and Orient Expedition. The main characters of the theme are Johnny Thunder, Dr. Kilroy, and Pippin Reed. Villains were also introduced to provide contrast for the heroes. Such characters included Lord Sam Sinister (aka Baron Von Barron), the main recurring antagonist of the story, Emperor Chang Wu, Maharaja Lallu, and Señor Palomar.
The exact Johnny Thunder minifigure has also been reused for the Studios theme and one of its subthemes, Jurassic Park III, to save on new elements. Pippin Reed and Mike were also reused, but had minor changes including assorted headgear and, occasionally, different leg colouring. Also, different hair colouring was used.
There were two radio plays released to promote the theme the first one was called LEGO SYSTEM adventure: The hunt for the Pharaoh[1] and released in 1998. The other one was called LEGO Orient Expedition [2] and was released in 2003. [3]
Minifigures
Adventurers
- Johnny Thunder (also known as Sam Grant and Joe Freeman)
- Dr. Kilroy (also known as Dr. Charles Lightning and Professor Articus)
- Pippin Reed (also known as Gail Storm and Linda Lovely)
- Harry Cane (Egypt and Amazon sub-themes only)
- Mike (Dino Island sub-theme only)
- Babloo (Orient Expedition India sub-theme only)
- Sherpa Sangye Dorje (Orient Expedition Himalayas sub-theme only)
- Jing Lee (Orient Expedition China sub-theme only)
Villains
- Lord Sam Sinister (also known as Baron Von Barron, Mr. Hates, Evil Eye and Sam Sinister)
- Slyboots (Egypt theme only) (also known as Sam Sanister)
- Rudo Villano (Amazon theme only)
- Señor Palomar (Amazon theme only)
- Mr. Cunningham (Dino Island theme only)
- Alexia Sinister (Dino Island theme only)
- Maharaja Lallu (Orient Expedition India theme only)
- Scorpion Palace Guard (Orient Expedition India only)
- Ngan Pa (Orient Expedition Himalaya only)
- Chang Wu (Orient Expedition China only)
- Dragon Fortress Guard (Orient Expedition China only)
Neutral
- Pharaoh Hotep (Egypt only)
- Pharaoh Skeleton (Egypt only)
- Skeleton (Egypt and Amazon only)
- Achu (Amazon only)
- Gabarro (Jungle sub-theme only)(Worked for both the Adventurers and villains)
Creatures
Dino Island
Orient Expedition
- Tygurah (India theme only)
- Yeti (Himalayas theme only)
- Jun-Chi (China theme only)
- Dragon Fortress Statue (China theme only)
Minifigures
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| Johnny Thunder | Johnny (With Backpack) | Orient Expedition (With Pupils) | India | Mount Everest | Dr. Kilroy | Kilroy (With Backpack) | India | India (Green Legs) | Mt.Everest (Flight) | Pippin Reed (Desert) | Jungle | Jungle (With Backpack) | Pippin Reed (Pilot) | Pippin Reed (India) | Pippin Reed (Mt. Everest) | Pippin Reed (China) | Harry Cane | Sam Sinister | Baron von Barron | (No Epaulettes) | Bi-Wing Baron (Pilot) | Island Racer (Driver) | Lord Sam Sinister | Lord Sam Sinister (Pilot) | Pharaoh Hotep | Señor Palomar | Palomar (Backpack) | Rudo Villano | Rudo (Backpack) | Gabarro | Achu | Alexa Sinister | Mr. Cunningham | Cunningham (Pilot) | Babloo | Sherpa Sangye Dorje | Jing Lee | Maharaja Lallu | Scorpion Palace Guard | Ngan Pa | Chang Wu | Dragon Fortress Guard | Dragon Fortress Guard (Quiver) | Dragon Fortress Statue | Skeleton | Skeleton with Evil Skull | Pharaoh Skeleton | Pharaoh Skeleton (White Nemes) | Pharaoh Skeleton (Yellow Nemes) | Tygurah | Yeti | Jun-Chi |
List of Sets
Egypt
- 1094 Johnny Thunder
- 1182 Adventurers Raft
- 1183 Mummy and Cart
- 2541 Adventures Car
- 2542 Adventure Mini-Plane
- 2879 Desert Expedition
- 2995 Adventurers Car
- 2996 Adventurers Tomb
- 3020 Adventurers Raft
- 3021 King Pharaoh the Third
- 3022 Harry Caine's Airplane
- 3023 Slyboot Car
- 3039 Adventurers Plane
- 3055 Adventurers Car
- 3722 Treasure Tomb
- 5900 Johnny Thunder
- 5909 Treasure Raiders set with Mummy Storage Container
- 5918 Scorpion Tracker
- 5919 Treasure Tomb
- 5928 Bi-Wing Baron
- 5938 Oasis Ambush
- 5948 Desert Expedition
- 5958 Mummy's Tomb
- 5978 The Secret of the Sphinx
- 5988 Pharaoh's Forbidden Ruins
- 9377 Adventurers Combined Set
- 1024601 Adventurers Value Pack
Jungle
- 1271 Jungle Surprise
- 5901 River Raft
- 5902 River Raft
- 5905 Hidden Treasure
- 5906 Ruler of the Jungle
- 5925 Pontoon Plane
- 5936 Spider's Secret
- 5956 Expedition Balloon
- 5976 River Expedition
- 5986 Amazon Ancient Ruins
Dino Island
- 1278 Johnny Thunder & Baby T
- 1279 Cunningham's Dinofinder
- 1280 Microcopter
- 1281 Mike's Dinohunter
- 5903 Johnny Thunder and Baby T
- 5904 Microcopter
- 5911 Johnny Thunder's Plane
- 5912 Mike's Swamp Boat
- 5913 Dr. Kilroy's Car
- 5914 Sam Sinister and Baby T
- 5920 Island Racer
- 5921 Research Glider
- 5934 Track Master
- 5935 Island Hopper
- 5955 All Terrain Trapper
- 5975 T-Rex Transport
- 5987 Dino Research Compound
- Kabaya Dino Island 4-Pack
Orient Expedition
- 7410 Jungle River
- 7411 Tygurah's Roar
- 7414 Elephant Caravan
- 7424 Black Cruiser
- 7418 Scorpion Palace
- 7412 Yeti's Hideout
- 7415 Aero Nomad
- 7417 Temple of Mount Everest
- 3380 Johnny Thunder
- 3381 Lord Sam Sinister
- 3382 Jing Lee the Wanderer
- 7413 Passage of Jun-Chi
- 7416 Emperor's Ship
- 7419 Dragon Fortress
- 7422 Red Eagle
- 7423 Mountain Sleigh
- 7409 Secret of the Tomb
- 7420 Thunder Blazer
- K7417 Orient Expedition in Mount Everest Kit
- K7148 Orient Expedition in India Kit
- K7149 Orient Expedition in China Kit
- K7122 Orient Expedition World Travel Kit
- Kaborient Orient Expedition 3-Pack
- VPorient Orient Expedition Value Pack with Backpack
Gallery
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Adventurers References in Other Lego Themes and Media
- In 1999, the Adventurers theme was featured in the 5706 LEGOLAND video game.
- In 1999 and 2000, the Adventurers theme was featured in LEGO Racers (Video Game).
- Several Adventurers characters can be seen in the intro of 2000's LEGO Stunt Rally video game.
- In 2001, Johnny Thunder and Pippin Reed were featured in the licensed theme Jurassic Park III in the set 1370 Raptor Rumble Studio. Although these characters had nothing to do with the movie, they were included because this theme was a subtheme of Studios, which encouraged builders to create their own movie scenes as if they were playing with a movie set.
- Also from the Studios theme, Johnny Thunder was featured in 1355 Temple of Gloom, and Pippin Reed was featured in 1354 Dino Head Attack.
- Numerous characters from the Adventurers theme appear in the 2001 video game 5774 LEGO Island 2: The Brickster's Revenge.
- The Adventurers theme is also featured in the 2001 video game LEGO Racers 2.
- Adventurers characters and sets are featured in the 2002 video game 5784 Soccer Mania.
- Johnny Thunder can be seen on a backdrop in the 2003 Sports sets 3548 Slam Dunk Trainer and 3550 Jump and Shoot.
- In 2010, Johnny Thunder appeared in the subscription-based video game 55000 LEGO Universe.
- In 2014, Johnny Thunder made a cameo in The LEGO Movie.
- That same year he was featured in a LEGO Movie theme set, 70815 Super Secret Police Dropship.
- He also appears as an unlockable playable character in The LEGO Movie Videogame.
- In 2017, the Ninjago theme set 70620 Ninjago City makes a reference to Orient Expedition.
- In the 2018 set 70657 Ninjago City Docks, 5935 Island Hopper can be seen on a billboard in the set.
- In 2019, Johnny Thunder returns as a playable character in The LEGO Movie 2 Videogame.
- Also in 2019, 71025 Minifigures Series 19 features a character called "Jungle Explorer" that is strongly implied to be a redesigned/modernized Johnny Thunder.
- In 2020, the Creator theme 10273 Haunted House set was released, which has a backstory centered around Baron Von Baron and features many overt references to the Adventurers theme, particularly the Egypt theme and his exploits with Pharaoh Hotep.
