Captain Roger Redbeard is a Pirates minifigure that was first introduced in 1989. He returned in the 4+ and 2015 reboots of the theme, as well as the LEGO Ideas set 21322 Pirates of Barracuda Bay.
Description[]
In his original appearance, Captain Redbeard has a black bicorne printed with a white Jolly Roger. He was the first minifigure ever to bear a hook hand and a peg leg, breaking from the traditional minifigure mold. He wears earth orange epaulets as a shoulder accessory. His black torso is decorated with a yellow-trimmed captain's coat, a green shirt and cravat, and two brown leather belts. His face features his eponymous red beard, as well as an eyepatch over his left eye.
In LEGO Chess, Redbeard appears in-game with either a red or a blue coat, depending on which team he is on. Otherwise, he appears identical to his physical minifigure in FMV cutscenes.
Redbeard's Studios variant has a plain unprinted bicorne and does not wear epaulets. Similarly, Redbeard lacks his epaulets in LEGO Racers and Soccer Mania.
As a 4+ Figure, Captain Redbeard's black coat and legs are colored bright red instead, incidentally resembling his in-game appearance in LEGO Chess. His trimmings are gold and his shirt remains green, but his cravat is now white. Both of his legs feature printing to continue the coat's design, as well as a flintlock pistol strapped to his left leg, although his bicorne once again lacks the Jolly Roger printing. Unlike other incarnations of the character, he has an ordinary left hand instead of a hook hand.
In the 2015 reboot of Pirates, Captain Redbeard received an updated version of his original 1989 minifigure with greater detailed printing. The Jolly Roger on his bicorne now features cutlasses instead of crossbones, and the hat is augmented with a bright red feather plume. His epaulets have been changed to warm gold, instead of being updated to the modern reddish brown like his peg leg. His face changes his beard to a more natural orange color, adds freckles to his cheeks, and has an open-mouthed expression showing off golden teeth on his lower jaw.
Captain Redbeard received another update in the 2020 LEGO Ideas set 21322 Pirates of Barracuda Bay, once again featuring brand-new printing on his hat, face, and torso. The bicorne's Jolly Roger goes back to using crossbones, more closely resembling the original 1989 design. The detailing on his torso shows that his clothes appear more worn, with small rips and tears. His beard is once again red, although the hair on his chin has turned grey in order to show his age.
Background[]
Captain Roger Redbeard is the leader of the Pirates in the Pirates theme. Redbeard is a fierce and bloodthirsty pirate that sails on his ship, the Black Seas Barracuda. He has several hidden hideouts and forts in which he can seek refuge, one of which being the Forbidden Island. He was cunning and smooth, and maintained a friendship with Bo'sun Will, one of the youngest members of his crew. He also had a pet parrot named Popsy. He was always looking for treasure, including that belonging to the Islanders. As a pirate, Redbeard was an outlaw and was constantly chased by Imperial factions led by nemeses such as Governor Broadside, Admiral Woodhouse, and Admiral Nonsuch.
From a number of sources, Captain Redbeard has an extensive family tree. Flatfoot Thompson is his great-nephew according to LEGO Mania Magazine.[1] In the 4+ continuity, Redbeard is the brother of Captain Kragg. In the lore of LEGO Quest & Collect, Captain Redbeard met an expert swordswoman and sired twin daughters, Pirate Princess Argenta and Ms. Dagger; Redbeard also has a son, Nobeard, whom he banished for being unable to grow a beard.
According to Captain Roger's Birthday, he has the same birthday as Governor Broadside. Bricks 'n' Pieces also establishes that he has the same birthday as Chief Quextil.[2]
LEGO Chess[]
Captain Roger is one of the characters in LEGO Chess. He appears as the King of the Pirates-themed chess set, where he stands atop a ship's wheel balanced on two monkeys. Captain Roger also represents the CPU or second player when using the Pirates-themed chess set, looking through a red porthole with a Jolly Roger flag.
In the Pirates story game mode, Captain Roger is the main antagonist, always accompanied by his pet crocodile. He witnesses Admiral Woodhouse uncovering a treasure map and, later that night, sends his crocodile to steal the map from Woodhouse's home. However, Woodhouse wakes up and wrestles the map away from Roger and his crocodile, who are forced to flee. The next day, Roger intercepts Woodhouse's Armada Flagship with the Red Beard Runner, although the Imperial Armada emerge victorious over the Pirates and force a defeated Roger to walk the plank. However, Roger is rescued by his pet crocodile, and attacks Woodhouse after the treasure chest is uncovered. Admiral Woodhouse defeats Roger and leaves him buried up to his neck in sand.
If the player loses the first level, Captain Roger successfully escapes Woodhouse's home with the treasure map. If the player loses the second level, Roger forces Woodhouse to walk the plank of the Red Beard Runner. If the player loses the third level, Roger leaves Woodhouse buried in the sand.
LEGO Racers[]
LEGO Racers - Captain Redbeard's Opening
Redbeard's cutscene in LEGO Racers
- "Aar, on the high seas, or on land… you are no match for the great Captain Redbeard! So give it up, matey! Har, har."
- ―Captain Redbeard in LEGO Racers
It is revealed in the LEGO Racers video game that Captain Redbeard is a competent race driver, having been recruited by Rocket Racer. He is one of the circuit champions of the game, hosting Circuit 1. Redbeard's preferred power-up brick colour is red (possibly referencing his eponymous beard color), and he uses the basic cannonball attack to fit his pirate motif; his aggressive offense strategy makes it difficult to maintain a lead over Redbeard without using blue brick shields. If the player finishes first in Circuit 1, they will unlock Captain Redbeard's car set, along with the Pirates minifigure pieces for Captain Redbeard, Governor Broadside, and Blackjack Hawkins.
In the game's intro FMV cutscene, Captain Redbeard is leading the other circuit champions on Imperial Grand Prix. However, he is hit with a cannonball from Baron von Barron, and then swerves out of control with his bicorne covering his eyes.
Studios[]
Captain Redbeard appears as an actor in the Studios theme. Along with a skeleton, he takes part in the filming of a Treasure Hunt as he digs for a treasure chest.
LEGO Island 2: The Brickster's Revenge[]
Captain Redbeard can be found in the Phanta Sea in the Game Boy Color version of LEGO Island 2: The Brickster's Revenge.[3]
LEGOLAND[]
Captain Redbeard is present at the boating school, which takes appearance of his ship 6289 Red Beard Runner. Later in the game he is mentioned by duty manager as being eager to take guests for treasure hunting.
Soccer Mania[]
Captain Redbeard also appears in the video game Soccer Mania, having a recurring role in the game's story mode. Redbeard is aboard the Skelly Ship that captures the player's team as they were chasing the Brickster. He says that he will give the player a treasure map revealing the location of the Brickster's hideout; however, the player's team must defeat the Pirate Skeletons team led by Captain Click. After the player accomplishes this, Redbeard fulfills his promise.
Later, Captain Redbeard is seen on the Desert Island as the goalkeeper of the Tricorner Pirates team, while the player is locating the parts for the Spaceship. At the end of the game, Redbeard is a defender of Intergalactic, a team formed by the Brickster comprising of the best soccer players.
4+[]
Captain Redbeard is the brother of Captain Kragg. In their childhood, they found the treasure map of Don-Cortez and fought over it, leading to the map being torn in half and each brother receiving one half. In their adulthood, Redbeard and Kragg have become rival pirate captains, seeking to steal the other's half of the map and go on a sea voyage to retrieve the treasure.[4]
The LEGO Movie[]
Captain Redbeard can be seen briefly in the real world as "The Man Upstairs" looks at the "Do not touch" sign on Pirate's Cove. He is standing on a dock near MetalBeard's Sea Cow, where he is looking through a spyglass.
LEGO Quest & Collect[]
In LEGO Quest & Collect, Captain Redbeard uses his design from the 2015 reboot. He is a physical attacker with the skills "An Old Companion", "Formidable Defense", and "Quicksword".
LEGO Legacy: Heroes Unboxed[]
In LEGO Legacy: Heroes Unboxed, Captain Redbeard uses his original 1989 minifigure design. He is a support unit with the abilities "Go for the Eyes!", "Salty Seas", "Lucy!", "Captain's Presence", and "Walk the Plank!". His codex tiles are unlocked by completing daily missions.
In the Piptown United story campaign, Captain Redbeard refuses to evacuate to Piptown with the Builders until he finishes his quest for Captain Brickbeard's treasure. Along the way, they are pursued by Admiral Nonsuch and his Imperial Soldiers, and then discover that Brickbeard's cursed treasure is guarded by skeletons. Once they retrieve the treasure and escape the Imperials, Redbeard promises to go to Piptown after he finishes counting the gold coins.
LEGO Descriptions[]
 This is a description taken from Ladybird Books. Please do not modify it.
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Captain Roger, proud owner of Darkshark, the finest pirate ship on the High Seas. He is a real sea dog, always on the hunt for gold - some say he can actually smell it! |
| This is a description taken from the United Kingdom 1990 LEGO catalog. Please do not modify it.
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Captain Roger only has one thing on his mind, to capture the treasure from the Governor! |
| This is a description taken from LEGO Mania Magazine November-December 1995. Please do not modify it.
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Captain Redbeard's friends include a monkey named Coco and a parrot named Squawks. He keeps busy by changing the entrance to his secret hideout. "How can you have a secret entrance when that blasted parrot won't keep his beak shut?" To relax, Captain Redbeard likes to ski barefoot behind his souped up Renegade Runner. He's working on a barefoot jump his calls the Pirate Plunge. When visiting the 20th century, he sneaks off to LEGO, West Virginia, with his metal detector and tries to find his favorite hook, which he lost while burying some treasure. Captain Redbeard |
| This is a description taken from Shop At Home Summer 96 Catalog. Please do not modify it.
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MEET CAPTAIN RED BEARD Captain Red Beard is a super sneaky treasure seeker. To relax, he likes to swing from the ship's mast and do cannonball jumps into the water. His ship's secret weapon is the skull hull that snaps back into place. |
| This is a description taken from Shop At Home Holiday 1996 Catalog. Please do not modify it.
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MEET CAPTAIN RED BEARD Every Holiday Season, Captain Red Beard asks for the same present - a new Red Beard Runner. That's because every year Red Beard's ship gets sunk by the Admiral. He also asks for new treasure chests because he can never remember where he buries his. |
| This is a description taken from LEGO.com. Please do not modify it. (See an archive of the product’s page)
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Captain Redbeard Favorite LEGO Racers track: Pirate Skull Pass Captain Redbeard's friends include a monkey named Coco and a parrot named Squawks, and he keeps busy by changing the entrance to his secret hideout. While Redbeard is a skilled racer, he does tend to favor the cannonball over other game powerups. |
| This is a description taken from LEGO.com. Please do not modify it. (See an archive of the product’s page)
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"Ahoy, me hearties! Let's set sail for adventure!" Kind, generous and brave (not to mention a snappy dresser!), Captain Redbeard leads the loyal crew of the Hurricane on one adventure after another. He likes nothing more than exploring a new cave or island and can always be counted on to get his friends out of trouble with a crazy idea or wild scheme. Captain Redbeard believes in fair play, even when he's up against his no-good brother Captain Kragg. He hopes one day to get the second half of the map and find the treasure of Don-Cortez, although he's not sure what he'll do with it when he does! |
| This is a description taken from LEGO.com. Please do not modify it. (See an archive of the product’s page)
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Captain Redbeard is the toughest of the pirates. The old sea dog has plundered more forts and sailed for more years than he has teeth in his mouth. Which frankly doesn’t say that much. But you get the point. |
| This is a description taken from LEGO Quest & Collect. Please do not modify it.
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NAME: Captain Redbeard |
| This is a description taken from LEGO Legacy: Heroes Unboxed. Please do not modify it.
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An inspiring support unit who relieves debuffed allies and encourages others to join his attacks. Redbeard is famed on the high seas for his toughness, derring-do, and overall shortage of key body parts. Trivia Arrty-Nine Fleet Jolly Roger Some Limbs Not Included Can't Keep a Good Man Drowned Legendary Pirate |
| This is a description taken from 21322 Pirates of Barracuda Bay. Please do not modify it.
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Captain Redbeard Captain Redbeard was once captain of the great ship Black Seas Barracuda. An infamous pirate. Redbeard and his crew sailed the seas from Rock Island Refuge in search of treasures stolen by the mighty Imperials. Feared by his enemies and admired by his friends, Redbeard was a legend among all sea-faring folk. A pirate pioneer, Redbeard paved the way for the pirates who came after him. It was said that Long John Silver stole his wooden leg idea, Captain Hook copied his missing hand and Blackbeard was inspired by his lustrous beard. |
Gallery of Variants[]
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| Original (1989) | Studios | 4+ | 2015 Redesign | LEGO Ideas 2020 Redesign |
Appearances[]
- 6270 Forbidden Island
- 6285 Black Seas Barracuda
- 6276 Eldorado Fortress
- 6251 Pirate Mini Figures
- 6273 Rock Island Refuge
- 6267 Lagoon Lock-Up
- 6286 Skull's Eye Schooner
- 6279 Skull Island
- 6289 Red Beard Runner
- 6204 Buccaneers
- 6250 Cross Bone Clipper
- 1411 Treasure Hunt Kit
- 6290 Red Beard Runner
- 10040 Black Seas Barracuda
- 7073 Pirate Dock
- 7075 Captain Redbeard's Pirate Ship
- 70413 The Brick Bounty
- 40158 Pirates Chess Set
- 21322 Pirates of Barracuda Bay
Book Appearances[]
- 6255 Pirate Comic
- Will and the Gold Chase
- Captain Roger's Birthday
- Adventure on Shark Island
- The Royal Visit
Online Game Appearances[]
- Treasure Hunt in the Pirate Sea
Video Game Appearances[]
- 5702 LEGO Chess
- LEGO Racers
- 5730 LEGO Island 2: The Brickster's Revenge
- 5706 LEGOLAND
- 5784 Soccer Mania
- LEGO Quest & Collect
- LEGO Legacy: Heroes Unboxed
Notes[]
- Generally, this character is known exclusively as either Captain Redbeard (or Captain Red Beard) in the United States and Captain Roger in the United Kingdom and other European countries. However, a few sources indicate that both names are considered canonical. For example, the English version of The Golden Medallion mostly refers to the character as Red Beard, but also refers to him as Roger in the penultimate panel. LEGO Legacy: Heroes Unboxed outright confirms that Captain Redbeard's given name is Roger.
- In the Netherlands, Captain Redbeard was originally known as Kapitein Knoest (Captain Knot) in catalogs and LEGO Racers.[5][6] The 4+ and Ideas lines change this to a more literal translation of his English name, Kapitein Roodbaard.[7][8] In other languages of LEGO Racers, his name is literally translated from "Captain Redbeard" as Capitano Barbarossa in Italian, Kapitän Rotbart in German, Capitán Barba Roja in Spanish, and Kaptein Rødskjegg in Norwegian, although it is instead translated from "Captain Roger" as Kaptajn Roger in Danish.
- In German audio dramas, Captain Roger was voiced by Wolfgang Völz in 1990 and Klaus Dittmann in 1995-1996.
- Captain Ironhook is nearly identical to Captain Redbeard in appearance, although the two minifigures have been depicted as separate characters who compete with one another.
- In a pilot for a potential LEGO TV series inspired by 5731 LEGO Island,[9] Captain Redbeard's minifigure is used to represent Captain Click,[10] who would only appear as a skeleton in the released games.
- In the 2009 revival of the Pirates theme, Captain Brickbeard is established as a separate character but still bears a close resemblance to Captain Redbeard.
- In the 70413 The Brick Bounty product description and on the 2015 Pirates website, Captain Redbeard is simply referred to as a generic Pirate Captain. However, his name is mentioned in various character profiles on the website.
- In promotional animations and artwork for LEGO Legacy, Captain Redbeard is sometimes depicted with gold teeth similar to his 2015 minifigure. In-game, however, he does not have any gold or missing teeth.
- Captain Redbeard, along with a Bluecoat Soldier and the Scientist from 60282 Fire Command Unit, appears in the 2022 film Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers on a billboard advertising LEGO Misérables, a parody of Les Misérables.
Gallery[]
See also[]
References[]
- ↑ LEGO Mania Magazine September-October 1996 - Page 13
- ↑ Bricks 'n Pieces Summer 1994 - page 5
- ↑ https://archive.org/details/li-2-gbcphanta-sea-adventurers-scenes
- ↑ United Kingdom June-December 2004 catalog - Page 48
- ↑ Netherlands 1992 catalog - Page 20
- ↑ LEGO Racers - XXLGAMEPLAY
- ↑ Netherlands August-December 2004 catalog - Page 46
- ↑ Piraten van Barracuda Baai 21322 | Ideas
- ↑ An Interview with Wes Jenkins the Creative Director of LEGO Island
- ↑ LEGO Island 1 Ad
