LEGO Belgium/Netherlands - The Grand Finale

LEGO Masters Belgium/Netherlands

Season 2 Episode 9 – Recap

The Grand Finale

We are finally here! The final three teams enter the workroom for the very last time for LEGO Masters Belgium/Netherlands Season 2. We all know what needs to be done for the final build, create anything! Build a model that blows the judges away and cements your place as the winner of the season.

Up for grabs is 25,000 euro ($39,000 AUD), the trophy, and a trip to the LEGOLAND resort and house. They have 28 hours. Joining Brickmaster is a very familiar face for LEGO Masters fans, Matthew Ashton, who was the first Brickmaster for the UK series and is the VP of LEGO design having worked there for over twenty years.

The Builds

Thomas and Roy – Giant Ski Resort

The team aims to create a huge ski resort built around a giant who lives in the mountain. They start their planning by placing Roy on the table to plot the scene’s proportions in line with the human body. Mid-build Matthew Ashton comments on how clever their technique was. In creating the proportions of the body but notes the mountain feels a bit flat and also is lacking in other colours.

The judges come by to assess the team’s work. Noting the large amount of bare baseplate that needs to be filled in. Matthew is also worried that the execution isn’t as good as it could be better.

He also points out the mountain needs to be a bit steeper leading to last-minute changes. This requires a bit of technical rejigging to get the giant’s face to rise and open but they are hopeful they’ve gotten the job done.

Bibi and Marcel – Brickwood

A Minifigure spin on Hollywood, their concept is a backlot tour that goes on rails through several movie sets and scenes. Matthew notes that mid-way this team is the most ahead with their build. And he loves that they have different worlds and scenes that give them the chance to bring colour and life to their build.

Dropping past he notes that despite all of the little stories being dotted around. Hollywood really rests on having a big climax and suggests the team think about creating a blockbuster ending.

Jan and Julien – Medieval Castle

A castle is under attack by an army and the people inside the castle decide to call upon wizards to enchant the vegetables to counter-attack. Some NPU is used with a tried and true technique of using Minifigures legs to form castle windows.

As well as yellow heads to create corn kernels for the magical vegetables. Conferring mid-build with Brickmaster. Matthew gives praise for the castle’s size. But is concerned that adding the vegetables into the scene may struggle to fit into the size of the scene and that there is too much grey.

Matthew drops by and reminisces that castles are one of his favourite scenes, with the classic yellow castle being his first set.

He also drops some wisdom from his years of working with kids and big castle scenes, is the fight fair? Leading the duo to question how their staging is going to work.

Taking the advice they shorten their baseplate. Kurt passes by and notes this while wondering when they are going to fill in the inside.

Helping the teams relax Ruben builds a little zen corner, complete with a massage chair and a gong that doubles up for announcing the time remaining.

Midway through the teams are reunited with family members who arrive at the studio. Having not seen them for a few weeks and giving them a bit of a tour of what they have been working on before they are sent off.

The Verdict

After 28 long hours of building, the teams are finally “hands loose” for the last time. The hosts hand out two diamond bricks, which are worth ten votes from each of the judges. The teams are lead out of the studio and twenty children and the former contestants are lead in to vote. There are 50 votes all up that can be cast.

Thomas and Roy

Both judges are impressed by the size of the build and the details that are packed within as there are manly little stories to be told throughout. The build scores high on the technical scale as the giant’s head rising up and eyes opening isn’t an easy piece to construct.

But the build is let down by bare baseplates around the edges where the piece just drops into blank plates. Matthew also comments how he would have loved to have seen the humour expand a bit more, such as having people rolled up in giant snowballs.

Matthew does point out that the build’s strength is also a weakness as the small scenes throughout need something like a big Godzilla. A blockbuster moment, to act as a centrepiece for the work.

Bibi and Marcel

Matthew praises how clever their choice of model is, noting that it allows for scale while breaking it down into themes that allow for a myriad of colours and technical tricks.

While giving the eye multiple things to look at. The big clapper board and keeping true to the Hollywood signage also impress the judges as it sets the scene.

And they are drawn in by the multiple mini-stories found within and the subtle details that bring it to life. Such as the dancing raindrops each having a different expression and using the distance sensor to set off the lights dynamically in the space scenes.

Jan and Julien

The judges love the depth and scale of the build. The soaring spire makes it the tallest in the room while the battleground is filled with dynamic action scenes. Like a giant pumpkin creature pulling down a wall. However, they do note there is a drastic clash of contrast between the brightly coloured vegetables and the grey castle which seem to separate the two halves of the story apart.

It is also noted that the origin story of the veggie creatures is somewhat muted and hidden in a corner. Which makes for a bit of a lost opportunity in telling a clear story.

The crowds come in and cast their vote. In third place by nine votes are Marcel and Bibi. Congratulations on a terrific build! And the winners, of LEGO Masters Netherlands-Belgium 2021 with nine votes from the kids and both bricks from the judges are…