Mangled Minifigs: The Hidden Connections Within
/In my continued search for the quirkiest connections in the LEGO System, I've come across quite a few unexpected pairings. Unlike in Galidor where limbs were meant to be glinched off and on, my studies of the dark arts of quirky connections have led me down a similar path... this time with minifigures and minidolls. In the search for greatness, I have strayed from the path of the Purist.
WARNING: This article is not for the faint of heart or those unwilling to permanently modify or damage LEGO pieces. Minifigs and minidolls were harmed in the making of this article.
Benny’s Bad Day
If you are familiar with anything LEGO related, you’ll surely recognize this little fella, Benny. One of the main characters in The LEGO Movie, Benny is based on some of the first minifigures: a Classic Spaceman! Most of the original minifigures that have lasted until today you’ll find are missing legs, arms and hands. For science, I brutally murdered one Benny in front of the other…
As you can see, there are more parts to a minifigure then just the head, torso, and legs. Other minifig body parts include two hands, a pair of arms, a pair of legs, hips and the body. But wait! Why would anyone take apart one of these fabulous figs? Well, this is why!
The diameter of the hip socket is roughly the same as the hand hole diameter. This is a solid connection, stronger then you’d ever guess. Why is this useful? I have no idea, but I’m sure someone’ll use it…
Frenzy of Friends
Just like the Minifigure, a minidoll can also be disassembled significantly. Minidolls differ in that their hands don’t detach from their arms and their legs are one single piece that connects to their hips. (Close observers will notice that a minidoll head is actually two separate pieces that have been fused together, but that is a curiosity to explore another day.)
While there are fewer sub-elements than a minifig, we still got a lot to work with! The width of the hip section that fits into the legs is the same as a standard plate/tile. The shoulder is about the same size as a standard bar size, so you can actually do a lot with these bar connections.
Even though I said you could connect them, I didn’t say you should. Did I forget to mention that the hole in the torso is also bar sized? You can do this!
But wait! I’ll gift you with some pertinent information regarding all of the above to close out our quick foray into minifig body parts.
The Best of Both Worlds
Minidoll arms actually fit inside the handless arm-holes of a minifigure! This one is by far the worst for the pieces since the minidoll arm socket is slightly too big and will stress and eventually fracture the arms. Is this practical? Probably not. Worth it? Totally.
Why, you may ask, would I do this? Why not!? I consider myself an explorer of quirky connections. I don’t think these connection possibilities were planned but are instead purely cursed happenstance—convenient for those, such as myself, who enjoy the darker side of the minifig.
Who knows what other connections there are, hiding in your minifigure bin, waiting for the right time to arise and manifest their mangled madness? But use caution. A little bit of knowledge can go a long way. Build responsibly, my friends.
Have you noticed any other questionable minifigure connections? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
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