Review: A closer look at all nine minifigures in LEGO’s new Sanctum Sanctorum

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After going hands-on with the actual LEGO Sanctum Sanctorum, we’re going to take a deeper dive into what you can expect from the minifigures. There’s so much to talk about with the largest Marvel set of the year, and the figures are one of the exciting aspects, especially with nine minifigs included in the box.

LEGO Sanctum Sanctorum minifigures hands-on review

As a quick recap, the new LEGO Sanctum Sanctorum just launched back on August 1 and arrives at a $249.99 price point. In what is a follow up to last year’s Daily Bugle, the new Marvel Modular Building packs over 2,700 pieces. We already broken down what you can expect from the kit in general, but now we’re going to spend some more time looking at the minifigures. There are a total of nine in the set, and here’s the breakdown of who you can expect.

  • Doctor Strange
  • Sinister Strange
  • Dead Strange
  • Wong
  • Iron Man
  • Spider-Man
  • The Scarlet Witch
  • Master Mordo
  • Ebony Maw

One of our biggest critiques from the set is that the minifigures aren’t as consistent as you’d expect. In what is the largest and most expensive Marvel set of the year, you’d expect the LEGO Group to pull out all of the stops and deliver the best versions of every minifigure in the kit. That sentiment ends up being far from the true for many of the LEGO Sanctum Sanctorum minifigures, through some do live up to the expectations.

While there are plenty minifigures that aren’t as detailed or accurate as we’d like to see, there are a few figs in the set that are as good as we’ve seen. So let’s start with those.

The good

Of the nine included minifigures, the LEGO Sanctum Sanctorum has four figures that absolutely nailed the execution and are easily the best versions of the characters to date. Almost hilariously, three of those are versions of Doctor Strange, and we’ll start with the least interesting variety. The standard Earth-616 minifigure is the same version that we’ve seen quite a few times now. It was last included in the Gargantos Showdown set we reviewed back in May. It’s still the most detailed print we’ve seen and includes the new molded cape piece.

As far as new Strange variants go, Sinister Strange makes his first appearance in the set. This one slightly changes up the design of the 616 version but still delivers on the detailed torso printing that flows over onto his dual-molded legs. The new head piece is also a highlight, with the third eye and menacing scowl you’d expect from the Darkhold-consumed sorcerer.

And rounding out the Stranges, Zombie Strange is also exclusive to this kit. The printing is tweaked from the other two versions and features some of the more fun decayed elements you’d expect. It’s a really neat minifig in its own right, and the fact that the LEGO Group delivered printed legs too really makes it all that much better.

The final figure that goes above and beyond is the newest iteration of Spider-Man, which in the Sanctum Sanctorum arrives as a LEGO version of the Stark Suit. While the last version of the Sanctum included the Iron Spider suit from later on in Infinity War, the new kit does get one thing right with including the more accurate appearance from the beginning of the film.

The Stark Spider-Man suit included here delivers everything you’d want to see from the web-slinger, with detailed printing on his face and torso. Not to mention, the dual-molded legs are a big plus to really pull off the signature look.

Could use some improvements

Clocking in as the only minifigure who deserves to sit in an in-between category between being praise-worthy or scold-worthy, Master Mordo isn’t the worst figure of the lot. He rocks an entirely new design this time around fitting for his appearance in Multiverse of Madness but lacks any leg printing. Sure this is the best version of the figure to date, but I would have liked to see the LEGO Group put in a little more effort.

The downright downgrades

Then there are the downgrades or otherwise disappointing characters. It’s unfortunate that so many of the minifigures in the latest version of the LEGO Sanctum Sanctorum are underwhelming, with the company really going for a quantity over quality approach that misses the mark.

CMF Wanda versus new Scarlet Witch

Easily the biggest offender of this is Wanda, aka the Scarlet Witch. Her inclusion in this set leaves way too much up to the imagination, ditching printed legs for a pair of plain black pants. Matters are only made worse thanks to the fact that we just recently saw an incredible figure as part of the Collectible Marvel minifig lineup. The differences between the two are so striking and really show how the LEGO Group dropped the ball.

Ebony Maw is another character in the set who is also seeing a massive downgrade from his previous LEGO form. While it’s been four years since the previous inclusion in a set, the original from the first Sanctum Sanctorum was much better than the newer one. Sure there is some debate for whether the white or gray design is better, the actual torso and leg prints are far superior.

2018 vs 2022 Ebony Maw

Wong also hasn’t seen all too many brick-built inclusions in LEGO sets, though his most recent version is hardly the best one. Considering he is the current Sorcerer Supreme, you’d expect that the LEGO Group would have given him the same treatment as any of the three Stranges, though that unfortunately ends up not being the case.

Similarly to Wong, Tony Stark could have used a different take inspired by a figure we’ve already had in the past. While I certainly do appreciate the use of the new helmet mold, this really feels like a missed opportunity to give builders another version of his high-tech track suit that’s more fitting for the scene that the Sanctum is based on.

Infinity War promo figs versus 2022 inclusions

Missing LEGO Sanctum Sanctorum minifigures

Alongside figures that just missed the mark, the LEGO Group also ditched the inclusion of some other heroes that would have made the set that much better. Right off the bat is a bigfig who was first included in the original Sanctum from 2018. Cull Obsidian has only made that single LEGO appearance, and this was really the only time that builders could ever expect to see him included again.

Bruce Banner is another character who should have been included, either in his scientist form or the bigfig Hulk. Either one would have been fitting for the Infinity War theming and would essentially complete the scene on the Avengers front. We haven’t seen him included in LEGO form in quite some time, and just having another minifigure in the kit would have gone a long ways.

The final figure that would have been all too easy for the LEGO Group to include is America Chavez. Considering how big of a character she is in Multiverse of Madness, it seems fitting that the new hero would get a chance to shine in the largest Marvel set of the year. Especially with how affordable the set she originally came in was, it seems like just plucking her out of the Gargantos Showdown kit and into the Sanctum Sanctorum would have been a no-brainer.

9to5Toys’ Take

Last year’s Daily Bugle Modular set quite the notable precedent for delivering everything you could want and more on the minifigure front, and the Sanctum Sanctorum has failed to live up to that expectation. Don’t get me wrong, it still doesn’t ruin the final verdict from my full review of the set, but it is a big missed opportunity.

Which minifigures would you have liked to see included in the latest LEGO Sanctum Sanctorum? Let us know in the comments below.

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