Come October LEGO’s Build‑a‑Minifigure stations will introduce a new recruit for fans of swashbuckling adventures: the 17th Century Sword Fighter, a minifigure who’s ready to stride into tales of pirates, princesses and perilous duels…

A real doublet – this be what inspired the torso design – 

Clad in a sharply printed doublet, the sort worn by gentleman‑soldiers who lived by honour, cunning, and the occasional moonlit escape. His new leg print alludes that he wears Venetians or Galligaskins, the standard breeches worn with a doublet throughout the seventeenth century

Some influence: portrait of King Charles I by Daniel Mytens

His hand firmly grasping a slender rapier, a blade fit for dawn challenges, whispered grudges, and the kind of elegant swordplay that keeps legends alive long after the cannon smoke clears.

Rapier, Clemens Horn – the real deal!

Altogether, he’s a minifigure who feels whisked from the Renaissance era’s twilight, poised for a life of danger and discovery on the high seas for any crew bold enough to enlist him… or any nobleman wealthy enough to secure his formidable services.

Caveats

Head Print

Now that we’ve contained our excitement over the new torso design, it’s worth grounding ourselves in the reality of Build‑a‑Minifigure releases: unlike the Collectible Minifigures Series, BAM characters rarely receive unique identities.

Captain Blackwell [left], ancestor of Johnny Thunder [right]

And again for the captain of 31387 Iconic Pirate Ship

Johnny Thunder is the poster child of the late 90s Adventurers theme, LEGO’s own take on Indiana Jones… but with a wry mustache, as though Tom Selleck had landed the role and delivered every line with an Australian twang.

Perhaps Johnny Thunder is following in the footsteps of the Sword Fighter’s adventures

With Thunder’s likeness appearing so broadly, the legacy of his character becomes diluted. Imagine if Governor Broadside’s head began washing up in sets outside the LEGO Pirates theme… the once‑rare piece would quickly become genericised, losing the sense of grandeur and identity that made it special in the first place.

Goodbye Johnny Thunder, hello Johnny Everyman!

Tricorn Hat

The Sword Fighter sports yet another plain black tricorn, a piece so common these days we may start calling them “tried‑and‑true‑corns.”

Barbossa minifigures wearing cavalier hat

The Musketeer and Swashbuckler Collectible Minifigures treated us to the fresher cavalier hat, the same stylish piece that first appeared with the Barbossa minifigure in the Pirates of the Caribbean sets released back in 2011.

Hat style illustrations circa 1600-1700 by Hat Village Shop

But let’s not forget cavalier hats came in a wide range of shapes, brims, plumes, and regional styles. Perhaps it’s time for the LEGO designers to crack open the history books and draw inspiration for an all‑new hat piece…  something that captures the flair and variety of seventeenth‑century headgear.

Spanish morion replica by Avalon Shop

Or wouldn’t it be a blast if the Sword Fighter came equipped with a morion…  the quintessential helm of the Imperial Armada, anyone? 

Some fans have keenly observed the Sword Fighter bears more than a passing resemblance to Captain Valiant, although, without a morion, could this character  truly make an authentic return?

17th Century Sword Fighter and Captain Valiant

Maybe the morion mould is lost to the history books, or perhaps the designers refrained to avoid tying the character too closely to a specific theme, keeping him flexible enough to roam across eras and settings.

Imagine Coconut Cape with both morions and Sword Fighter torsos

Still, if The LEGO Group can finesse a bicorne into a floral arrangement, why not work the same magic with a morion?

Conclusion

Caveats aside, 17th Century Sword Fighter  is indeed a welcome addition to our LEGO Pirates universe.

Much like the Collectible Minifigures Series 4 Musketeer and Series 11 Swashbuckler, the Sword Fighter depicts a more heroic archetype… or morally ambiguous character depending upon his employment.

Either way, he’s neither a straightforward cutthroat nor an Imperial recruit, but a minifig who fits refreshingly within same time period.

The Full Assortment

Elements for seven new Build A Minifigures characters will become available in October 2026. 

October 2026 BAM line-up – 📸 twogayafols

Joining the 17th Century Sword Fighter shall be:

• Surfer Pirate
• Caveman
• Robot Costume Girl
• Hip Hop Fan
• Tooth Fairy
•  Kid with Rocking Horse.

So come October, dash down to your local LEGO store’s minifigure station and gather the very elements to assemble each character as shown… or mix and match parts to forge a swashbuckling character of yer own.

Surfer Pirate

Wait!  What? A Surfer Pirate?  Aye, another torso what may be useful for giving more variety to yer crew. The surfboard not so much…

Ready to ride the high seas – 📸 twogayafols

While yer at the BAM station just swap the surfboard for a more swashbuckling accessory and yer shall have another matie for yer crew. 

What Do Yer Think?

How will ye incorporate the 17th Century Sword Fighter into yer LEGO Pirates universe?  Do yer think the Johnny Thunder head was the right choice?  Or would yer prefer a design less recognisable and character centric?

Who will your Sword Fighter challenge? – 📸 twogayafols

And what of the tricorn? Does it do the job? Or are we long overdue for a fresh headpiece? Or, better yet, should the morion to make its triumphant return?

Now it’s time to mix and match yer thoughts on the 17th Century Sword Fighter in the LEGO Pirates Forum or Instagram post comments.