Johnny Thunder Johnny Thunder , also known as Sam Grant and Joe Freeman , is the main protagonist of the LEGO Adventurers theme . He is included in numerous set s as a minifigure in each of the theme ' s sub - series , often alongside such characters as his friends Dr . Kilroy and Pippin Reed . He also appears in a couple Studios set s , played by an actor . In addition to all of this , Johnny also appears in seven video games , more than any other LEGO character . He reappears in 2014 in The LEGO Movie , as well as one of the sets based on the same movie , 70815 Super Secret Police Dropship . Description . In his appearances in the Egypt , Jungle , and Dino Island subthemes and the Studios theme , Johnny wears black pants and a tan button up shirt . The shirt has two pockets on the chest , a black belt with a revolver in it , and a red bandana around his neck . Above the bandanna , a little bit of his yellow chest is showing . His sleeves are also tan and his hands are yellow . Johnny ' s face has a black mustache , sideburns , hair , a cleft chin , and a smirk . He wears a brown campaign hat , similar to an Australian slouch hat but folded up on one side . In the Orient Expedition theme , Johnny was redesigned and recieved three new variants for each of the areas he and his partners visited . The India variant has tan pants with two pockets similar to the ones he had on his chest in his previous variation . His torso design is the same , except for the main part is now green and he has a blue or gray undershirt under rather than his chest . His arms are still tan and his hands still yellow . Johnny ' s face is very similar , but he now has pupils in his eyes and a more subtle smile rather than a smirk . For his trip to Mount Everest , Johnny wears the same pants as the Indian variant , and still had the same hat . His torso is very similar to the Indian variant ' s , but it is now brown , has a fur lined collar , and the colours of some of the items on his shirt are changed . His face is the same as in India . In China , Johnny wore the same costume as in the three original Adventurers subthemes , except he now uses the same face . Johnny ' s version from The LEGO Movie is the same as his regular version , but has pupils and back printing . His outfit is more detailed , too . Some of Johnny ' s variants also have a brown backpack attached to the neck between the head and torso . Video game variants . In most video games he has appeared in , Johnny has his original appearance . However , there are still differences between games . They are generally modified versions of his first costume . In LEGO Racers 2 , Johnny has his standard appearance , but his legs are brown instead of black . In LEGO Stunt Rally , Johnny wears Baron von Barron ' s torso and has minor facial differences . In LEGOLAND , he has pupils , a nose , hair on the back of his head , and a seperate bandanna piece . Johnny ' s biggest changed is in LEGO Universe where he also wears a satchel , his hat is black , he has a badge on his arm , no side burns , his belt is more detailed , and he has pockets and soles on his legs . In The LEGO Movie Video Game he can be unlocked via a secret code , along with Young Vitruvius , Angry Kitty , a Robo SWAT pilot , and some pants . He is armed with a rifle . Background . Johnny Thunder , an Australian adventurer and a passionate archeologist , travels with a archeologist / scientist named Dr . Kilroy and a photographer named Pippin Reed , who works for " World Magazine " . Together they discover many treasures and outwit many varied villains . Thunder himself is a treasure hunter , and donates what he finds to a museum instead of keeping it for himself like Sam Sinister , his archenemy . When the theme was first introduced , a UK catalog described Sam Grant / Johnny Thunder as a " young ex Army Officer " , but this piece of backstory was never expanded upon . Egypt . In his first Adventure depicted in LEGO sets , Johnny Thunder and his friends , Dr . Kilroy , Pippin Reed , and Harry Cane , journied to Egypt to find the Re - Gou Ruby , which is protected by the undead Pharaoh Hotep , before his nemisis Baron Von Barron and Baron ' s partner , Slyboots . Jungle . The Jungle subtheme depicted Johnny , Kilroy , Pippin , and Harry going to the Amazon River in South America to find the magical Sun Disk protected by the mysterious Achu . Johnny and his friends were pitted against Señor Palomar , a South American bandit , and his partner , Rudo Villano . Another character , Gabarro the sailor , helped both the Adventurers and Palomar . Dino Island . The journey to Dino Island was different than the previous adventures to Egypt and the Amazon . Harry did not travel to the island with Johnny , Pippin , and Kilroy , but was replaced by their new assistant , Mike . This journey saw the return of Baron , now using the name of Sam Sinister , who was now partnered with his relative , Alexia , and the poacher Mr . Cunningham . Rather than looking for treasures , the Adventurers would capture Dinosaurs to study them . Sam / Baron was attempting to take them back to the mainland and open a park . Orient Expedition . After discovering part of a map in the home of Marco Polo , Johnny , Kilroy , and Pippin set out for India to search for the supposedly mythical Golden Dragon . In India , Johnny rescued Babloo from Sam / Baron , now using the name Lord Sam Sinister , and Maharaja Lallu . Grateful , Babloo helped bring the Adventurers to the Scorpion Palace with his elephant , Giri . At the Scorpion Palace , Lallu lost his title of Maharaja when Babloo reveled that he had found the Sun Stone ( which Dr . Kilroy had taken from Tygurah earlier ) . Sam attempted to discover the treasure inside of the palace , but was forced to flee when he moved the claws of a giant scorpion decoration which triggered a boulder . Climbing on top of elephants , Johnny and his friends were able to reach the upper floor of the palace and retrieve the Golden Shield which had another piece of a map on it . While conversing about following the map and leaving for Mount Everest , the adventurers were overheard by Sam who had returned . While hiking up Mount Everest , the Adventurers befriended Sherpa Sangye Dorje and used his hot air balloon , the Aero Nomad , to reach the summit . Johnny was able to come up with a plan when Sam attacked them in his bi - plane . After that , they traveled on foot to the Temple of Mount Everest and discovered the golden sword and another map piece , this time leading to China . In China , the group ' s car was sabotaged by Sam and the group was captured by Dragon Fortress Guard s . They were locked in the Great Wall until Pippin escaped and rescued Johnny and Kilroy . While looking for the Dragon Fortress where the Golden Dragon was kept , they met a girl named Jing Lee in the city of Xi ' an . After giving her food for her sick father , Jing Lee agreed to show them to where the Dragon Fortress was . Hiding on a junk ship , they reached the fortress . Jing Lee showed the group a side entrance which turned out to be the home of Jun - Chi , a lion - dog . Jun - Chi chased the group until they were captured by Emperor Chang Wu and his guards who had made an alliance with Sam . Sam took the golden treasures ( the shield , sword , and helmet which was discovered " off - screen " ) . The group escaped when the guards scattered after Jun - Chi reappeared . Sam used the confusion to find the Dragon Fortress Statue which leads the path to the Golden Dragon . Johnny caught up with Sam and tried to keep him from pulling a nearby lever , but Sam refused not to . The lever turned the statue to life and scared Sam away , dropping the treasures in the process . They replaced the statue ' s sword , shield , and helmet with the golden ones and pulled the lever again . This time , the sword and shield transformed into golden keys . The keys opened doors to the side with wheels . Pulling the wheels caused a secret door to open . Through the door was the Golden Dragon . While trying to escape the fortress , the group was attacked by Chang Wu ' s catapults , but managed to make it away . Other Adventures . Return to Egypt . Johnny , Pippin , and Dr . Kilroy returned to Egypt to investigate a tomb where strange noises had been coming from . They discovered a mummy which had awoken from the dead because an object was missing from its tomb . They discovered a secret chamber and Johnny retrieved the golden snake and returned it to the tomb , allowing the mummy to fall back to its sleep . Greece . Johnny , Pippin , and Kilroy travel to Greece to a sacred artifact , known as the golden bull . They believe it to be hidden in a maze , guarded by the Minotaur . The adventurers discovered that the golden bull was not actually in the maze , but a clue was . They travelled to a nearby island seen in a mural in the labyrinth . Johnny scaled the cliff to discover a temple . Hidden behind the veil was the shadow of a bull like creature ( presumably the Minotaur ) who claimed to be " The guardian on the Golden Bull " . The guardian challenged Johnny to a modified game of connect four . Johnny won , and was awarded with the golden bull . Sam Sinister also returned in this story . He attempted to get the Golden Bull before Johnny , but was defeated . " The LEGO Movie " . Johnny Thunder appears in " The LEGO Movie " as a master builder . He is among all of the Master Builders that meet in Cloud Cuckoo Land and is seen in the background with Superman and some knights when Vitruvius introduces Marsha . He is seen running away from the golf ball outside the dog . In the Video Game s . Johnny Thunder is the boss of the 4th circuit in LEGO Racers . He also appears in LEGOLAND , LEGO Racers 2 , LEGO Universe , LEGO Stunt Rally , Soccer Mania , LEGO Island 2 and The LEGO Movie Video Game . In LEGO Racers , Johnny Thunder is the boss of the fourth circuit . Players who finish first in this circuit win his car set . In LEGO Racers 2 , he and Pippin send the player out on the Dino Island mini - games . However , Johnny Thunder also appears as a recurring CPU racer in all races on Dino Island , Mars , and the Arctic , leading up to the boss races . In LEGO Island 2 , Johnny Thunder is one of the characters on Adventurers Island . Pepper Roni must bring him and his group to a pyramid in the desert , then fly their plane through the Amazon jungle , and finally rescue dinosaurs from Mr . Hates ' cages . In LEGO Stunt Rally , Johnny Thunder and other Adventurers characters appear in the opening cut - scene of the game , calling for the " loop - da - loop " obstacle . In Soccer Mania , Johnny Thunder may be unlocked after his team ( the " Adventurers Explorers " ) is beaten on Dino Island , as the player goes in search of the pieces for the spaceship , to hunt down the Brickster . In LEGOLAND , Johnny Thunder appears in one of the cut - scenes and in the opening video . At certain points in time , the professor goes back in time with his time machine . The final time that he does this , he appears in Egypt , and gets a copy of the pyramids and other Adventurers places as attractions for the park . In the opening video , a portrait of Johnny may be seen in the background as Professor Voltage unveils his time - machine . In LEGO Universe , Johnny Thunder appears as an NPC character . His appearance is similar to the original one , but he wears a Venture League armband , re - designed black pants with pockets , a black hat that is a similar shape to his original , and a brown shoulder bag . He is found in Red Blocks amphitheatre , and challenges players to find treasure chests scattered around Nimbus Station . Upon collecting all the treasure chests , Johnny Thunder gives players approval from the Venture League faction , allowing them to join if they wish . After players choose their faction , Johnny Thunder gives missions to find treasure chests in other worlds , and rewards players for finding them . In The LEGO Movie Video Game , Johnny Thunder appears as a playable character . He can be unlocked through entering a secret code , but he can be unlocked directly without entering a secret code in the handheld versions .