I’ll be the first to admit I didn’t even know this recolor existed. It brings me great joy that after all these years, this part finally got a shiny makeover in red! And what a glorious way to bring it into the spotlight as the star of Iron Builder. It was especially delightful seeing the many characters the builders brought to life using this element.

Parts Usage
Both builders absolutely excelled at parts usage. Every single build seemed to make the cauldron essential, and Eann and Geneva used the bright red color to its fullest advantage. Standouts for me include the elegant simplicity of Geneva’s “Checkers,” which quite literally flipped the piece on its head and had me seeing it a new light; and Eann’s use of the element in “Hellboy” is the definition of seamless. Overall, I feel Geneva demonstrated a better mastery of the part, consistently integrating it in a believable way in each of her builds.

Build Quality
Red cauldrons aside, there are clearly spectacular builds on both sides. Eann really did come out swinging with “Harley Quinn” and there’s no doubt an organically shaped part like this really plays to his strengths. The best build of the round though is Geneva’s Jurassic Jeep. An Iron Builder build that stays together?! WHAT?! Everything about the model is perfection. Even so, I’ve awarded the point to Eann, whose scenic builds and presentation remained top notch through the competition. From the dynamism of “Let the Games Begin” to the beautifully composed “Season’s Greetings”, each of Eann’s builds was a treat for the eyes.

Performance
Ah, you know I have quite a soft spot for anyone daring enough to double dip in Vignweek AND Iron Builder! Geneva’s vignettes certainly brought me back to my glory days. Yet it is Eann’s playfulness that wins the day for me. There’s an unmistakeable energy that came through each of Eann’s builds that always got me excited to see what would come next. The chess set response to checkers was also brilliant.

Thank you both for another round well done, and another challenging judgment at that! It can’t often be said, but I think I’ve actually been convinced to add the Iron Builder part to my Bricklink wanted list….

A spectacular round! For me, the cauldron is a rather laconic but charming LEGO element. It has long outlived the theme in which it debuted and has remained unchanged to this day, together with such ""veteran"" pieces such as the treasure chest, the frog and the barrel. This accessory really embodies the toy-like aspect of LEGO and I'm glad it ended up as a seed part. Both of you performed spectacularly and have certainly cooked some not-so-culinary masterpieces (sorry!).

Parts Usage
A hollowed-out cylindrical piece with a couple of attachment points - what else could we ask for? Both of you were eager to explore the untapped potential of the seed element. Geneva's inspired use of the cauldron for organic shaping (I wonder if hot dogs count as organic?) was one of the highlights of this round, but Eann just knocked it out of the park with his wildly varied seed part use. While the Christmas postcard features a lot of cool obscure details, I think it's safe to say that the tool drawer was indeed Eann's magnum opus.

Build Quality
In terms of overall build quality, it's hard for me to pick a definite winner: both of you have delivered incredibly clever, detailed and stylish entries! Geneva's builds felt more complete and self-contained, staying true to the classic Iron Builder fashion, but Eann's models caught my attention with their subtle dynamism and unobtrusive environmental storytelling. In the end, I chose Eann as the winner in this category.

Performance
Eann's consistently top-notch quality was hard to stand up against, but I'll have to give Geneva credit for her no less than impressive productivity. I was swayed by subtle experiments with cartoony stylization and indoor / outdoor photography, and I think Geneva certainly deserves praise for her efforts (and for that one sneaky electric pole!).

Congratulations!

"So many delightfully dreadful puns this round. However, I’m shocked both contestants missed ‘Catch-up’ = Ketch-up’ - it was right there people! Thankfully both builders let their builds do most of the talking, and what a shouting match it was!

Parts Usage
The stand out builds were paradoxically the ones that hid the seed part away. Geneva’s sneaky tomato sauce logo was my favourite subtle seed part usage of the round, followed by Eann’s jar of Christmassy sweet treats. But Eann excelled in inventive centre-stage usage too (Hellboy, Drawer of things, Harley Quinn) and so takes the top spot for this category.

Build Quality
Eann’s judgmental chess pieces were a masterclass in opponent intimidation - I’ve never seen so much sass conveyed with so few bricks. Meanwhile Geneva’s ‘Beyond’ was a charming scene - A perfect mix of choice vocal points and supporting elements. Overall however, Eann steals the show again. A double christmas scene that makes you forget it’s only august, complete with a sweetie wrapper made from capes, is a tough entry to beat!

Performance
As ever, both iron builders exhibit exceptional talent for conjuring up the best-worst puns you’ll ever read - congratulations, you both win in that regard! Geneva’s whopping total of 11 builds is to be commended for sheer build speed and creative variety. However, Eann’s chess line-up in response to Geneva’s checkers was devilishly good showmanship, and was enough to eek Eann over the line for the final category too.

Despite my verdicts, the competition was far from one sided. Both builders can sleep soundly knowing all their creations join the melting pot of past Iron builder entries - a source of inspiration and intimidation for future competitors and nostalgic spectators alike.