Figure Of The Day: Day 77: Yoda

YODA
Original Trilogy Collection Vintage Collection
Item No.: Asst. 85213 No. 85237
Number: n/a
Includes: Cane, flute, snake
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: Fall 2004
Appearances: Primarily The Empire Strikes Back , Return of the Jedi

Bio: Celebrate the legendary Star Wars trilogy that changed the universe forever, with The Original Trilogy Collection. This collection brings to life the incredible story of good versus evil that captured our imagination and took us to a galaxy far, far away. The finest recreations of the iconic Star Wars heroes and villains are back with incredible detail and premium features to commemorate each epic tale in the Original Trilogy: A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi. And, as a tribute to the dedication of Star Wars fans everywhere, we are re-releasing elements of the original packaging that harken back to the creation of Star Wars action figures, which began over 25 years ago with the Original Trilogy. May the Force be with you! (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' "vintage" toy shelf.

Commentary: In 2004, Hasbro generously gifted the world with two Yoda action figures from The Empire Strikes Back. This was the more expensive of the two. With a removable cloth robe, loads of articulation, a good amount of accessories, and the distinction of being perhaps the only Yoda to have individually jointed legs in the modern line. As his cape's a smidge big, and his eyes are a little funny, a lot of fans felt they were being taken to the cleaners as another Yoda figure with less articulation and a plastic cape was going for only $4.99 at around the same time-- and was largely considered one of the best figures in recent memory. For the price and considering competing figures, this is a hard figure to justify buying given the original price, although for packaged collectors, this is a fine addition to any collection as it's a great tribute to a classic figure from days gone by. And Dagobah. Just because it's the most articulated Yoda ever does not mean it's the best.

Collector's Notes: While not especially hard to get, and by some perceived as a rip-off, this figure won't set you back a lot of green (ha ha) on eBay. He can easily be had for his original price, or in a lot of other figures from the Vintage waves at close-to-bargain prices. If the price is right, this should be bought-- go ahead and get one. But for the purposes of dioramas, you can do better as his arms sometimes fall off (and are easily fixed) in the bulk of his robes.

Day 77: July 22, 2006