Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,686: Purge Stormtrooper (The Black Series 6-Inch)

PURGE STORMTROOPER Back in Black
The Black Series GameStop Exclusive
Item No.: No. E7206
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Pistol, rifle
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $22.99
Availability: November 2019
Appearances: Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

Bio:  Handpicked from the Stormtrooper legions for their aptitude and loyalty, purge troopers accompany Inquisitors on especially dangerous missions.  These troopers receive additional training  to make them a cohesive unit, formidable against any Jedi threat.   (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: I lucked in to the Purge Stormtrooper in early 2020 when taking a trip out for lunch on a random day off - it was just sitting on the pegs, with a slightly torn box.   It's a gem, and weird.   After Revenge of the Sith, we saw Hasbro take a bunch of wild swings at designing new Clone Troopers - and make no mistake about it, the armor of this figure is a clone.   This is the same armor used for the Phase I and Phase II figures you've been buying, but with a new head and a slightly different belt.  Oh, and the cloth kama.   The same blasters are back - mostly unpainted, except the rifle's other grip - and it's a goofy fun design.  This is the kind of thing you expect from a post-franchise product line - big Imperial logos on the shoulder pads, the Airborne clone helmet cast in black for the first time, and a mishmash of parts from other figures.  It's accurate, it's garish, and it's perfect.

The colors remind me a lot of the forgotten Utapau Shadow Troopers, which were exclusives with black armor and very pale tan, almost light grey, stripes on the armor.  Hasbro did those Shadow Troopers as 3 3/4-inch figures, but if they were the same scale as the Purge Trooper I bet they'd fit together nicely.  The red highlights really pop, and it's a lot like that TIE Pilot that GameStop had a few years ago.   You know the one. 

The glossy black helmet has striking red lenses and some silver trim.  Articulation is no different from the previous 6-inch Clones, with double-jointed elbows and knees joining bend-and-swivel wrists and a great mid-torso joint.  It's a wonderfully daffy design and I just love how garish those Empire cogs are on the shoulders.  The only thing I dislike about it, is that you don't have one if you want one.  It's fun, and I wish I had a horde of 3 3/4-inch ones to put in a Combat Tank or Troop Transport.   If you have a chance at one, at a fair price, get it.  It's not really worth the secondary market prices orbiting $100, but it is a joy to behold on my desk.  And I've never played the game, so maybe it's terrible, but the execution and overall shine work for me.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from GameStop on a surprise visit during lunch in early 2020.  Before the virus.   Even when I tried to get the figure with the game (with a friend, as I do not have a PS4 or Xbone) the figure was out of stock - I hope Hasbro makes more.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,686: April 30, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,685: Clone Trooper (The Vintage Collection)

CLONE TROOPER Phase I MK II
The Vintage Collection
Item No.: Asst. E5912 No. E9333
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #45 (2020 rerun)
Includes: Pistol, rifle, helmet
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.99
Availability: March 2020
Appearances: Attack of the Clones

Bio:  Clone troopers, also known as Republic troopers, Republic troops, Republic soldiers, and nicknamed the "Boys in White," were highly trained soldiers in the Grand Army of the Republic. (Stolen from Wookieepedia. Packaging has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: It's back!  Hasbro is raiding its mold closet for reruns, and this Clone Trooper is the 2011 Clone Trooper [FOTD #1,494] with new face paint.  If you have the old one, you're good - provided you leave the helmet on.  It's new, it's probably whiter, and it's clean - a perfect candidate to build or rebuild your armies.

When this figure came out, it was the one that sat - the new Stormtrooper, Mandalorian, and Cara Dune flew off the shelves immediately. This one followed in short order, but so did a virus pandemic, so who the heck knows what's going on.   You can see the advancements - while this Clone has an enhanced Bodhi Taylor portrait printed on the skull, it's still the same 2011 figure.  It was great in 2011 - but Hasbro has gotten better with articulation since then, adding thigh cuts and generally engineering better cuts at nearly every turn.

Having said that, this is still the best 3 3/4-inch Hasbro Phase 1 Clone you can get - and Hasbro could still repaint it a couple of more times.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth. 

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,685: April 28, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,684: Sith Jet Trooper (The Black Series 6-Inch)

SITH JET TROOPER Red Repaint
The Black Series   6-Inch Figure
Item No.: Asst. E4071 No. E9320
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #106
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: March 2020
Appearances: The Rise of Skywalker and/or Battlefront

Bio: In its ultimate push toward galactic conquest, the First Order readies an army of elite soldiers that draw inspiration from a dark and ancient legacy.  (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: I don't know if the Sith Jet Trooper is accurate or not.  How's that for an intro?   As I write this I haven't got the tech to zoom in film frames to check to see if Hasbro's decision to redecorate its white Jet Trooper in red is sufficient or not.   Guide books, Battlefront, and even the photo on the 3 3/4-inch The Vintage Collection figure match this 6-inch release.  However, the 3 3/4-inch figure itself, and the Pop! Funko figure, and a few others have these nifty grooves in the helmet, shins, thighs, and shoulders.  The 6-inch figure lacks these distinctive elements.  So one of the two is probably wrong - or maybe, there's a tiny chance that there's two versions in the movie and we haven't gone over enough behind-the-scenes material thanks to the secrecy behind these movies.   So maybe this figure is correct - and maybe it isn't.  If nothing else, it's true to Battlefront.

It's a nice figure but not as impressive as some other late 2019 and early 2020 releases.   It doesn't have the extra shoulder movement of the Sith Trooper, but it does have articulated jets on the jet pack as well as extra deco that the 3 3/4-inch figure is missing.   You still get double-jointed knees, rocking ankles, and excellent articulation allowing the figure to grip and aim the blaster easily.  The leg articulation is a bit more restricted, while there is movement it doesn't seem like it would be as good sitting in a vehicle, were a vehicle made for such a purpose.

The figure has no problems standing or being posed in a number of action poses, and I'm impressed by how stable it is.   It's shiny and red, and it looks cool.   The blaster plugs in the thigh without a fuss, and I would say this is a worthwhile purchase if you can find it at a fair price.  It seems to match the portrait on the box, so let's say it's good enough until we find out otherwise.  As time goes on, our access to better stills, or the props themselves at a museum, we and Hasbro start to ask for better improvements on these figures.   For now, as far as I can tell, this is good enough.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,684: April 23, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,683: Knight of Ren (The Black Series 6-Inch)

KNIGHT OF REN Otherwise known as Vicrul
The Black Series   6-Inch Figure
Item No.: Asst. E4071 No. E8068
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #105
Includes: Bladed club, blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: March 2020
Appearances: The Force Awakens & The Rise of Skywalker

Bio: An enclave of masked warriors wielding distinct weapons for ranged and close quarters combat, the Knights of Ren are elite, fearsome enforces of Kylo Ren. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: One of my gripes about reviewing Star Wars figures is a lack of novelty.  Play features are rare, as are new innovations.  Hasbro pulled some surprises out of their sleeves with the first 6-inch Knight of Ren figure, which is also the only 6-inch one, known to reference books as Vicrul.  I hope they make the whole gang, and so do you - because they put some neat new features in to this one along with better-than-average articulation tucked inside his folds and wrinkles.

Part of an elite tribe of Snake Eyes, Batman, and Darth Vader cosplayers, Vicrul seems to be a product of his culture.   You can see decades of Star Wars design here, like Supreme Cancellor Palpatine's weird leathery oRevenge of the Sith, a helmet that seems like a pastiche of First Order and Imperial helmets, dusty boots, and a coat that gives you all the black leather you could want.  With no real eyes to speak of, it's the epitome of new trilogy designs.  Familiar, but different.
utfit from

The figure decides to amp things up a bit by changing up how it's constructed.  You get the rocker ankles you always get, but you also get those nifty new shoulders that can swivel forwards and backwards - but they're not visible!   And why not?  The torso is covered in a rubbery shirt, which hides a lot of the joints in that general area.  Clever!  At least 27 joints are present, including one of the best double-jointed necks we've yet got in this scale. It's not just a barbell connecting the chest to the skull - there's a full neck with a surprisingly large range of motion in there.

I love the fact that the helmet has a silvery - but not scuffed - look, with the back even having some subtle grey stripes that you probably would never miss had they left it unpainted.   The blaster and club easily fit in the hands, but I should point out that it does have some minorest of minor quibbles with accessories.   The right hand isn't particularly tight for the club, but it can easily assume the publicity pose you've seen in the books.  The blaster fits in the hand quite nicely, but it's a little tough to get it in the holster - you have to stretch a strap to fit, which will undoubtedly end in heartbreak in the distant future when the plastic snaps some day.  I would recommend putting it in there now, or leaving it out, and making peace with that decision. (Or buy two!)

Hasbro has given us a lot of good figures lately, but the improved shoulder and neck joints make me very happy here.   I'd love to see the rest of the gang!  It's a pity we got one in 3 3/4-inch, one in 6-inch, and they can't hang out together.   C'mon Hasbro, pick a size. We're at war here.  Get this figure if you can find it.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,683: April 21, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,682: Cara Dune (The Vintage Collection)

CARA DUNE Another Gem
The Vintage Collection
Item No.: Asst. E5912 No. E8088
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #164
Includes: Blaster pistol, rifle
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.99
Availability: March 2020
Appearances: The Mandalorian

Bio: Carasynthia "Cara" Dune was a human female Alderaanian who served as a shock trooper in the Alliance to Restore the Republic and the New Republic during the Galactic Civil War. A seasoned warrior, she was an intimidating brawler and a crack shot. (Stolen from Wookieepedia. Packaging has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: I was bristling at the idea of a mini Cara Dune since I had a perfectly good 6-inch one... but it's a good figure.   It's almost criminal that Hasbro really cracked the code of how to make gorgeous figures at this size just when everything seems to be reducing their footprint in the future of the toy business.  I know I say this a lot, but it's true - this is one of Hasbro's best figures.

Articulation is the new standard with bend-and-swivel wrists and ankles, a great mid-torso joint, a double-neck joint, and better-than-average elbow articulation.  Hasbro really nailed bare arm joints in a much better looking way than before, which is great,  because she has tattoos to show off now.  I had zero problems posing the figure and getting her standing with a gun the very first time, which is unusual for a lot of these toys.   The teal armor is gorgeous, and the shoulder pads don't get in the way of her arm movements. 

The face sculpting is good, the hair is perfect, and the facial printing at this size is ridiculously good.   It looks a lot like Gina Carano, with a teeny-tiny Rebel symbol on her face that almost looks like a mole.   I'm amazed Hasbro pulled it off.   The boot detail is good, the colors pop well, and there's a knife sticking out of her boot. It's non-removable, but it's there, and it's cool.  Even the blasters are painted nicely, and the rifle seems more durable than the larger counterpart.  

With thigh cuts, knees that bend and swivel, and an amazingly good range of movement that helps the figure balance, this is one of my favorite figures now.   You should get her.   And I hope Hasbro builds out more figures from The Mandalorian in this scale, because collecting these as a line is way more rewarding than enjoying a tiny handful of releases.  You may have missed this figure at retail - the Clone Troopers from the case are usually left behind briefly.  I'd recommend ordering online if the price is right, because you'll be sorry if you miss this one.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth.  

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,682: April 16, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,681: Remnant Stormtrooper (The Vintage Collection)

REMNANT STORMTROOPER Dingy by Design
The Vintage Collection
Item No.: Asst. E5912 No. E8085
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #165
Includes: n/a
Action Feature: Blaster
Retail: $12.99
Availability: March 2020
Appearances: The Mandalorian

Bio: Stormtroopers, nicknamed "bucketheads" and—after the Battle of Endor—Remnant Stormtroopers, were the elite shock troops of the Galactic Empire. As members of the Stormtrooper Corps, an independent branch that operated under the Imperial Army, they served as frontline assault forces and formed the backbone of the Imperial Military. (Stolen from Wookieepedia. Packaging has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: Hasbro knows fans want more troopers, so this Remnant Stormtrooper redeco of the 2019 Imperial Stormtrooper [FOTD #2,598] is the kind of low-hanging fruit I can support.   Pre-scuffed and semi-yellowed, the Stormtrooper comes from a far-flung world where cleaning supplies and paper towels no longer exist.   (Not that we can relate.)   I would assume the armor can be at least partially wiped down, but maybe it can't.  At least, it wasn't.

The figure is the same gem of a trooper you wanted more of from last year - and I hope Hasbro keeps both versions in circulation.   It has the redesigned blaster from the Disney-era movies as well as a design that seems to be of the modern era.  If I am missing key landmarks, that's what updates and the comment section are for.      Taking a cue from old-school battle damage, the back of the figure is basically clean while the front has smudges, chips, and aging painted on.   I'd love to see even more in a future rerelease, but this looks great and it's the perfect figure to populate your Imperial Troop Transporter vehicles.   Sadly, it doesn't have rocker ankles - but other than that it's about as good as a figure of this scale can be for the price.

It's a gem - fans can add (and presumably remove) battle damage deco with paint removers of various kinds, the articulation is as good as it gets for this trooper so far, and you're going to wish you had dozens of these.  Hopefully Hasbro will keep making more!  If you've got a big enough Stormtrooper army, you don't need these, but I bet any dioramas or ships you may  have would love to have these fleshing them out.  This figure comes strongly recommended at regular retail price.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth. 

--Adam Pawlus

Figure of the Day

Day 2,681: April 14, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,680: The Mandalorian (The Vintage Collection)

THE MANDALORIAN First Two Episodes Armor
The Vintage Collection
Item No.: Asst. E5912 No. E8086
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #166
Includes: n/a
Action Feature: Blaster, Cape, Rifle
Retail: $12.99
Availability: March 2020
Appearances: The Mandalorian

Bio: Din Djarin, commonly known as "the Mandalorian" or "Mando" for short, was a human male Mandalorian who worked as a bounty hunter during the New Republic Era. With his Mandalorian armor and distinctive beskar helmet, Djarin was both well-equipped and enigmatic—a stranger whose past was shrouded in mystery to others.  (Stolen from Wookieepedia. Packaging has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: Now that's more like it!   It's hard to easily see how far Hasbro has come with its 3 3/4-inch engineering over the years, as very few "new" figures are completely new tooling these days.  The Mandalorian is totally new, and you can see how much better he is than Hasbro's recent (now 10+ year old) Boba and Jango Fett figures are.  Is it perfect?  No - there's a little room for improvement, but when I say that it's minimal.  Hasbro did a good job here, but with some creativity I bet they could make it better on pretty much the same budget.

With no human head, and the least-detailed of the Mandalorian helmets, Hasbro may have a little room to play here.  The helmet is effectively one color with a t-visor, and I think they admirably replicated it as a grape-sized replica.   Deco is good for the size, with a smattering of damaged elements, painted ammo on his bandolier, but he's almost too clean. You can see sculpted dings and chips, but the color is largely uniform.  I'd love to see if - in some situations - it makes sense to do that "hyper-real face printing" on an element like the chest.  Why not print 2D battle damage over the armor to give it an action patina of some sort?  I'm nitpicking, of course, and the fingers are a bit more saturated in color than I would have expected - but it's great.  For $13 it's certainly worth the asking price in 2020.

Articulation is as good as this scale gets from Hasbro.   The neck has a decent range of motion, and the body doesn't seem as hindered as previously released Boba Fetts.  Bobas Fett? Whatever, this is better.   Bend-and-swivel wrists are probably the most useful addition to his 28 points of articulation. 

He has zero problems holding his painted blaster or nicely painted rifle, and they stow better in the 3 3/4-inch figure than the 6-inch one.  I'm even more surprised it's not the same sculpt chopped up at a smaller scale - the cape is clearly a different sculpt, and it appears other bits and pieces are slightly different too.  The blaster pistol easily slides in the holster, and the rifle fits in the slot in his back much more easily too.

Hasbro still has it when it comes to 3 3/4-inch figures - when they're inclined to make them.  I still see this as the "scale of record," even if Hasbro seemingly doesn't, and this is the kind of figure that would inspire fans to collect if a) they could find it, and b) if the line had more toys to buy.   I hope they build out a full toy line for the world of The Mandalorian beyond the title character and his little green friend.  I love that space western, and there's no shortage of weirdo characters, aliens, and Brian Posehns to enjoy.   If you can find him, get him - but don't be surprised if there are other versions later.  Battle-damaged?  Beskar Armor?   There are opportunities here, people.  Baby Yoda-sized opportunities.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth.  

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,680: April 9, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,679: Zorii Bliss (The Black Series 6-Inch)

ZORII BLISS Removable visor
The Black Series   6-Inch Figure
Item No.: Asst. E4071 No. E8070
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #103
Includes: 2 blasters, removable visor
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: March 2020
Appearances: The Rise of Skywalker

Bio: It is difficult for scoundrels to remain neutral in the war between the First Order and the Resistance, and Zorii Bliss and the Spice Runners of Kijimi must soon take a side.   (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: After a specter of tariffs, now we get to wonder about raw materials, and factory labor, and bottlenecks at the ports.   Hasbro usually let us know we had a slot situation - that is, they only wanted to make so many SKUs and that they had to pick carefully to make all parties happy - which is why a figure like Zorii Bliss is a curiosity.  Aside from the topic of the Emperor's sex life, The Rise of Skywalker hit with all of the impact of fireworks - a lot of noise, a lot of light, and then it immediately burned out.  And here we are, barely three months later, and so much has happened between Baby Yoda and diseases and the Picard show and the election and everything else that anything from the recent past seems like the oddest of odd choices.  This wave also included Count Dooku and Commander Bly, which tie in to The Clone Wars a little bit, but Zorii Bliss seems like a holdover from a very incomplete movie line.  She's Poe's friend - we didn't get a matching Poe from this movie, at all, just a 3 3/4-inch reissue.  And Hasbro (and/or Disney and/or Lucasfilm) packed her at two per case for some reason.   At least the figure is pretty good.

One of the odder things to get a grip on with 21st century Star Wars was just how much of development was done blindly, based on the whims of the licensor or the hopes of a cool costume resulting in a good toy with excellent sales.   I wish the character had more impact on me, because Hasbro did a nice job on this one.  She has 29 points of articulation, with boot cuts, two great neck joints, bend-and-swivel darned near everything, and just about anything you've ever seen from this line short of double-jointed elbows.  Hasbro instead gave her the deeper cut elbows, which are also very good.  She has zero problems standing, sitting, posing with her guns, and looking the best she can.  This is a shining example of a figure design handed to a creative team that perfectly engineered the figure within the confines of the costume.  The removable black visor giving you a peek at Keri Russell's eyes is a huge plus, but it would have been nice to have an alternate head so you can actually see her face.  It's something - and I appreciate it - but it doesn't feel like enough to make it exciting.  The cynic in me is worried someone might be getting an alternate head Zorii as an exclusive that, ultimately, will not sell well.

Deco is good - this is a figure that doesn't need a lot.  The dark reddish costume has glossy black boots with grey trim, brown belts, and some metallic gold and silver accents.  Her helmet  is wonderfully goofy with a crest on the back potentially packed with weird technology, looking more like a space ship than a head.  It's great!   The matching collar looks good, too.  Thanks to the numerous elements of this figure - like the mid-torso joint - I can't help but wonder if the toy was designed first to ensure that the costume would match it, rather than the other way around.   It syncs up nicely, and turned out well.  The concept artists did pretty well here.

Because I'm old and The Rise of Skywalker was a huge letdown for me as a movie and as a toy line without even the entire main cast represented in any one scale, Zorii is the kind of thing I wish Hasbro put in wave one in 2019.   It's a cool design, we all thought she would be a bigger deal, and you can't deny that the costume looks pretty awesome.   In 2020, we know what the score is - and it isn't a figure that's going to sell based on the merits of the actress or the part, it's just a cool costume.  Maybe you can use it to populate your other incomplete dioramas, because as of today Jabba's Palace only has a Gamorrean Guard to hang out with, the Cantina only has Greedo in it, and for whatever reason Hasbro and Disney have opted to keep the line increasingly superficial with top-level talent toys only.   If you see this figure, you can be assured it's a good one - but given how few other figures she has to hang out with on the shelf, you might not see this as worth the wait in the check-out online or at your favorite big box stores.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,679: April 7, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,678: Count Dooku (The Black Series 6-Inch)

COUNT DOOKU Sith Happened
The Black Series   6-Inch Figure
Item No.: Asst. E4071 No. E8072
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #107
Includes: Cape, hilt, "swoosh" blade, normal blade
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: March 2020
Appearances: Attack of the Clones & Revenge of the Sith

Bio: Count Dooku was a menacing Sith Lord and central figure in the Clone Wars.  Once a Jedi he became disillusioned with the Jedi Order and thirsted for greater power. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: I can only assume someone inside Hasbro is planing on reissuing last month's Count Dooku because it's just that good.   The last Sith character from the movies - but certainly not the final Sith costume variant - is one that doesn't have a lot you can do with it.  Other than adding Sith Lightning hands, this figure is pretty much the apex of Count Dooku-ness.  Maybe they can tweak the cape later, but it's pretty much perfect as it is.   I hope you have bought one or will buy it when you see it.

While it doesn't have a separately molded hair piece, the Christopher Lee likeness is excellent.   A portrait was printed over the sculpted face, showing what some of us have known for years - Hasbro does marvelous sculpts that can be marred by off-color skin tones or substandard paint apps. (See: a lot of Attack of the Clones Anakin figures in almost all scales 2002-2004.)   Thanks to the strength of Christopher Lee's face, and recognizable features, his figures turned out very nicely.  This one has a weird "doll" painted hairline on his skin, but aside from that it's as good as they come.  The eyebrows, the beard, the shiny eyes, it's the kind of thing that made you glad Hasbro waited seven years into this line to make him.   You never know when the golden age of a figure line may be, but it seems Hasbro has hit its stride right now - we're getting more interesting accessories, better articulation, and the best likenesses we've seen to date.

Articulation is as good as any figure these days, with decent elbows allowing for double-grip lightsaber duels.     We get swivel joints on the boots.  But you're more interested in the accessories.  The cloth cape has a light brown lining without being too thick, plus it has a sturdy plastic "chain" on his neck.  Aside from the unique stitching over his shoulders in the movies, it's perfect - but you can't have everything.  Cloth or plastic, a cape is going to have some compromises at this scale.

Most interesting, though, is the lightsaber.   Hasbro toyed with changing up the blade a bit in 2001 and the vast majority of the figures played it safe, with some flamboyant (and frankly, beautiful) exceptions in its 7-inch Unleashed line.   Hasbro gave us one of those standard red clear blades here, but you can pop it out of the curved hilt in exchange for a motion-blur blade.  Cast in clear plastic, elements of it are painted red to give it the illusion of movement away from its pure white core.  It doesn't perfectly sell the illusion, but the "swoosh" looks really cool. I bet figure photographers and diorama fans are going to buy extras of this figure just to pilfer the blade for customs.

Dooku's costume has been easy for Hasbro to do right since they seemingly have always had access to good reference, with the main variables being things like his face paint and the overall quality of the cape.  Hasbro did right on both here.   I'd call this an essential purchase, unless you're one of the weirdo fans who still won't touch a prequel figure even if it's good.  (Lookin' at you, Scott.)   Hasbro put in tons of joints and his most of them quite well, so go out of your way to get a Count Dooku.   And hope Hasbro keeps making them because you are going to want it later if you miss it now!

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,678: April 2, 2020