Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,995: B2EMO (Droid Factory / Disney)

B2EMO Disney Exclusive
Star Wars Droid Factory
Item No.: ???
Manufacturer: Disney
Number: n/a
Includes: n/a
Action Feature: Comes apart
Retail: $14.99
Availability: September 2022
Appearances: Andor   

Bio: All different types of Astromech droids populate the Star Wars galaxy. Each droid is different and has their own unique personality and colors. This droid is a very old and weary groundmech salvage assist unit that's been towing scrap for the Andor family for years. Join B2EMO on their adventures throughout the galaxy! May the Force be with you... and your Droids! (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: If you're an older fan and you like toy robots, you probably want B2EMO. The cynic in me sees this as the token cute merchandise character nearly every show or movie gets - and given this is one of every few Andor products you can by right now, I don't think it's unfounded - it is surprisingly hard to get. Hasbro's 6-inch scale B2EMO was meant as a "convention" exclusive, and this is the only other action toy so far. Funko also has one, which was also an exclusive. Weird, right?

The boxy (but good) robot seems like a predecessor to the astromech droid. He can grow taller if you pull him out of his crumpled-up mode, and he has a rotating dome and articulated feet with wheels. The design looks a lot like it does on TV, with the exposed panel on the side of the body and the uniquely shaped head. The wheels roll, the feet are a little wobbly - including one mismatched foot in school bus yellow - standard. The scuffing and rusted-out chassis tells droid thieves "not worth the trouble."

At $12.99 or less, I would say they nailed it as a Disney park souvenir - it's expensive, but it's a weird design with a short selling season. But it's $14.99, so it's overpriced. He's missing the green rectangles on his head, and the figure could have been served by more black "dirty" paint given the price increase over previous, similar droids. The telescoping body is nice and frankly necessary, but it's still a little guy at a price of a larger figure. He's too big to be a "sidekick" accessory, but it's definitely the kind of thing that would have benefited from being in a boxed set at a better per-figure price.

But naturally, none of this matter. What you care about is that a 3 3/4-inch scale B2EMO exists, it's official, it looks good, and it costs too stinking much on the secondary market thus rendering any of my misgivings moot. It sold out - so Disney won't care that some goofy fan thinks it isn't fancy enough to justify the asking price. At standard pricing I'd recommend it enough to get one, and if Hasbro makes a "Kenner" Andor series I would hope a weird B2EMO with a clicky dome and an awkward sticker or two can't be left out. It's weird that the most toyetic design on a decidedly toy-unfriendly series be given such a short run, but Disney shorted its first Pride Droid and that sort of thing really leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

None of this is the fault of the designers, who I assume designed this to meet a $12.99 price point that inflation kicked up. To have this toy on-shelf before the series aired, I would argue it's a pretty good feat in 2022 and they're deserving of praise. But if Hasbro (or Disney) want to try a version 2.0 that has a tilting dome - rather than this one which only swivels - I'd like to see that too.

Collector's Notes: I got this through my pal Shannon. (Shop Disney sold out quickly.) Thanks Shannon!

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,995: January 17, 2023