Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,007 Cassian Andor (Andor, Coat, The Vintage Collection)

CASSIAN ANDOR (Unnamed, but coat-ed)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. E7763 No. F5522
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #261
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $16.99
Availability: February 2023
Appearances: Andor
Bio: In an era filled with danger, deception, and intrigue, Cassian Andor embarks on a path that will turn him into the rebel hero who will challenge the evil Galactic Empire. (Stolen from Amazon. There is 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: If only one or two figures drop from a series, does it make a sound? It would've been great to have this Cassian Andor figure out while the show was streaming new episodes - or delayed until season two - but that's not how things go. Synergy is, weirdly, out as things feel increasingly corporate - heck, Mr. Andor knows all about that from fighting jackboot cosplayers from the Corporate Sector. While this is an excellent figure, it loses a little shine due to Hasbro's "less is less" strategy where we get generally insignificant quantities of characters from a new project since 2019. If we're lucky, we'll get a trickle over time - and if we're not, well, tally up the size of your The Rise of Skywalker collection.

If you want a 3 3/4-inch scale Cassian from Andor, go get this one before it gets expensive. Hasbro did a good job here. If you want to wait and see if Hasbro will give you the other characters from the show whose names you already forgot, I wouldn't hold your breath for a complete suite in every scale. I like how this one turned out though - the elbows bend more than 90 degrees! The jacket has the little hood on the back! He can even stand with a little fussing - he has the newer-style hip joints and more modern elbows, but the joints are a little stiff in spots. Not so stiff that he'll be a problem, but stiff enough that you may not just be able to plop him on a shelf and he stays upright.

The browns are a little richer and less muted than the photography of the costume, and I'm fine with that. I like the highly-detailed boots and the belt buckle is excellent. One thing that surprised me was that the costume seemingly has no holster - who knew? (Not me, is where I'm going.) He also has no problems holding his blaster - sadly, his only accessory. Given that this figure may be $16.99 at some stores due to Hasbro price increases, it's a stretch. When Vader has alternate hands, simply including one accessory feels insufficient at this price. It's a nice, unpainted blaster, but Kenner frequently gave us at least two per figure for $5 or $6 in the 1990s. Hasbro can come up with something.

The Diego Luna head sculpt is excellent. The beard color looks almost better here than on the shows, with a plastic "wig" that fits perfectly. The eyes are shiny and bright, the skin tone isn't nearly as pale as some figures, and he actually looks like who he's supposed to look like. Maybe I'm just more forgiving to Disney+ talent, but Luke doesn't always look like Mark Hamill and Han doesn't always look like Harrison Ford - but Cassian Andor sure as heck looks like Diego Luna.

Given there may not be much of a collection from Andor at this scale I am hesitant to suggest anyone collect it - three or four figures does not a collection make. But if you just want some one-offs, and an example of some of Hasbro's finest male human work at this size, get this figure. He looks good, the hands are sculpted well, the costume is complex and the joints are nicely hidden in the creases and folds of his various garments. Short of the accessory deficit, this is a quality figure - it just might not be worth the asking price now that we're inching toward $20 for something of this size.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,007: February 28, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,006 Luke Skywalker (Imperial Light Cruiser, The Vintage Collection)

LUKE SKYWALKER (Imperial Light Cruiser)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. E7763 No. F5626
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #264
Includes: Lightsaber, hilt, blaster, cloak
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $14.99
Availability: February 2023
Appearances: The Mandalorian
Bio: Luke Skywalker was a Tatooine farmboy who rose from humble beginnings to become one of the greatest Jedi the galaxy has ever known. (Stolen from Amazon. There is 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 a retool! I heard a few fans asking why Luke

Skywalker (Imperial Light Cruiser) came with the Jabba's Palace blaster. That's because this is the Jabba's Palace figure, which a lot of fans missed and Hasbro tends to under-produce most Original Trilogy figures lately. This figure is the same as that figure - which was also in a 3-pack of Lukes for SDCC a few years ago - and some enhancements. For starters, he's got a new belt, a new cloak, and a new lightsaber. (But not a new lightsaber hilt - that's still the old wrong one.) This is a decent figure. If you don't open stuff this is a great figure, but it's still pretty fantastic if you're an opener.

Thanks to massive strides in The Vintage Collection in detail and articulation, a lot of stuff before 2022 and even 2021 look a little clunky now. This Luke was based on a very good figure before whatever switch got flipped, so while you have good head deco on a perfectly nice sculpt, you've got the old hip joints. Remember the ones that have multiple finicky moving parts at the top of the leg? Sadly, you still have those - but they're mostly obscured by the new belt and cloth robe piece. The arms bend and swivel well, but the elbows are nothing special. I admit I sound whiny, but newer figures are so much better! Only bending 90 degrees is standard, or even substandard, on most new figures. They do move smoothly, though, and that's a pretty fantastic thing to have when some joints were really rough. This figure doesn't seem like it's trying to fight you when you're trying to pose him, which is a big plus.

The old blaster is fine, the old hilt is still off-model, but it fits in the belt well. The new lightsaber is pretty great with teeny-tiny details like the belt hook and what seems to be the little triangles, just really small, near the area where he activates the blade. Some areas are more smoothed out and while the deco isn't perfect, it's fine. At this size you aren't going to get the precision on some bigger accessories - at least, not yet - so you might be irritated there's too much black and not enough silver. In his hand, you don't really notice. Heck, even if you get the wrong hilt you might not notice once he holds it. As much as I would like to say "it's no big deal," as we pass $15 and are approaching $16.99 SRP figures, it matters and half-assing it isn't really permissible anymore. I'm glad they went through the trouble to correct his lit weapon's hilt here.

I'm not crazy about Luke's head. The likeness isn't great, and he's a little pale compared to the last time we saw this noggin.  At this point I am almost wondering if there is a reason Luke doesn't look like Mark Hamill in the same way Cassian Andor looks like Diego Luna.

The cloak is one of Hasbro's best - which is good, Luke's robes tend to be a mixed bag. The hood sits well, and the rest of it drapes over (or behind) is arms quite nicely. It hands well and whoever cut it did a good job - and again, as we approach $15-$17, we need things to be good. They should be good at any price, but attention to detail matters and I think they did a pretty good job making it functional here. The hood doesn't roll back particularly well, but at this size that's forgivable. Getting the fabric weight right is more important, and if you have to tape it back for your photo s hoot it isn't the end of the world.

Luke's appearance on The Mandalorian was a little spotty, mixing up new and old sources, so it makes sense Hasbro would do the same thing here. It wasn't perfect - and this isn't either. I think the gloved hand is just Luke's hand painted black, but it's hard to make out fingernails at that size - so I don't blame them if that's the case. It was much more important to get the belt buckle right. If you see this figure I'd strongly recommend it, as it's what a lot of fans have wanted for ages. Of course, it's one per case and Hasbro hasn't been rerunning much lately - so pounce on a pre-order or buy the first one you see in stores. I doubt Hasbro will meet demand on this one.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,006: February 23, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,005: Admiral Ackbar (Kenner, The Black Series 6-Inch)

ADMIRAL ACKBAR Kenner 6-Inch Retro Style
The Black Series Return of the Jedi 40th Anniversary Collection
Item No.: No. F5539
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, Baton
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $27.99
Availability: December 2022
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: Ackbar led the defense of Mon Cala and masterminded the rebel attack on the second Death Star at the Battle of Endor. He became a Grand Admiral in the New Republic, winning many victories. (Taken from Hasbro Pulse. Package 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: Kenner-color Admiral Ackbar was a fantastic idea, and the kind of thing I personally wanted. And then I saw Hasbro Pulse decided to take the Admiral Ackbar [FOTD #2,740] from 2020, take away paint applications, add a (generously) 50-cent baton, and charge an extra $8 for it. I dragged my feet picking this one up, even though it's the exact kind of thing I wanted - $25 was pricey, $28 just doesn't sit well with me for a less-paint repaint.

I like this figure more than the 2020 6-inch figure, because it reminds me of the 3 3/4-inch Kenner figure I got back in 1983. He's molded in color almost completely, with painted yellow eyes and a painted stripe on each leg. Hasbro cut corners, saved money, and somehow came up with a better-looking product. I like the plastic texture on the "bib" vest a lot, and the detailing on the hands and head somehow look even better in these bright colors. The pants still look good in white, and the unpainted belt looks perfectly fine, too. The articulation is still well-engineered and hidden by the costume in clever ways, and the mouth still opens. As a product goes, it's an expensive item for a specific audience.

Only his right hand was designed to grip an accessory, so you'll probably also find it frustrating to fit his baton in there. The blaster is a little easier to wedge inside, but the thumb on mine was so small and had so little "give" in it that it took a while to get a grip, as it were. The baton itself doesn't quite look like the old Kenner ones, but it's fine. It actually looks more like a flute meets a lightsaber hilt, whereas the original was a stick that impaled a series of discs for reasons nobody knows.

I hate the price, but I love the figure. I mean this with all compliments - the bright colors do a much better job of making it look like a toy, and it's much easier to see all the sculpted detail work Hasbro puts into these things. I think I would be sorry down the road if I ultimately skipped this one, but with so many repaints and same-character deco gimmicks it's difficult to collect them all - let alone wanting to collect them all. For fans of a certain age this is a can't-miss alien and when the day comes to start selling off my The Black Series collection, I'll probably hang on to this one until the very end if I can help it. It' a keeper.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,004: February 21, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,004: Dark Trooper (The Rescue, The Vintage Collection)

DARK TROOPER (The Rescue Set)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure PulseCon Set
Item No.: No. F5551
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #245
Includes: Blaster, alternate fists, flame wrap, plus Grogu, Mando, and Moff Gideon
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $74.99
Availability: December 2022
Appearances: The Mandalorian
Bio: The Mandalorian leads a crew on a rescue mission to Moff Gideon’s ship where a garrison of dark troopers – the advanced droids that captured Grogu – are waiting. (Stolen from Hasbro Pulse. There is 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 have to start by saying this set, with a gorgeous (wasteful) box and lavish accessories, feels pretty overpriced. You get about $50 worth of figures for $75, and the mass retail version of this Dark Trooper can be bought individually too. It lacks the flames and is still almost shockingly expensive for what you get, but it has a nifty alcove that you can connect and army-build - which is a clever idea. This lacks the alcove, which is unfortunate as it would actually be a pretty good reason to buy even more of these dudes.

Much like the 6-inch figure, this one is super glossy. He has a firey boa that wraps around him, and I like that. It's a great idea! You can have Mando fight him, and that's great too! What will probably sell you on this set is a unique battle-damaged droid head. You can see exposed wires and a hole in his bashed-in head, and that's not unwelcome. I like the glossy finish, the silver joints look good, and the swappable hands are an added bonus. The designers put in some good details here, and that's important - because you're certainly being charged a premium price here. Anything less than "amazing" would be a rip-off, and as it is, I'm hesitant to say this is an item that will make you think you got your money's worth.

Articulation is good, but not exceptional, and certainly not praiseworthy. The joints on this figure are a mix of pretty good and pretty unpleasant. The hips, thighs, and most of the swivels move freely and are as smooth as butter. The bending joints like the knees, shoulders, elbows, and ankles ratchet in a way that's a little too stiff to get a good pose out of the figure, and just feel unpleasant. I thought we were beyond this - in the past year we've gotten superlative articulation from Fennec Shand and Bo-Katan Kryze, so naturally, I expected the premium-price army builder would be as good if not better.

The hands are tough to pill out to swap between the fists, and the trigger hand doesn't hold the blaster tightly. I expect things to be better after these figures have been made for over 45 years but I guess that's on me. Thankfully the flames wrap around nicely and are well-engineered. It's a good, snug fit and worthy of mention. I just expect a bit more for a higher price, and to make all four figures in this set "just different enough to make you mad" without any being clearly superior to separate releases - minus Mando, he's got a lot of unique bits - is vexing. If you were packaging-agnostic, Hasbro makes most of their SDCC items as good as or better than the mass-retail release, usually granting you a bonus accessory or some other nice little extra. By leaving out the Dark Trooper's alcove and non-damaged head, you're probably going to want to consider buying both - good for them, good for fans of troop building, less good for people who just want one of everything and to call it a day.

I'll probably repeat this on the single figure - but if Hasbro included the alternate damaged head and flames with the regular figure as optional bonus parts, I'd still say they're ridiculous people for charging $11 more than a regular figure - and this is more than that. Completists will hold their nose and buy it, as will fans of the format or this particular droid. (I mean, I got it.) At or below SRP you might be happy with this set - but if it ever climbs to high secondary market prices, I would advise you to seek out cheaper alternatives. The individually packaged versions of these figures are also very nice.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Hasbro Pulse.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,004: February 16, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,003: Luke Skywalker (Snowspeeder, Prototype Edition - Purple Head, The Retro Collection)

LUKE SKYWALKER (Snowspeeder, Prototype Edition, Kenner Style)
The Retro Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: No. F55569
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Grapple gun, lightsaber
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $10.99-$14.99
Availability: July 2022
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: This Luke Skywalker figure is inspired by the colorful prototypes that enable the development team to look past the deco and focus on the sculpt, analyze mold alignment, and adjust for quality. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: These things are kind of dumb. I'd rather have them in one solid color, but the Luke Skywalker (Snowspeeder) Prototype Edition as weird in all the ways that work for me. I appreciate the nod to a weirder aspect of collecting, but it's also frustrating that the entire point - a figure to analyze mold development - lets you see where Hasbro came up short. The original Kenner figures were surprisingly detailed little guys with deep cuts for detail, giving us what amounted to the best - or at least, the somewhat goodest - that the 1970s and 1980s had to offer. If you pick up some of the Hoth Rebels, the patterns in the boots or pants are pretty striking. If you have a genuine old Dengar, there are some amazing little details in the backpack, straps, wraps, and clothes that got low-resolutioned out of the newer release. It's like they pushed up all the detail lines a fraction of a milimeter, which sacrificed much of the detail. I assume Hasbro did the same with their new sculpts too, because Luke - while neat, and symbolically awesome - doesn't have as much detail as the genuine article from 45 years ago.

Having said that, this figure is the same as Luke Skywalker (Snowspeeder, The Retro Collection) [FOTD 2,698], except this one has no paint. And is in the wrong colors. I think they would have done well to just sell the figure with paint alone, but Hasbro wanted to crank out six variants under a single SKU - something they said they can't do anymore, but clearly, they can - with few development costs.. The figure is a pretty sturdy one who can stand, sit, and hold his gear without a fuss. I dare say he holds it better than a lot of actual vintage figures! The joints are nice and tight, and his coloring looks like a "best effort" prize in a kid's coloring contest. But therein lies the charm.

What's particularly interesting about some of these prototype figures are the accessories. The black grapple gun is nothing special, but Kenner (and Hasbro) never made this style of lightsaber in purple before! For that reason alone, it's pretty awesome - the blade matches the figure's head. (Red, blue, green, and yellow ones exist from currently available figures.) I'm tempted to track down other variants just for the lightsabers this time - that's a nifty prospect. I got mine for $10.99 because I assume Target.com goofed, which is welcome given that previous prototype figures were slightly overpriced.

What's funny - and sort of sad - is that fan-driven efforts can make slightly higher quality products at much higher prices. Stan Solo Creations, Garden State Kaiju, and Healey Made - just to name a few - are putting out high-quality not-licensed efforts. Hasbro's still doing an admirable job, but if they could just fine-tune the molding, I think figures like Luke here would be a lot more enjoyable. It would also be nice to see a little more variation on the poses - but I don't get the feeling that people are as fanatical about "this is how Kenner would have actually done it" as I am. This figure is a great display piece, but probably only essential for Kenner loyalists and people who really love crayons.

Collector's Notes: I got mine at Target.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,003: February 14, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,002: Boba Fett (Tython, Jedi Ruins, The Black Series)

BOBA FETT (Tython, Jedi Ruin)
The Black Series 2020 Line Look Orange The Mandalorian Packaging
Item No.: Asst. E8908 No. F5870
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #22 - The Mandalorian
Includes: Helmet, backpack, pistol, rifle
Action Feature: Connecting lightsaber parts
Retail: $31.49
Availability: January 2023
Appearances: The Mandalorian

Bio: Once regarded as one of the most fearsome and capable bounty hunters in the galaxy, Boba Fett seemingly met his demise in the Sarlacc pit on Tatooine. A survivor to the core, Fett lived to fight another day. (Taken from the packaging, which occupies a fair amount of space in six languages.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Walmart now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: A good figure with another obnoxious route to getting it! Boba Fett (Tython Ruins) seems to be some new and old parts, with new paint, at a premium price. Pre-orders went up a year ago yesterday - and mine showed up a couple of weeks back. As far as I know Walmart stores haven't received them yet, and may never, as a lot of things tend to be online exclusives. Maybe it'll show up as part of The Mandalorian season three starting to stream in a couple of weeks. As of my writing this it sold out and people are already selling it at a mark-up, which is pretty obnoxious - but I also assume more are out there to be had in the future.

This new release is similar to the also fairly good Boba Fett (Throne Room, The Black Series) [FOTD #2,953] with deco and belt alterations. I like it a lot more, mostly because that was a fantastically fun episode of The Mandalorian. We saw what seemed to be an invincible Boba Fett put his armor back on and just beat the tar out of Stormtroopers. He wasn't quite as tough in The Book of Boba Fett with his fortune and newly-painted armor, so I'll probably just remember him in this scuffed, mismatched, and generally somehow even more Star Wars-y armor. Boba Fett was the platonic ideal of "used universe" apparel, yet somehow this figure takes it a step further. You can see a new Tusken-derived belt with a working holster over his old Tusken pants, and you get some genuinely wonderful battle-damage silver scuffs on the chest, helmet, shoulders, and forearms. His kneepads are molded in yellow without damage markings, which is sensible given you probably will never actually see them.

The helmet pops off and on easily, and has an articulated rangefinder. A replacement green rocket was put in the post-Cobb Vanth jetpack, which is also scuffed quite nicely. Boba has no problems holding his blasters, and with no extraneous accessories to lose I'm pretty happy.

Is it worth $7 over a basic figure - which is $12 over what you paid for a basic Boba Fett just three years ago? Probably not. Inflation is cruel and it's causing a lot of us to make some tough choices. I'm still generally in love with the Mandoverse thanks to the neat armored dudes, the filthy layers of grime, the cool aliens, and the fact that it's the playground I think most of us wanted for years. This is a lot closer to what I wanted my post-pit Boba to be, and now I have it! I'd also like it as a retro figure, but so far Hasbro has been hesitant to do this particular costume as a 3 3/4-inch release. I'm sure it'll come eventually - Hasbro loves Boba Fett repaints now. They didn't a few years ago when people came asking, but such is life. If you can get this Boba Fett for what you consider to be a fair price, I think you'll appreciate the much-improved Temura Morrison likeness with Sarlacc-damage paint on it, the rich brown holster, and of course the almost-metal scuffing on the plastic armor. I can't snark this one, all parties involved did an admirable job and this is likely to be a figure that people will want between now and the time Star Wars is officially uncool again, which is probably going to be around August or September.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Walmart.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,002: February 9, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,001: Axe Woves (The Black Series)

AXE WOVES is big and cool
The Black Series 2020 Line Look The Mandalorian Packaging
Item No.: Asst. E8908 No. F5524
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: 25 - The Mandalorian
Includes: Blaster, helmet, jet pack
Action Feature: Removable helmet, blaster goes in holster
Retail: $24.99
Availability: December 2022
Appearances: The Mandalorian

Bio: A skilled warrior, Axe Woves is loyal to Bo-Katan and is a member of a band of Clan Kryze Mandalorians striking back at the Imperial remnant. (Taken from the 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: Good, but no surprises! Axe Woves is Death Watch Mandalorian [FOTD #2,988] with new deco, a new head, and a new belt piece. TV shows have to reuse armor designs, props, and costumes to save money. As luck would have it, toy lines do too - so you've got basically the same figure with some changes, and now it's a new character! This is exactly how this figure should be made.

Axe Woves has a new head that looks a lot like the character on the show, complete with pretty good painted scruff. His eyes are decent, the skin is good, the scars aren't bad, and they did a nice job in making sure he looks exactly like how he should look. This figure would've blown your minds ten years ago, and today it's merely just another regular release. It's sort of mind-blowing how much better he is than those first The Black Series figures.

The costume is mostly the same. There's a new leather plate attached to the belt to give the torso a slightly different look, and it slightly alters the figure's appearance. This is good, because it's what they did on the show. The boots are the same, the armor is the same with new paint - some panels are now dark gray, and there are new and different battle damage marks. The backpack is pretty much the same, the helmet is repainted, and you still get the articulated rangefinder. The stripe on the helmet looks good, too.

With decent articulation, my only knock on the figure is I wish he had more gear. His mold-mate has two blasters, and he has one - no doubt the pennies went to the helmet and painted head, but for $25 I would love to feel I'm getting a little more value. Our Marvel brothers get 1/6 of a figure as a bonus at the same price, and G.I. Joe might get six or seven accessories plus an alternate head. There's nothing wrong with the figure itself, but it would be neat if it came with literally anything. Even just a part of a 6-jointed "trooper" display accessory statue figure or something to make these figures a little more enticing.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,001: February 7, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,000: Aayla Secura (The Black Series)

AAYLA SECURA is a milestone
The Black Series 2020 Line Look Red Attack of the Clones Packaging
Item No.: Asst. E8908 No. F4355
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #03 - Attack of the Clones
Includes: Lightsaber
Action Feature: Removable blade, hilt plugs in belt
Retail: $24.99
Availability: December 2022
Appearances: Attack of the Clones

Bio: A cunning warrior and Jedi Knight during the rise of the Clone Wars, Aayla fought on many battlefields. A master of the emotional detachment necessary in the Jedi Order, she tried to pass on what she learned. (Taken from the 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: Day #3,000! Why? Somehow we're still going and I blame the last three years. As much as I wish I was saving something special for the occasion, I just grabbed the next figure in a case by my desk and it's a good one. Aayla Secura brings the prequel character - who started as a comic character - to 6-inch plastic life. Sure you've got a bunch of 3 3/4-inch ones, but now you can buy her again! I am unsure if she uses old parts - I couldn't match her pants to any of the figures I had out, but the double-jointed knees have been phased out over the last few years. I assume that means this design may have been sitting on deck at Hasbro for a while before finally making it out late in 2022.

After hearing fans say "well at least the sequels aren't the prequels," I think I'm pretty comfortable in saying that the last three outings with George Lucas at the helm were better movies with better designs. (Granted, this wasn't one of his - check out those comics!) Ms. Secura was cast in brown and blue, with parts of her headgear molded in brown rather than settling on being merely painted parts. I dig it. Her sleeve and top are also molded in brown, her boots are a different shade of brown, plus they swivel! I love that they made use of her outfit when determining articulation, as she has a mid-torso joint that looks like it belongs there. Most of her hip joints are masked by the clothing, and many of the arm joints are integrated nicely. Her head sculpt is expressive with a good amount of paint to bring her to life. This means the outfit is mostly flat brown paint with sculpted texture, and while a little more paint could bring out that detail nobody is probably ready to pay for it. With shifting budgets, we've seen figures range from pretty good to pretty adequate. What Hasbro gave us here is good - but it would've been nice to have some robes or a little something more here. It's just the figure and a lightsaber - and it's a good figure, with a nice lightsaber, and everything fits together nicely. At $25 you won't be too disappointed, but we're probably one price increase from people throwing up their arms and bailing on anyone who isn't a personal favorite. While I would love alternate hands or some gear to make me think I got my $25 worth, I don't think I can stomach another price hike.

I assume this is going to be the finest overall Aayla Secura figure we may ever get under $50. I'd recommend her for Twi'lek fans and anyone wanting more prequel-era Jedi Knights, but you won't get a lot of gear here and I doubt you'll be thrilled. You'll be happy - the execution here is excellent as the best Aayla Secura Hasbro was likely to give us. I assume she won't linger on shelves too much, so snag her if you see her.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,000: February 2, 2023