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