Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,171: Darth Maul (Deluxe, Cyborg, Epic Hero Series)

DARTH MAUL Cyborg Redeco - New Kids Line
Epic Hero Series Deluxe Walmart Exclusive Figure
Item No.: No. F9375
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, Armor, Spinny Lightsaber Energy
Action Feature: Lightsaber splits in two
Retail: $19.84
Availability: August 2024
Appearances: The Clone Wars
Bio: Darth Maul wields an intimidating double-bladed lightsaber and the power of the Dark Side. (Taken from the packaging)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Walmart now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Addendum: Walmart.com seems to have dropped the price by $7.  If your store has a price scanner (it doesn't) you should see if it got updated.

Commentary: I'm not going to beat around the bush here - is it possible Hasbro has been experimenting with price points to see if there's a figure that's too expensive to scalp? This Darth Maul figure is exclusive to Walmart and a wallet-shocking $19.84. One peg over, for the same price, is a two-pack of Bo-Katan and Moff Gideon with bonus weapons for the exact same price. (How people are selling them for $19.90 shipping on eBay, I don't know, I can only assume the seller somehow got them for free.) A normal Maul costs $8 or $10, so you're being charged for a 2-part spinny energy thing and an unpainted piece of clamp-on armor. It's so expensive that I want to believe that the prices were an administrative error, that someone put a wrong number on a spreadsheet because there is no way this is worth more than a typical The Vintage Collection figure and certainly isn't worth as much as 2.5 basic carded figures.

 I'm going to start the review by saying "wait for clearance or a sale." I think this is an incredibly clever figure - it takes some shortcuts that for the price are unacceptable, but in the form factor, are charming in a 1990s Kenner way. I hate what I paid for this figure, but I am delighted by the item, which I am sure is causing some of you to read this and go "so why are you so cranky?" Yeah, that also bothers me, but this is who I am after writing about toys on the internet for 29 years.

The core figure is the same as the basic Darth Maul figure from last week. They molded the limbs in pink and painted the boots and gloves to more closely resemble (but miss the mark on) Order 66 Maul figures [FOTD #2,858]. At this price - here we go again - it should be a whole new mold, the budget is there and a repaint with a new shorter "skirt" piece is insufficient for the asking price. But if this thing were $12.99, the same as other deluxe figures in the line right now? I would chuckle and say "it's probably fun enough to be worth running out to get." Heck, it's possible the pricing hike was intentional to see how popular characters sell for the holidays. Maul is at least a recognizable, and I turn gray saying this, classic part of Star Wars.

The figure's range of motion is identical to the last figure - 5 joints - but he is a little more dynamic thanks to his accessory. Similar to the spinning things we saw for some kid-focused figures in the early to mid 2010s, you get some red Lightsaber energy whooshes that spin fairly well. It's a good accessory, but compared to what you got with Boba Fett or Paz Vizsla, it's pretty slight. The blade snaps in, and you're off to the races.

The figure also includes a snap-on piece of very Kennerian, Savage Oppr-esque armor. It's about as convincing as the Quick Change Batman chests, but it does give the figure some visual heft and I appreciat that because the painted-on triple belt doesn't look terribly convincing. In many respects, the figure is representative of the line as a whole with more recycled parts and fewer new characters, and great head sculpts. It's goofy fun, and it will be interesting to see if we get other characters oddly painted to pretend it's a new and different outfit. It may not draw any new converts to the brand, but I can tell you right now that I'll have more fun playing with and complaining about this figure than almost any collector-level toy in 2024, and that's kind of concerning in a very different way.

Nothing about this seems like a 21st century toy. A retooled skirt with the belt hastily painted on? Painting sleeves and boots and not giving him the specific armor, gloves, or chest at a massive mark-up? For such a major character it's a bold strategy, Cotton. Let's see if it pays off for them. 

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Walmart. I had to say, in front of my wife the first time I saw it, "That's... an absolutely terrible price. This is going to be on clearance before Christmas. Nobody's going to buy this." as I took it to the register so I could write about it and play with it. This is a disease now, right?

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,171: September 12, 2024