Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,299 Chewbacca (2025 - The Vintage Collection)

CHEWBACCA Just Begin Again
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. E7763 No. G0923
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #381
Includes: Bowcaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $16.99
Availability: September 2025
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Chewbacca is a legendary Wookiee warrior with a big heart known for his short temper, accuracy with a bowcater, and unwavering loyalty to his friends. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: There are few characters as important to old-school Star Wars as Chewbacca. We got one 3 3/4-inch figure of him in the original trilogy, but Kenner and Hasbro would go on to find numerous ways to do (and redo) him in the 1990s and beyond... up until about 2004. At that point we got a really good new body and nearly every collector-level (and some kid-level) original trilogy-specific action figures would be this guy, possibly with a different head and altered fur deco. Yes, this is the Original Trilogy Collection "Vintage" body yet again but Hasbro has given it more changes than ever. And would you believe less deco?

If you have no Chewbaccas, get this one. If you need another one for the Cantina or a vehicle, this might be your best bet. If he's just going to stand around and look cool, I don't think this one adds anything - this is a figure you buy to sit around.

It's not obvious to look at it, but it has some pretty serious changes above the neck and below the waist. First up, the head seem to be from a similar digital ancestor to a head we saw used in The Black Series and also the infamous 2005 Early Bird Kit, but it's not the same. The mouth interior is painted, and some of the scruff around the neck is different - but some looks almost the same. There are enough changes from the figures I had within reach that I'm fairly confident that it's a good new sculpt, with decent fangs and deco that gets the job done nicely. The eyes have a little shine to them, and he's growling - as most Chewbacca figures do. The head matches the body sculpting style fairly closely, but it does seem like it might not be from the exact same era.

The torso and arms seem to be the same sculpts, down to the hair hanging off his hands. That's the one thing I wish we could see changed, because it seems like it's still designed for a specific pose. taking some of the shaggy elements off might make him look a bit more modern, and I would really love to see some improved arm articulation so we can replicate that "let the Wookiee win" Dejarik champion pose from the original film. Hasbro made a figure with pre-bent elbows back in 2000 that can do that pose... and not much else. Hasbro's other figures have incredible bending power in their joints, so when Theseus updates this ship next time I hope they can do some work on the arms. They're not bad - they can hold a bowcaster (also from 2004). His body still has the multiple segments, and you can pivot and rotate them to your liking.

The Bandolier seems to be the same as previous releases, but with less deco. The AT-ST release had a lot more grit and dirt on it, this one is squeaky-clean. 2025 Chewbacca's ammo pouches and snaps seem to have more appropriately placed paint, though, so I'd give the new guy the edge there.

The lower torso and legs seem to be entirely new, with smaller feet and thigh swivels plus lateral hip movement. It's not hard to get him to sit in the big Millennium Falcon from 2008, but you can't have his legs bent very much due to the size of the figure (and cockpit.) The bag hangs over the side, with decent deco on the legs. It feels to have a minor mismatch around the shins, though, and it's worth noting his fingernails and toenails are unpainted this time. AT-ST Chewbacca had some black paint there. Will you notice, would you miss it if I didn't point it out? Probably not. It doesn't ruin the figure, but you can see a couple of very small corners cut here.

I'm especially pleased Hasbro dropped the fur highlights, as that always looked a little gross to me. This figure is about 50% new, with new deco and some new-for-Chewbacca articulation, and another 50% is 21 years old. There may be other examples of keeping tooling working on a "new" figure that long, but I'm hard-pressed to name it for something that isn't meant as a reissue or nostalgia-specific item. I guess this might qualify, but I'd like to think it's also a good time to try an all-new sculpt and see how it turns out. Functionally this is a very nice figure with an improved range of motion and an excellent head giving him additional personality. Having said that, if Hasbro never made it? I'd probably never have missed the improvements, and just made do with what I had at home. I was very surprised to see smaller feet and a seemingly new head mold, but a little disappointed that the bowcaster still kind of rattles around with its two-piece design. I wouldn't mind seeing a new take on that, too. If you miss it, I assume a rerelease or remold is inevitable.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,299: December 4, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,298: R2-H25 (Droid Factory)

R2-H25 Holiday Edition
Star Wars Droid Factory
Item No.: ???
Manufacturer: Disney
Number: n/a
Includes: Candy Cane hat
Action Feature: Comes apart
Retail: $14.99 $17.99
Availability: October 2025
Appearances: n/a 

Bio: All different types of droids populate the Star Wars galaxy. Each droid is different and has their own unique personality and colors. This droid aided the resistance along with BB-H20 on the salty world of Crait... Join R2-H25 on their adventures throughout the galaxy. May the Force be with you... and your Droids! (Taken from the packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!  

Commentary: Despite not loving the premise, I jumped on R2-H25 back in October and I'm glad I did. A number of companies had a round of tariff price increases in October and apparently Disney was one of them - the droid went from $14.99 when I ordered it to $17.99 at some point before November 2, when I started filling out this review. If you like candy canes or The White Stripes, this white plastic figure with red panels (and a few metallic red panels) is likely just the thing for you. It's sort of silly, but it still looks like something you might see in the background in a movie or on the cartoons. There's nothing un-Star Wars-y about red panels on a white droid, we've actually had quite a few over the years like R4-E1 and R5-D4.

The mold is not anything new - heck, you can tell, because it's showing signs of wear. On my sample, the dome is a little bit looser and spins more freely than other droids. The third leg, still removable, is bent to the side a bit. Maybe it's a fluke, but this sometimes happens after a tool has years and years (and years) of use and reuse, with probably over 100 droids based on these parts. The right and left legs share a mold, and are the wire-free versions we've seen on most of Disney's figures. The paint is generally good, with each piece generously slathered in red - largely very evenly and cleanly. What surprised me was the box surrounding the eye, the stuff under the dome, and the holo projector have a slight metallic tint to it. It's not obvious, it probably cost more, but it's a nice bonus detail they put in there. I miss the silver on the vents because it gives it more of a realistic hardware vibe, but this still looks good perfectly fine for the nature of the festivities.

Unique to this figure is a hat. It looks like a snow drift with a striped candy cane on it. The sculpt is nice, the detail is fine, and it fits over the various painted (and one unpainted) dome panels. It has a lot going for it and it's just a heck of a lot of painted boxes that the factory had to do, I hope automation is handling most of it because this looks challenging even with a paint mask. All the panels are not perfectly filled on my sample, but I would say it's good enough that I'm not complaining for a mass-market $15 toy. At $18 I'd be cranky.

A commonly asked question is when will fans say "that's too expensive" and we might be getting there. For a theme park souvenir, $20 is no big deal - but do I need another droid repaint when it's also $10 shipping? Not really. I'd be more open to things if they could all ship in one transaction, but the reality of these things costing $30 a pop - or more with tax - makes them seem like something I might skip a few more of. I missed a couple due to non-availability and I might just let them go at this point. If you can get this guy at a fair price, it's a perfectly nice figure. Mine was $27.21 to get it to my door. That's cheaper than a trip to California, or parking at Downtown Disney, but it's also half the price of most new video games for the 100-and-whateverth droid repaint. I might suggest Disney start dropping 2 at a time, or doing 2-packs, to offset delivery sticker shock.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Shop Disney.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,298: December 2, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,297: Walrus Man (Cantina Adventure Set - The Vintage Collection)

WALRUS MAN Kenner Flavor
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Cantina Adventure Set Pack-In
Item No.: No. G1301
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #377
Includes: Blaster, alternate flipper fists
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $64.99 $74.99
Availability: September 2025
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: A burly Aqualish thug, Ponda Baba was one of the alien barflies escaping the heat of Tatooine's twin suns when Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi visited the Mos Eisley Cantina. (Taken from packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: This Walrus Man is not what I would have expected, but I think that it might actually be better overall. As a repaint of an existing mold it's weird, but Hasbro has been surprisingly conservative about non-trooper wacky repaints. This is actually fun. Also, he's got weird flipper hands if you're into that.

As a kid I saw the original Kenner Walrus Man in the toy catalogs and thought it was the coolest thing ever. Wet suit. Swim fins. Bright colors. How could you go wrong? You couldn't, it was great. By 1997 Kenner disagreed, and decided to give us the first Ponda Baba - a much more accurate update with the jacket and screen-accurate colors and boots. Whimsy doesn't tend to click with adult fans, or so I thought. Hasbro decided to do this amazing little set with four super-articulated movie-accurate figures in 1979 colors. Silly? Kinda. But I'd have paid $50 for just the cardboard diorama part, $65 for four figures and a diorama is about as good as this sort of thing gets. The original The Vintage Collection Ponda Baba from 2011 included a bonus alternate arm and a glass - but otherwise was the same mold.

The character stands easily and probably won't be doing much sitting. The legs have enough movement to sit - but he won't be sitting. The old-school swivel hips are present, as are swivel wrists and a twisty waist. The ankles are pre-rocker, well-integrated and surprisingly study. I have no problems getting this guy to stand, and the coat doesn't get in the way of him being able to sit. That's the working blaster holster's job.

Deco is a series of unique choices, far more so than the other figures. The movie mold had a shirt with a jacket, so Hasbro opted to go in another direction. The Kenner figure had blue arms and an orange torso. This figure has a beige shirt, an orange jacket, and blue stripes on the sleeves. Why? I have no idea. It reminds me of some of the Star Tours uniforms from the 1980s, and it doesn't match the original 1979 Walrus Man. But it's weird, and weird is the spirit of those old figures. I'm not complaining, especially since Hasbro released Retro Walrus Man [FOTD #3,253] just a few months ago. That means three forms of Walrus Man are in circulation this year.

If I were in Hasbro's shoes I would have gone with a different color of shirt (orange or blue), and probably made a stink about making the sleeves completely blue. But it's not my department. This figure reminds me of Glyos (in all the best ways) in that the new colors do a great job highlighting the detailed sculpt. You can see the hairy textures around the mouth, subtle strands of fabric in the shirt, and subtle creasing in the pants. The old releases looked great, but for whatever reason these colors highlight just how much work Hasbro and/or Lucasfilm put in to the designs before being converted to plastic man. They even painted the belt buckle and little silver bits too, making this a better-than-expected cheap redeco. They even Kenner-ized the eyes, with some light yellow/green behind the black dot. It's charmingly weird.

I have no doubt some fans are cranky Hasbro didn't do an all-new mold with thigh swivels and rocker ankles, but I still feel this mold is good enough and I don't think that - other than that shirt - there's much they could have done to make it look a heck of a lot better. Hasbro got the gag, priced it right, and made something that is a pretty good item to put out in a year where you make an all-new Cantina with absolutely zero brand new alien figures. This one is old, and it's new. It's interesting. It's not for everybody. I bought two. If it's still available, I'd recommend it.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Hasbro Pulse. Like a lot of items, the price increased throughout the fall going up about $10. Thanks, economy.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,297: November 27, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,296: The Mandalorian (Blue Tech Speeder Bike / Epic World of Action)

THE MANDALORIAN Biker
Epic World of Action Power the Force Speeder Bikes
Item No.: Asst. G0363 No. G0372
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blue Darksaber, rocket, blue launcher, tech decobike
Action Feature: Bike rolls on wheels, removable launcher, launching rocket
Retail: $19.99
Availability:  August 2025
Appearances: The Mandalorian

Bio: The Mandalorian traversed Tatooine on a speeder bike, a vehicle capable of high-speed travel that requires skill and fast reflexes. (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!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: Sharing a SKU with the first version, this is a variant deco and package refresh. The Mandalorian (Speeder Bike) is part of the yellow-carded kiddo vehicles which were largely passed over by big box stores. This version is the Epic World of Action Power the Force version. For those just joining us: Disney pushed Power the Force (no "of") as a focus for product and marketing Star Wars in 2025, which was meant to emphasize tech and power. Very little of this is actually visible to the end consumer, and this may be one of very few places the slogan appears on actual product. Hasbro took its plain The Mandalorian Speeder Bike [FOTD #3,212] from earlier this year and made it "powered" with some blue. The figure itself is largely identical, save for a Darksaber. Both the figure and the Darksaber were packaged together as The Mandalorian [FOTD #3,238] earlier this year - and that one has a blaster. There's a lot of figural overlap with some accessory overlap, so depending on your goals you might not actually want or need to buy all these toys to own all the unique parts.

What makes this set unique? The vehicle. Mando still has excellent detail and articulation with a good range of movement for the asking price. The shoulders, elbows, knees, hips, and neck all have a great range of movement with a bladed energy weapon that easily fits in his hand. The silver painted armor looks bright and the various belts and bandoliers look good, but get a little in the way of the hip joints. He can sit on the bike, but he tends to hover a bit when his hands are on the handlebars and feet are on the pedals. On his own, though? Great figure. If I were Hasbro I'd have slapped some energy crackles or blue light on the armor to make him stand out.

But the bike! I saw this at New York Toy Fair 2025 and thought both "that's kind of goofy" and also "I must have it, nobody is going to buy this" and I think I was right. I suspect Ollie's or Ross will have it, right now you can buy it online (click our sponsor links, or don't) and it's a nice chunk of plastic for $20. The bike sculpt has a great wrapped-up seat, there are rolling wheels, and htere's a charming clear blue rocket launcher with a big red rocket. It stands out, it looks neat, and if you hate it? It's removable. You can place it on any of a number of sockets on the bike if you like, but not on the peg behind the seat. I assume it serves a purpose, but what? I couldn't tell you. The deco on the bike is similar to the first release, but you'll notice blue circuit patterns on the nose and on the sides in the back. I really couldn't make them out until I opened the package. In low light they're hard to see, and subtle - and if you hate it, likely easily removed. I think it's interesting as a toy gimmick, something that probably exists mostly to please someone in marketing that the customer nor the designer would have asked for. It makes little sense on the product in and of itself, but that's what makes knowing it's a tie-in to a marketing initiative interesting. We have a reason for it, but is it a good reason? I'm inclined to say "they're trying too hard." I would've loved just general energy blasts indicating a power surge, because blue circuitry isn't something I connect with the product or the show. It's a refresh, but given Target only carried the Speeder Bike (and not Mando's bike) I can't imagine it made a lick of difference anywhere in the United States toy market.

It's Thanksgiving week, and maybe you're shopping for somebody. I think a kid might get a kick out of it because Mando is a good figure, and the blue Darksaber looks neat, and I really like the blue rocket launcher. It's weird. It's likely not to be something you're going to see again in a future product. It feels like a toy in the way that Kenner's 1990s Batman toys had odd thematic accessories and matching suits, and those were a big hit. I wouldn't say no to an even weirder version of this, but this middle-ground item might not push everybody's buttons. I really like that blue launcher, which is a silly reason to spend $20, but this is day #3,296. All of this has gotten pretty silly a long time ago.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,296: November 25, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,295: Gonk (Gift Snowflake, Advent Calendar 2024)

GONK Gift
Star Wars Droid Factory 2024 Advent Calendar
Item No.: ???
Manufacturer: Disney
Number: n/a
Includes: R2 Gingerbread Droid, BB-8 Snowman, Chopper Penguin, Gonk Gift, D-O Holiday, B2EMO present, R1 Holiday Bell, wreath, Santa hat, drink tray, scarf, tiny top hat
Action Feature: Hat, open hatch to reveal mechanical guts inside
Retail: $79.99
Availability: August 2024
Appearances: n/a

Bio: All different types of astromech droid populate the Star Wars galaxy. Each droid is different and has their own unique personality and colors. Open up the Sandcrawler to reveal and build 7 new droids to celebrate along with them for 25 days this season. May the Force be with you... and your droids! (Taken from the packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: This Gonk (Gift) is not poison, despite what your High School German classes may have told you. Wlel, maybe it was - the $80 set is going for about $40 on eBay now, which means it likely underperformed. As of my writing this there's no 2025 Advent Calendar, and based on last year's designs I'd say that might be a good thing. They weren't bad - heck, some are great! But I feel like it's getting harder and harder to make something stand out as original. Thankfully, this Power Droid is plenty weird.

Making use of the ever-popular Santa Claus Hat, the existing droid mold gets cast in white plastic with a blue snowflake wrapping paper pattern. It's very good for what it is - a holiday souvenir. We don't tend to see a lot of figures with printed-all-over patterns, let alone ones with painted red ribbon motifs. The deco is sharp, and a couple of bolts - plus the face - also get some paint. There aren't special eye details or anything, which is unfortunate - I would have loved a little more face here. The 2022 gift Gonk was similarly underpainted in that region, but the 2024 model spends its paint budget. It looks distinctive. Depending on your vision, you might be able to squint at let this guy roam around your dioramas hatless and he'll fit right in.

In terms of action features, there's not much here. This formerly gray droid with his festive hat's legs swing forward and the legs swing back, but where's he bobbin at? Probably Hoth. The dome is removable revealing molded gray detailing inside, but there's not a lot of paint or special detail in there. This is normal for the mold, and Disney has been continuing to get dividends from its droid tooling investments. As they should. But I don't think they've ever done a carded Power Droid for their parks or proprietary stores.

I like this guy a bunch - he's hung out on my desk since getting him last year, partially as a reminder to review him now and partially because it just looks neat. Given that the whole big cardboard Sandcrawler is reasonably inexpensive due to lack of consumer interest, I'd recommend the set to droid fanatics and those who need holiday droid things. I also wouldn't mind seeing Disney let their designers go wild and do "designer droids" in whatever colors they deem worthwhile, because that sort of thing sure works for Be@rbricks and Glyos.

Collector's Notes: I got mine with some coupons from DisneyStore.com last year. They're out, but it can be had on other marketplaces, as can the 2022 version.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,295: November 20, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,294: Hammerhead (Cantina Adventure Set - The Vintage Collection)

HAMMERHEAD Kenner Flavor
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Cantina Adventure Set Pack-In
Item No.: No. G1301
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #376
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $64.99-$74.99
Availability: September 2025
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: An exile from Ithor, Momaw Nadon was in the Mos Eisley Cantina when Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi arrived in search of a pilot. (Taken from packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: This Hammerhead is a little basic compared to Momaw Nadon [FOTD #3,244] a few months ago. Depending on your tastes it's a must-buy, or something you shrug about. Obviously I had to have it, because it's such a daffy idea to take one of the increasingly (probably) screen-accurate super-articulated figures and decorate it to look like an off-model 1979 beloved children's toy. Did you know these action figures were originally just things kids played with before adult collectors decided "no they aren't?" It's science fun!

The figure has no new tooling, and lacks the staff, tumbler, double rifle, and alternate hand from the deluxe version. It does have a Stormtrooper blaster - a fun nod to 1979 - along with the skirt, belt, and kerchief from the 2025 brown model. The darker brown skin lacks the wipes of the deluxe model, making it look a little more toy-like. The head has painted side-eye, but now it looks more pensive than shifty. It gives the mold a lot of personality, and I think it was a great choice to keep it. The pivot waist joint is great for adjusting his body language, and he has all the thigh swivels and tilting ankles to make him right at home in any space bar playsets you may own.

Since the "regular" one seems not to be coming to mass market retail, you're going to have to order either flavor online. The other one feels like the most authentic take on the rubbery background monster, while this one gives it a fanciful overhaul that tugs at the hearts of men of a certain age. Given how many seats and stools are in the Cantina from HasLab, I'd recommend it even if you already have the other flavor. You could use some seat-fillers, and this is a great choice. He can also fit in as a The Bad Batch or The Clone Wars figure, as Kenner Hammerhead was occasionally on those shows. Granted that one lacked the kerchief - but you can pop the head off and remove it, if you like.

It's fun, it's retro, it's modern, it's super-articulated, and the price of the whole set is unusually fair. I think you should get it.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Hasbro Pulse, I assume it's an exclusive as ShopDisney hasn't listed it (yet?). It initially sold out immediately, and has come in and out of availability several times during its pre-order window.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,294: November 18, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,293: Anakin Skywalker (Epic World of Action)

ANAKIN SKYWALKER 2025 Kids Line
Epic World of Action "Power the Force" Basic Figure
Item No.: Asst. F9405 No. G1156
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: August 2025
Appearances: The Clone Wars... or Ahsoka 

Bio: Discovered as a young boy on Tatooine by Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker had the potential to become one of the most powerful Jedi ever. (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!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: I'm a fan of this format, but I'd say Epic World of Action Anakin Skywalker is almost good. The packaging gives up how this figure was meant to look with a render on the cardback that's actually quite impressive, with a great head sculpt that looks like a digitally smoothed Hayden Christensen with that sandy brown hair to match. The final figure has odder eyebrows, a chin that feels like someone had a slider on the Morph software to skew it a bit toward Sebastian Shaw, and neck armor that plain doesn't work. You can see the cardback render illustrates a thinner piece of armor that lets you see Anakin's neck. The final figure does not have this. I'm not one to rate figures, typically, but this is probably a C- just because ambition didn't pay off.

The body is more or less fine, and it looks like this figure was designed - like Obi-Wan - to pull double-duty as a Revenge of the Sith and a The Clone Wars figure. You can see where they tried to stretch the budget, because everything else seems pretty good. Hasbro did a nice job sculpting the costume with the Jedi gloves and straps and everything you might have wanted for a possible retool. The legs move well, even with the rubbery skirt piece. The arms have a good range of movement, and have the armor sculpted on. Sadly the chest doesn't - the torso is great, but not with the armor bib. That can't be a thick, floating piece you can swivel around here. It just doesn't look right. It comes very close, and I'm willing to bet we're maybe 1-2mm away from it actually working as designed. I could praise the figure's costume all day long, but one silly piece is enough to disrupt the look and feel of the figure. So far I haven't seen it in stores, so I can't really say it hurt sales. Something has to be available for you to not buy it.

Like a lot of Anakin heads, it's really not bad. It's just that the materials and paint aren't doing it any favors. In the right light you can see the chin and cheeks don't look terrible, but something about the material scatters the light in such a way where the skin doesn't look good. And the eyebrow paint masks aren't great. The eyes seem fine, but not quite as intense as the render on the packaging. It's annoyingly close to being really good, which just stings on a kid figure line like this one. The marketing and presentation seem to stack the deck against this surprisingly satisfying line, so when you have somebody like Anakin that doesn't quite match either the animated illustration nor the live-action-inspired render you might lose a customer. Emphasis on "might," because again, I haven't seen him on a peg anywhere.

The lightsaber is fine - you get a silver hilt and that blue energy crackle for the "Power the Force" sub-theme Disney enacted that fans are not at all aware was a thing this year. I love the concept here - doing a live-action Ahsoka Anakin that might also appeal to The Clone Wars kids was a great idea, but it looks like the factory fumbled this one near the end. With two The Vintage Collection figures based on this outfit, older collectors have no need of this particular figure - and it's not like kids will find it on pegs. Keep an eye on clearance stores for this one, because as an under-$5 clearance oddity I'd give it a strong "buy." The engineering is good, the Jedi symbol on the shoulder was nicely done, and I bet Hasbro could probably make a couple of minor deco changes and improve it to a B- or a B on a rerun or in a gift set. It's not the worst Skywalker we've ever got. That would be Target's exclusive Luke Skywalker (Battle at the Sarlacc Pit) [FOTD #1,508] from 2008. This Anakin is merely average, whereas that Luke was trash in 2008 and somehow even worse 17 years later. Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,293: November 13, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,292: Snowtrooper Commander (The Vintage Collection)

SNOWTROOPER COMMANDER Newer and Improveder
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Stormtroopers of the Empire Set
Item No.: No. G1281
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #379
Includes: Blasters
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $49.99
Availability: September 2025
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: Stormtroopers specialize in operations across the galaxy, from desert worlds to arctic conditions. Scout troopers patrol for the Empire with speeder bikes. (Taken from packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: While many eyes have been rolled and pixels have been spilled on the whole "not my Star Wars!" thing, I'm not going to lie to you - it has been really nice getting stuff from the original trilogy era in 2025. Kenner-flavored Cantina aliens, Kenner-sculpted classic heroes, a Cantina, a Mos Eisley, new versions of Luke, Han, and Chewie... even a Snowtrooper army pack and Snowtrooper Commander - as updates - are nice to have. I don't dislike the new era, necessarily, but the further you get away from "Empires vs. Rebels vs. Space Gangsters" I'm realizing my interest starts to wane. When I was a kid there weren't many people with lightsabers, and even in that first MMO Jedi were a special rarity. It's kind of nice to see Star Wars items that are recognizably from highly-watched (or played, or read) materials and I'm going to have few complaints about toys from The Empire Strikes Back.

Hasbro has done versions of the Snowtrooper Commander before, and it's kind of amazing that there are any shared parts with the regular Snowtrooper. For this 3-pack version, Hasbro flipped the shoulder armor, changed the entire torso, made a different boots, and different forearms, and also a unique belt, and a distinctive mask. I think the upper arms, upper legs, and possibly lower torso are the same.

The last figure of this guy was about ten years ago, and this one is glossier in all the right spots. The colors are a little more vibrant, with separately molded shoulder armor and a cloth (rather than plastic) lower coat. He stands well, the blaster fits in the holster, but the lower torso armor sort of gets in the way of his legs. Luckily, this figure will probably spend most of his time standing. The ball-jointed hips and rocker ankles will help with those action poses, but nothing's going to help the fact that you will probably wish you could buy a few more of these. At least the standard rank-and-file were sold in a four pack.

While we've got a few of this guy, I can't say it's not an improvement. While I am a little over Clones (and am hitting my limit on Stormtroopers with new spot colors), Snowtroopers are not exactly abundant and a new fan hasn't had a crack at this guy for a while. I'd prefer single versions so you can stock up on the ones you want - but $50 for 3 guys isn't terrible for an opener in 2025. If I get a crack at these guys at a discount I'll probably buy more. There's a lot of new tooling here.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Hasbro Pulse, It has come in and out of availability several times during its pre-order window.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,292: November 11, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,291: Han Solo (The Vintage Collection)

HAN SOLO Just Begin Again
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. E7763 No. G0921
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #372
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $16.99
Availability: September 2025
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: As captain of the Millennium Falcon, Han Solo and his co-pilot Chewbacca came to believe in the cause of galactic freedom, joining Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia Organa in the fight against the Empire. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: Since 1999 we have had several pretty good Han Solo figures, each with slight improvements and other changes that make them a little better and a little not-the-best. Since the 1990s it became increasingly obvious that replicated Harrison Ford's face is difficult. I remember back then that a lot of fans said Toys McCoy's 1:6 Indiana Jones was the best. It was good! It wasn't amazing. Kenner did a 12-inch Han that was pretty good but the coloring and nose weren't quite right. The CommTech 1999 one was very nice, and we've had a lot of pretty good ones ever since. I wouldn't call any of them definitive, just because the face is never really perfect. He's just so weirdly expressive that a replica feels wrong, even some photos don't look right. When looking at this figure's head at certain angles, in certain light, you can see that the sculptor absolutely is trying for Harrison Ford - but turn it a bit? And it's not right. It's quite the oddity in that it's close to right, and very likely the best one we have, but it's still not quite where I think we're going to say "OK, perfect, let's stop." It's the best face so far, but I feel like we'll see another attempt soon.

The head and some elements of the figure seem a little wider than necessary. Han's hair has a little bit of horizontal floof, his legs seem a little thicker, and his face seems barely - just barely - older than his appearance in 1977. I think if the plastic wig were placed better, I'd not think this, because you can see his trademark smirk and a hint of the wry smile that's exceptionally hard to get right. There are also elements that make me wonder if they took a 2015 scan and de-aged it a bit to get it right. I may never know - because it's close. I'd love to see this same face with a wig that's a little less fluffed out to the sides, I bet it would look great.

The texture is pretty neat, as Hasbro made some great choices to avoid paint issues. Han's neck and chest seem to be inset, molded plastic. (That costs extra.) The vest being molded separately makes it feel like it's different material from the shirt - which it is. Really, the only thing I don't like are the wrists. If you compare the final figure's pants texture to the prototype shots, it looks like there was a tiny bit of generation loss. You can still see the denim texture, but the production figure just seems a little smoother than what we saw during the pre-order online. This is to be expected.

Articulation is functionally better in the 2025 figure, but probably visually cleaner in 2004 if only because the hip cuts are simpler and the thigh swivels are something of a mixed blessing visually. For those who want the best range of motion, 2025 is the way to go with rocker ankles and a pivot waist. The bend-and-swivel wrists are stiff, but allow for more emoting. I think the swivels look better, though... perhaps Hasbro would be better off having swappable hands rather than the extra joint piece. Who wouldn't love a finger to point in C-3PO's face? Both hands do great at holding a blaster.

The new head deco has that separate wig plus a printed-on face that looks a lot more lively. He's got a twinkle in his eye and a hint of shine on his lips - it' very nice. The costume itself is fundamentally the same as always, as there's not much you can really improve on here. The blue pants, the red stripes, the black boots, the painted belt detail... what else is there to do? Other than finding a way to make a more authentic portrait, it's going to be a struggle to ever improve on the paint this guy.

Recommending a figure like this is tricky, because it's the best-ever figure, but it doesn't necessarily carve out new space. If you don't have a classic Han Solo? Get this one. It's the best. If you need a good - but not perfect - Han just to sit in the Falcon or a Cantina booth, the 1999 figure (or its 2004 reissue) gets the job done with a holster molded to his thigh, so nothing gets in the way. But the head isn't perfect. If you need a Han figure to stand around and look cool, the 2004 version you already own does a perfectly fine job. There are other variations in there too, like with a Stormtrooper belt or other minor changes, and if you have all of those Han figures you might not need one more. This is the first 1977 movie one with a removable vest, and a separately molded glued-on wig, and the super-real face paint, and rocker ankles, and improved hip articulation. It's an unquestionable upgrade - but it may not offer much above and beyond your hypothetical existing collection of Han figures.

So for newbies or the Hanless? A must-buy. For lifers? I'd still recommend it because I love the first movie so much, and it's an improvement across the board. But if Hasbro never made it, I'd be just as happy deploying my existing figures in various playsets and vehicles. That's not a critique of their capabilities, it truly is the best version of this figure at t his scale. Right now they could pop a new head on the old body and it'd still be very good - and I think we're going to be chasing that perfect Harrison Ford likeness for quite some time even though this one is a real improvement.

For those asking what the best Hasbro Han head ever is? I'd say the 2019 Han Solo in Stormtrooper Disguise [FOTD #2,592] was a little pale but nailed it. Hair's a little thin on side floof, the lips are perfect, the forehead has a couple wrinkles, and there's a sign of a scar. Maybe it's just rose-colored glasses.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,291: November 6, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,290: Clone Captain Rex (Epic World of Action)

CLONE CAPTAIN REX 2025 Kids Line
Epic World of Action "Power the Force" Basic Figure
Item No.: Asst. F9405 No. G1152
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Two blasters
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: August 2025
Appearances: The Clone Wars 

Bio: Rex served the Republic on the front lines during th Clone Wars, taking orders from Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano. (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!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: We probably got this figure because Clone Captain Rex showed up for some mystical flashback sequences in Ahsoka back in 2023. So you know, it's timely. There's no anniversary or any particular reason to do this particular figure in the kid line right now, which pretty much sums up Epic World of Action. It's neat, but why this? And why now? It's a very nice figure but if you're trying to appeal to younger fans, the increasingly disjointed line just doesn't make a lot of sense. I mean I wouldn't time something with Andor season two, but it doesn't seem to serve a purpose of the show promoting the toys and the toys promoting the show. And the funny thing is, this probably exists because the licensor thinks - rightfully so - that kids liked Rex.

It's kind of a shame that this line didn't pick a pony and stick with it - because a full wave of The Clone Wars with Obi-Wan, Cody, and maybe an antagonist of your choosing would be a lot of fun. As it is, you get a Kenobi bike (which no stores carry yet), Anakin, and a Yoda which should be phased out when this guy ships. It's kind of funny, the kid line is actually more difficult to piece together than a lot of the collector line. But I digress. You're here because you want to know if the figure is worth the eight bucks and I'm here to say that it's a very good figure given inflation. And it only took two rambly paragraphs.

The figure meets the expectations of a happy kid from the 1980s. You've got joints at the neck, shoulders, elbows, knees, and hips - so other than a lack of a waist joint it's as good as an o-ring G.I. Joe figure. He stands very well, and is easy to pose. Heck, his knees have little ratchety joints. The legs swing forward nicely, and the holster... well, they tried. One blaster has a big blue bulb at the end which looks cool, but is functionally blocking the pouches on the skirt. That's no good. But both are functional, and Hasbro was clearly trying. I assume this was an 11th hour change for their "Power the Force" branding that basically went unseen by many fans. The blasters are clear blue, and stand out. Either you're going to see them as ice sculptures or as some sort of energy blast lighting up the weapon, and either way, it works for me.

The rangefinder is painted, but not articulated - color me surprised. Considering the last Captain Rex for kids at this scale had only 5 joints, and was around $6, it's a massive improvement. Just think about it - in 2013, we got this figure with similar market needs and now we have something with roughly twice the joints for $2 more, 12 years later.

The off-white armor is a nice substitute for dirt, and while I miss the various marks on his armor I don't miss them all that much. It's Rex! He looks like Rex! He has a lot of articulation and the sculpt is a slightly stylized version of the cartoon costume. Sure it's super clean, but at this price point you can't have it all. The soles aren't painted, but the knees are, and you get the shoulder stripes. Hasbro seemed to determine the most effective places to paint and made sure that you had a figure that's satisfying. I think a kid into the show and characters would be very happy to get this, if they could find it.

I like the figure for what it is. It's not as skinny as the cartoon versions were, and if it were just a smidgen shorter I'd recommend to pretty much everybody. I really do believe Hasbro could have a successful line of figures for almost all ages if it were a little more focused on either the new hotness or a single legacy source at a time. If Hasbro had a 2025 focused on The Clone Wars and no distractions, that'd be awesome. What we got is good, but you have to be able to appreciate this figure in a void. I don't think it's unreasonable to say less isn't more - Star Trek has had a few lines that stopped at 2-3 characters per series and fans wisely stayed away. If a toy line has no future, it is not something collectors or even savvy kids will want. And they're missing out - Hasbro did a really good job here and whoever engineered the joints and budgeted the deco deserves praise for putting something out this good, in this economy, especially when you compare it to what $4.99 got us in 1995.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,290: November 4, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,289: R5-Z0MB (Droid Factory)

R5-Z0MB Halloween Edition
Star Wars Droid Factory
Item No.: ???
Manufacturer: Disney
Number: n/a
Includes: n/a
Action Feature: Comes apart
Retail: $14.99
Availability: August 2024
Appearances: n/a 

Bio: All different types of droids populate the Star Wars galaxy. Each droid is different and has their own unique personality and colors. This droid can be found wandering the bleak swamps of Corvax Fen on Mustafar. Join R5-Z0MB on their adventures throughout the galaxy. May the Force be with you... and your Droids! (Taken from the packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!  

Commentary: I dragged my feet on R5-Z0MB last year for some reason, and my invoice says I got it for $6.83 ($8.99 less a discount), which is a steal. At $15 it's not bad - it's a retool of a retool of a droid mold that's been in circulation since about 2008, probably. (There's still some debate on the Hasbro origins of Disney's droid molds, although I remember being told they weren't Hasbro molds even when it seemed they very much were in that first year. So teach the debate, I guess.) This one is pretty distinctive, and shows Disney's continued strength in coming up with something holiday-themed that's subtle enough to actually fit in with your other stuff. Hasbro's holiday items are great, but few "belong" with the movie toys. If this little guy was tossed in the back of Jabba's dungeon's boiler room, you'd say "yeah, that tracks." If it was dismembered in a big Sandcrawler, you'd go "oh was that in there in the movie?" It's a good design.

Oh, and don't forget to play your double-CD last show of Oingo Boingo this week. Happy Halloween.

The minty green "flesh" head and legs may not be exactly a match for typical droids, but it's close to my skin tone after spending all summer indoors here in Arizona. Bronze can get a green tint over time, so maybe that's what Disney was aiming for - the droid's panels are penny-colored. It looks great! There are specks and sparkle, shine and grime, disrepair and surprisingly clean panel lines. The body seems like a clean body just got filthy, same as the limbs. The head is where it gets good, with a massive gash in the side plus loads of dirty detail along the green base of the dome. One of the three eyes seems dead, and the trio shows signs of distress - like he was crying lubricant. The interior shows a pylon and some of the electronics inside, which is kinda creepy and cool. It's as close as we're going to get to seeing droid brains. There are silver marks where the head was seemingly chomped out, showing metal under the green paint. It's really a good design that makes you think of a story, because this guy has clearly seen some stuff that would turn your poo green. Maybe he gave Vader the stink-optic. It's hard to know.

I'd recommend this one. It didn't sell great at the time and it can be had for slightly over SRP now. It's worth the $20ish asking price, and I hope Disney considers reusing the mold for an x-ray droid, or something showcasing the interior. "The visible astromech" could be a pretty cool variant, or a "blueprint" deco like we saw from Funko this year and I've been asking various companies to make for the last 20 years. Not that I'm bitter or anything. Anyway, get this Shiromo in droid form, Disney really nailed every possible aspect of this design and deserve your praise/loose change for it.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Shop Disney. I got the August release in October 2024 at a substantial discount. Tellin' ya all the zomby truth - I'm OK with this.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,289: October 30, 2025