Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,214: Luke Skywalker (The Vintage Collection)

LUKE SKYWALKER (Original, 2025 Redux)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. E7763 No. G0903
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #344
Includes: Droid caller, lightsaber, lightsaber hilt
Action Feature: Droid caller and hilt connect to belt
Retail: $16.99
Availability: January 2025
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Nineteen years after the formation of the Empire, Luke Skywalker is thrust into the struggle of the Rebel Alliance on a journey that will change the galaxy. (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: Go get this one. Un-retire from collecting, and go get one now.

I've noticed I've been considerably more grumpy, mostly because a lot of Star Wars action figures are getting further away from the original movies, or the original characters, or an ability to function as a toy. I like Retro because they play nicely... and Epic Hero Series for pretty much the same reason. I don't mind good upgrades of original figures, especially when they're like this Luke Skywalker and make good on a ton of necessary changes. For starters, the boots are probably correct - publicity photos show tan wraps, but they seem lighter in shots from the film. The removable droid caller is awesome. The head sculpt is a big improvement. Also, the last "farmboy" Luke figure was sold in a hard-to-find gift set back in 2009. There was a "Death Star Escape" version in 2011, but those wanting a plain white Luke from the original movie haven't had one in 14 years. That's preposterously long for the main outfit of the main character in the main movie.

If I have to knock this figure about anything, it's only one part - and I don't know that technology or materials would let it be better. Let's start with the "skirt." It's the right size, it fits well, the color matches the torso and arms - that's good! The holes are perfect fits for the lightsaber and droid caller. You can't beat that! Standing around on a shelf or in-pack, it is beyond improving. It is perfect. It is great - for a collector figure. If you're going to display this in a diorama, standing, this is it. If you're going to have him sit, it's not so good - it's a little thick so it looks right, and while it bends, it doesn't bend much or well. It gets in the way of the legs swinging forward a bit, so it might be a struggle to get him in one of your old Landspeeders. This has been true for pretty much every Luke since about 1998 - the 1978 and 1995 ones have squared-off joints so they just swing and sit, no fuss no muss. It is a fight to get Luke's hips bent 90 degrees with this in the way. Also, the texture and wrinkles are very good - but there are some horizontal lines in back, and I can't help but wonder if they're artifacts from a 3D print. Probably not! But that's where my head goes these days.

That is where my complaints stop. Vehicle functionality aside, this is a good figure with good articulation. The limbs can assume a variety of poses without sticking out oddly. That's good! His wrists can bend and swivel, his ankles rock, the knees are mostly hidden in the pants folds, and the white material is some of the best we've seen. His neck appears to be a separately molded neck piece - that has got to cost a bit more - with a separately molded wig. The eyes and lips are glossy and painted very nicely, with tiny details added to the belt. It's a new high bar for the character, and short of wild new manufacturing techniques I doubt we'll see any real improvements for years to come. Things like a thinner, durable material so the shirt can bend and maybe hide the arm joints would be amazing - but unlikely. Hasbro experimented with cloth in 2004 and it was a great idea, but it doesn't look quite as good as a plastic figure. And none of those other figures have a shirt that looks as good as this one.

I had no real problems getting this figure to stand, or to assume a few good poses. Hasbro did a nice job of incorporating modern articulation like the ball-and-socket hips, thigh swivels, and a more or less typical waist joint.

His accessories are pretty great. The hilt looks good on both lightsabers... perhaps not perfect, but scaled down to a better size with painted details that look proper. The hilt-only saber fits in the peg hole perfectly, almost looking like it's part of the figure's sculpt. The same is true for the tiny grain-of-rice sized droid caller. Once connected, it looks like it belongs on the figure. That's hard to beat. The lightsaber is similarly good with its blue blade, which is kind of the most old-fashioned thing about the figure. This was innovative back in 1995, and by now I was wondering if we'd find some new technique with a clear white core somehow - it's probably very difficult to accomplish, but I assume someone, somewhere, is figuring out how to hollow out the thin blade and paint the interior white or something. Maybe not. For now it looks great, and I doubt it would get any better in the next 5-10 years.

I wouldn't say anything is missing... but there are things I'd like to see. We've never had a Farmboy Luke packed with the Jedi Training Remote, and that would be nice to see. We also haven't had Luke include a blast shield helmet in quite some time. Were Hasbro to re-reissue this figure with alternate gear, I wouldn't mind seeing those. Or a poncho. Or macrobinoculars. And the floppy hat. Again, if they were so inclined to do it. (Watch, it's the SDCC exclusive or something.)

Right now I'd say the big problem for this figure will be availability. I assume Hasbro didn't make a lot of it, and it's the kind of thing that will probably sell well in stores to fan-types who aren't extremely online collectors. I hope you got yours - it's a figure that shows massive improvements in sculpting and articulation, and for now it's definitive. Maybe Hasbro can make a better one - with slightly more feathery hair or a slightly-open mouth - but aside from that? This is as good as this kind of figure is likely to get for a while. Go get it, and/or start asking Hasbro to reissue it. This is a figure upgrade that's so good that lapsed collectors should come back just to pick this one up. It's worth the asking price, as long as you're not buying it as an actual toy to play with.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,214: February 11, 2025