Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,253: Walrus Man (The Retro Collection)

WALRUS MAN Kenner Take Two
The Retro Collection Target Exclusive 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure Set
Item No.: No. G1082
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $59.99
Availability: April May 2025
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: The Star Wars Retro Collection features design and detailing inspired by the original 1970s Star Wars figures and features original figure design and detailing! Continue your collection from a galaxy far, far away. (Stolen from the marketing copy. Packaging has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: I can't imagine how Hasbro selects its The Retro Collection releases without massive internal squabbling. Who do you pick? Do you remake a rare figure like Yak Face? Do you put out somebody who will interest the masses like Yoda? Or do you put out Walrus Man, a strange figure in a weird toy line that not only cares not for style guides but also available relatively cheaply off-the-card? Given that he's in a set with five new molds, I think Hasbro made the right choice to release him as the pill with a treat wrapped around it.

As a kid I was trying to find Walrus Man at flea markets or garage sales. Not because of any specific love for the movie character, but because I wanted the wet suit-wearing alien weirdo figure that Kenner made as a toy. He looked like fun, and that's why I had to have him. Also all the ones I've ever owned had weird eyes, which they fixed for the 2025 rerelease... that's probably a good thing. It gave the old figure some personality, but I doubt side-eye was the intent of the original sculptor and designer Stephen Geddes. (Yeah, we actually know the name of the sculptor from 47 years ago!) I've occasionally been given a collection or spotted more at a garage sale, so I've got three originals in my orbit. It's just such a great design, so colorful and striking. I know many fans wanted a more accurate Ponda Baba figure - which we got later - but there's so little color in the original Star Wars line that a design like this really stands out.

There's some generation loss. Since Hasbro scanned the figures, you're getting some softer details. Had Hasbro made an all-new sculpt, like Rocket Firing Boba Fett, it would look a smidgen different but you could probably replicate the wrinkles, cuts, and hairy textures from the 1979 original. It's not as obvious that the new one has a beard, but most of the major landmarks are present - just not as sharp. The pose is still good, though, and the plastic finish is not nearly as glossy as an original.

The plastic colors are very close - but the original is more saturated. 2025's blue almost looks slightly Sun-damaged, with an orange that looks a bit more faded. The greens are a bit brighter, the black matches very nicely, and the peach is kind of fascinating. It's more saturated, but it also uses a paint mask that was a lot cleaner. There's some fading and gaps around the 1979 figures' faces, but here it's clean. Similarly, the eyes are more consistent with a bigger, more centered black dot in each. The greens of the eyes also seem brighter. 

The figure feels very much like the original. The plastic's a little bendy, the joints move well. He has no problems holding his included Stormtrooper E-11 blaster, but he has some problems holding the gray Evazan blaster from this set. It's loose in his hand - 1979 Walrus Man can grip it more tightly. I've since noticed this with other figures. 2019 Retro Han can't hold his gun, but weirdly, 1978 Han can hold the 2019 blaster and 2019 Han can hold the 1978 blaster. The parts tolerances were close, but not perfect, and that may be related to the generation loss in the sculpted detail. It looks good as a digital model, but it needs a little more refinement than it's getting when going into the tooling phase.

I wasn't remotely excited to get another Walrus Man, but Hasbro made enough changes (and included a bonus blaster with Evazan) that it's interesting again. The eyes give hm a new personality, the mouth is very different, and the colors are so, so close - but not exact. It feels like this figure came from molds Kenner and Hasbro kept running for 45 years, wore out, cleaned up, fixed some paint masks, and it's an imperfect match - I admire that. I recommend this figure if you don't have the original, but even if you do? It's not bad. The ribbing at the top of the boot is painted better this time, and it's worth the asking price.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Target.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,253: June 26, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,252: MSE-6 Droid (with Epic Hero Series Stormtrooper)

MSE-6 DROID, STORMTROOPER | Darth Vader, Interrogation Droid - Interrogation Pack
Epic Hero Series Deluxe Target Exclusive Figure 2-Pack
Item No.: No. F9374
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Darth Vader, Stormtrooper, blaster, lightsaber, cape, MSE droid, IT-0 droid with display stand
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99 $14.99
Availability: August 2024
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: The Galactic Empire ruled for years through fear and intimidation with a mighty military force including stormtroopers and spy technology like Imperial probe 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: In 2024 we got a lot of Epic Hero Series exclusives at the big retail partners - Target got this set with Darth Vader, a Stormtrooper, Mouse Droid, and an Interrogation Droid while Walmart got a couple of sets and Amazon got another set. All of the figures in the exclusive packs used existing tooling, but had new accessories and/or new deco. In this case, the figures both came with sidekicks that weren't in the single packs rendering them interesting enough for me to keep an eye on for months. I couldn't bring myself to spend $20 on two figures I had when there were so many of this set on-shelf, but when it hit $14.99 with a "Circle" 40% off deal I couldn't say no.

If you've been collecting for a long while, you no doubt have a few Kenner or Hasbro Mouse Droids. Maybe you got one with the Death Star Droid in 1998, or in that SDCC Revenge of the Jedi collection, or The Vintage Collection Grand Moff Tarkin, or that Galoob MicroMachines Droid figure pack in the 1990s. It seems to be a new mold! It's hollow like the 1990s design, but has a lot more detail like the 2010s one. There's no paint, but you can see a lot of sculpted bits on the sides and the little transmitter things on top. There are no rolling wheels. While the enlarged 4-inch scale droid may be big for some, the unpainted little guy looks just fine around any other figures I have from the past four (almost five) decades. If you just want a MSE droid for dioramas, it's fine with sharp details. There's just not much else to it.

The Stormtrooper is pretty much the same as the single-carded Stormtrooper [FOTD #3,137]. If you want to build an army, they're a little big with helmets that are a little small, but they're sturdy. He still has the forearm holes, but he feels like a quality toy. I feel like if we got figures closer to this in 1995, we'd probably have been complaining a lot less. His blaster is still huge, but it's not like I'd anticipate they would do a new tool for a repack set exclusive like this. As a holiday item or some entry-level product for kids, the set makes a ton of sense.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Target.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,252: June 24, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,251: Human Male Rebel Pilot (Rebel Pilots set, The Vintage Collection)

X-WING PILOT (Human Male)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Shared Exclusive Action Figure Set
Item No.: No. F9395
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: 4 Pilot figures with 3 Rebel Blasters like the Troopers and 3 Rebel Blasters like Luke's Pilot blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $54.99
Availability: September 2024
Appearances: ???

Bio: Who imagine I'm not human
And my heart is made of stone
I never had no problems
And my toilet's trimmed with chrome
I'm a man, yes I am (Taken from The Spencer Davis Group.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: The X-Wing Pilots this Human Male! At last, we have a human male Rebel pilot. Unprecedented! The same Luke body returns once more, and this time it's a pretty simple head transplant. The all-new head has painted lips, clear eyes, and some forehead wrinkles that say "why yes, I was old enough to vote for Reagan." I have no idea who this was meant to represent, but each detail is impressive - the eyelids, the ears, the hair, everything looks like Hasbro spent countless hours getting it just right. Or, maybe they scanned it, and it took about an hour. The hair texture is excellent, and it looks like a real person. Probably. Maybe it's like a police sketch made up of various parts of Hasbro's accounting department - we'll probably never know. (That would be a great Q&A with Hasbro. I'll just bring a box of figures and ask "Who is this?")

Hasbro used the best mold available to them at the time, which isn't great in 2025. I've said this before, but one of the things that irks me about collector figures - rather than toy figures - is the amount of fidgeting you have to do just to get him to sit down. The hip joints Hasbro used for figures from the back chunk of the 2010s had a good range of motion, but you had to very carefully rotate the upper thigh and with the straps? It's a slog. It's better than the 1970s-style swivel joints in terms of getting a figure to look cool standing up, but I vastly prefer the modern ball-jointed hips in most circumstances. Granted, I really love the Kenner figures because you could just slide those suckers right into a cockpit with no fidgeting at all.

If you're looking for a figure to fill your shelves, this is it. At this point you've got dozens of pilots and starfighters, but Hasbro hasn't delivered a lot of Rebel bases for these guys to populate. Or New Republic, for that matter - the helmet here seems more in line with the 21st century Ahsoka and The Mandalorian designs. I'd rather "filler" troopers be cheaper, lower-articulated figures - but that's me. It's good for what it is, but I also feel that a lot of the lines are a little less "special" due to the repetition and randos. It's a special treat to get a new Star Wars figure, so when it's an anonymous nobody, sometimes you have to ask "why?" If we ever get a hint as to who this is, it might be a little more special.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,251: June 19, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,250: C1-RN8W (Pride Collection, Droid Factory)

C1-RN8W Pride Collection Disney Exclusive
Star Wars Droid Factory
Item No.: No. 418148205414
Manufacturer: Disney
Number: n/a
Includes: n/a
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $14.99
Availability: May 2025
Appearances: n/a

Bio: The Disney Pride Collection was created by members and allies of the LGBTQIA+ community. The Walt Disney Company proudly works with nonprofits throughout the LGBTQIA+ community globally. (Taken from the packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: New! The C1-RN8W figure iterates on what we got with R3-RN8W [FOTD #3,141] last year - a black repaint, with a lot of colors. (I'd also accept droids in 1980s beige PC cases with rainbow colors, just saying.) This time around we get Chopper, and it looks great. And expensive.

The same mold has been in circulation for years, and this time I assume a fair amount of cash was spent getting many colors of paint applied correctly. It's not quite as colorful as last year's model - it had a few more colors than this one - but it still pops nicely. The top of the dome has painted a very clean silver, with a matching set of details for various panel covers, the equator around the dome, plus markings on the feet and legs. Vents on the front and back of the figure are also decorated.

The rainbow color pattern repeats in order in a few spots. I'm surprised both the front and back of the legs got fully decorated, plus the full treatment on the eyes. And across the torso, a few times. And up and down. It's pretty impressive, particularly given how some of these lines are about 1mm tall and are set inside a sculpted indentation correctly. If one or two were out of alignment, I'd understand it, but they got 'em all right. This sort of thing still amazes me, I remember seeing old Kenner figures in cheap used bins with overspray on the wrists and going "Oh, I bet this is from like 1982 or something because this kept happening." Kudos on Disney for their precision here.

As with other C1-10P figures from Disney, you get a lot of moving parts. The claw across the chest pops out, the arms on the head are jointed in three spots, and you can pop that radar dish off if you want. The legs and dome are fully removable, but Disney opted to not paint the interior on the body - which makes sense, you're unlikely to see it much. It breaks zero new ground in terms of tooling, but short of the tilting head on Hasbro's version of the mold? There's not much else you could do with it. This is fine.

If you've got enough droids, you might not want this one too. The lack of color is one of my gripes about Star Wars toys in general, given how it's mostly earthtones and lightsabers, so these Pride droids really pop on the shelf. I'm hoping they rerelase (or reiterate) R2-RNBW at some point so I can get one of those too finally. This one hasn't sold through yet, but it's pretty nifty and arguably worth getting if you need something to get to free shipping. Maybe next year we can get a protocol droid!

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Disney. For future generations, take note: shipping was about $10 in 2025, so buying it online cost about $25 + tax. Buying it at a theme park probably meant paying for parking. Yes, I think about these things a lot.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,250: June 17, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,249: Dr. Evazan (The Retro Collection)

DR. EVAZAN Or Roofoo, or Cornelius
The Retro Collection Target Exclusive 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure Set
Item No.: No. G1082
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: SE-14C blaster, DL-21 blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $59.99
Availability: April May 2025
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: The Star Wars Retro Collection features design and detailing inspired by the original 1970s Star Wars figures and features original figure design and detailing! Continue your collection from a galaxy far, far away. (Stolen from the marketing copy. Packaging has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: The first figure of this set I opened was Dr. Evazan. I thought it was going to be Walrus Man, but no - this one gave me a lot of questions I needed answered. This is the first new licensed Kenner-style Cantina resident since the 1970s. That's kind of a big deal, and the kind of thing that invites excessive scrutiny because this style of figure is kind of a big deal to those who celebrate. If you're a guy my age who is me, this is an essential addition to any collection even though Dr. Evazan wouldn't have been the first - or fifth - Cantina figure I'd have asked for.

The figure's sculpt is very good. If what you're hoping is for a figure that fell out of a time warp, it's close. I don't think anyone is using the same tools, budgets, and limitation of Kenner in the 20th century unless your name rhymes with Beven Feddes. The details are not as sharp as authentic original Kenner figures, but it seems less soft than most modern Retro figures. The head in particular has some solid grooves around the nose and mouth, but some softer scarring around the eyes. The hair is much more accurate than I would have guessed, with a slightly receding hairline, and such notable features as ears. If you look at your 1970s humans, the ears are not exactly prominent. I like the one white eye and one normal eye, plus the gray eyebrows are nice. I was almost going to complain about the head seeming small, but Han Solo's first head in 1978 was tiny and we loved him.

The body, arms, and legs are similarly a bit better. The left arm has that famous claw-like hand, which can sometimes hold an accessory but may or may not have been designed to do so. The right hand can grip a blaster easily, so he can hold both if you wish. The arms bend away from the body a little more than I feel was normal for my older figures, but that's OK. I mean, the line died 40 years ago, and it's never going to be exact. Different sculptors have different takes, and this one as a feel that's asymmetrical (like the old days) but not quite as dynamic as some of the poses Kenner gave us. But, it's also significantly more lively in his body language than Cad Bane. There's no unique knee or ankle bend like some of the older figures have, but the feet go out at different angles. The wrinkles on the pants are a bit more distinctive. The painted shirt looks good. I'm not sure how I feel about the exposed chest yet - but there isn't another Kenner figure of that vintage showing that much skin. So I can't say it's wrong, either.

The deco is simple, arguably better than most of this figure's hypothetical peers. Dr. Evazan has purple pants - a choice, I assume, to be intentionally weird against the traditional gray Evazan trousers - and I love it. It's subtle, with a figure that's mostly all business from the waist up and a little more Kennery below the belt. I'm surprised Hasbro painted the holster and the strap around his thigh - most old Kenner figures didn't go through the trouble - and also painted the belt buckle. Some Han figures have a painted buckle, but some don't. The black boots look good too. The figure isn't nearly as glossy as actual 40-47 year old Kenner figures, but it has enough shine that I think it's good enough to fit in on most displays. It reminds me a bit of the first figure from 1997, paradoxically being both more primitive and more authentic. There is less paint here. The head sculpt is more accurate. The pant color seems intentionally silly. But the holster and belt buckle look great. Taken for what it is, it's a nice figure.

What puts this figure over the top are his accessories. The black blaster - a SE-14C - is what we saw him draw in the movie. It's also what we saw on the floor next to Ponda Baba's severed arm. So the question is, did Ponda have one too, or was this Evazan's, dropped to the ground? The Vintage Collection/The Black Series 3 3/4-inch Ponda Baba included a version of this weapon too, but most collectible Ponda Baba figures include a DL-21, the gray blaster in this set. This opens up a world of play and display opportunities, and if you have an extra old Walrus Man missing his blaster? You now have an extra gun to give him. Making toys that interact with other toys is what makes collecting fun - you want figures for your vehicles and playsets for your figures - and having gear you can share between figures is enjoyable too. I appreciate that this figure adds options to your Walrus Man needs.

If this were sold individually for $10, I'm convinced you'd never see it. A new Cantina guy, plus a blaster for your old guys? That's incredible. You no doubt have a few Evazan figures, but if you never could get over the old Kenner style? You'll want this one. You may even prefer this one. If Hasbro left off the silver on the belt I think it would feel more lowercase-v "vintage" but it's still very excellent, with a lot of personality, and a step in the right direction. If you have a chance to buy the set, I'd say go for it.

Packaging Notes: Hasbro confirmed the stickers are a lower-tack, easy-peel so they come right off. Fans have observed that some cards were stickered with the bubble on top of the label. My Dr. Evazan was made this way, and somehow it slid right out from under the bubble with no tears or fuss. So if you're the kind of person that wants to devalue your unpunched, packaged figure by removing part of it, so its next owner gets damaged goods while you can't play with it, you may now do so without ripping the cardback. I was really surprised the sticker slipped out from under the bubble.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Target. My first pre-order got canceled. My second random middle-of-the-night order took a week.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,249: June 12, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,248: Stormtrooper (Epic World of Action Mech Force Suit)

STORMTROOPER Mech Force Suit
Epic World of Action "Power the Force" Mech Figure
Item No.: Asst. G0776 No. G1158
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, Mech, black rifle, big red blaster
Action Feature: Mech opens, red blaster mounts on any of a number of spots
Retail: $19.99
Availability: March 2025
Appearances: n/a

Bio: Power up the Dark Side with a Stormtrooper at the helm of an armored mech suit! (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 was surprised to find that I like the Stormtrooper with Mech Force Suit as the best of the three. I think it may have long-term problems - specifically, I worry that clear red plastic may crack or bleed on the white plastic - but I guess that's Future Adam's problem. The figure on the inside may be based on the same design as the 2024 Epic Hero Series Stormtrooper [FOTD #3,137] but has far superior articulation. Also red paint that looks like someone is evoking Target stores with Batman Beyond toy-esque gratuitous circuits. Truly, this is a Stormtrooper that went surfing on the internet and was zapped to cyberspace.

Of note, the 4-inch trooper now has elbow and knee joints. The hips and shoulders can pivot out as well as swivel. You'd be very happy to have more of these without the red paint. The back of the hands are all black now, and a few key paint details were left off - like the body suit at the elbows - but it looks pretty good otherwise. The joints allow him to be posed quite nicely, and this may be the best "kid" toy Stormtrooper Hasbro has ever manufactured. (I'd like the helmet to be a bit bigger.) No other Stormtrooper has this deco and I assume we'll never see it in a story somewhere, but it looks interesting and I'll buy another one if this gets marked down. As a set, it may be really good as parts.

The basic blaster is nothing special, but the big red blaster is really something. It's clear red with a 5mm grip and a 5mm hole in the barrel. What does this mean? Transformers compatibility. Most modern (and many classic) robots in disguise use the same size peg for their fists and accessories, so you can hand this to almost any recent robot needing a blaster. You can also use the C.O.M.B.A.T. System blast effects in it, if you have any, for fireblasts and explosions. I like the idea of having a big candy cherry Stormtrooper blaster to hand to any Autobot or Decepticon that comes up short.

The mech suit is similarly gifted with 5mm ports on the shoulders, fists, forearms, feet, and shins. If you have other Takara or Hasbro toys with the proper sizes of accessories, you can really load it up with firepower. The armor is jointed at the shoulders and elbows with swivel wrists. The ankles have just a little give. Sure, Destro might be annoyed that Darth Vader copied his plans for the S.N.A.K.E. armor, but I think it looks good. The circuit pattern and red deco looks a little silly, but it's a toy for kids. The exaggerated sculpt, robot vents, and giant feet will probably confuse kids and collectors despite being a very good design. This is the kind of thing that would probably have done better in the 1980s, as it was the norm in other toy lines. Today's adult Star Wars fan lacks the whimsy of most collectors of toys, so you probably already know if this is for you or not. I think it's way more interesting than yet another remake of something that I already own, so I'd recommend it for weirdness.

I feel like my writing about Star Wars online has gone from being one of the first, loudest, and most annoying voices in the hobby back in 1995 to being one of the more alienating ones in 2025. This isn't why most people are here - they want stuff from the movie, they are old and cranky and want their toys to have tons of articulation they'll never use. I just want something fun and cheap. At $20 this battle mech suit is a rocket launcher away from being the best time on the toy aisle. If you collect Transformers and Star Wars, get this mech. If you leave everything in the box you might not want to bother, but I'm having fun messing around with it and swapping in other robot accessories. There's no good marketing blitz this year so I assume kids won't be gifted this fine toy, but at least it'll be easy for you to go get yours.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,248: June 10, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,247: Shin Hati (The Vintage Collection)

SHIN HATI Debut at This Size
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. E7763 No. G0911
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #356
Includes: Lightsaber, hilt
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $16.99
Availability: May 2025
Appearances: Ahsoka

Bio: Shin Hati is adept at Lightsaber combat, a skill she uses as Baylan Skoll’s eager apprentice in mercenary work for Morgan Elsbeth, the former Magistrate of Calodan. (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: While I'm sure Baylan Skoll and Shin Hati will probably have some role of import in season two, I found their appearance on Ahsoka to be somewhat disposable in its debut expository season. But, this is a line that thrives on some variation of the rule of cool - does it matter if they're a nobody if they have four eyes and are covered in hair?

Hasbro does a good job with the costume and body. The head isn't so good. It's also worth noting she lacks a Jedi cloak - not because I need one, but because Hasbro released the figure with (for a Target exclusive) and without (for the main line) for her 6-inch The Black Series releases. I am hoping they don't do that here unless they also plan to update her face and wig.

Not all humans in this line have a distinctive look, but Shin Hati absolutely does. The figure's wig clings to her face, while it seems to hang to the sides in the TV show. It's also a little less full - a hard thing to pull off. The position on the figure forehead seems a bit off, and her braid absolutely looked like a different color on the TV show. Her eyes had a lot of make-up on TV and here... not so much. I also remember her skin paler on TV than the toy, with a nose that's just the slightest bit turned up. With printed face deco, it's also surprising the figure lacks her beauty marks - the figure looks like a really good double but doesn't quite match Ivanna Sakhno. As with The Book of Boba Fett toys, I could be a lot more forgiving if the toy predated the show (or before a casting confirmation) - it looks like the character, sort of, kind of. It doesn't feel right for the performer. Maybe it's because of the size, because other larger licensed figures look a bit more accurate.

But the costume? It's fine. Aside from the cape, it gets the job done. Hasbro didn't weather it as much as the actual costume, but you can see sculpted patches and armored plates and knee pads. The skirt moves around just enough so you can get some decent poses out of her legs. The arms move well, and the shoulder plating is designed with very thin connective bits so they don't get in the way of posing. Assuming your kid doesn't break it, I think you'll be very impressed with how Hasbro engineered every bit of the figure - even the wig - given her size. It's engineered to be a great display and diorama piece... and not a toy. (I miss toys.) Her lightsaber fits in her very small hands, and the hilt plugs in to her belt.

On the show, the character's lightsaber is unique in that it's a little more orange than red, with a core that's also a little more orange than white. The accessory here more or less pulls off the orange in a way that's good enough given what it is, and at its size. We haven't seen Hasbro try to change how the core of a lightsaber looks since 2003. It gets the job done.

If this is the only version of this character at this size that we ever get, I'd say the silver armored not-a-Jedi is fine. Not great, but better than nothing. Since she will probably show up again in 2026 in season two, I'd also bet there's a good chance we'll get another figure - or two, if Hasbro decides to double-dip at this scale too. If they do a version with more smoke around the eyes, maybe some dark hair roots, and a little weathering on the armor? Get that one. We're about to enter an era of price increases where the money isn't going into the toy, so it's entirely possible that we'll see less deco next time as manufacturers try to find ways to bring pricing down in this climate. If you loved the character, you should get the figure, but if you forgot she was on the show? I don't know that you're going to miss out on much by skipping this one. It ticks a box and again, the people who engineered her body construction deserve some kind of award. I have to assume the sculpt was done a couple of years ago and they just used it, and that the paint budget was impacted by the complexity of her many layers of armor and other elements. And if that's the case, maybe it's time to start saving characters like her for the deluxe line, or packing her with a droid buddy or something to steal its budget and give it to her. She deserves better.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,247: June 5, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,246: J7R-T (The Book of Boba Fett, Droid Factory)

J7R-T The Book of Boba Fett Set
Star Wars Droid Factory - Shop Disney/Park Exclusive
Item No.: ???
Manufacturer: Disney
Number: n/a
Includes: 4 figures, drink harness, drum harness, salad harness
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $44.99
Availability: May 2025
Appearances: The Book of Boba Fett
Bio: All different types of astromech droid populate the Star Wars galaxy. Each droid is different and has their own unique personality and colors. These droids can be found in Garsa's Sanctuary on Tatooine. 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: The day I got J7R-T in the mail, I was annoyed. This was a day with the big Hasbro pulling-of-pre-orders-pre-price increase. My fellow droid fans missed out on this set due to little stock at Shop Disney - but more should be at the theme park shops if you're willing to pay the cover charge. Oh, and the Target Retro set was cancelled across all pre-orders. It's a glass-half-empty kind of a day. The droid deco is new, the accessory is new, but there are some missing features and signs of cut corners abound. Also, this set came 3 1/2 years after the show was more or less done, and the box copy incorrectly places them at Garsa's Sanctuary and not Boba's Man Cave. I don't blame the copywriter, or the graphic designer who needs a kerning tutorial, because this is an obscure droid. If you didn't read Wookieepedia or the digital trading card thing, you wouldn't necessarily know who it is since this era of reference books is, as the kids say, mid.

That's a lot of complaining to get at "this is about what we expect from Disney these days." Shortcuts are common - they went with the best available mold, including the no-wire reversible legs. The dome not only lacks the antenna from the show, but is missing a ton of distinctive facial greeblies. I doubt anyone wanted to drop $10,000-ish to change the existing R5 head mold, but when you see the dome on the show it's got a big hologram projector beauty mark under its right eyes. It stands out, like Lemmy's mole. Also, keep in mind, it's my job to complain. If this weren't a collector toy presumably at least partially for adults, and designed by the IP holder 3 years late, I'd say "good enough!" If it were a toy sold at a store for kids, I'd go "it's good enough, it'll do." Disney got the deco right on the mark, and it's a really nice colorway. The dark red on the dark gray body looks really nice. After hundreds of droids, I'm always amazed when I can say "this looks different" - which I can't say about 2 of the other droids in this set. So while it's not accurate, it looks really cool... and if I treat it with the same standards I'd treat Walrus Man, I'd say it's worth a look for the asking price.

The waiter droid harness isn't bad. It has two rotating arms with two removable plates - I hope you like salad. I assume it's arugula, which can power your city for a year if it comes into contact with rugelach as the energy they release cancels out the matter in a blinding explosion. But I digress. It's a new tool, and was designed to work with the droid posed at an angle. Many of the drink trays don't do that particularly well - I prefer it this way, as the third leg can stay on board. The meal deco and sculpt looks very good, you can even see the cucumber rinds painted separately from the cuke guts. For its size, it's quite impressive. If you require an exact match for the show, this isn't it. It's good enough.

  Between Hasbro and Disney, we've received very little non-Retro from The Book of Boba Fett since its conclusion in 2022. We got New Pants Boba, four flavors of Tusken Raider male, the Tusken lady, Cad Bane, Krrsantan, Luke, Fennec Shand, and Mando & Grogu. Everybody dropped the ball on droids (until now) and the many character actors (Jimmy James, Machete) and cool aliens (Boss Bossk, Mayor McCheese.) The show holds up well to a rewatch, and is one of the absolute best Disney+ series in terms of creature shop action. I'd love to see more toys from it.   

[It has been noted I left off Bib Fortuna, which I would say is a The Mandalorian character due to his not really being alive or doing anything beyond a clip show flashback for The Book of Boba Fett.]

 Since Hasbro has seemingly almost completely abandoned droids in its lines, I don't anticipate we'll see a corrected" dome toy for J7R-T between now and the heat death of the Universe. I annoy myself bringing up the toy's shortcomings, because it's fine. I assume we're never going to get another automaton salad bar, and if my options are this or nothing? This is fun. It serves a new function (and entree) with colors we don't usually see. The price of the set is acceptable, particularly given the current economic condition that threatens to harsh my plastic mellow. I say get this set, and save your scorn for people who get in the way of you getting your toys, video games, and rock and/or roll.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Disney. It was posted on May 4, and abruptly sold through. Check the theme park or eBay for this one. I hate directing people to eBay, but given the cost of admission (and parking, and a plane ticket, and a hotel) it might be your least worst option. At this point in my life I'd pay a small mark-up just to not lose 1-2 days of my life across state lines for a shopping trip.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,246: June 3, 2025