Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,263: Han Solo (Imperial Stormtrooper Outfit, The Retro Collection)

HAN SOLO (Imperial Stormtrooper Outfit)
The Retro Collection Target Exclusive 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure Set
Item No.: No. G1082
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: DLT-19 heavy blaster rifle, helmet, E-11 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 Retro Collection isn't for everybody. If you were a kid from 1977-1995, there's a good chance you owned some of the Kenner toys meant for children that we've all decided are serious adult things for some reason. Maybe you got them for your birthday, or at a garage sale, or at a comic shop, because these were the only toys around for quite some time. While other series have done it more accurately, that's not what Hasbro is selling here. Since 1995, some fans have been hoping to have that original line renewed and continued. It's not about wanting a collectible, or a tiny replica. It's about being sold the hope of getting to be a kid again, for a very short period of time. A Hot Toys figure, while amazing, is incapable of making middle-aged people feel that way. The slow-drip releases are kind of like being a kid again, in that you can't run to a store and spend all your money on Kenner figures. If you would like to buy 20 or 50 new figures, all you can get are 6. Maybe. They're probably out of stock.

This Han Solo (Imperial Stormtrooper Outfit) is its first official release in Kenner style. I (and others) had customs in the 1980s and 1990s. The Smith Lord Creations/Stan Solo sellers also had one in 2019-2022 [FOTD #2,960]... but it was a lot more expensive. I assume this official release was Hasbro trying to show them up. The quality is better at a lower price, and it has a bonus accessory. This isn't to say what the fan-produced figures delivered wasn't good or impressive. Hasbro's paint is better, with more gear, at a fraction of the price. Stan/Smith have sharper sculpts, but I would be lying if I said Hasbro's product weren't superior because his helmet fits nicer and, at least on my samples, Hasbro's paint is better.

The Luke Skywalker (Imperial Stormtrooper Outfit) was my second-to-last movie figure for my collection back in 1990. I hope they reissue it - but it was a little dumpy. For a 1985 release, it was fine, and the Han Trooper takes cues from that era. The black stripe around Luke's wrist is missing - it's missing on Han too. Luke's helmet is missing a some black marks next to the eyes of a standard Stormtrooper - Hasbro left them off Han's helmet too. Both Han and Luke have pin heads, which was part of how they got removable helmets to work back then. At a glance, both trooper disguise figures are similar in design decisions. The limbs all swing freely and sensibly, making this one feel like a legit toy. Han is oddly taller and wider than a standard Stormtrooper, and with the helmet on looks almost as big as Chewbacca. With the helmet off, he feels about the right size.

Han Trooper's stance is a little wider than standard Stormtroopers, but not as wide as Luke. His right arm is bent - it's cute to think that it's a signature Han figure thing for the first movie's Kenner figures. Both of his hands were tooled to better hold blasters. And I mean that - some figures can technically hold them, but both are extremely good here. I had no problem getting either hand to grip anything, and I hope Hasbro continues to improve old figures too and make them actually hold their stuff. It's important.

For a Retro figure to be truly interesting, it must be good in crappy ways and crappy in good ways. A lot of old Kenner figures had likenesses that were not even close. It doesn't look like Harrison Ford, but neither did the other massively-necked, weird-haired figures. For this figure you can see traces of the Han Solo hairstyle, downsized, diminished, and plastered to his tiny head. The sculpt is sharper than other retro figures, and it improves on the Luke Trooper by adding a working swivel neck. That makes this the only Kenner-style Stormtrooper that isn't a Sandtrooper with a swivel neck.  (And honestly, Sandy don't swivel too good.)

Another interesting choice is the helmet. While it has the same deco as Luke's from 40 years ago, it also is made from a different material. The rubbery helmet is more in line with Boushh from 1983. It's squishy, it grips the head just enough, and it looks pretty natural on the body. It feels more or less like a real, old Kenner helmet from the 1980s.

I like this figure a lot. Maybe I'm biased because it feels like they did what I would want to do. Neck joint? Two blasters with gripping hands to match? Perfection. The sculpt is good and kind of weird, but it also feels right. The bent elbow was such a nice touch. I have no doubt fans will bemoan how the sculpting isn't as sharp as real old Kenner figures, but after seven years I am not expecting that. It's better. It's good. This figure in this costume was one of the most-missed figures in the old days, so Hasbro went back and corrected history. The next three movie guys on my wish list would be Wedge Antilles, Jabba's Prisoner Leia, and Dagobah Training Luke Skywalker. After Vlix.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Target.

Author Notes: I started writing about toys on the internet 30 years ago tomorrow - and my first newsletters had to do with the then-new Kenner figure line from 1995 and the first weird rumor. Kellogg's Froot Loops had a Han Solo Stormtrooper mail-in figure, so that was my first big story - I wanted everybody to know it wasn't a hoax. And here we are today. From 1995 to roughly 2000, I wrote Adam's Star Wars Newsletter alongside stints at Go Figure! Magazine, Star Wars Galaxy Collector Magazine, Auction Universe, AOL's Star Wars Fan Club HoloCroN, features for Entertainment Earth's early catalogs, and other stuff. I also worked on Fandom Menace, Rebelscum, YakFace.com, ToyFare Magazine, and other outlets before landing at the world's leading supplier of Yahtzee score cards full-time by day and at Galactic Hunter by night. Thank you for reading. Thank you for telling a friend if you think they may care. Also if you're feeling generous, please kick in a dollar to our Patreon so I can pay for things like site hosting and domain renewals for 16bit.com and Galactic Hunter. And if you don't want to? Don't! I still love you all for reading. And if you have any Fisher-Price Adventure People needing a new home, call me. Thank you indulging for 30 years!

--Adam Pawlus

Oh, and here he is next to the Stan Solo/Smith Lord version.  I think Hasbro did it better.

Day 3,263: July 31, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,262: Captain Gilad Pallaeon (The Vintage Collection)

CAPTAIN GILAD PALLAEON Novel! No wait, Live Action?
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Hasbro Pulse/Shop Disney Exclusive Action Figure Set
Item No.: No. G1283
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #359
Includes: 3 figures with accessories, Pallaeon has a blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $49.99
Availability: May 2025
Appearances: Heir to the Empire, etc.

Bio: The loyal Captain Pallaeon works as Thrawn's right-hand man to restore the Empire to its former glory. (Taken from the cardback bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: This is a weird one. Captain Gilad Pallaeon has been around in our imaginations since 1991, most of the time portrayed as an old white guy with a white mustache. The look has some wiggle-room - the style of the facial hair sometimes changes, as do his nose or other features. That's what makes this one so weird. The figure's head doesn't look like the cardback painting - both look good, and both look right, but they're not the same. Interestingly, the figure looks a lot like Xander Berkeley - that's who played him on The Mandalorian. I was wondering if it was some casual "all old white guys look alike" thing, but the more I looked the more I'm not so sure. The slightly tanner skin, the very distinctive ears, and the face that looks pretty gosh darn close to an actual human being makes for a pretty good release. I'm not saying it was meant to be live action Xander Berkeley Pallaeon, but it looks closer to Pallaeon than a lot of Han Solo figures looks like Harrison Ford. If Hasbro never makes another version of the character, this should fit the bill as "good enough" regardless of which version you want.

On TV, he has a specific symbol on his shoulder - this figure does not have that. Why? Probably because Hasbro continues to use the same good, but not distinctive, Imperial Officer body. Everybody looks pretty much the same in uniform, with the same odd gloved hand that can't hold a blaster on the left and a perfectly good right hand for blasting. He has a holster and a blaster that fits in there just fine. The gray looks great, both on his hair and uniform, so he'll fit in with your other officers fairly well. This is a character fans have had in the middle or maybe end of their wish lists since the 1990s, and it's great to finally have one that is yet another shining example of Hasbro doing a good job.

The head is incredible. The hat is molded to the head, and is a perfect fit. The paint on the silver ornamentation all looks good, and his face is dynamite. It never ceases to amaze me what Hasbro can do. To the human eye, Pallaeon has a little shine to his skin, perfectly good eyebrows, great sideburns, a wonderful mustache and eyes that have a slight twinkle. Even a crank like me who has been thinking "Why am I still collecting after all these years?" can look at a figure like this and go "Oh, that's why." Every few yers we see a big jump in terms of Hasbro's skill at making human heads the size of a peanut, with this being yet another reason why you should collect this line. Maybe every figure isn't for you, but if you quit collecting 10 years ago, I'd say this is a set worth returning to buy.

Again, I can't say it was Hasbro's intention to replicate Xander Berkeley because I don't know it for a fact. Maybe the figure looks a little like the character, and the man looks a little like the character, and the figure looks a little bit like everything, so you can't really say what it is or isn't - but I think it's good enough to make collectors pretty happy. I expect Hasbro may tweak this figure a bit to look more like the on-screen uniform at some point and rerelease it. I don't know that you'll need to buy it twice, but if you missed it? Get whatever version you can. (Also, if Hasbro ever made a Kenner-style 5-jointed one, I'd buy that too.)

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Hasbro Pulse.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,262: July 29, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,261: R2-DL70 (70th Anniversary of Disneyland, Droid Factory)

R2-DL70 70th Anniversary of Disneyland Exclusive
Star Wars Droid Factory
Item No.: No. 418148205339
Manufacturer: Disney
Number: n/a
Includes: n/a
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $14.99
Availability: June 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. From the heart of Coruscant, this droid assists with celebrations. Join R2-DL70 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 eBay now!

Commentary: New! The R2-DL70 is one of those bits of corporate synergy that you'll either find irresistible or cloying. I'm on the fence. I missed out on/skipped (I can't remember which) the C1 Mickey droid, and haven't felt I missed it as I am not a Disney fanatic - I can appreciate making weird things to celebrate your legacy, but it's always a little weird to see Star Wars as a part of Disney because the two were not in the same up-front presentations at licensing shows until about 10 years ago. For many, it's a long engagement since 1987 when Star Tours opened. It's going to be interesting to see if future generations - assuming they care about Star Wars - incorrectly assume George Lucas worked for Walt Disney. You laugh, but history gets real fuzzy real quick for a lot of people.

If Disneyland crashed and burned, and this was just some random inspiration someone took to make a toy, I would still like this figure. The droid is colored like Cinderella's castle at night, with a blue dome and various purple, blue, and gold bits. If you like the theme park? It works on that level. If you want something that also just looks like a 1960s kid's book or advertising art? It works on that level too, but I am something of a Disney party pooper. I used to poo-poo "It's a Small World" back in college until my late friend Zac one day said "it's like a Shag art fever dream" in the days before the Servotron/Tiki Tones/Man or Astro-Man? record cover artist went to do official Disney collabs. Zac was right. This feels more like that - some sort of anachronistic midcentury weirdness that should not exist. It's bright and cheery, and feels like it was made from the era before style guides. For a figure like R2-DL70 to have a blue dome, with another metallic blue color for his panels on the top of his head, there's a certain kind of gaudy overkill and I absolutely dig it.

Looking at the dome alone, it's so utterly charming and off-kilter that I demand you buy one. The gold around the black eye? Great. White panels? Great. The trim all looks like it came from a bygone era that people idolize, but probably isn't as good as the present, and that's just the head. The body has more purple and gold, dark blues, silvers, and black wheels. There's even gold trim on the feet. It's ornate - it doesn't need to be, but it is. The droid has no hat, and you can tell that the budget probably went to the paint. The back of the figure is also fairly pretty with big bold purple and blue boxes, making this one of the better colorways. And there are plenty of good ones.

Pop off the dome, and the greeblies underneath are all purple. That's unusual, I was expecting them to be either silver or unpainted to keep costs down. It's striking.

I miss my friend Zac a lot. He had his wedding at Disneyland. One of the last places I went before I moved away from LA was to take a rare day off work to travel to Anaheim so we could go on an off-peak day to see tons and tons of rides. I'm not a huge theme park guy, but if you ever have the chance to go with someone who is? I highly recommend it. I wonder if he would have dug this one, as he was not a toy collector but had plenty of other awesome stuff. I can tell you I really like this figure, even though it set me back over $25 shipped. It's too unusual to pass up, and is a welcome break from mascot characters and holiday icons. If there are other famous buildings they want to make as a toy robot, I would be interested in seeing how that worked out.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Disney. It did not sell out immediately.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,261: July 24, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,260: Rebel Fleet Trooper (The Retro Collection)

REBEL FLEET TROOPER Kenner Debut
The Retro Collection Target Exclusive 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure Set
Item No.: No. G1082
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: DH-17 blaster pistol
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'm a fanboy for The Retro Collection, but the Rebel Fleet Trooper is my least favorite. It's not awful - just undercooked. It's a trooper that has had some weird issues with almost every official release. Kenner made one in 1997 that was taller than Darth Vader. A few years later Hasbro made one with a unique twisty joint for the knees that kind of, sort of, let him kneel. Pretty much every figure before Vintage was just, in some way, different. This one continues the tradition.

The color picks are right-on. The face is pretty much perfect. The hands are a smidgen too small so the blaster may rotate itself a bit. It's not a great grip, but Kenner's figures didn't always have the best grip either. The arms are posed bowed out in a way that feels unnatural and maybe just a bit short. The legs seem a little too straight. The vest feels like it was sculpted digitally, and this might be a first draft. It's not awful - but compare it to Han Solo or Dr. Evazan and it just seems very (I know, I know) plastic. It's oddly lifeless when compared to other figures of even the old eras of toys. The colors and proportions are good, the face paint is great, and I don't mind the unusual helmet shape - weird is good, after all! I just don't buy it as a real Kenner figure. It's a little too smooth, and maybe a bit more care going into the blue arms pose or giving the knees a bit more of a flourish to make it seem lively would make all the difference. Perhaps a few more wrinkles near the crotch on the legs would help, or some bunched-up fabric at the end of the sleeves. His butt is almost comically flat with no definition whatsoever, it just looks like a curved but generally flat badonkadonk-sans-donk.

The helmet is much smaller than the prop, and is molded separately from the figure's head. That's different than the Death Squad Commander. I would have loved some hair peeking out the back of the helmet, like we got with the aforementioned Commander. It feels like someone turned in a work-in-progress and someone else said "perfect, let's run it." Another greeblie or two on the side would be nice, a little antenna vestige or some tiny bit on the side box. There's no chin strap, but as the Death Squad Commander didn't have one I am not going to hold it against anyone emulating that style. The movie helmet also has an extra shell on it that was left off of this design - but they did the same thing with the Death Squad Commander. The Empire's Star Destroyer Commander helmet from Kenner was very simple with the wrong silhouette, so I can only assume the design choice was an intentional nod to the 1970s. If you look at 1979 X-Wing Luke's helmet, it wasn't very detailed either and when I got one second-hand as a small child, I was not aware it was supposed to be Luke or a generic pilot. It could be better, it could be worse.

Functionally, the figure is OK. The hands are a tiny bit too small for the blaster - a common problem in this line - but he can hold it without dropping it. The head and arms turn nicely, but my sample's legs don't swing fully forward. You can get him in a vehicle, but it's a little weird the left leg doesn't want to swing all the way up. If I were a kid, I would assume the figure to be in some way broken - but I was a weird kid. I want those legs swinging forward all the way.

If this were the first "new" "Kenner" "figure" out in 2019 instead of Tarkin, I think fans would be cranky but a bit more forgiving. It's an interesting first attempt. Several years in, it's just not something that makes me go "wow!" Perhaps it's just the general softness of detail across Hasbro's Retro that hurt it, as there's no real texture on the Trooper clothing, very few interesting pleats or wrinkles, and the pleather vest just seems kind of lifeless. And the butt is just so, so flat. As a carded collectible, it gets the job done. As a standing figure on a shelf, it is real. It doesn't compare favorably to competitive Kenner-inspired toy lines from fans, Super7, or other manufacturers. Get this set anyway, but maybe don't bother to build an army of the Rebel Fleet Trooper.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Target.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,260: July 22, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,259: Grand Admiral Thrawn (The Vintage Collection)

GRAND ADMIRAL THRAWN Epauletted
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Hasbro Pulse/Shop Disney Exclusive Action Figure Set
Item No.: No. G1283
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #360
Includes: 3 figures with accessories, Thrawn has a blaster and ysalamiri
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $49.99
Availability: May 2025
Appearances: Heir to the Empire, etc.

Bio: The last of the Empire's warlords, Grand Admiral Thrawn has made vital discoveries that could compromise the future of the New Republic. (Taken from the cardback bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: Hasbro is master at getting me to buy things I don't want. I didn't want another Grand Admiral Thrawn unless he was either Retro Kenner style... or had epaulets, a Ysalamir, and a nutrient frame. I guess two out of three ain't bad. This is very similar to The Vintage Collection Rebels Thrawn [FOTD #3,167] from last year, which itself is almost identical to the Ahsoka live-action un-dad-bodded version. There are changes, and they are precariously close to being just different enough to make me mad - but they're actually what I wanted in the first place.

Since 1991 fans have wanted a Thrawn figure, and this is more or less what they wanted it to look like. The 1998 version had no gold epaulets. Neither did the comic pack version, or other subsequent versions - but they were on the book cover. They weren't in the comic. This figure is a mishmash of all the versions, giving you a Ysalamir like we saw in POTF2 and The Black Series (no nutrient frame), the head from the live-action Rebels version, the epaulets from the early 1990s art, and - surprisingly - the collar ornamentation from Rebels. We've never seen quite this particular mix of parts and pieces before, which mostly eschews the Dark Horse comic elements but trades heavily on the recognizable parts of the book jacket and streaming appearances.

Normally I'd say "well of course the collar was left like Rebels, did you think Hasbro would retool it?" But here's the funny thing - Hasbro changed the mold! The torso has canals for the gold epaulets, which are (for now) flexible gold plastic. I think they may become brittle with age, so be super careful 10-20 years from now. Since Hasbro remolded the figure, I'm surprised they didn't remold the collar too - I assume this was an editorial decision and I really wonder why the decision was made. If this were the first figure we got, the pastiche of multiple versions is precisely what I would want too - cover a lot of bases, nobody's going to be 100% happy, nobody's going to be 100% disappointed. For a book specific set, it's an unusual choice and I bet there's a story we don't know yet.

The blaster is the same as the Rebels release - gray, fits in the holster - but the critter buddy is unique. It's flexible, but not too rubbery, and he hangs over Thrawn's shoulders with no added assistance. Hasbro did a better job than I would have - you get four tiny black painted eyes, and a white painted belly. (I'd have left it unpainted, you'd never know.) It seems to be derived from the same sculpt as The Black Series release that came with Luke, making it about as good as we should reasonably expect given the resources at hand. The leathery skin looks cool, with tons of little folds and ridges. It's very detailed for a tiny creature sidekick, and is far better looking than necessary to make me happy. Hasbro deserves a pat on the back for this one.

As the lesser of the three figures in this set - or at least the most redundant - Hasbro did a good job here. They added elements to this figure which we don't always get, and Thrawn is still a popular fellow despite being kind of a dud in Ahsoka. Maybe Hasbro will come up with a way to do another figure in Ahsoka season 2, but at this point I don't think I need another 3 3/4-inch The Vintage Collection release. I will, however, happily buy Heir to the Empire figures for The Retro Collection if Hasbro ever does them. If you can make me happy you made something I was grousing about, you're doing a great job. I hope Hasbro cranks out more of this set since fans seemed to miss it in spots.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Hasbro Pulse.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,259: July 17, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,258: R0-1N6 (The Book of Boba Fett, Droid Factory)

R0-1N6 The Book of Boba Fett Set
Star Wars Droid Factory - Shop Disney/Park Exclusive
Item No.: ???
Manufacturer: Disney
Number: #361
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: While super creative and a great idea, R0-1N6 is not accurate. Does it matter? The droid figure itself seems roughly where it needs to be in terms of color. If it reminds you of The Force Awakens R0-4L0, it should! The body has more painted black panels, but the dome is pretty much the same with some gear. But not necessarily the correct gear.

Wild prediction: you'll see this drum kit part again for Christmas, be it in an advent calendar or by itself, as a Little Drummer Droid. Let's see if it happens.

The droid mold seems to be heavily modified and made with the future in mind. The torso was reopened with panels open (or missing) with arms, each of which was given a drumstick. They're delicate, and probably something that any kids would lose. The side panels are particularly interesting because, while doors were removed, there are multiple connection points. You can see where other arms or gadgets might wind up in a future figure, whatever they may be, which could be exciting. If you need a drumming droid that looks great and has so much potential for expansion and customization, this is it. It looks cool as-is and I bet we'll be excited to see it deployed later.

And on the other hand, I don't like the drum parts as much. The hi-hat on the head is fine - but if you reference the show, there's a problem. The droid in The Book of Boba Fett doesn't wear a harness - he seems to have a drum kit set up in front of him with additional pieces. What Disney did here was create something that works as a toy, but a freestanding accessory would probably have been a better idea as this doesn't seem to be an easily reused part. Given that Disney went through the trouble to make a new part, it would be nice if it matched. Were this released in 2021 or 2022 I'd say "Hey, it's probably based on concept art so good try! Thanks for getting it out early!" Instead it's three years late so I have higher expectations unless the error is part of the bit.

In and of itself, this is a neat robot. Just having a drum droid is fun - if this existed as some whimsical Disney idea and not something from a show, I'd say "my dudes, you must buy this." Accurate toys are awesome. Wildly creative and wrong toys are awesome. Toys that are kind of right and kind of wrong need to swing harder to hit the sweet spot, because what you want is the bonkers 1979 Walrus Man and maybe not the "try again"-ness of a number of Return of the Jedi Luke figures in the early 2000s. I'm going to strongly recommend this figure for droid fans who don't like Disney+ content, or people who just want a droid that's trying something new and special. But if accuracy is your game, you're probably going to be fine to get the figure, and ditch the harness if a fan makes a better 3D printable drum kit.

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 with paid parking.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,258: July 15, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,257: Sandtrooper (The Retro Collection)

SANDTROOPER 1980s Kenner-style Debut
The Retro Collection Target Exclusive 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure Set
Item No.: No. G1082
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: RT-97C heavy blaster rifle
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: Back in the early 1990s, some of the figures I saw the most from Kenner customizers were the Rebel Fleet Trooper, Cantina Band, Slave Leia, and Sandtrooper. Usually you got a shoulder pad, sometimes you got a backpack, and on occasion, an ammo pouch. They would tend to come with a regular blaster or one of the blue rifles, and were pretty cool. Since we had regular (and Luke) Stormtroopers in the 1980s, I never felt it was missing, but now that I have it, I kind of wish I had it 40ish years ago.

Every adult fan probably has a wish list for figures they'd rather have first. Ignore them. This figure looks and feels pretty great as a 2025 entry to a series of figures from 1978. It has some key details that I doubt the Kenner of 1977 would ever have noticed given the available reference. Hasbro did good here.

While the Han Stormtrooper is a little tall, this one matches Stormtrooper 1.0 nicely. Every piece of the figure is different from a basic Stormtrooper. The left arm and torso add pauldron bits, plus a separate (but very barely articulated) helmet. The left arm has an ammo pouch, bent elbow, and a hand that can hold a blaster. The left leg adds the "diamond" knee to the armor. The right leg is almost identical, but the sole of the boot is retooled to have a lip around it. It's otherwise very similar. Details aren't as shiny as old Kenner Stormtroopers, but given he may have been in a dusty environ I think it's OK. The figure feels very much in line with what Kenner could have made as it feels like it was made from a chopped-up production figure. I don't know if Kenner would have given it two working hands - but I am pleased that Hasbro did.

The set includes many blasters, and extra blasters - so if you want a DLT-19 rifle (the long one), or E-11 (stormtrooper) blaster, you can steal them from Han Solo. Sandy here includes only one weapon - the obscure RT-97C heavy blaster rifle. Hasbro made one in The Vintage Collection, and it's something I never quite clocked in the movie. It's big, but not huge. There are scopes and ammo barrels, with detail that's more or less as simple as Kenner might have done were the line to continue beyond 1985. I don't know if it would be quite so wide - but it looks good this way, so I'm glad they didn't cut off the wide bits like Chewie's 1978 Bowcaster. It also fits in a normal Stormtrooper hand, if you want to mix things up.

I don't recall an orange pauldron trooper holding a RT-97C heavy blaster rifle in the movie, but I'm not going to complain. The figure can grip it in either hand. You can even put it in his left hand and rest it over his shoulder. It's designed well, given a little extra thought, and feels almost perfect. My only gripe is I really do wish Sandy's armor were glossier or dirtier, but maybe Hasbro can try again and release a 4-pack of them in various colors down the road. (I'd buy it.)

His backpack feels very much in line with the original 1979 Boba Fett and 2024 Battle Droid. It's molded to the back, and reduced in size with most of the details you would want. It looks incredibly familiar and doesn't quite melt into the armor like the others. It looks like a separate, real element that just happens to be molded to the figure. Hasbro did paint three white greeblies on the back, which seems like a modern luxury - but it looks nice. Paint is largely good, but the black lines around the wrists of mine seem slightly off. I'd complain if I didn't see weird hand paint masks on a lot of late-era The Empire Strikes Back figures like Lobot and Bespin Han back in the day. I'd prefer it be perfect, but "wrong" is baked in to a lot of what Kenner did. If you do it once it's a mistake, if you do it twice it's jazz.

I love that it exists. I appreciate it's something the kids who are now 50 or older wanted and can now finally (maybe) buy. I also acknowledge that 5 of the 102 figures in this line are variations on the plain white Stormtrooper, 2 of which are in this set. I guess my only real gripe is he's sold in 6-packs. Were this a line of single-carded figures, Hasbro could re-introduce him to the assortment every few waves and people like me would buy him again. As part of a $60 gift set, especially one so popular, I don't know if I'll see it again. For the Kenner fanatic, it's worth the effort. If you don't care about retro figures, you can just leave it on the shelf for me. While it may sound counterintuitive, at this point I'd steer a brand-new collector to The Retro Collection over any other format. Why? At 102 figures (plus a few packaging and color proto variants) it's small, most of it is still affordable, and it's not overwhelming like The Black Series or The Vintage Collection. The 6-inch line might be pushing 800, The Vintage Collection is probably north of 400 with the trooper sets and unnumbered guys, so 102 feels less like taking on a full-time job.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Target.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,257: July 10, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,256: IT-0 Interrogation Droid (with Darth Vader, Epic Hero Series)

IT-0 DROID, DARTH VADER | Stormtrooper, MSE 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: Last year, we saw a flurry of multi-packs for Epic Hero Series. Some I bought, even though I knew the prices had to be wrong - I'm kind of stupid that way. Others I waited on, because I was willing to bet that they would be marked down. This was the latter category. Darth Vader, Stormtrooper, Interrogation Droid, and the MSE-6 droid all came in a set for $19.99. Individual Stormtrooper and Darth Vader were already available (and in my collection), selling for $9.99 or $7.99 each. I didn't want to throw down the extra cash for their sidekicks alone just yet, and I waited until March of 2025 when the stars aligned with a 40% off sale on a $14.99 price drop. $8.99 for two new sidekick guys? That seemed fair.

So, how's that Interrogation Droid? Pretty good. The black ball is molded in color with a red dot and a silver equator. The various gray tools are molded in color, and they can rotate. Some pop out fairly easily, too, so keep an eye out for all five gray appendages and a clear, short base if you ever see it in a second-hand shop. The sculpted details are fine, and arguably better than the 1999 CommTech version. The paint is inferior to that 1999 version, and there are some rough spots in the black plastic of the Epic Hero Series version. It's good enough for your needs, most likely, but it's not the best version we've ever got. Given that $6.99 got us a talking chip display stand and a Darth Vader figure 25 years ago, as inflation goes, it's not a bad set - but I find the short display stand to be a knock against it, too.

But only in terms of display. If I were a kid, I'd prefer this one as it has more moving points, and the wider base on a shorter stand makes it a more stable toy. In terms of engineering, it's pretty impressive and satisfying.

Unless I'm mistaken, the last time we got the IT-0 droids were in 2003 (Toys R Us Imperial Forces set) and 2002 (Target Death Star Accessory Set), both of which were rereleases of the CommTech droid. You'll no doubt correct me if I forgot a Battle Pack somewhere. If I'm right, that means this is the first Hasbro 3 3/4-inch/4-inch-scale version of the droid to see release in 21 years. That's an extremely long time, and something I really need to consider when griping "oh gosh, this again?" Five years is kind of soon, ten years is a pretty long time, but twenty years? That's multiple generations of kids and new fans never having a crack at an item. The Darth Vader in this pack is allegedly identical to Darth Vader (FOTD #3,128], I noticed the figure stands up better and doesn't flop over. It's probably just some sort of batch variation or the tray not warping the legs, so I'll just say I like this one slightly more if I had to pick.

The whole pack at $19.99 is a pretty good deal, and comes recommended to people who appreciate toy-style toys at $14.99 or less. Only this set has the droid buddies. Yes, both Vader and the Stormtrooper have five joints each - but you get two whole figures and two nice sidekick droids for less than the price of a single The Vintage Collection figure. It is possible that you can find single-carded Vader or Stormtrooper from $3-$6 on closeout shelves - but if you want all of the parts and accessories, don't buy those.

It is my assumption that some adults are still eye-rolling the "toy" stuff despite our entire hobby being born out of plastic toys for little boys, and I hope people give these a shot. Vader's a perfectly fine figure, and the bang for the buck seems to be there.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Target.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,256: July 8, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,255: Joruus C'baoth (The Vintage Collection)

JORUUS C'BAOTH Debut At This Size
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Hasbro Pulse/Shop Disney Exclusive Action Figure Set
Item No.: No. G1283
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: 3 figures with accessories, including a hilt, a lightsaber, and a lightning hand
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $49.99
Availability: May 2025
Appearances: Heir to the Empire, etc.

Bio: A dark Jedi clone of Palpatine's creation, Joruus C'baoth allies with Grand Admiral Thrawn to end the New Republic - and ultimately plans to take over the Empire himself. (Taken from the cardback bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: We got a figure of him in The Black Series recently and it looked a lot like this one. The very first take on Joruus C'baoth at 3 3/4-inches is... decent. It's very similar to the big guy, with two key differences. One, this figure has a lit saber plus a hilt by itself. Two, this one has only one lightning hand and not two. I think that's probably a mistake. The right number is probably 2, or 0. Having only one makes it look incomplete - but maybe that's not for me to say, they only pay me here to play.

This figure of Alan Moore Moses Disco Rip van Winkle Joruus, a clone of a dead Jedi from the 1991 book Heir to the Empire, took surprisingly long to get here. Those books were a huge deal in the early 1990s, and his image was plastered on the cover. Kenner never got to him, nor Palleon. It took them until 1998 to get us Mara Jade and Thrawn, too. I'm kind of surprised we didn't get him in the Comic Packs as a retool of a shirtless Maul - and that's what I thought this figure would be. I honestly am struggling to identify the parts. I'm sure they're retooled from something, but I can't easily tell who or what. The sleeves and plastic robe bits seem new (or new enough), with a bare buff chest and sandals that are actually boots with pants. With the gaudy medallion, this makes the figure significantly weirder or more interesting. Sandal boots certainly evoke "yeah, this guy's been stranded in a warehouse and may be seeking his marbles."

The face looks great. The medallion is nifty. He's tall, hairy, and has some great circles around his eyes that make him look like he's going to cause some problems.

His hands - all three, including the lightning one - are very similar to Count Dooku's. I can't help but wonder if they were developed at the same time, but it does make you think - could C'boath been replaced with a clone Dooku and performed pretty much the exact same function? It seems like it. I was expecting the Jedi clone to show up in The Bad Batch after we saw Mount Tantiss, but maybe they're holding him and/or Mara Jade for the second season of Ahsoka or some future show. I can't imagine seeing Pallaeon in The Mandalorian was just for funsies.

I like this figure - he's the reason I bought the set. If this is the one and only version we ever get in this size, Hasbro did a good job with a better-than-average range of articulation and a lot of cloth bits. He stands, he sits, and maybe some day we'll get a storehouse set for him to lord over. Until then, be glad Hasbro is still digging back to the dead zones of Star Wars for characters like this one. It sold through (and came back) pretty quickly, so if you see it around for $50 I'd say the three-pack is probably worth buying.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Hasbro Pulse.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,255: July 3, 2025