Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,280: Chewbacca (Epic World of Action)

CHEWBACCA What a Wookiee
Epic World of Action Power the Force Deluxe Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. F9949No. G1149
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Figure, projectile, green shield, regular bandolier, green bandolier, bowcaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.99
Availability: June 2025, probably
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith meets Star Wars

Bio: A legendary Wookiee warrior, Chewbacca was part of a core group of Rebels who restored freedom to the galaxy. (Taken from the figure's 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: Hasbro's Epic World of Action (formerly Epic Hero Series) figure line is really something. Each individual figure like Chewbacca stands on their own. Literally! They don't topple over, the articulation is often very good, and the sculpts aren't bad. This figure is clearly derived from whatever CAD files were used to squeeze out The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi versions of The Black Series Chewbacca, with different articulation and a few tweaks. The hands are very different, but the hair dangling off the head and crotchial region, plus some patterns on the legs, seem to carry over - they're coming from a similar place. The face is very different, but the true fanatics can see weird fur pattens and go "I see what you did there."

Each of these figures is excellent - but weirdly, it doesn't hang together well as a collection. We're about a year and a half in and there's little resembling a team for kids to buy beyond Mando and Grogu (and maybe Luke and Ahsoka, if you want to do that episode.) This Chewbacca doesn't necessarily seem to have a buddy yet, although I suppose he could pal around with Yoda. It's a stretch - sadly there's no Han but I suppose he could hang out with X-Wing Luke.

The figure itself is well-engineered. Compare it to a $16.99 The Vintage Collection figure, and he does pretty well as he's bigger, just about as sturdy, and has a very good range of motion. He has no problems standing, and Hasbro did a great job making sure you can pose him and express his personality. The details are good, the bandolier is great, and the only place it comes up a little short is the paint and the lower waist. The paint is a little light in spots, and I don't love the widow's peak on the front of his head - but the eyes are good, and he's now growling. I like that a lot. The painted fingers and palms are great, as are the painted toes. It's a decent, mostly subtle look with the upper thighs being a bit more harshly colored, but overall it's really good. It's a great Chewbacca, and if you just want a generic Wookiee you can ditch the bandoliers.

He's tall. I found he wasn't to tall to be crammed in the seat in the cockpit of the big Millennium Falcon with the top shut, which is amazing. But he does have problems sitting - the fur flap doesn't have a lot of flex. I'm not sure why Hasbro keeps putting it here, rather than trimming it away so his legs have a greater range of motion. It's worth repeating that this area seems to repeat the same fur "skirt" pattern we saw in The Black Series 6-inch Chewbacca figures. It doesn't get in the way of him standing in a number of action poses - only sitting.

The toymakers behind this make me mad because they're so good. It feels like a plussed-up Kenner-style figure from the early 1990s, when Batman or Robin Hood or whoever had a giant weapon they couldn't possibly carry without falling over. Sometimes Kenner would engineer the figure to balance around a big venus flytrap or punching glove, and sometimes they wouldn't. In this case, the designers gave Chewie an extra bandolier with a hole in it. This tells you where to put his oversized rocket-firing bowcaster so he can balance and not fall over. It's perfect. It's also optional, so if you just want the basic Chewie you can have that too. Sadly there's no basic bowcaster in the set - but the big rocket launcher is pretty great for what it is.

If you collect toys, add this to your next online order. I haven't seen this wave in stores yet. I hope the line continues for years because I love what Hasbro did here, making something that looks good for older fans but will no doubt be fun for kids who just want a nice figure. Weird gear that's optional makes me very happy, but I also like Chewbacca with the weirdest gear. While he doesn't have waist, wrist, or ankle articulation, this particular figure doesn't need it. I'm cranky he can't sit in a Cantina booth, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't consider picking up a second one and making some cuts or bends to see if I can change that. He's super big and really fun, so get him for a kid or for a work desk play thing.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,280: September 30, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,179: Figrin D'an (or Lirin Car'n with Kloo Horn, The Vintage Collection)

FIGRIN D'AN or maybe LIRIN CAR'N (Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Hasbro Pulse Shared Exclusive Action Figure Set
Item No.: No. F6984 or individually Asst. E7763 No. F5632
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: 7 band members with 2 Kloo Horns, 1 Fanfar, 1 Fizzz, 1 Ommni Box with pedals and stand, 2 drum sticks, 1 drum, 1 Bandfill, the single Figrin D'an includes 1 Kloo Horn, 1 Fanfar, 1 Fizzz
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $89.99
Availability: March 2023
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: This 7-piece ensemble of Bith musicians was a common sight at the Mos Eisley Cantina, playing swinging instrumentals for the watering hole’s staggering patrons. (Taken from marketing copy. There is 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: As the names and who's who of the cantina band evolve, be grateful the individually carded version or the boxed set of Figrin D'an (and also the nearly identical Lirin Car'n) are cheap these days. If you need more Bith, they are easily had - just click on the various links here or go to your favorite online store. Someone will sell them to you, and these people all dress alike so you can cram them into your new Cantina playset. (I'm writing this in late August, mine has yet to ship.) There are so many great figures already in our collections, so it's good that we're prepared to have a lot of guys standing around. They won't all be sitting... but it's a start.

This figure is like all the other figures I've reviewed from this band, and this set includes two of this particular instrument. As such, I won't be doing separate dealios for Lirin Car'n and Firgrin D'an, this is it. The figure is still great, and was pretty nicely future-proofed despite using older leg articulation. You have to fuss some more to get them just-so, but once in place the hips are unlikely to slip. For display pieces, these guys are going to be just great.

What makes this particular review exist is the Kloo Horn, which has a bendy reed going to the figure's mouth so both hands can hold it and it looks like he's actually blowing in it. Or sucking on it. I don't know if it's supposed to suck or blow here, but I know the figure has no problems making whatever is happening look convincing. Supposedly you can cram the entire band in one of your Cantina alcoves, which is great news.

Here in 2025, it's kind of funny to think the band we never had in the old days has been done (and redone) a few times, and we're getting the massive recreation of a movie set we didn't think was realistic. It's also kind of funny - and a little disturbing - to see that the once $90 band is now $50. Maybe there aren't as many people into this stuff as we thought, but at least it's affordable right now. Under $8 per band member is a bargain.  If you want these guys to open, buy the boxed set - and maybe get a carded one if you're into that.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Hasbro Pulse. As I write this, the boxed set of seven is around $50 on advertiser Amazon which I believe means I won a few bets.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,279: September 25, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,278: Clone Trooper Lieutenant (Teth, The Vintage Collection)

CLONE TROOPER LIEUTENANT (Teth)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. E7763 No. G0907
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #348
Includes: Two clone rifles
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $16.99
Availability: January 2025
Appearances: Ahsoka

Bio: Traveling through the World Between Worlds, Ahoka Tano recollects the perils of the Clone Wars and fighting alongside the brave clone troopers of the Galactic Republic. (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: The Clone Trooper Lieutenant (Teth) mold is good! Hasbro keeps tweaking the Clone design since the 2003 debut of the very first super-articulated Clone Trooper, which was shiny and corpulent. We got a very skinny one around 2010, and now we've got this one which has been used for some other figures too. It's thoroughly modern, with bend-and-swivel wrists and hidden shoulder joints. Ball-jointed hips mean you have lots of mobility for vehicles, and that goes well with thigh swivels and rocker ankles. He has no problem holding his unpainted blasters, and getting him to stand with all that articulation is easy. The joints are smooth, and Hasbro did a good job with the mold. The plain white armor has some shiny new pre-distressed stripes, which is admittedly a little odd.

We haven't had many Phase I clones with blue markings on the armor and none of the rank dots on the chest, and fewer still sans the "OII" markings on the back. I'm still waiting for one that says "OOIOO" on it, but that's probably just getting esoteric to the point where only I will be pleased. And what's wrong with that? It looks like what we saw on the screen, minus the red tint and the budget-hiding fog of war from the streaming series.

We did indeed get a super-articulated $8 cartoon version of this figure as an exclusive back in 2008. He even had a rocket launcher with spring-loaded fun in there. Remember those days? Well, they're over and you're old now. You can have mature navel-gazing flashbacks now! This figure would probably be pretty exciting stuff if it were easier to troop build... and maybe if vehicles were around to buy... or droids or Separatists to fight. Basically this figure is a lot of fun if you already have a big toy collection. And if you have a big toy collection, you might soon realize you own over 300 different figures based on the Clone Trooper genome, and how the only other category that is in that general orbit are astromechs. While I like clones, it's also a category I could probably live without revisiting just because we got so many. I did a full month of clone reviews early on and it was the only time I've ever had people write in asking me to review literally anything else because it got boring. I laughed, I thought that was funny, but they were right. After a while, enough is probably enough, so you know. Good thing the 2026 focus is Geonosis.

In a vacuum this is a great figure. It's well-made, nicely decorated, and meets my expectations for a modern figure. There's no removable helmet, but that's OK, I don't need more parts to lose. For kids who didn't get the old ones, this is a great figure today. For those of you who have been here for the long haul, we'll review a non-Clone on Thursday. I promise.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,278: September 23, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,277: Baylan Skoll (The Vintage Collection)

BAYLAN SKOLL Debut at This Size
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. E7763 No. G0910
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #355
Includes: Lightsaber, hilt
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $16.99
Availability: May 2025
Appearances: Ahsoka

Bio: Allied to former Magistrate of Caldan Morgan Eslbeth after the fall of the Empire, Baylan Skoll is a shrew lightsaber-wielding mercenary for hire overseeing his apprentice Shin Hati. (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: Despite coming out months ago I don't think I've seen Baylan Skoll in a store yet. That's kind of surprising for a figure that's selling for a reasonable price without markup on the usual online marketplaces. My feeling about the character (and the show) is more or less one of indifference. The show wasn't bad, but I don't think I walked away from it having received more story than before I started. We got to see familiar cartoon faces in live action, and we got to go to a whole new galaxy with a sad beige planet. Sadly we did not know what was up with Baylan Skoll or Shin Hati. While patience is a virtue, making fans wait three years between seasons may result in fans (and collectors) forgetting the characters completely. I can do 3 years for movies, but for TV the slow-drip format seems a bit much. Bob's Burgers can tell me 20-26 separate stories every year, and Ahsoka told us part of one.

But you're not here for that. You want to know if this is a good figure. Hasbro sculpting and engineering are largely excellent, and it's rare to pick up a disappointing newly-sculpted The Vintage Collection figure of a 21st century character. Perfection is tough to achieve, but figures like Baylan are eerily good. His portrait looks amazing, with molded-on hair and beard with just a little color in there to make it look like the show. Hasbro scores points for ambition (and loses one for execution) with a brilliant idea to do a paint wipe to bring out the detail within the hair. On one side of his head it's stunning. On the other, a mold seam is highlighted and it's ugly. You can also see the cut at the top of his head. Seams have to go somewhere, but it looks particularly iffy here. Carded fans probably won't see it, because it's obscured by the plastic tray. Also you'll be distracted by his amazingly painted eyes and tip-top eyebrows. It'a amazing to think that photoreal pea-size faces are one of Hasbro's strengths after the 1990s. Back then, a lot of the human heads looked somewhere between "pretty good" and "forensic facial reconstruction." The bones were there, but the flesh and hair needed refinement.

His costume is also very well done and similar to the 6-inch figures. His costume has some unusual blue detail that's hard to see without bright light, but features a high level of sculpted plastic detail. His lower robes are very flexible, with a hole for lightsaber hilt hanging. Things bend nicely, and all the joints move about as smoothly as you expect from the line. I had no problems getting both hands on his lightsaber, and the shoulder armor is flexible enough to move easily while hiding arm joints. I assume Hasbro doesn't think we'll notice some missing bits - the brown belt on the costume is unpainted on the figure, which doesn't look great. Painted weathering on the chest armor if left out, which is expected at this scale. Hasbro did keep the subtle green on his belt, which was a pleasant surprise. Some of the buttons on his wrists were also painted, which looks good. At his scale it's a good recreation but it can be kind of hard to appreciate given how many more deco hits or accessories other Vinage figures receive. I love that we got both lightsabers - but a cloak would have also been a nice inclusion. Maybe they're saving that version 2.0 for season two.

If you liked Shin Hati, Baylan Skoll is on that level. The joints are amazing. The sculpting is top-notch. The hair could be better, and I would like to have seen more paint - but budgets are budgets. I personally don't think I would have blinked if Hasbro just skipped this figure completely until the new season of the show came out, but that's mostly from the impression many of the new characters on the show made. If they aren't weird looking and don't have memorable motivations, it's easy to forget what happened on a show from 2023. Interest doesn't seem very high right now so you may be able to get a deal later - but I could also see this one shooting up if it turns out supplies were short. I assume we'll get another figure of this character, but it might be the new actor instead. As such, keep your eyes peeled and check this one out if you see one in person. I think you'll be impressed, and a little disappointed, but probably interested enough to shell out for one.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,277: September 18, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,276: Crosshair (The Vintage Collection)

CROSSHAIR (Scale Debut)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. E7763 No. G0918
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #370
Includes: Pistol, sniper blaster, helmet head, backpack
Action Feature: Removable helmet, pistol fits in holster, rifle fits in backpack, swappable head
Retail: $16.99
Availability: July 2025
Appearances: The Bad Batch

Bio: A former member of Clone Force 99, the cold, quick, and calculating Crosshair served as the Bad Batch's sniper. (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 their debut in 2020, fans have been asking figures of Clone Force 99. When The Bad Batch got their own show, we were surprised to see that the likes of Crosshair would make appearance in Mission Fleet, The Black Series, and not any of the 3 3/4-inch scale lines. There was a small kid focus, a small adult fan focus, and not much for the collector. The only other 3 3/4-inch member of the team to date is Hunter [FOTD #3,030] from 2023. A 6-inch version of Crosshair from 2021 seems to provide the basis of this figure. It's a nice one, but it's not timely. Early is on time, on-shelf with new episodes of the show is good too. Making season one costume as a figure over a year after the show ends? You're selling toys on "hard mode."

This one gets long, so I'll get right to it. He's missing a little paint, but the sculpt and articulation are very good for a figure that shares most of his construction with 2023's Hunter. If you liked Hunter, you are going to get that level of quality and satisfaction from Crosshair.

If what you wanted was a scaled-down version of the $19.99 for $16.99, here it is. He's almost exactly the same as the 6-inch figure, with a few tweaks. One, the red plate on his chest armor was left gray. Two, the removable helmet on the 6-inch figure was swapped out for a fully removable head. Articulation is pretty much the same, the sculpt is very similar - but smoother. The 6-inch figure had a lot of sculpted (but not painted) battle damage and rough spots. I think Hasbro made the right move by giving him "new" armor if they didn't have the budget to paint the scrapes. It looks pretty good, but isn't up to the standards of Hunter - he had some painted damage.

The chest is missing a red mark. The backpack has one red stripe, with the various lights and dark panels left unpainted. Given the size of the figure and how many people never open these things, I don't blame Hasbro for leaving deco off the back of most figures. The chest is an element most fans wont' miss, but the missing crosshair on his helmet (a second time) stings. He's named "Crosshair," and in the show he has a white circle with a line on his face. If we traded some color on the arms for that, I would think it was a good move. It absence with the premium price makes me wonder what we have to be charged to get something that would at least give us a pretty solid presentation from the front.

Hasbro fixed a detail I'd previously missed. Just above his shoes, on his lower legs, Hasbro elected to keep part of the armor unpainted. These were painted on the 6-inch figure, and it looks like they weren't painted on the cartoon. It's an improvement!

Budget is clearly an issue here, as you get a lot of parts. Crosshair seems to share most of his construction with Hunter - the head, left shoulder, and accessories are new. The feet have the same copyright date and oddly shallow/non-functional foot peg indentations. Also interestingly, his right forearm has a hole in it - that's where Hunter's knife storage should be. Since the articulation was good on Hunter, I doubt you'll be disappointed with what we get on Crosshair. It's consistently jointed and doesn't come up short.

The human head is great. It looks just a little bit like Clint Eastwood, squinting just a tiny bit. The hair is gray and looks perfect. The face printing turned out very nicely, keeping the crosshair mark on his actual face that the helmet left off. No notes, they did a marvelous job.

Most figures have one or two good accessories these days. Crosshair has two blasters, a backpack, a head, and that over-the-torso ammunition and armor. He can hold his gear fairly well, and I appreciate you can store most of it on board. The swappable heads present a challenge, but I'm always happy when a figure has plenty of parts he can hold and make it harder to lose.

This figure meets expectations, minus some paint on the armor. If you're patient and/or young? I recommend getting this figure and going back to grab Hunter too. Hasbro has been releasing one member of the Batch every two years, which would put our getting Tech, Echo, and Wrecker - and maybe Omega - somewhere around 2031 or 2033. It took Kenner 18 years to get Han Solo (Stormtrooper) to market, 20 years to get us the first Tarkin figure, and (as Hasbro) 48 years to deliver the Tonnika sisters. I assume younger fans might be too young to spend $17 per figure at a drop rate fitting in between major elections, but some of us are tenacious. Goodness knows I'm still waiting for some things decades later, and generally looking at a complete team or diorama feels really good. I know Hasbro has a lot of stories to make toys for, but as a fan my enthusiasm is very high for new characters - like this one - while I'm starting to look at the Rocket Launcher Trooper that arrived the same day with a heavy sigh.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth. I kind of wish Hasbro would embrace Retro for this kind of thing. Why? Speed, and lowered expectations. If a "Kenner" figure was missing paint applications (and released with the show), it is a lot easier to just shrug it off as being a stylistic choice. You're not expecting a premium figure - you're expecting the best $10-$12 figure that 1983 theoretically would have had to offer. As a $17 figure, expectations start to rise.

Show Notes: Have you seen the show? If not, it's got 47 episodes and I would say it's pretty good. The first two seasons to a great job bringing in new adventures and characters with snappy storytelling and an ongoing series of mysteries to explore in the early days of the Empire. Season 3 mostly circles the drain on the way out, trading much of the weekly adventures and fun for repetitive prison break-related stories. Most of the 2019 Disney-era TV shows have had a focus on things surrounding the cloning of the Emperor - including this show - so it might be part of a much bigger story that continues to be told throughout the Disney+ narrative. Having said that, if the clones were making you roll your eyes during The Clone Wars, this is largely a tighter version of that without as many new characters.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,276: September 16, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,275: Moff Gideon (Dark Trooper Armor, The Vintage Collection)

MOFF GIDEON (Dark Trooper Armor)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. E7763 No. G0916
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #368
Includes: Blast effect, electrostaff, backpack, cape, blaster
Action Feature: Blaster fits in holster
Retail: $16.99
Availability: July 2025
Appearances: The Mandalorian

Bio: Moff Gideon has constructed the next generation of Dark Trooper, made of beskar harvested from the depths of Mandalore. Unlike previous incarnations, this prototype is a battle suit Gideon wears. (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: My big gripes these days - and I have a bunch - tend to come in with timing and novelty. It's hard to get both, or either. I like that this Moff Gideon (Dark Trooper Armor) is a largely new and interesting figure. Sure, we got two in Epic Hero Series a year ago, but whatever. We got it. He debuted on TV 2 1/2 years ago, which is a lot later than "day and date" like we used to get with the main baddies for the movies, but it's here. That's something.

The development cycle for a figure is about 18 months, so Hasbro did take some time here. But it's very good, and I'll wait for something good. We're missing Giancarlo Esposito's face, as there is no unmasked head to be found here. We only get the helmeted head here, but this is the one I would pick because we didn't already have one. The sculpt is pretty smooth and reminds me of the show. The armor looks great and is glossy in the places you want. The red highlights look good, and I assume figures like this keep Hasbro's paint budget light.

Having said that, Hasbro didn't skimp on the details. You get some silver on the chest and belt buckle, plus not all reds are the same. The visor has a different texture to it, to simulate a transparent lit-up visor. The other reds are brighter and pop more. This is how it should be. What's more, the figure has some paint on his electrostaff. I was also impressed that we got that two-fabric thin cape like we got on Lando - it's red for the lining, and black for the back. It's as perfect as you can expect at this size in 2025.

A blast effect pops on the tip of the staff, and the blaster fits in the holster. It all works, and I was able to get some fun poses out of the figure.

There's also a removable backpack that goes through a hole in the cape, and his cape is held on by subtle elastic straps over the shoulders. Hasbro didn't skimp here, and he has a lot of articulation too. I found one of the thigh swivels a little loose but it in no way hurt my ability to pose the figure or have him standing. I'm generally pretty happy to get existing figures in new costumes, and this is no exception. I'd recommend it if you're collecting this strain of figures. Honestly I have no idea how people collect anymore - do you get them all? Are you picky? I have a hard time skipping 3 3/4-inch figures, but I've made some exceptions for metallic repaints. Hasbro delivers the goods here, and I've already got a playset where he might feel at home.

Having said that, I'd also happily buy a Retro version of this one.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,275 September 11, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,274: Alexsandr Kallus (The Vintage Collection)

ALEXSANDR KALLUS Realistic Figure Debut
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. F6878 No. G0933
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #365
Includes: Bo-rifle, blast effects, helmet
Action Feature: Removable helmet
Retail: $16.99
Availability: July 2025
Appearances: Star Wars Rebels

Bio: Alexsandr Kallus served as an Imperial Security Bureau officer until he grew disillusioned with teh Empire. Now serving the Rebellion, he allies himself with teh Ghost crew in their battle to free the galaxy from tyranny. (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: Disney-era bios have been surprisingly spoilerphobic, but Alexsandr Kallus pretty much spoils the first three seasons' worth of cat-and-mouse right on the box. The figure was pretty easy to get online when he first came out, which makes sense. For a few years, a lot of his toys were kind of expensive. When they first came out, nobody wanted to buy them. Pegs of the cartoon figures and shelves of the 12-inch cartoon figure just sat... until he turned to the Rebels and, I assume, hooked up with Zeb.

The figure is at least partially new. They're clearly reusing sculpted pieces in here, as the boots seem identical to Pallaeon. The thighs are a different mold, but you can see the folds and creases are pretty much the same across Imperial officer figures. The rumor is Lucasfilm is providing sculpts to Hasbro now, and they seem to be keen on taking shortcuts with their digital sculpts. They're nice sculpts, but we can tell. The helmet, head, chest are all new, but th lower skirt part of the uniform seems to also share 0s and 1s with other officers. Kallus has no holster, though, so it's at least a little different than some other figures.

The sculptor did a nice job making the "cartoon" head into a "real" person. The milestones are all here, from the scowl to the tight hair to the distinctive sideburns that show the helmet never really comes off. Due to the level of thickness of each row of hair, he comes off kind of like a werewolf. It works. He looks angry, the uniform translates nicely to "Vintage," and the articulation is on par with everything else we've been getting. Also his helmet fits like a glove. That can be hard to do well, so Hasbro and everybody deserve a medal for delivering a nicely-painted bit of headgear that just plain works.

His bo-rifle is fine. It's not great. Zeb's was better in that it's supposed to be a dynamic, adjustable, bizarre blaster thing... and this one is stuck in "bo" mode. It's huge, but nicely sculpted and able to plug energy bits on either end. Due to its massive size, he can't really plug it into his back armor either. One of the downers of these figures is when you can tell they did a great job sculpting them and going over all the finer details, but then whiff on things like "can carry weapon like on the TV show" or "can sit in a vehicle." If you're just going to have him standing and holding the staff? Perfection. But given how many people are diorama builders, I'm sure the alternate weapon would be appreciated. Maybe it's out of the budget, but if they dropped the energy bits I wouldn't really have noticed.

I complain a lot. Kallus is a great update of a great character, and one of three all-new (or mostly-new) sculpts in a wave of five solid figure choices. As of my writing this in August I've seen none of them on pegs - I don't know if it's because they're not getting good distribution or if they're selling. Either way, Asajj and Carson and Ponda and Dengar are all pretty great, and Kallus is too. If you got the Ghost or just want more ISB guys, he's a solid buy.

Timing Tangent: Star Wars as a property serves two categories: new/upcoming stories, and nostalgia. Right now Kallus occupies the nostalgia bucket as Reblels debuted in 2014 and that makes him 12 years old. It would be like getting Tarkin in 1989 (we got him in 1997) or Quinlan Vos in 2011 (which we did!) If they couldn't have him out during the show's run, this feels like a very good time to have him on shelf. The kids who watched the show at 4 or 5 are 16 or 17 now, and maybe they'll care. Well, if it were me, I'd care.

On the other hand we see the occasional figure which seems to be in an area that's too soon and too late. Once the movie window closes, or the series ends, people seem a bit less receptive for about a decade or so. There are always fans who want everything - like me - but there's a bitterness about not getting The Bad Batch after three seasons of cartoons that is hard to shake. Getting a The Book of Boba Fett figure five years after the show ended feels less like "hooray!" and more like "What took you so long?" I'm by no means saying "let's not do more figures," but if you can't do it within 5 years of the show ending, maybe just wait another 5 years and hope that it swings from "old and moldy" to "nostalgia-fueled excitement." This feels like roughly the right time for Rebels, and I sure wouldn't mind seeing more figures from the show. Imperial Wedge, anyone?

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,274 September 9, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,273: R2-B0025 (Droid Factory)

R2-B0025 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 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 can be found on the plundered planet of Corvus. Join R2-B0025 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: While this year's Easter (yeah, that's the ticket) droid sold out quickly, R2-B0025 stayed in stock for a while. While arguably not as culturally interesting, it is pretty good and gives fans a pumpkin spice R2-D2. This is not the first orange droid with some green on top - that would be BB-B0020 [FOTD #2,741] from 2020. And frankly, I can't wait to see what they decide to do in 2085 for what I can only assume may be named R5-B0085.

This is the first droid where I feel we're seeing signs of mold degradation. Both limbs swivel loosely. They're not super-loose played-with-by-a-kid limp, but my sample's legs will spin a good amount if you flick your wrist while holding the droid. The mold seems to be pretty much the same as every Disney droid since the removal of the wires on the legs, so I don't see any actual mold changes. I'm just assuming that the shoulders may need a tune-up, but perhaps your samples are better. (Leave a comment, we want to know!)

Deco is great. Like, really great. Since it cost me over $27 to have it delivered to my house, I feel that's important. There's no hat this time, but the paint job is generally very good. Cast in orange, the figure has sparkly orange paint on a number of panels which really pops nicely. There are also black Jack-o-lantern-esque panels. If that weren't enough, we get some silver and gold greeblies too. There are green panels on top of the head, including a "stem." While Disney could probably try to make a jagged smile or something like that, they instead made sure to put pumpkin colors on a template that would work for a galaxy far, far away. This guy would fit in with any diorama as a background droid and not look too out of the ordinary, other than it might have more and better paint than a lot of other figures.

Happy Halloween, everybody! I am a little behind on my spooky droids - I'll post some previously unposted ones as we get closer to the big day. If this figure is still available for a fair price, I'd recommend it. I like it a lot more than the BB-20020 pumpkin bot, but that may just be a growing desire to memory hole the sequels. It's a lot more conservative than Hasbro's incredibly whimsical offerings this year which also include a Dathomir Witch, a glowing Imperial Royal Ghost, and a Night Trooper Mummy. Not gonna lie, I might pick up the rest of those The Black Series guys if they wind up on sale. And now, a song.

Watch what happens when I walk up to somebody! Now that Disney has given us two pumpkins, a skeleton, a ghost, candy corn, a vampire, a witch, a zombie, a Frankentein's monster, a Dracula, and what I can best describe as "October," what's next? I'm assuming a black cat can't be far behind, maybe a spider or a big weird eyeball BB-8. If they can make a Grim Reaper out of Huyang, maybe we'll be all set.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Shop Disney. While I complain about higher shipping rates and taxes, it's peanuts compared to actually schlepping over to Downtown Disney or a theme park. Even paid parking is enough to make me say "you know what, maybe I'll just buy it online" in my old age.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,273 September 4, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,272 Imperial Royal Guard (Halloween Edition)

IMPERIAL ROYAL GUARD (Halloween Edition)
The Black Series 2025 Window Box Line Look Halloween Packaging, Target Exclusive
Item No.: No. G2780
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Bogling as the Mothman, blaster, pike
Action Feature: Glows in the dark!
Retail: $24.99
Availability: August 2025
Appearances: n/a

Bio: Celebrate the season with specially designed Star Wars figures from The Black Series! (Taken from the box packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: Holiday figures, like Standor of Eternia, exist as a sort of souvenir or a way to celebrate a thing that exists outside continuity. Some fans like it. Hardcore fans usually don't. Hasbro has made numerous Halloween and Christmas figures to the tune of hundreds of dollars, which you either loved or decided "not for me." While the entire 6-inch line slowly got to "not for me," we have a rare exception in this Imperial Royal Guard (Halloween Edition) that's a glow in the dark ghost. And this proves Hasbro's point - there are ways to sell people Star Wars who don't collect the line. I bought this figure to go with my other glowing toys - I have no real interest in Halloween or 6-inch figures. But a big guy made completely of glow in the dark bony green plastic? OK, you got my number.

Hasbro has generally stayed away from glow in the dark toys. Way back when, I asked Hasbro employee Andy Espenshade about some never-released Jurassic Park The Lost World Chaos Effect dinosaurs. The "Night Attack" line had a goofy glow-in-the-dark premise, and I non-ironically wanted them. I was told - this is not an exact quote, just a fuzzy memory from 25 summers ago - "usually when you see glow-in-the-dark, that means we're out of ideas." The line's star was fading, and that wasn't something people seemed too sad to see not get made. Glow figures were a staple in Kenner's 1990s toys, but in the 2000s they were decidedly less common. Other than some Toys R Us exclusive The Amazing Spider-Man kid figures and a quartet of Ghostbusters Plasma Series "slimed" figures, Hasbro has been super reluctant to do glow-in-the-dark items in recent years. 2025 has been a great year for glow, though. The Real Ghostbusters got a fully-glowing Ecto-Glow Ecto-1 and rereleases of the rare Ecto-Glow Heroes. Star Wars got this figure. And Transformers got a Target-exclusive Transformers EarthSpark Cyberglow Megatron. I've been asking for this kind of thing for years, so I'm kind of surprised we're getting a bunch all at once. It's a great time to collect glowing toys, if that's your thing. I assume this is a massive waste of a SKU for Star Wars fans.

And that's just the rambling prologue!

The figure itself is at least the fifth use of the mold, as Hasbro will absolutely milk its collector tooling for all its worth. The plain red Royal Guard has been done in Black, Blue (with new helmet), Carbonized, and Kir Kanos colors (in a Carnor Jax box, in one of the line's few nomenclature errors.) The mold is unchanged, and this is probably Hasbro's least-costly figure in the line thanks to deco. Specifically, the lack of deco. The glow plastic absorbs a lot of the sculpted detail, and it's molded all in a single color. Everything is pretty shiny and it looks just as good as the previous releases of the mold. If the mold is showing signs of wear, it's not obvious - glow plastic tends to do a good job of hiding imperfections. The figure has a holster under his cape for a blaster, but it's a little loose. I recommend having him hold the Biker Scout pistol in his hand.

The pike or staff is also cast in glow, which eats the visual details to my eyes. But this is what I want out of a glow figure - all glow plastic. No notes. Hasbro got it right.

The figure's only paint app is on the face. The visor on the head is painted black and augmented by a hint of a skull, that uses the glowing negative space under the eyes to make a pretty good "ghostly" pattern on the helmet. It's simple, and it's perfect. I would buy other Hasbro troopers that do some sort of glow spooky mask thing.

The only real change to the figure's physical being is the cape. The new pattern is more ghostly, very thin, and looks like any of a number of cheesecloth ghost crafting projects. It's great. I'm glad Hasbro made a new cape pattern for this one.

The Bogling has been released several times too. One came with the Werewolf Wookiee, another one came with a Holiday Sweater Mandalorian Warrior, one came with Kal Kestis in a multi-pack, another came in a creature set. This one is green with red eyes, white fangs, and a colorway no doubt inspired by the Mothman. (Cryptozoology fans, you know what's up.) It's a sturdy little sidekick figure and a nice bonus with decent sculpting that will most likely hang out on your desk during Spooky Season.

If I weren't into glowing toys, I would not have bought this set. If all you want are guys from the movies, games, and TV, you should not buy this. If you have a lot of Halloween decorations or just love things that glow, this is a must-buy figure. Hasbro did a nice job, and priced it well. I find it to be worth the asking price, mostly because I've paid about this for indie figures that aren't as fancy.

Glow Notes: Hasbro's glow plastic in 2025 is quite good. It's slower to charge than the Glyos/Onell Design glow, but it does glow brightly. If charged by the Sun it's easily one of the brightest figures I've picked up in quite some time. If you collect glow-in-the-dark toys and want something impressive, and don't care about the characters, you should buy this.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Target. There was no pre-order.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,272 September 2, 2025