Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,316: Mandalorian Shriek-Hawk (Brown Chest Armor/No Rangefinder, The Vintage Collection)

MANDALORIAN SHRIEK-HAWK Brown Chest Armor, No Rangefinder
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Amazon Exclusive Special Action Figure Set
Item No.: No. G0265
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Four figures, four jet packs, four knives, five blasters
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $64.99
Availability: October 2024
Appearances: The Mandalorian

Bio: The Shriek-Hawks are a team of Mandalorian specialists skilled in jetpack operations as well as scouting and rescue missions. (Taken from the packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: I had this Mandalorian Shriek-Hawk for over a year before opening the set - there's a lot of toy action to absorb! Each figure has individually customized armor and stands out as an individual, but none of them have names or individual packaging. It's one big set, which is kind of a neat throwback to the Kenner era when you got names like "Rancor Keeper" or "A-Wing Fighter Pilot" because nobody wanted to dig deeper. Four figures share this name, and this is the one on the far right of the boxed set.

This figure has brown chest armor, a green left shoulder, a yellowish right shoulder, and Kenner-ish red and gold-ish gauntlets. The arms and legs share elements with Axe Woves and Mando, the chest armor seems to be unique, the helmet is unique, and the belt and codpiece are also unique. The helmet has a unique cracked - but articulated - rangefinder, which makes this guy stand out. Since all of the figures in this set have blue helmets and generally brown and gray bodies, it feels like a group but not a terribly cohesive one. And since there aren't a ton of clear images (or names) to easily compare costumes to figure, I'll leave it at "this is good enough for now." It might be old age, but it certainly feels like I'm at a point in my life where I can say "close enough, let's move on to something new next."

This figure has a distinctive holster, plus a vibro-blade... or kinfe... or whatever it is. The set on has one big rifle to share among them, which is a shame. It's a neat figure, but not one that stood out or one that was featured in a book or trading card or anything I've come across to make me bounce up and down, point, and demand it.

Hasbro probably got to this as quickly as possible, and that was a solid 18 months after they appeared on TV. It's an afterthought of a set. That's a bad choice - these figures aren't a spoiler, and they probably would have made people more excited for the show (and toys) had they been released before we knew they weren't anything super duper special. Imagination is worth a lot, and giving fans something to dream about is a lot more exciting and engaging than giving fans confirmed nobodies down the road.

See also, locking up the Rey/Luke story between The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi. It's more rewarding for all parties to do something like a Sneak Preview wave, because - honestly - anybody that sees the bulk of figures and go "you ruined the show" needs to be bonked upside the head. Sure, a presumed-dead guy coming back is a spoiler. Yes, a decapitated figure or maybe even a disguised figure could be something that ruins the fun. But after 10 years of Disney-era Star Wars in live action, I don't think a single toy would tell me something that would in any way alter my enjoyment of the movie or TV show. Quite the opposite - getting to gawk over and speculate about a costume provides much more when it comes to anticipating the show, plus I'll even keep an eye out for it on-screen. Hopefully Hasbro and Lucasfilm can get more things like this out prior to airdate, because they'll only enrich the fan experience. The "no spoilers, I don't even want to see a trailer" crew can't be reasoned with nor should anyone try. They're lost. Make money off the rest of us. But I digress.

The figure's boots look great, the armor is nicely dented, and the armor is incredibly clean. There aren't any real signs of wear in the deco, and since we never really dwell on it, it looks fine. It'll be great in that diorama you won't build, because there's no actual shriek-hawks to herd or spires to climb, or cities to fly around in. A figure without vehicles, or playsets, or other toys to interact with can still look amazing, but I'd say it may never be fun. He can stand, he can hold his gear, and he looks incredibly distinctive. I love the glossy visor! But other than hanging out by the Armorer's Forge, I can't do much else with him. If you don't have thousands of figures, this is a good set and Amazon marked it down - it's great for the price. If you've got too much stuff, well.... this won't help that.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Amazon.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,316: February 3, 2026