Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,396: Chalmun (Mos Eisley Set, The Vintage Collection)

CHALMUN Mos Eisley Set
The Vintage Collection Hasbro Pulse Exclusive
Item No.: No. G3210
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Mug, blaster, Garindan, Labria, Arleil Schous
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $74.99
Availability: October 2026
Appearances: Star Wars: The Mos Eisley Cantina Pop-Up Book

Bio: Bounty hunters, Hutt hirelings, and down-on-their-luck scoundrels of all descriptions roamed the spaceport city of Mos Eisley. (Taken from the box packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: Effectively Chewbacca with new parts and a swell mustache, this figure brings a Ralph McQuarrie pop-up book painting to life. It really looks spectacular in the bar of your HasLab or cardboard Cantina.

The set with Chalmun is $75 in an era where one carded figure is $20. Hasbro no doubt saved more than a few bucks by packaging and shipping them together, and we got a slight discount as a result. It's by no means cheap and it doesn't feel like a screaming deal, but two of the four figures were never before made as Hasbro action figures in any scale or size. The other two haven't been made in roughly 20 years. (OK, a Labria repaint came out in 2007.) While I do grouse a fair bit, I don't have a reason to fault this set's character selection or pricing yet. I only say "yet" because I popped Chalmun out of the box first, and you'll be reading these reviews as I pop open and enjoy the figures.

This is a great figure. I'll go a step farther and say this is the kind of thing I want from Hasbro. I read Tales from Mos Eisley, but my first memory of seeing Chalmun is from a Ralph McQuarrie-painted cover to the Star Wars: The Mos Eisley Cantina Pop-Up Book. That's a core 1990s collecting memory, which means we have a new Cantina guy designed by old Star Wars talent in a pre-CGI, pre-Special Edition world. This is from that period of time where Kenner having figures on-shelf was not merely novel but was a life-changing nerd event, and we started to see things expanding our universe. Hasbro seemed to take few to no liberties here - they delivered a figure that looks like what you may remember from the book. The fur looks good. The vest texture is perfect. They even changed his hands so they don't look exactly like Chewie. I would absolutely love to tell you "you don't need this," but if you're anything like me you absolutely need this.

The reason I collected Star Wars was because the line ended before I was done with it, and I wanted to go back and get stuff I missed. Then I got new stuff, because I wanted more of the thing I already liked. Yes, we had new movies and comics and TV shows, but everything has to be connected to the original movie for me. The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi count, and really so does anything building on what we had as kids is superbly welcome. This figure does for our Cantina what mini-rigs did for our figures - it gives us something that seems like an off-camera addition to our toybox. The only thing that would make me like this figure more is if Hasbro did it in Kenner style, even 1990s Kenner style.

Chalmun's a partial retool of 2025 Chewbacca [FOTD #3,299], who was a retool of a retool of a retool of Original Trilogy Collection Chewbacca from 2004-2005. That mold has been in circulation forever, and Hasbro has slowly replaced most of its parts. I think the only part of Chalmun that's a holdover from that 2004 release are the upper arms. Chalmun's head, hands, torso, and upper legs seem to be all new. The lower arms, lower legs, and feet seem recycled from 2025 Chewbacca. Looking back at the reference paintings, Hasbro understood the assignment.

The new face looks like Chewbacca in an unconvincing costume, not unlike Guy Incognito or Duckman N. Disguise. The head perfectly matches Ralph McQuarrie's seemingly late-19th century barkeep haircut, with an old thyme mustache. The book looks a little more gray, Hasbro's looks a little more brown. Most of the rest of the hair and face look a lot like Chewbacca, who no doubt served as the subject for the reference painting. The vest looks great, and it's puffy-looking while still being plastic. No notes, no complaints.

If you have the HasLab bar, Chalmun really has to hunch down to put his arms on it. This is easy because the legs have an excellent range of movement with thigh swivels and clicky knees. He even has rocker ankles. The figure lacks the numerous mid-torso joints that Chewbacca has, which improves his look. The waist pivot works well, and I don't like ugly joints above the waist.

The blaster is not new - it's a recolor of 2014 Ree-Yees [FOTD #2,097] and he's been repackaged twice in The Vintage Collection so far. The holster is new, as far as I can tell, and it fits like a glove. The tankard was previously used with Krrsantan [FOTD #3,053], so it probably looks familiar.

Chalmun has no problems holding his accessories, but you might have to pry his fingers a bit to get the tankard in there. It looks great, and was a really clever reuse of existing accessories. This is the kind of figure that feels like a reward for sticking around for so long, because it adds another set of hands behind the bar you might have bought without going in a direction that seems too far from the movie. Fans may bristle at having had to wait a year for more new Cantina guys, and for only two of the four being genuine debuts, but I think it works. I could use a Labria with knees, and as much as I love the previous Garindan figures they were all a little wrong in interesting ways. This set is a nice addition to all the "Return to Tatooine" stuff you picked up in 2025, or so it seems, I'll let you know when I open them. I can say Chalmun makes me glad I spent the money on this set, though, and I can't wait to see what new Cantina aliens we hopefully get next year. (Confidential to Hasbro: one or zero per year is depressing, but two or more per year feels like a good time.)

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,396: November 10, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,382: Garindan (The Retro Collection)

GARINDAN (Kenner Flavor)
The Retro Collection Target Exclusive 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure Set
Item No.: No. G2554
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, communicator, soft goods shawl
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $64.99
Availability: July 2026
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Rediscover the classics with The Star Wars Retro Collection - inspired by the Kenner originals! (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: One of the few aliens I would say felt missing from the original Kenner Star Wars line was Garindan. This has nothing to do with design or relative cool-ness, but this guy was an actual antagonist that ratted Luke and pals out to the Empire. He did something. I like Snaggletooth and Hammerhead a lot, but it's weird that Kenner skipped the character that metal miniature makers would make, even without a license. But Kenner also skipped Peter Cushing for 20 years, around the same time we got a Garindan.

I don't really have any complaints here. I wasn't sure about it when I first saw the renders, but the actual figure is quite nice. The whole set makes me extremely happy, except Wedge is a little mid. You could just stop reading here, there is no reason for me to write so much about Garindan. Garindan is good and feels a bit more modern in spots.

 Since I can't quite make out precisely where they drew their inspiration for each element of the costume, I find the pastiche to be charming and worthwhile. If I want a theoretically more accurate one, Hasbro Pulse has me covered - this is someone trying to make a 1980s figure, and largely succeeding. If I want something that looks like someone shrugged after getting a look at the movie and a couple of stills (and I do), this is it. If I had to nitpick and give it a running change, I'd ask Hasbro to make the nose grayer and lenses darker. That's it. If the shirt was bright blue or otherwise wacky it'd be a solid fit for the 1970s, but the earth tones feel like a 1980s or 1990s interpretation of the character. So why does this review go on so long? Enthusiasm, my dear fellow. I am excited, and happy.

At first fans sort of flipped out over the figure. It sparked debates over how we perceived the costume, notably its hood. The "current" approved look look that Sideshow and Hasbro using are a completely full-head-masked alien with something of a shawl worn on the head, with pants and what seems to be some sort of surplus uniform. That's what we're getting in The Vintage Collection in a few months. Kenner's 1997 and Hasbro's 2006 figures had a hooded cape that's a little more Red Riding Hood. Both riffed on a uniform-with-pants and some form of cape look we all saw in the movie. In my imagination, the film costume was a little baggy but I don't know that I ever got a close enough look at it to say "this is right!" or "this is wrong!" Also, Kenner-stylization is a blanket license to do whatever you want, and it seems Hasbro did.

I took for granted that the alien species was an aardvark-esque creature in sunglasses. Now, I'm not so sure - looking at hi-res close-up shots, it seems that maybe the nose is the alien's face and maybe it's just a distinctive mask like a plague doctor had. The picture in Wookieepedia seems to have seams, just like the Retro figure where the snout seems to be separately molded and glued in. Sideshow's figure most definitely seems to treat the head as completely covered in a mask, complete with stitching. Sure, Disney's new canon says they eat bugs with their noses but we've seen authorial intent ignored before and fans (or licensing departments just sort of roll with perception. Look at Max Rebo, who we all agree has legs, and who the cartoons show his species as having legs, but the puppet? No legs.

This Garindan has a lighter colored snoot, like the 1997 Kenner The Power of the Force figure. His shawl seems to be movie-accurate, and Hasbro's factory sourced textiles very similar to the 1983 Kenner Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker figure. I'm impressed. It hangs on his head, and is easily removed if it offends you. His goggles are red tinted, which I think is maybe a nod to one of Ralph McQuarrie's paintings for a book. I don't believe the prop had red lenses. Our spy's snout has more subtle rivet divets than the movie, and I think Kenner would have exaggerated them some more or ignored them completely. The hood feels right, but it doesn't match Sideshow's figure - which has a round, hooded head with what is very obviously not a biological snout. Teach the controversy! It seems Hasbro went with a take based on 1990s interpretations or their own imaginations. And that's what Kenner probably would have done in 1979, so I'm all for it.

The Sideshow shirt - and possibly the movie shirt - are a very dark blue. This one wears a couple of shades of gray. Retro Garindan's torso seems to be made by someone that recognized the basic form of the shirt and belt, but made it looser and more like a robe. Neat! The movie costume's cape around the shoulders is gone, because there's an actual full robe covering the figure's body - and no other officially licensed figure had that. All the others had fully visible boots, and some of the figures had holsters for their blasters. This one has signs of different boots, and also straps around the leg that may well be for blaster or commlink holsters. Hasbro went for a vibe closer to 1984 mail-in Anakin Skywalker, except Garindan's legs can swing fully forward. This may not mean much to you, as I just assume literally everybody has a full Kenner set handy.

Hasbro's sculptors did a very nice job with the pose. Garindan's body language feels like an old Kenner figure with a more pronounced slouch, a slightly bent left arm, and a very bent right arm so he can talk on his communicator. The gloves look fine, and each hand can easily hold the blaster, which is notable for having a different sculpt from the blaster from Dr. Evazan. I expected Garindan's communicator just to be the Cloud Car Pilot one, but it's not - it's a new design. It's not from the movie, and it's not from the McQuarrie painting. I don't immediately recognize it. I like it, it feels authentic and fabricated over lunch.

The sculpt feels like one of Hasbro's best attempts to Kenner things up due to all the changes and off-model (or possibly on-model, depending on the model) design choices. This doesn't match my other Garindan figures except for things like color, goggles, and snout - it's a unique take on the costume. I'm all for it. I think the face paint is a little too modern, with red circles slightly printed off-center in the goggles plus a nose whose paint reminds me a lot of the 1997 figure. Maybe that's my fault. The figure is glossy in spots, and it really does feel like something that's using Kenner's design language in or before 1983.

But how is he as a vehicle pilot? Not great. I spot-checked mini-rigs and some others, and his pants are so big he can't fit in most vehicles. I was surprised to find that if you bend him down a bit, he's one of the best figures for the CAP-2. His pants keep him from falling all the way in, and he can be made to look as if he is crouching in a cramped vehicle. He also fit well in the INT-4, One-Man Sand Skimmer, Side Gunner, and Endor Forest Ranger. He did not pass the Landspeeder Test.

It's a good action figure. I would have absolutely adored it as a child. It's functional, the hands can hold the accessories with zero reservations, and the shawl stays on acceptably. (It also falls off.) His big feet make him easy to keep standing, and his heavy legs insure he won't fall over if you knock the table. It's by no means the most Kenner-y figure of the wave, but it's satisfying in a way few super-articulated figures can match. I know some people were dying for a vinyl cape, but I don't feel like Hasbro misfired here. This is a good experience and I would absolutely love to know who sculpted which figure(s) because this guy did a great job. And I will laugh incredibly hard if I ever found out this sculptor also did Cad Bane.

That's it for The Retro Collection in 2026. Hasbro tells us the line will grow to 28 figures and 3 bigger items in 2027, so start saving and clearing some shelf space.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Target at a store, where they seem to be widely available right meow.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,382: September 22, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,375: Nabrun Leids (The Vintage Collection)

NABRUN LEIDS New and Significantly Jointed
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch HasLab Cantina Pack-In
Item No.: No. G1302
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #HAS011
Includes: 1 tumbler, 2 blasters, 1 alternate hose
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $399.99-$499.99
Availability: September 2025
Appearances: Star Wars 

Bio: No one knows what the Morseerian former pilot Nabrun Leids looks like underneath his breath mask, which he must wear in all non-methane environments. He'll fly anyone or anything anywhere - if the price is suitable. (Taken from packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: Won't you be, won't you be, won't you be my Nabrun Leids? Right off the bat, I was not remotely excited that this was part of the crowdfund only because The Saga Collection redeco of Nabrun Leids [FOTD #397] was so good. I get some flack for this, but my feeling is if it ain't broke don't remake it. You can get that figure - with Kabe - for under $20. The set was $7 in 2007, and while a little hard to find as a Walmart exclusive it was able to be bought at a fair price. Side-by-side, the old figure is brighter and shinier, but has less gear and significantly less articulation. A lot of us differ philosophically on what "needs" a remake. 2006 Nabrun was a 1998 mold, repainted, and the original sculpt was surprisingly "modern." The HasLab version has more wrinkles and more joints, but if you just need a cool alien in your Cantina either version will do the trick. I don't need everybody to have rocker ankles and swinging wrists, and Hasbro made the 2025 version up to the standards of their higher-priced Deluxe figures. That's good! But necessary? Well, that's up to you.

So with that out of the way, this a most excellent figure that shows Hasbro showing off. The figure's basic form is the same as the previous releases, with a few key differences. The mask straps all join up in the back of the head now. The knees are a little different. The boots are now a dark silver, rather than white. The new figure also has fewer fingers, which is more accurate to the background photography of the costume. Aside from some wrinkles, the sculpts are both very good and you won't notice the differences in the background of a dark bar diorama. But this new figure does provide you with options.

For starters, he has a glass this time. It is designed to fit in his main right hand. The hands can also hold the original figure's massive double-grip blaster, if you so choose. The smaller hands can easily hold his pistols, which look like some sort of vintage ray gun. They're great, and if they're sourced from the movie I don't recognize them. The mask hose is removable, allowing you to swap it out with a bent model. I appreciate Hasbro throwing in extra parts, but honestly I wouldn't miss any of the accessories. The bar itself is loaded with glassware, and I don't remember the blasters (or a need for a bent hose) from the movie. But there's nothing wrong with the old figure, either - it just gives you more options to have the very best.

Articulation is incredible. Each hand has a bend and swivel wrist. Each arm is as good as these figures get, with incredible leg articulation and nothing to block it. You get rocker ankles, smooth knees, and a neck that can tilt as needed. The waist is also perfect, and can pivot at the belt line. I have no notes. Everything here is right where it should be. It's above and beyond the 8 joints we got in 1998 and 2007. If Hasbro ever produces the weird landspeeders from Mos Eisley, I assume this figure will have zero problems fitting in any cockpit we could throw at it. Plus or minus the second arm pair.

There are subtle differences in the flight suit, but what's amazing is how similar they are. The patches behind the wrists are still there. The accordion textures are very similar. The belt is a bit more rounded now, but still fundamentally the same as before. Kenner of old was doing great work right up to the end of their old building, and the new one shows how to functionally improve on that for the modern collector.

When it comes to the heads, I'd say it's a toss-up as to which is better. The new one has a more weathered, more desaturated mask. That looks great! The old one is brighter. The skin textures are a little different, but both have tons of detail. A wipe on Nabrun 2007 brings it out a bit more, but the 2025 figure also looks excellent. The mask looks great on both, and the straps are only barely different. The joined cluster on the back matches the Gentle Giant mini-bust, so it's probably the most authentic take on the alien we'll ever get. I wish you could get one easily and cheaply.

If you don't have a Nabrun Leids, this is the best one. If you just need one to stand around a bar, The Saga Collection release is completely fine. Every collector has different opinions of what they need, or what's necessary, and I'm of two minds about it. When it comes to the Cantina, I need a figure to serve a function. Some sit, some stand. As long as they can do what they did in the movie, I don't need them to be perfect. This figure is perfect, and it is far better at conveying its vague indifference through body language than the previous releases. For that reason, this is probably the best choice to have getting drinks at Chalmun's.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Hasbro Pulse. I hope it shows up in the regular line, for now it's exclusive to a crowdfund that is no longer available outside the likes of eBay.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,375: August 27, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,330: Greedo (The Vintage Collection)

GREEDO Single-carded release of HasLab figure
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch single figure (pictured) or HasLab pack-in
Item No.: No. G1302 or Asst. F6878 No. G2604
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #393
Includes: Blaster, vest
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: March 2026 (single, Cantina version was September 2025)
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: The overzealous Rodian Greedo fancied himself a big-time bounty hunter in Jabba the Hutt’s employ -- despite being a pretty poor shot with a blaster. (Taken from the single-figure packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: As I get older and crankier, "Does this need to be redone?" is a question I ask a bunch. Hasbro has made quite a few very decent Greedo figures and, of course, this one is the best. For the purposes of a figure that'll merely sit at a table, the 1998 mold (rereleased a few times) may be best, but this is your go-to figure for standing. It's like a slightly-better, shrunken-down version of the 2013 The Black Series 6-inch figure [FOTD #2,052] that seems to use the same digital sculpt. That's OK, it's a good sculpt, and I think it may have been used for the Jakks Pacific Big Figs release. Remember those? They were a big deal.

This Greedo's body was also used for the 2025 Kenner-style Greedo [FOTD #3,288], which will probably be my go-to "plays with" version. The Kenner-style colors remind me of how I interacted with the character as a kid, while this vested version reminds me of how it actually looks on a big enough screen. Other than the vest, both figures are functionally identical minus the colors. I'd recommend buying them both, provided you have a need for more aliens. And who doesn't?

The costume seems pretty good, but there are a lot of continuity issues regarding the shoes. Kenner's various figures changed color from release to release, and this one opts with what I assume the style guide demands - gray. And they look fine. I would also have been happy with pink high heels, to match the classic behind-the-scenes reshoot photography. As far as I can tell the costume might be right, but lighting makes the vest look different from shot to shot. It's browner here. It has been a pale yellow, too. The movie scenes look a smidgen more orange or brown depending on the edition, so all I can say is that this one looks perfectly fine and Hasbro could probably do running changes with different vests and fans might buy it. I mean, if I were them, that's what I'd do on a future rerun. And then a Beedo vest version.

The suit and pants seem great, with yellow painted sleeves. The yellow paint is a little thick, and seems like they missed a few spots. The sculpt for the yellow parts on the pants and sleeves isn't very good. I think sculpting deeper cuts on the yellow bands would have helped solve the problem, as was the case on some older figures. The sculpted clothing wrinkles absolutely obliterated the fabric textures on the costume. We might just be seeing the limitation of the materials, and maybe some day we'll see a dual-molded Greedo where half the arm or leg are molded in the yellow plastic color with no paint at all. (I'm not an engineer, I have no idea if it'll hold up to that.) Unless you get really close, you probably won't notice the areas where the paint is less than perfect, or the incredible stitching sculpted in the suit or vest. The belt is also nice, as is the holster. By and large, everybody did a real nice job here.

Articulation is very good, with a head that can do subtle tilts, bending wrists, and a best-in-class waist joint. The peg waist joint allows for tilts in all directions at the belt region, which is a good and sensible thing to do. Heck, Hasbro and Kenner have known for years that there's no better place to put a joint than the belt line but they sometimes forget and it does mar the look of the figure a bit. Here, it couldn't be better - all joints are as integrated as well as current toy wizardry allows.

The head is fine. I would have preferred the eyes be a little more purple, but blue is probably fine for most fans. I'd be curious if this is a Disney style guide issue that fans didn't force, because over the years I have heard from a few fans that develop these products who were very particular about purple eyes.

As this figure has a good range of movement and can stand or sit, or hold his blaster, it's probably the last Greedo you'll ever need to buy. Thanks to the plastic vest being an improvement over the cloth one from roughly 20 years ago, I assume fans of super articulation love this upgrade and I'm glad Hasbro didn't lock it behind a crowdfund. The head sculpt is dynamite, the joints allow for some subtle movements, and the elbow joint cuts are pretty great. I can imagine a few small ways they could improve it later, but if it'll take another 20 years for a complete makeover it may no longer be a concern for me or many of you, either. For now? Get this one, it very well be the last collector-grade 3 3/4-inch Greedo many of us will ever have a chance to buy. It's grim to say this, but I really do wonder who among us will still be interested in this stuff when the 60th rolls around.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth. As of my writing this, he's a Fan Channel / Amazon exclusive. I'm hoping they put him into wider release for the anniversary next year.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,330: March 24, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,314: Sandtrooper (Stormtroopers of the Empire, The Vintage Collection)

SANDTROOPER Re-revised
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Stormtroopers of the Empire Set
Item No.: No. G1281
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blasters x 3
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $49.99
Availability: September 2025
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Stormtroopers specialize in operations across the galaxy, from desert worlds to arctic conditions. Scout troopers patrol for the Empire with speeder bikes. (Taken from packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: As we eye a whopping, exhausting, confusing sixth decade of these action figures I have to wonder what's important. Is it fidelity to the films? Is it more important to deliver what we think we saw? Or is it better to make the best-possible toy? I'm sure some of you are going "yes, everything" and you're part of the problem as we look at this swell Sandtrooper figure from a 3-pack last year. I think it delivers the quintessential ideal of a Sandtrooper, with options. That's good!

In recent years we've seen licensees get more access to some archival materials, resulting in discoveries like some troopers having green lenses. This figure has black ones. What should it be? If you ask me, black is good because that is what people seem to remember seeing on-screen and with their other toys. I don't mind the idea of a variant or chase version, but after five decades I'm not necessarily interested in throwing out my old toys in the name of fidelity to the source material. And it feels about right - as far as I can tell Hasbro opted to make a specific splotched, orange-pauldron'd extra from StarWars.com. Hasbro's is a little less dirty, with lighter dirt on the figure that may look a little closer to the scenery. The helmet doesn't seem to be an exact match, which seems to be a thing Internet toy reviewers are expected to notice and be livid about, but it's close. The black band over the eyes is lower, like the photo. The mouth is more or less what you see.

The configuration is close. You'll notice there's an ammo pouch over the shoulder of the costume, but it was moved to the pauldron for the figure. It's close enough. The backpack is unique in that it uses shoulder straps rather than a peg to connect to the figure. I also need to note that the belt does not match exactly, as the black pouches from the movie are not replicated on the figure. I'm not dumping on Hasbro for this, they're modifying an existing trooper to do double-duty here and did a good job making something that gets the job done. With the abundant articulation and labor to build the figure, plus higher price points, you can't have everything - and I'm starting to wonder if I'd be OK with a slight reduction in articulation if it meant a bigger budget for more new tooling and deco. What would you rather have - a new belt, or rocker ankles and thigh swivels? Maybe there's a compromise to be had someday. If Hasbro made several troopers in various poses, I think I could live without them all needing to be super-articulated $20 (or higher) releases.

The backpack has good decoration with lots of painted bits. Hasbro did a great job matching the detail and painting the various white and gray bits, so I don't have much to complain about there. This would be a great figure to use for your "move along" scene dioramas, or any old desert dwelling scenario. I have many Sandtroopers and I would say this is one of Hasbro's very best - if you are so inclined, go get a set or three. Sure it's basically a tricked-out Stormtrooper with a unique belly region, but that's the best overall figure that we have right now. It's not perfect, but we know that he'll be back some day, because Hasbro will be revising these figures 'til I'm old and gray.

But how about blasters? We have a rifle with no paint. We have a grenade launcher with a painted strap. We also have a classic Stormtrooper blaster with a silver highlight. It's a pity and kind of a waste to give us army-building options in a set that is vaguely conducive to buying multiples. I can't speak for y'alls, but I don't need a ton of Scout Troopers or Snowtrooper Officers - but Sandtroopers? I could use more Sandtroopers. Anyway, it's a good three-pack.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,314: January 27, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,308: Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi (The Vintage Collection)

BEN (OBI-WAN) KENOBI I think we've reached the ceiling of what cloth robes can deliver
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. E7763 No. G0922
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #373
Includes: Lightsaber, hilt, cloak
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $16.99
Availability: September 2025
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: At Princess Leia's plea for help, Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi embarked on a journey to Alderaan with Luke Skywalker, R2-D2, C-3PO, and hired pilots Han Solo and Chewbacca. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: In 2024 and 2025 we got some new versions of key characters from the original film. That's a big deal, and it invites a lot of scrutiny as fans are being given higher prices and have high expectations that these new figures will surpass previous purchases. It is expected that the likes of Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi are not merely good, but after several releases must be the very best and maybe even final, perfect edition.

This isn't that. It attempts to iterate on the 2004 and 2009 versions of the figure, and does make some improvements. The cloak is still goofy and gets in the way of the arm articulation, which isn't conducive to the two-handed lightsaber fighting poses from the movie. There are aspects of this figure which are incredible, but this is a complainy review because a great likeness and the best-yet leg articulation is hard to deal with when you're going to need another separate figure to do your dueling. The materials used and the super-articulated format have limitations with bulky costumes, and it may be necessary to make multiple figures (or figures with swappable parts) to meet the demands of displays and maybe even play.

I would be lying if I say 2025 Kenobi isn't good, but it doesn't drastically improve on the 2009 versions from The Legacy Collection in terms of being able to fight or have his hood up. In case you forgot, we got single-carded Obi-Wan with elbow and knee ball joints, plus a table with a Leia hologram figure, in The Legacy Collection. It could stand and sit, it looked good, and it had an excellent - for 17 years ago - likeness. 2009 Kenobi had hair which was a little more gray, 2025 is a little more white with the whole photoreal face painting. It has separately molded hair that matches a painted beard. The actual facial hair of the figure is close to the cardback photo, but since it's right there you can easily tell there's a little more color in his sideburns and cheeks, plus a little more dark hair on the sides. When it comes to the new head, it's a good modern improvement - but the old ones were also basically just fine. If Hasbro does a version 2.0, I would ask them to spend the dime and give him a little more color in his beard if they can make it look right. If not, this'll do. For a portrait the size of a peanut, it's excellent.

Costume color is mostly fine. There's always room for a little interpretation with the color of the cloak, the tan robes, and I guess the belt buckle. Costume photos make it look like a tarnished silver-adjacent color. Hasbro opted to make this figure's belt buckle gold. What's right? Probably the tarnished silver. Everything is close enough that I don't think you can fault the Pantones used to make this guy.

Articulation is improved a bit, but this figure isn't capable of all the poses I would deem essential after a dozen different revisions. You can kind of get both hands together to do the death pose from the Death Star - the range of movement in the arms isn't fantastic. It's also hindered by the cloak. With the cloak off, you can make it work. With the cloak on, the tiny bunched-up fabric garment actively pushes the arms apart so it has to be very, very specifically posed. It is not a satisfying experience. You're going to have difficulty getting both hands on the saber to fight Darth Vader, too. I won't say it's impossible, but I'm not liking the results after minutes of fussing with it. It's a toy - this should be simple, or there should be a simpler solution like "duel arms" you can pop out, similar to 2004 Dagobah Luke. The arm articulation is pretty much the same as the 2009 figure with deeper elbow cuts, and exposes the limitations on some super-articulated figures due to the costume design. I think the only option is to pursue swappable arms - a set of alternate pre-posed arms as bonus gear (at a higher price point) could fix this. I'm not normally an advocate for alternate body parts, but we're at a point where you just plain can't get the arms to sit right within a cloth cloak. I don't think Hasbro can make a set of arms with full articulation at this size that can assume the position within a soft goods cloak. There may be value to pre-posed arms or a hard plastic cloak shell to keep the figure's pose from melting away..

The inner robe sculpting is nicely done. The texture is good, and it was good in 2009. It's a little different, but you can tell they're working from the same reference given where the folds go. His lower robes are cloth and the legs have an extensive range of movement. He can sit, no problem. The boots and legs make me think the plan is to repurpose them for prequel Jedi, but I guess we'll find out this year. As mentioned above, I find the range of arm movement below expectations and not significantly improved, but for a figure that'll just sit in your Cantina or train Luke on the Falcon? The articulation is perfect.

I like the lightsaber hilts. The hands have problems double-gripping them due to interference from engineering and the figure's unusual thumbs, but you can kind of, sort of, make it almost awkwardly work. One of my gripes about The Vintage Collection is that each figure looks amazing, but they're generally difficult to pose just right. A coat, a belt, a skirt, or some element will push limbs away from where you want them to go. It's one reason I'm fond of Retro - movement is limited, but it stays where you put it. I don't want my figures to fight me, and Obi-Wan doesn't want to fight for me.

I do not like the cloth cloak. It is not an improvement. Hasbro hasn't had a lot of great luck with cloth Jedi capes and cloaks and robes at this scale. In this case, it's folded kind of oddly and Hasbro sewed the hood down. You can snip the tip, but not everybody likes to make modifications to the figures and the hood is huge. As is, it hangs somewhat oddly. It just isn't cut right. Around the shoulders, there's a little too much fabric. The sleeves are too small and tight, in the movie they're much longer and hang down a bit. With a little work I can get it to look mildly acceptable, but I think that after 25 years of cloth Jedi robes on 3 3/4-inch scale action figures we can all admit that there are limitations of the material and/or factory sewing machines that may not be able to deliver a satisfying experience at this size. At this point I think it's just beyond the technical expertise of the factory or the designer, and alternative materials must be examined. Perusing fan and official figure photography, I don't think it's just my opinion - the cut of the robe just isn't worthy of a "premium" collector-priced figure in today's market.

After several decades I think I just have to make peace with the fact that this is probably as good as a "super articulated" Kenobi as we're going to get - unless you change up the engineering and try something different. I'd recommend this to anyone who doesn't have an Alec Guiness Kenobi in their collection, because it is still the best one overall so far - but other ones have unique accessories and poses you may find valuable. If you want maximum articulation but aren't too bothered by the cloth hindering some of it, with the best likeness, this is your current best bet. But for a dueling alternative, keep reading.

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

While not exactly a looker by modern standards, I would recommend you look up the 25th Anniversary Obi-Wan Kenobi [FOTD #110] and/or The Last Jedi Kenobi [FOTD #2,413] for dueling purposes. It's necessary for your double-handed dueling Death Star needs. The price isn't too high yet, but it has been slowly increasing.

Confidential to Hasbro: I know you guys like Deluxe figures for $25 and up, and I think you should consider Obi-Wan for a fancy upgrade. A version of this figure with multiple plastic robe pieces for specific poses might look good and give you another bite at the apple for the figure tooling. Sculpted plastic hoods do tend to look great - so why not include plastic robes for specific vehicle riding needs, specific dueling needs, and including them with version 2.0? I think VC #373 is good for certain fans - they want a carded figure, they want the cloth, and you gave them exactly the kind of figure they asked for - bravo. But it doesn't look great in a diorama, and I think plastic robe parts are the solution and I'm willing to pay for it. Consider it for the 50th anniversary, perhaps in a duel with Darth Vader set or a Death Star playset.

I would also recommend looking at 2004 Dagobah Luke for a "statue" solution that may be cheaper and use less labor at your factories. Swappable arms gave this $5 Luke figure wildly different poses that were not possible to replicate with "super articulated" arms. An Obi-Wan with pre-posed scene-specific arms could be a viable product for cutting off alien arms or distracting Sith Lords. Some fans will complain, but it's the internet and that's what we do here. New features and functions give fans a reason to buy a figure other than "now he's got ankle rockers." There is more to being a functional figure than merely having the most articulation. A "Statue Series" might be a great sidekick to The Vintage Collection for scene-specific major characters in the films, with reduced factory labor costs.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,308: January 6, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,303: Wuher (The Vintage Collection)

WUHER New and Significantly Improved
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch HasLab Cantina Pack-In
Item No.: No. G1302
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #HAS008
Includes: Blaster, 1 alternate hand, 1 tumbler
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $399.99-$499.99
Availability: September 2025
Appearances: Star Wars
Bio: Wuher, the Cantina's gruff bartender, keeps his hand low to survive. Whether it's droids entering the premises or stormtroopers investigating a brawl, he does his best to avoid trouble altogether. (Taken from packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: I both understand and am whiny about the inclusion of Wuher the bartender with Hasbro's $400-$500 bar. On one hand - if you're buying this playset, you probably want this character. On the other, you probably have one of his two previous releases. A $400-$500 playset like this aims squarely at lifers who want a place to put all their figures, and 2025 Wuher is a masterful improvement over 2000 CommTech-era Wuher. Also, it drives home just how great 2000 Wuher was at the time and still serves as an excellent figure to stand behind your bar, assuming you want to keep this one carded.

This isn't to say the new one isn't fantastic. If you compare the previous release, the proportions are similar and the general landmarks are all there - but the new one has so much more going for him. The shirt has way more sculpted detail. You can have his belly cover his belt now. He can point, the glass is removable, he even has ankle tilts and thigh swivels! The separately-molded plastic wig looks great, and the scruff is painted particularly nicely. He's even got painted chest scruff... which is a little off-center on mine. He's grouchier, squintier, and feels more alive than the previous release. It's also worth noting the pants and boots are significantly different now. 2000 had boots with wraps around them, while 2025 just covers the boots with his pants. Which is better? Who cares? His job is to stand behind the bar and you'll never see them. Hasbro gave this guy an exceptional amount of love when ensuring the parts move well and allow you to put him in other vehicles and playsets... which is kind of amazing given many fans will never, ever even open the carded figure.

But this goes back to the philosophical implications of when, if ever, are you happy with a figure? If you've been happy with one of the old versions, do you need an upgrade? I didn't love the OTC remastering, but I like the CommTech version just fine. The figure performed all necessary functions as a guy who only needed to stand behind a bar. The new head looks better, but as we get older and as we're likely to not touch the figure much after purchase (be it putting it in a display or putting the carded figure in storage) it's overkill. Hasbro's work at this size is second to none for the prices, even with the increases Hasbro's all-new sculpt figures continue to impress. It's just that for the goobers who are just a rubber mask, or just someone to occupy a seat, sometimes a simple figure is enough to get the job done. I don't know if we would've gotten another cool alien instead of Wuher had Hasbro decided the cheap POTF2-era guy to be good enough, but clearly, I think about it. I would not have felt slighted if we didn't get this update, even though he has an incredible range of motion and hugely improved detail.

Much like the Tonnikas, he has an optional hand with a glass - which is welcome. That's what his original figure had. The rifle is an imaginative bonus but is also a bit of overkill given it's probably not a part of most displays. The extra painted detail on the blaster helps, but like the blaster itself, it might not be missed were it absent.

Overall this is an exceptionally good figure of a figure where my only real complaint is that I was satisfied with previous releases. The amount of texture on the fabric, the nicely engineered articulation, and especially that scowl all serve to give this guy far more personality and a greater range of movement than countless other characters. I don't know who sculpted him, I don't know who gave him the deco budget, but man it's an impressive hunk of plastic. If you never got a Wuher, go get this one. But if you just need a decent guy to stand behind the bar while Luke and your other aliens take focus in a diorama, your old versions will get the job done. But if you want it to look the very best? Get this one... I still find the old one to be good enough for my needs, though.

Confidential to Hasbro: you could've gone without any articulation below the hips and we'd never have missed it, if that ever could be a consideration in reducing prices down the road for other new characters who only stand around.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Hasbro Pulse. I hope it shows up in the regular line, for now it's exclusive to a crowdfund that is no longer available outside the likes of eBay.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,303: December 18, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,302: Snaggletooth (Cantina Adventure Set - The Vintage Collection)

SNAGGLETOOTH Kenner Flavor
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Cantina Adventure Set Pack-In
Item No.: No. G1301
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #379
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $64.99-$74.99
Availability: September 2025
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Nicknamed "Snaggletooth" at the Mos Eisley Cantina, bounty hunter Zutton's exceptional skills caught the attention of Jabba the Hutt, who put his services on retainer. (Taken from 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 consider this figure and his set to be underpriced. How often does that happen? Not very. Along with Walrus Man, Hasbro made some interesting choices on Snaggletooth. And by that I mean "look man, there's a budget for these things." Obviously we all know the figure on the cardback photo doesn't match the figure, and that it's missing a distinctive belt buckle, but sometimes the point is to get out a nicely priced redeco in a good exclusive gift set. This does a nice job of that, and I'd say the door is open for Hasbro to redo this guy if they want. I'd buy a super-articulated Kenner sculpt should they ever decide to make one.

If anyone says "oh they're not fans!" I disagree. The first thing I noticed were his boots. If you have an original blue Snaggletooth, you know the paint tends to rub off the boots. The deco artist knew this too, and decided to mold the boots in silver plastic instead. Clever! I see some swirls so I am the slightest bit worried about future gold plastic syndrome. It's unlikely, but you know me. I'm a worrier. The shins are painted blue, and they nicely match the legs.

We've had red versions of this figure a few times, which makes this one a nice change of pace. It still has gloved hands, and the eeys are meant to mimic the old Kenner head. The skin is lighter and gray, with fairly nicely painted hair and a silver knot on his belt. It's not really a belt buckle, but again, what are you expecting with a repaint? The body itself is light on paint, mostly molded in blue or gray. Hasbro probably saved a few pennies by eschewing any wipes or any paint on the shirt under the tunic. It looks better for it, but you really need to get into the idea of "like it for what it is" and not "it's not the other thing you may have preferred." I like weird things, and I need more guys for my Cantina, so I'm digging this figure.

He can stand nicely, and there's enough pliability in his "skirt" that he can kind of, sort of, sit. The blaster fits in the back of his robe wrap, making this a generally decent redeco of a perfectly nice sculpt. It is also Hasbro's/Kenner's first carded blue Snaggletooth. Previous version were bagged or in a box.

It's worth noting we got a surprisingly nice take on Blue Snag during the Original Trilogy Collection about 20 years ago, and while it lacks this level of detail it's certainly very nicely articulated and has the correct belt buckle. It can sit, it's very much OK - but they're all a little different. As such, you may as well look them all up and let your budget be your guide.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,302: December 16, 2025