Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,113: Princess Kneesaa (Ewoks Cartoon, The Vintage Collection)

PRINCESS KNEESAA Cartoon Version
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure Fan Channel 2-Pack
Item No.: No. F8300
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #283
Includes: Bola, bag, hood, coin
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $36.99
Availability: October 2023
Appearances: Ewoks

Bio: Clever and courageous, Kneesaa embarks on adventures with her EWOK friends on Endor's forest moon. (Taken from the 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: Some of you are going "Wow, it's the first-ever Princess Kneesaa figure!" but it's worth noting Kenner made a few in its preschool line in the 1980s, plus this exact figure was sold as Kneesaa [FOTD #1,868] way back in 2012. But there was a twist - while this figure was in a 2-pack for $37, the original release was in a 5-pack with tons of accessories and newly tooled parts for the wallet-stomping price of *checks notes* $40. Call it inflation or just a bigger reach for wallet share, but this is basically the exact same figure - minus a "movie hood" - but adding a coin and a bag for more than twice the price. Hasbro sold figures with coins for $6.99 in 2007, so while inflation is real, this is another one of those things where fans have to ask if it's worth the price to buy it again. As that set sells for $150-$200 in the box, this is probably going to be your cheaper alternative assuming you don't want the other furballs.

Through gritted teeth, I recommend this to a certain kind of 80s kid who loves Saturday morning cartoons. Hasbro did a decent job painting an existing movie-style figure with cartoon-style deco, even if it means a higher price with far fewer paint ops, accessories, and figures from her previous release.

Kneesaa is essentially Wicket with a new head and a pink hood. This release keeps the same joints and body parts, but drops the dirty fur paint in favor of a cleaner (cheaper) deco and new added dark fur around the eyes. This brings her closer to her cartoon appearance. Hasbro doesn't bother to paint the stitch deco on the hood either, rather just giving us a weird blue line over the top of her head. The blue feathers are still painted, but the plastic is nice and pliable and it feels great. Hasbro also included a reuse of Wicket's bag, which was not originally sold with Kneesaa in 2012.

 She also has some ropes with rocks on them which she can wear. It's not a weapon per se, but it is a carry-over from the aforementioned gift set. I think this version of her does a good job replicating her cartoony fur colors, but it comes with a lot of cost-cutting. As far as I can tell the set sold out cleanly, but I sometimes see them at GameStop stores for roughly retail price. I hesitate to say it's worth $37 because compared to other Hasbro Star Wars product, you're not getting your money's worth. But if you want these characters, there aren't a lot of options on the market and the original releases of these figures will cost you more money. It's a far cry from 2 Ewoks and a Freeze Frame Action Slide for $5.99 in 1998, but it would seem the younger fan (or "child") market is no longer the goal here.

The one thing that may throw the whole price calculous out the window is old-school Kenner coin fans. For an all-new coin, right now, given there may never be another one, this is a hard proposition to poo-poo. I think collectors will probably be fine with this set for the price thanks to the brand-new Kneesaa coin. Since Kenner's original Kneesaa concept never got far enough along to get a prototype coin, we've never seen one of these before. The coin's artwork looked very familiar, and Hasbro, if you're reading - I'll even pay $20 for Kneesaa's coin again if you pack her with that Kenner-style prototype figure, finally produced for the mass market. For some fans money is no object, but it depends on the specific product - if you really like a format or want to add a specific piece to your collection, the one Ewok thing being sold to you from the cartoon series in decades (other than apparel) may be a "shut up and take my money" proposition for you. I had no problem throwing down a couple of Jacksons to get this set, but also, I assume that it is extremely unlikely we'll ever get more 1985 Ewoks or Droids toys before the 40th anniversary in 2025. And if not then, probably not before we die.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,113: March 5, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,097: Wicket W. Warrick (The Retro Collection)

WICKET W. WARRICK 2023 Remake of 1984 Figure
The Retro Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure Hasbro Pulse/Shop Disney 6-Pack
Item No.: No. F6988
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Hood, spear, plus Mon Mothma, Yak Face, Emperor's Royal Guard, Gamorrean Guard, and Admiral Ackbar
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $72.99
Availability: November 2023
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: Star Wars Retro Collection includes Star Wars action figures from the 40-plus-year legacy of the Star Wars Galaxy, including movies and live-action series. (Stolen from the marketing copy. Packaging has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now! 

 Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: When I was very small, I was given a lot of Star Wars figures. One of the first ones I remember chasing down was the very first release of Wicket W. Warrick, who was "NEW!" and one of the figures near the end of the original line. Figures were usually $2-$3 in the old Kenner days, unless you went to somewhere like Long's Drugs, where they were a whopping $5. My parents never let me hear the end of how much more he was there, but we got it, and I don't remember seeing a lot of him ever since. This probably made me an incredibly cheap collector, because when you get right down to it a buck or two is nothing compared to what you might spend on gas (or today, shipping.) But I digress - this was a figure I absolutely loved as a kid, and the new version is the same, but different.

He feels different. The original toy's hoods were much softer and more rubbery, the new one can bend but feels more like plastic. The materials Kenner used back in the day were very distinctive, so it's clearly a different feel. The spear is also different, the details are a little botoxed-out and it feels a smidgen more waxy. Overall the accessories both look good enough, but are colored just a bit differently and any toy dealer worth his salt can look at them and see at a glance (or touch) they're not the originals. And that's the way I like it.

The figure is good, but different. I prefer the original deco - Hasbro didn't paint Wicket's nose quite right, so he looks a bit more like a koala and less like an Ewok. You can see in the pictures that an original Wicket had the whole nose painted, while the new one missed some of the sides near the face. The detail are darker and seem a bit glossier with lips that look less like lips and more like make-up. The brown plastic is also darker, but these are things you're unlikely to notice unless you're seeing them side-by-side or have a close personal relationship with an original that dates back to the days where you were much shorter than you are now.

If I were Hasbro, Wicket is absolutely one of the figures I would want to reissue - as a kid I was about the heroes, aliens, and droids - and this one is much cheaper than an actual original. If money is no object I'd steer you to the genuine article, because while the retro one is good it's just off enough that it would bother me. But again, this is one of my favorites from when I was a kid and I adored Return of the Jedi toys like no others. If you didn't have one as a kid, this reissue is probably going to be just fine - it's not identical, but it shouldn't be. Time has passed, and clearly something has been lost in translation over time with how to do old-style figure sculpting. But it's close, and for what you get in this set for the price I didn't hesitate to buy it. Even though I had five of the six figures, it's like a new thing and for all I know these will be the last-ever Return of the Jedi Kenner figures I'll buy for the rest of my time on this planet. (If Kenner's reading and wants to do more, I'd be happy to see Lumat or Paploo again.)

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Hasbro Pulse, who seem to have sold out days after shipping. Check ShopDisney for availability too.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,097: January 9, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,081: Wicket W. Warrick (Ewoks Cartoon, The Vintage Collection)

WICKET W. WARRICK cartoon version
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure Fan Channel 2-Pack
Item No.: No. F8300
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #283
Includes: Spear, bag, hood, coin
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $36.99
Availability: October 2023
Appearances: Ewoks

Bio: Wicket's friendly, adventurous, and mischievous nature makes him a leader among the other young EWOKS. (Taken from the 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: There are a lot of things Hasbro makes where I don't know who the audience is going to be, but I do know that this Ewoks cartoon Wicket W. Warrick was made for me. If you were a kid in the 1980s, you may have watched these shows on Saturday mornings for a couple of years, and then saw them at Kay-Bee for a buck. What's interesting about Wicket is that he's a remake of a character from 1985, while Kneesaa never actually came out until now. (There's still hope!) Back in the early 1990s and late 1980s, nobody wanted those figures - I got them super cheap and their relative scarcity was in large part because nobody cared to sell them. As such, if you didn't have the then newly-sculpted cartoon-specific Ewoks, you can get these now.

This figure takes the 2010 The Vintage Collection movie mold - which also had a movie hood, and was only $10 - and adds the requisite collector tax mark-up, giving you a reissue of the coin (freebies in the $6.99 line in 2017) instead of a hood at what is basically a 85% mark-up. If you just had the orange hood, rather than the green hood, I'd probably say no - but since they gave you the season two hood first, this is interesting. On the actual cartoon, it was an orangey brown. On the old licensed merchandise and package art, Wicket's hood was usually a dirty yellow. The bright orange of the final figure is a rung below neon, and seems much more saturated and bright than the relatively muted product photography. The mold isn't new, but it's good - Hasbro is excellent at making the most of its existing tooling library, and gives you a handy pouch for sunberries on the side. This accessory is why I pre-ordered the figure, but I'd be lying if I said it turned out like I expected. The cartoon one was brown, while Kenner's preschool Wicket was that yellow color. As such, this is different enough where Hasbro has wiggle room to make another couple of cartoon Wicket figures if they really wanted to do so.

The spear is fine, and he can hold it with both hands since they did a good job designing him. Having said that, you won't feel you got your money's worth with swivel ankles, jointed hips and shoulders and ankles, and a jointed neck that won't move much. Combined, the two-pack has about as many parts as a modern full-size figure (give or take) so I'm sure Hasbro is making a good return on this mold investment - and it's a nice figure. The eyes are painted to be sort of like the movie while also being vaguely like the cartoon. The fur patterns are much cleaner than the movie version, and I actually kind of prefer it. You can move the legs so he can be posed standing without falling over quite nicely.

This figure is very much for a specific kind of fan. I'm sure completists will grouse, and even though this is something I very much want I do feel a little stung over the price tag. I assume we'll never see another Ewoks cartoon figure, but I like it enough to say that old Kenner kids might want to look into getting it. It's also worth noting the bonus coin feels a lot like the original, minus a sharper sculpt that seems a smidgen off from the real deal while paradoxically looking almost identical save for revised copyright markings. I bet it could pass for a genuine original if a fan wasn't intimately familiar with the years being stamped on the Kenner versions. Recommended if you like this sort of thing, and don't mind spending the equivalent of $18.50 for a repaint of a figure you may own already given the obscure nature of this release.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,081: November 14, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,022: Wicket (The Black Series)

WICKET 6-inch debut
The Black Series Return of the Jedi 40th Anniversary Packaging
Item No.: Asst. F6853 No. F7050
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Hood, bow, arrow, spear, club, torch
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $24.99
Availability: March 2023
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: Commemorate the 40th Anniversary of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi with figures from The Black Series, featuring classic design and packaging! (Taken from the packaging. There isn't anything specific to the character.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: The question of value comes up more and more these days. Personally, I get about as much joy from a good $5-$10 toy as I do a $25 toy, mostly because added cost doesn't necessarily mean more fun. For Ewoks, there's a good argument to be made that the 6-inch ones shouldn't cost more than a 3 3/4-inch figure - after all, Wicket has fewer parts in his figure, less articulation, and less paint than a lot of The Vintage Collection figures despite being the "larger scale" figure. This isn't to say he's no good - you can tell Hasbro made sure that they gave you a lot of weapons in the 3-inch figure's largely empty bubble packaging - but if you're comparing apples to apples, you're being overcharged. But if we cared about value, we'd be collecting Final Faction. The question I have is "is this Return of the Jedi alien worth getting excited about?" and the answer is, more or less, yes. This is a good figure.

If you can get beyond the size for the price - and let's be honest, that's a tall order - Hasbro did a good job. He has more useful and interesting accessories than almost any Star Wars action figure in years, making him a de facto accessory pack for your Endor dioramas. The figure includes the spear, a bow-and-arrow where you can place the arrow in the bow and it won't fall out, and a little club, and a little torch. Sadly you don't get his little bola weapon that he knocks himself in the head with, nor do you get the cartoon-style hood we saw in The Vintage Collection. He has no problems actually holding any of the accessories thanks to some surprisingly crafty articulation, and he can hold the spear to poke at a Leia figure (sold separately) if you're so inclined. That's neat. The legs have a good range of motion, you get rocker ankles, and the hood hides the shoulder and waist joints pretty well. The engineers saw a challenge and stepped up to the plate to deliver a pretty good figure for a short guy.

While I love the functionality, it doesn't hurt that this is a great figure at which to look. The little black eyes are shiny, he has a little gap in his teeth, the hood has stitches, and the texture of the fur is pretty good too. The fingers and toes are painted separately, and there is a dusting of light fur under the hood. I would've liked to see some more light fur on the face, but it's still a good figure and probably one of Hasbro's best takes on Wicket as a toy. I still have a soft spot for the 1984 original, but the original couldn't grip a spear with two arms without breaking them first. This one can. He's cute, but can still wave around an arsenal and it doesn't look silly. I don't know if Hasbro could pull that off at the 3 3/4-inch scale, but here at the 6-inch scale they made magic work. Which, considering how many 6-inch tall figures can't be posed this well, certainly might make you grumpy. At least Wicket turned out great! Maybe some day they'll start throwing us a bone with some more aliens from the film like Yak Face or Amanaman at this size.

It would've been ideal if Hasbro could have a "short guy assortment" at a lower price for the likes of Yoda, Grogu, R2-D2, Salacious Crumb and their ilk. It doesn't mean that this isn't a good figure - it's just that Hasbro sells other, cheaper, taller figures with more parts for less money. We're just being charged a tax because it's in the 6-inch assortment packaging. Such is life. If you're like me and you were crazy for Ewoks as a kid, you want this, and you may already have this. I can't imagine Hasbro will revisit Ewoks given how few we've had in the last decade, although a repack in a new box is pretty much guaranteed to happen eventually. If you don't get the "vintage" packaging version, and you love Return of the Jedi, be sure to pick up some flavor of Wicket. I think I can safely say this may well be the best Wicket figure Hasbro will ever give us, unless by some miracle they start to deliver cartoon-style Ewoks with appropriate sculpting and deco. And that's pretty unlikely. Movie fans, if you just want a cool Wicket and don't mind the price, do yourself a favor and pick up this one.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,022: April 20, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,834: Paploo (The Vintage Collection)

PAPLOO Take 4
The Vintage Collection Walmart Exclusive Action Figures
Item No.: No. F3113
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #190
Includes: Hood, knife, spear
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.93
Availability: July 2021
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: Paploo was a male Ewok of the Bright Tree tribe on the forest moon of Endor. During the Battle of Endor, Paploo aided the Rebel strike team that was led by Han Solo in destroying the generator powering the Death Star II's deflector shield. (Stolen from Wookieepedia. Packaging has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: I admit, I did not expect we would ever see a new Paploo but as Hasbro seems intent on remaking as much of The Vintage Collection as possible to ensure an analog with the original Kenner line, it makes sense. Many of thse figures are reruns with new heads or fixed paint jobs, but this is a weird one - we've had pretty good Paploo figures over the years. The 1984 figure - which was common as dirt here in Arizona in the late 1980s toy shows - provided some of the inspiration. The costume on the cardback doesn't really match the figure, and the headdress seems closer to what he wore in the movie. What surprised me is that despite tooling new parts, the head was just the 2012 Lumat head again... which means it's an improvement, with room for improvement.

This very same body has a ton of articulation and was previously used to make the likes of Logray and Teebo figures, to name a few. He stands, he has lateral hip joints, he even has elbows and wrists - which is amazing, considering most Ewoks had to be content with five points of articulation until the early 21st century. His staff appears to be new, and the headdress is also new - the big feather sticking up is a huge improvement, and the feathers are all painted quite nicely. There's a lot of color in the movie costume, and the hood here seems to capture that quasi-handmade feel that you want.

The fur color is mostly pretty good, but the face is a little dark and this seems like it could be a stopgap figure before another release comes later. The head has some lighter fur on it, some lighter skin on the lips and nose, plus visible teeth in the movie - this figure has incredibly dark eyes almost hidden by the dark fur, and the skin seems largely unpainted. I genuinely don't expect there to be another Paploo any time soon, and each modern version offers unique features that make it a compelling figure. With Ewoks as toys, the variant rereleases with different hoods or accessories are secretly fantastic for those of us who really like buying Ewoks so we can populate a shelf with lots of different-looking figures.

The staff seems to be entirely new with a very fluffy grip, and the knife slides nicely in the sheath on the belt. Hasbro did an excellent job picking good accessories (and making new ones) for their various Ewoks, and this Paploo is no exception. I just wish I liked the face more. For most fans it's going to be good enough - the hood overpowers the head inside the garment. On a shelf of figures, it'll never "pop." Being an older fan, I remember how the face of the original toy always seemed striking and even how some of the subsequent ones really had distinctive and often cute faces - even the weirdly worried 2009 The Legacy Collection figure is unforgettable. The costume is arguably more important than the face, but you get so much personality in these little furry faces that it's a shame they couldn't have given us a new head here. Especially given that the body is from 9 years ago.

This brings us to it still being the best Paploo in over a decade, with the best costume we've seen probably ever, and it's a good figure in its own right. If it was just sold as "Ewok" you'd go "Oh, that looks kind of like Paploo, neat, I want that." On its own merits as a little plastic man I totally love it and recommend it to the others who can't get enough of Endor's most popular non-Dulok citizens, but those wanting the absolute definitive Paploo-to-end-all-Paploos are still going to need to wait longer. If you can find one for $13, I'd say just grab it. I wouldn't count on interest in this kind of product to last long enough to necessarily warrant another lap around the Ewok track so this might be as good as it gets. (But if you have the 2009 figure and are happy with it - it being one-half of a two-pack of figures for $8 - you may not need to upgrade.)

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Walmart.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,844: August 5, 2021

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,755: Teebo (The Black Series 6-Inch)

TEEBO (Ewok)
The Black Series 2020 Line Look Green Star Wars: The Return of the Jedi Packaging
Item No.: Asst. E8908 No. E9361
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #02 - Star Wars: The Return of the Jedi
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: August 2020
Appearances: Return of the Jedi
Bio: An Ewok scout, Teebo sounded the horn summoning the Ewoks to fight the Stormtroopers during the Battle of Endor. (Taken from Hasbro marketing materials.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: Figures like Teebo are exciting reasons to keep collecting. Interestingly, he's a pretool - the stamp on his foot is the SKU for Paploo in the SDCC/PulseCon set, but he's got lots of good original (and shared) parts to make for a convincing take on the alien as he appears on screen. Teebo is shown with different costumes depending on the reference - one has a cowl around his neck, one doesn't - and while the 3 3/4-inch line covered both bases, this one picked a side. Harrumph. I would have liked both cowls given the figure's small size and full retail price, but even with that gripe it's still a remarkable piece of work.

The figure has most of what you could want - you get the axe, the spear from his first appearance with the Rebels, the horn on his bandolier, and even a little knife for the sheath on his other bandolier. The necklace is there, the hood with the dead animal looks slick, and there's a feather in his cap, too. It's the meaner style of Ewok face rather than the cuddlier, kinder Kenner faces we got after Chirpa and Logray back in the day, too. The fur is dark grey with darker grey stripes, and dagnabbit it's gorgeous.

I hope time proves me wrong, but I have to assume this is as good as these Ewok figures can get without finding a way to make fur or flocking that holds up over time. The rubbery feel of the fur sets Teebo apart from a lot of other figures - as does his lack of pants - so I'm pretty happy we a) got this figure and b) Hasbro took their time to get it right. It's something of a miracle that we got an Ewok in a non-anniversary year, or so it seems, particularly since the focus was on The Empire Strikes Back earlier in the season. I feel almost spoiled that we got two weapons, but for all I know Hasbro is tooling that other hood for another exclusive rerelease later. While short, the piece count seems comparable to full-size humans and aliens. If you like Ewoks I hope you run out to buy one, or more accurately, bought it when it came out a few months ago.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,755: November 26, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,729: Wicket (Ewok Redux, The Vintage Collection)

WICKET 2020 Redux
The Vintage Collection   3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. E7763 No. E9578
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #27
Includes: Pouch, green hood, brown hood, spear
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.99
Availability: July 2020
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: Celebrate the legendary Star Wars saga that changed the universe forever! This collection brings to life the incredible story of good versus evil that captured our imagination and took us to a galaxy far, far away. Iconic Star Wars heroes and villains are captured with incredible detail and premium features to commemorate each epic tale in the Star Wars saga. May the Fore be with you! (Taken from the figure's packaging. There is no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: I am unsure what prompted the reissue of Wicket the Ewok.  When the pre-order was announced last year he wasn't prohibitively expensive... but he has shot up since then. Despite a much cheaper new release.   The 2010 release of Wicket [FOTD #1,622] was a whopping ten years ago, and while this one does seem to have largely different paint masks it didn't take advantage of what kind of fun you could have with a rerelease and new deco - but it's still one of the great Ewok figures.

What made the 2010 release so impressive was the alternate hood and pouch, colored in season 2 Ewoks cartoon colors.   Hasbro has largely ignored the 1980s television projects when it comes to action figures, with a literal handful of releases based on the likes of the Holiday Special (OK that's the 1970s), Ewok telefilms, and the Ewoks & Droids cartoons.  You can bet that I was thrilled to see that green hood, which looks pretty much exactly the same in 2020.   If I didn't have it next to the original, I wouldn't know there was a difference.  If I had my druthers they'd have done it in the cartoon season 1 tan color - it'd really set this figure apart while making the original release unique and special, and obviously a different figure.

The brown hood is quite different - the 2010 version was lighter, and closer to the photo and movie.  It was also molded in green and painted brown back then.  The 2020 version appears to be molded in brown, which means it feels thinner and it's a bit more flexible.  But it's not true to the movie - so why make the change?  It fits just fine, and Wicket can look around and tilt his head in this good. 

The satchel is pretty much the same with more pronounced stitching.  It just pops more.  The spear is a bit different with the string wrap now painted a much darker color, and the wood lighter and less glossy.

Wicket himself has a lot of changes - he still has 15 joints, but the deco is a lot different.  The toes and fingers are a lighter brown, the belly paint is a little more splotchy, and the face has a lot of minor changes. The eyes are entirely different with brown shiny paint and a more subtle brushing of light fur around the face.  Is it better? Well, it's different - it's not closer to the movie look.   It appears a lot brighter on film, and the original Kenner figure from 1984 may have gotten both Wicket and his hood the best overall.

As it is I wouldn't necessarily say you need to get this Wicket unless you want a second one, so one can be in the green cartoon hood and another can be in the brown movie hood.  The other changes aren't too significant, but more importantly, it's been 10 years.  If you missed this figure for $10 10 years ago, you can get it for $13 now.   Unless you hate Ewoks, and if you do, we can't be friends.  I'd recommend this figure if you need a spare or missed it the first time, but if you're happy with your current Wicket you don't have to worry too much about missing this one.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,729: September 29, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,130: Wicket W. Warrick (Star Wars Rebels Mission Series)

WICKET W. WARRICK and Biker Scout
Star Wars Rebels Mission Series
Item No.: Asst. A5228 No. A8932
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #MS10
Includes: Spear, Biker Scout figure
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: January 2015
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: Wicket W. Warrick battles Biker Scouts when the Ewoks join forces with the Rebels to take control of the Empire's shield generator on Endor. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Commentary: There are a bunch of figures that seem premature, but when you really think about it the last new Wicket W. Warrick figure was in late 2010.  Prior to that, the last new mold was 1998 and before that, 1985 and 1984.   So in the cosmic sense, this seems a little too fast.   The last version had two hoods - one was based on the second season of the Ewoks cartoon - plus a bag and a bunch more articulation.   If you bought that figure, this one offers nothing really new - but if you missed it, it's pretty good.  Even when you take toy inflation into account, that figure was ten bucks and this one comes with a Scout Trooper for also ten bucks.

In terms of sculpt and articulation, it's a departure from previous releases in that Wicket's hood is molded to the head - this is a first for movie Wicket figures. This hinders the neck joint, which can move a couple of millimeters in either direction.  Each limb can swivel fully, just like the 1984 original.  Oddly, he's still pretty good at balancing in various poses and he can look somewhat awkward while "running" just like in the movie.  The fur texture is good, as is the leather hood and the stitching over his face.   The paint masks also seem better than the 2010 Vintage version, with the hairless painted fingers seemingly having cleaner paint masks.  The fur paint is also pretty much the same - a little whiter - but the real surprise came from the improvements from the lack of paint.  The white dots in the eyes were dropped, resulting in a better overall look.  The figure also lacks the tooth gap of the 2010 version, although if that's an improvement or not is up for argument.

Wicket has no problems holding his spear, but it lacks some of the paint of the last release.  The rope securing the rock to the pole is now unpainted, but the texture is pretty much the same level of quality.   I won't - and can't - argue that this is a must-have figure, but I will say that if you need a Wicket you'll get your money's worth here.  Looking around the market, this is the cheapest Wicket you can buy right now so I'd say it's worth getting.  Given the companion Biker Scout, this should prove to be a popular seller for non-collectors as kids will want some Ewoks and that first Scout Trooper.

Collector's Notes: I got this from Entertainment Earth.  This set started appearing in stores late in January and early in February, and may be online right now.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,130: March 25, 2015

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,040: Stemzee (Ewok Assault Catapult)

STEMZEE Ewok Assault Catapult
The Vintage Collection Kmart Exclusive
Item No.: No. A4185
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Spear, hood, Chubbray figure, two rocks, catapult
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $20.99
Availability: October 2013
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: The Ewoks help a Rebel strike team capture the shield generator that is protecting the second Death Star from attack.   (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Commentary: Like Chubbray, I'm fairly positive Stemzee didn't really exist as a character until this exclusive set came to be.  I'm quite accepting of this - it's a remix of existing parts.  Nanta (Corpsey) donated his head and hood, with Wicket (2010) giving his spear and the body has been previously used on the likes of Logray (2011) and Teebo (2012). Add some new paint, and presto, you're done.

Hasbro made sure the molds could easily swap heads between bodies, which works well for customizers and for Hasbro.  This is the first time the Nanta head was used on the Logray body, and it fits perfectly.  The deco and light stripes look very Logray-ish, and the ball-jointed elbows with lateral-moving hips makes this a superior denizen of Endor's Bright Tree Village.   For a race fans supposedly hate, and a character no fan can claim to know, it's a nice figure.  The painted nails look great and the fur color just fits.   If you didn't have Nanta nearby, odds are you wouldn't even notice that it's a reuse of existing parts.

I like Stemzee, despite having zero emotional attachment to the character.  I do like Ewoks, though, and the set was more or less worth the asking price.  I hope Hasbro does another set like this next year, maybe with a mini Battle Wagon or some other bizarre extra piece of equipment.  Isn't it time we got a movie-style Baga?

Collector's Notes: I bought the last one at my local Kmart, which happens to have a store locator function on this item on their web site.  It seems pretty accurate - I went to the Kmart that it said had them, and they did.  And when I went home, it said they no longer had it.   So that works.  The set at $21 has a huge box filled with air, so there's a lot of wasted space in this set.  It's worth it though - the catapult is arguably a $7ish accessory, and each figure in today's dollars is probably also close to $7ish.  I got my money's worth here.  If you think it costs too much, well, OK, wait for clearance.  I'll be buying more then myself.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,040: October 22, 2013

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,039: Chubbray (Ewok Assault Catapult)

CHUBBRAY Ewok Assault Catapult
The Vintage Collection Kmart Exclusive
Item No.: No. A4185
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Spear, hood, Stemzee figure, two rocks, catapult
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $20.99
Availability: October 2013
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: The Ewoks help a Rebel strike team capture the shield generator that is protecting the second Death Star from attack.   (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Commentary: Part of the fun of collecting for so long is that every few years, Hasbro actually gives me everything I want.  And then some.  As Ewoks go, at this point, all I ever really nag anyone for are more TV-based furballs, like Chukha-Trok or a version of Kaink that doesn't suck.   As such, Hasbro delights me by giving me new figures that didn't even have names before, and with figures like Chubbray I have to take their word that he appeared in the movie.  I really don't know - I realize this is a tough thing to read, but it's tough to admit too.  I loves me some Ewoks, but I don't know this guy.   Wookieepedia's page is pretty bare-bones so my guess is this went up as soon as the name got out because, most likely, Lucasfilm just named this guy in the last year.

As far as I can tell, the headdress is Kneesaa's, the body was originally used for Graak, and the head is seemingly new.  Chubbray has closed lips with what almost looks like lipstick, pointy ears, and no exposed teeth - this makes him (or possibly her) unusual.  The spear is the same that came with Romba back in 2007.  The white mask on the figure's eye looks cool, and it's a great reuse of new and old parts.  Honestly, Hasbro could have just repainted an old head and switched around various hoods and I wouldn't mind in the slightest.  There are nearly 30 Ewoks in the modern (1998-present) line, and I'd be fine if Hasbro wanted to make up their own mixing around their current elements.

Chubbray sports an older 2007 Ewok body, with 10 points of articulation.  Sure it's not as good as other recent releases, but 10 is a lot if you were a kid in the 1980s.  Ours had 4 joints.   As such, I put this one in the "win" column - Hasbro, please, keep making more Ewoks for me.  I'll buy, and I won't complain... until they cost over $10 per.

Also, I should note that there's a new catapult included.  It's similar to the original, but better looking while functionally not quite as good.  Part of it might fall off when you launch, and the new boulders feel similar to the Star Wars Angry Birds figures.  The deco is solid, the sculpting is great, and for dioramas it's great.  You'll love it.  I don't think kids will love it, but are kids buying Ewoks today?  I'm curious.  I liked Ewoks when I was a kid, so I guess it isn't impossible.

Collector's Notes: I bought the last one at my local Kmart, which happens to have a store locator function on this item on their web site.  It seems pretty accurate - I went to the Kmart that it said had them, and they did.  And when I went home, it said they no longer had it.   So that works.  The set at $21 has a huge box filled with air, so there's a lot of wasted space in this set.  It's worth it though - the catapult is arguably a $7ish accessory, and each figure in today's dollars is probably also close to $7ish.  I got my money's worth here.  If you think it costs too much, well, OK, wait for clearance.  I'll be buying more then myself.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,039: October 21, 2013

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,989: Lumat the Ewok

LUMAT  Return of the Jedi
The Vintage Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 37499 No. 38526
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #VC104
Includes: Hood, spear, 3 arrows, bow
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: October 2012
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: Celebrate the legendary Star Wars saga that changed the universe forever! This collection brings to life the incredible story of good versus evil that captured our imagination and took us to a galaxy far, far away. Iconic Star Wars heroes and villains are captured with incredible detail and premium features to commemorate each epic tale in the Star Wars saga. May the Force be with you!  (Taken from the figure's packaging.  No specific character information.)

Image: Adam's photo hole.

Commentary: As a kid Lumat was one of my favorite figures, so this long-in-development update is something I was super jazzed for late last year.  He was one of the later batches of original Ewoks, and when we got Graak in 2007 Hasbro made mumblings that made it feel like that might be our vintage Lumat update.  Thankfully, it wasn't, and now we have one.  based on the Logray 2011 body, this figure has elbows!  Seriously, elbows! Did you ever think we'd see an Ewok with 12 points of articulation when the line rebooted in the 1990s?  I didn't.  This is pretty amazing stuff, and the fur texture and painted detail is incredible.  The head and face are colored similarly to the cardback photo, and the hood has a swell quiver attached to it.   You can actually remove the arrows, or even clip one to the bow!  It's a great improvement over previous toys and gives you more bang for your buck, which short Ewoks really do need.

What's more, he has a spear if you'd prefer that option.  For a figure which could have just been a 2007 Graak repaint, Hasbro did a nice job using a new sculpt with tons of nifty new accessories too.  If you like Ewoks, buy this one.  You'll be glad you did.

Collector's Notes: Also a less-desirable figure from the last wave, it's going cheaper on the secondary market.  $7 or less in December.  For that you're a fool to pass this one by!

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,989: January 28, 2013

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,984: Teebo 2012

TEEBO Ewok Warrior, Ewok Pack
Discover the Force Toys R Us Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. A0790 No. A0791
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Packaged with Flitchee, Nanta, Tippet, and Kneesaa figures
Action Feature: Swappable hoods, axe, necklace, drumsticks
Retail: $39.99
Availability: August 2012
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: The Ewoks of Bright Tree Village join forces with the Rebels to battle Imperial troopers.  These diminutive natives of Endor are fierce fighters with an array of weapons to help defeat the troopers and immobilize Imperial walkers.  Armed with spears, clubs and weapons taken from overpowered troopers, the Ewoks do their part to free the galaxy.   (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo hole.

Commentary: To say that Teebo's costume has been the subject of controversy would be to further demolish what little meaning words have left, so let's just say it's been a fun topic of discussion.  The Kenner 1984 Teebo had a hood like the figure pictured, while the 2001 Hasbro had a sort of a bib.  Which is more correct?  Well, neither, so Hasbro decided for this 2012 release that we'd get everything.  The short little guy has a necklace, drumsticks, different versions of a very ornate (and nicely painted)  hood, and more all plied on to the body originally used for Logray (and later used for Lumat) over the last few months.   The body type is notable for being the only Ewok buck to sport elbow joints, and the figure has a fairly robust 12 points of articulation.   Seeing how this figure came with all of the parts to replicate either previous costume used for the Teebo action figure, it's pretty much definitive.  You can throw your old Teebo figures out now.

THe face has some nice deco as well, with a little bit of flesh peeking out from around the fur near the eyes, nose, and lips.   The fingers are pink, the toes have painted toenails, and you get some decent grey stripes on the furry body.   While this set was more expensive than I would deem appropriate for the shorties, Hasbro didn't take any shortcuts on these guys.  Considering this is the last Teebo you'll ever need to buy, you may as well shell out some cash and get the set.

Collector's Notes: I got my money's worth.   Sure, I miss the days of 2 Ewoks for $6 or $7, but I also miss $1 comics at my grocery store and the ability to buy a can of soda for 25 cents.   If Hasbro's going to jack up the prices, at least they made this a fairly deluxe figure.  Still, I'm sure fans will clamor for an eventual reissue on a Vintage-style cardback, so keep your eyes open for those in, let's say, 2014 or 2015.  Because why not.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,984: January 21, 2013

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,982: Wunka the Ewok

WUNKA Ewok Scouts
The Vintage Collection Kmart Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. A1116 No. A1117
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Hood, axe, Widdle
Action Feature: Removable hood
Retail: $14.99
Availability: October 2012
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: These two Ewoks take over an AT-ST walker during the Battle of Endor helping the Rebels in their fight to seize an Imperial bunker.  With their new friend Chewbacca, the Ewoks hijack the Imperial walker and toss one of the troopers out of the AT-ST while knocking the other trooper unconscious.   (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo dump.

Commentary: Likely the figure Hasbro meant to do when we got Oochee in 2007, our recently-released Wunka probably technically (or not) a new figure.  It also elicited "I think that's racist" from the Mrs.  The figure is based on a frequently revisited 2007 Ewok buck except with a new head, new weapon, and new hood.  The eyes and teeth are expressive to a level which makes me feel uncomfortable, particularly under harsh lights and the lens of my camera.  The fur is dark, like in the movie, and there's just something a little more unnatural about the teeth than I'd like.  If anything, they remind me more of Darth Vader's "mouth" with the strong, vertical lines.   If ever you wanted an Ewok action figure to look like a creepy Ewok action figure, this may be the very best of them.

The hood is great, the axe is fine, and the body is good.  No complaints there.  It's just the eyes and teeth that are rubbing me the wrong way, and I don't really know if it's a sculpt issue or a deco issue.  Either way, it's a must-have for Ewok completists and for figures with disturbing facial expressions.  There aren't many genuinely unsettling Hasbro action figures but this one makes the cut, despite it generally being, if I were to go down a checklist of what should make a good Ewok toy, pretty good.

Collector's Notes: This set showed up later than anticipated but is pretty findable in markets which still have Kmarts.  For $15, it's great.  For $12, it's greater.  For $25... it could be better.  The sheer amount of wasted packaging is almost painful, you could probably cram 6 or more Ewoks in this figure's 2-pack box.  Not that you would... but you could.  It might be on clearance at a Kmart near you right now.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,982: January 17, 2013

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,954: Nanta (Corpsey the Ewok)

NANTA Ewok Pack
Discover the Force Toys R Us Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. A0790 No. A0791
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Packaged with Tippet, Flitchee, Teebo, and Kneesaa figures
Action Feature: Hood, spear, knife
Retail: $39.99
Availability: August 2012
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: The Ewoks of Bright Tree Village join forces with the Rebels to battle Imperial troopers.  These diminutive natives of Endor are fierce fighters with an array of weapons to help defeat the troopers and immobilize Imperial walkers.  Armed with spears, clubs and weapons taken from overpowered troopers, the Ewoks do their part to free the galaxy.   (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo dump.

Commentary: I'm never sure if I should be happy or sad when a "gag" figure makes it out.  I'm usually happy because when it comes to Star Wars, my love of things which are new tends to be more genuine than not.   Nanta is the fan-requested Ewok "Corpsey" but given a name that wouldn't give Hasbro or Lucas some sort of fit.   This figure's claim to fame is being the one that another Ewok cries over when it dies.   It's kind of morbid, but as the figure itself isn't "dead" in appearance it's still one more great Ewok for your dioramas, armies, or toy box horde.

Nanta's head and body are basically a tweaked Nho'apakk, with a resized neck peg and, as far as I can tell, few to no other changes.  (Why, I have no idea.)   The figure is now mostly dark grey or black fur with a little lighter grey fur, while it seems the movie has very light or even white stripes on his fur.  So it's close, but not a perfect recreation of the one photo some dude posted to Wookieepedia.  The hood coloring isn't quite a perfect match either, but it's still a solid Ewok figure that builds off an existing design and makes something new and different to the point where I assume your average fan would have little or no idea it's essentially a repaint with a new hat.   Other than the figure lacking the color of his seeming on-screen inspiration, it's a nice release with 10 points of articulation representing a previously-unmade character.  This figure is the reason people like me are still here, we buy 30 more Anakins and Vaders in between new droids, Ewoks, and Rebel Pilots.  It seems a lot less exciting as I type it out, but let me assure you that Nanta and his set are worth tracking down if you have love of Ewoks in your life.  Sure it's expensive, but it's a good set.

Collector's Notes: The set is showing up more now, which is good, because a lot of you people freak out when you don't run the math.  Why am I saying that? For some reason people decided this item is only shipping at a rate of one-case-per-store, and that's just ridiculous. I believe the initial report posted at Rebelscum regarding the run size and other 2012 Hasbro Toys R Us exclusives indicated the US run of the set to be around 30,000 sets which many do not understand is a very large number.  How do I figure? I am so glad you asked!  According to Wikipedia, Toys R Us has around 875 stores in the USA.  So assuming these numbers are correct, and as Hasbro does not reveal its final edition sizes we do not and probably will never know for sure, that puts us at an average of 34 sets per store, which is not a tiny number.   Obviously some will be a little higher and some will be a little lower, but you get the idea.   Sure, some scalper could pick up all 34 units per store as a store puts out 2-3 cases at a time, but that's pretty unlikely.  Keep your eyes peeled for these hitting the shelves, and remember: if you see them and pass on them, and regret it later, it's not my fault.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,954: December 10, 2012

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,909: Widdle Warrick

WIDDLE Ewok Scouts
The Vintage Collection Kmart Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. A1116 No. A1117
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Hood, spear, knife, Wunka
Action Feature: Removable hood
Retail: $14.99
Availability: October 2012
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: These two Ewoks take over an AT-ST walker during the Battle of Endor helping the Rebels in their fight to seize an Imperial bunker.  With their new friend Chewbacca, the Ewoks hijack the Imperial walker and toss one of the troopers out of the AT-ST while knocking the other trooper unconscious.   (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo dump.

Commentary: As much as Lucasfilm enjoys trying to gloss over continuity issues, the AT-ST hijackers in the movie and the action figure line have issues.  Widdle Warrick has never been made as an action figure in name before, but a Target-exclusive Wicket from 2007 is clearly meant to represent the character, as his companion Oochee is meant to look like Wunka.  Confused yet?  Basically what you need to know is that this is a "new enough" Ewok and the first-ever new mold Willy/Widdle with a new weapon and unique deco.  The same head was used for Flitchee this year, as well as the body on several other Ewoks.  It's the same 2007 body with 10 points of articulation, which looks great and is an ideal basis for building, well, every last Ewok which qualifies as an adult, really.

Deco is good and clean, with white fluffy cheeks and fur on his upper lip which, when decorated like this, doesn't look much like a moustache.  The figure's teeth and eyes don't look anywhere near as cute and cuddly as the Ewok from Return of the Jedi, but the coloring is on the mark and the hood may be slightly more to the tune of how it looked in the TV movies.  While unquestionably a better figure than the aforementioned Wicket in almost all regards, it could still use some improvements to make it more like either specific Widdle, although this is unlikely to happen.  I'd still say get it anwyay.  His staff/wand/whatever is new and unique to this set, which, with the uniquely colored (and hooded) figure makes for a worthwhile purchase.

Collector's Notes: DON'T PANIC!  Kmart exclusives are generally quite common and wind up on clearance, but are slow to roll out.  Also, Kmart's web site is notorious for filling orders with the wrong products.  I suggest being patient and/or networking here, as the numbers tell us Hasbro made a good number of these and they should be plentiful in the next few months.  I only just found these at retail yesterday and saw at least a full case's worth.   Don't overpay for these on eBay until the future!

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,909: October 8, 2012