Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,376: R4-M9 (The Retro Collection)

R4-M9 Kenner Debut
The Retro Collection Target Exclusive 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure Set
Item No.: No. G2554
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Leg
Action Feature: Dome clicks when turned, third leg is removable
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 eBay now!

Warning: I tested this figure in my 1983 Y-Wing Fighter astromech socket, and it is tight enough that you really have to pull to get it out. I recommend not putting it in a 1983 Return of the Jedi Y-Wing Fighter toy.

Commentary: When we saw the previews, we all knew R4-M9 was going to be good. As a figure, it's pretty much precisely what we all wanted - the original Kenner R2-D2 look and feel, but with a new dome and matching sticker. And we got it! But here's the thing - the monkey's paw got us. Hasbro made this figure just a little bit wider than the original R2-D2 so, like Chopper, it doesn't fit in the old Kenner astromech socket in the Y-Wing Fighter. It fits great in the Y-Wing Scout Bomber, the TVC X-Wing, and various The Clone Wars Jedi Starfighter sockets, as well as the TVC Y-Wing Fighter. But it is preposterously tight in the old Kenner toy, so don't do it.

Functionally, it's like every Kennery R2-D2 you've got. It's a round body with two legs, and a dome on top that clicks. This one doesn't have a screw under the dome, so you won't be taking it apart. Hasbro moved the foot peg holes closer to the back of the foot, as opposed to your original R2-D2 being near the middle. Functionally, it feels just like R2-D2 and R5-D4, just a little bit stiffer. It might just be that it's a new figure needing to be broken in, but Chopper wasn't quite this stiff. The actual body mold is similar, but not identical, to Retro R2-D2. Or, maybe one of the two were just assembled backward for me. I don't know.

The deco is very good, with a black disc eye and that weird puke green running from the painted dome, to the label, to the legs. It all matches nicely, and looks pretty great. Weirdly, it looks almost too good - like a 1985-ish dome was plopped on a 1978 body. It doesn't feel too out of place, to be honest, and the details on the dome are much more exaggerated and deeper than I would have expected. I don't dislike it - it makes it feel like something out of time, and it is. They even put a nifty "+"-shaped panel on top of the dome. It's pretty great, and R4-M9 feels like something that could have been from the era of EV-9D9.

 

Arguably the most interesting extra in the figure is a third leg. Kenner and Hasbro have riffed on these before, and you can even 3D print a real nice one for your old Kenner figures. This new one fits perfectly in Retro R2-D2 and R4-M9, with just enough friction to stay in there unless you want to pull it out. Hasbro deserves massive credit for this, as getting this sort of form fit just right is difficult and doesn't tend to happen. The third leg even fit in my old R2-D2 (Sensorscope), but it was a little bit looser. And that's OK - it's nearly 45 years old, and I don't expect it to be perfect with something made for collectors in 2026. For display purposes, it does fit. I expect a lot of collectors to seek out extra R4-M9s unless Hasbro decides to reissue R2-D2 next year with the third leg, and we all hope that they do.

I would love to give you a snarky comment here but I don't have one. Other than the chance it could go in a Y-Wing's hole and get stick - it was a million-to-one shot, doc - I really don't think there's anything Hasbro could have done better here. "Is it what you would have done, Adam?" No, and I'm glad you asked - but I think what Hasbro did is better. I would have made the entire dome smooth without the indentations or raised areas, except for a big Kenner 1978 R2-D2 circle eye that would be intentionally off-model. Hasbro's lumpy approach is way more interesting. Figures like this are more art than literal interpretation of what we see with our eyes, so I always feel they're more open to discussion and critique. Maybe it's a childhood bias, but I'd recommend you pay $65 for CZ-3 and R4-M9. "But that's a lot of money!" Yeah, but these are awesome, and I'm good for it.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Target. It was on shelf, they did not fulfill my pre-order yet.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,376: September 1, 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 3,374: R2-WRWLF (Droid Factory)

R2-WRWLF Halloween Edition
Star Wars Droid Factory
Item No.: ???
Manufacturer: Disney
Number: n/a
Includes: Wolf ears
Action Feature: Comes apart
Retail: $14.99-$17.99-$14.99
Availability: August 2026
Appearances: n/a 

Bio: All different types of droids populate the Star Wars galaxy. Each droid is different and has their own unique personality and colors. This droid can be found in teh swampy vegetation of Zanbar. Join R2-WRWLF on their adventures throughout the galaxy. May the Force be with you... and your Droids! (Taken from the packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!  

Commentary: Hailing from the planet where Savage and Maul did some stuff, R2-WRWLF is a departure from most holiday droids. Generally, Disney do a good job to be respectful of coloring in the lines and giving you a figure that seems that it could be an in-universe paint job, plus or minus some garish flourishes or the occasional transparent or glow chassis. This one makes a big departure by giving us something that's more of a "designer figure." Given how previous droids were zombies or ghosts or pumpkins or even a vampire, it makes sense that they wanted to try something a bit different. And you know what? It works.

While not without its pricing drama (see below), it's easy to see this droid and go "you is a wahrwilf!" This figure uses the standard build-a-droid body with the non-cable feet, and adds an all-new set of wolf ears. Perhaps we'll see them again as cat ears, a "black cat" droid would make a lot of sense. The Disney designers really went to town on this one. The wolf ears have pink interiors, but the dome is surprisingly ornate. The main eye is yellow - which looks great - and adds a black pupil. Creepy! The box below it adds pink "gums" around a white box for "teeth," and even retains a red dot which can be the interior of the mouth. It's a really clever use of the space, even if it is a bit of a departure from a traditional droid. Aside from that, most of the panels are painted brown - beautiful brown.

The ears are removable, but cover one of the greeblies on top of his dome. This helps it to lock in place. Oh, and be sure to compare your figure to the cardback photos - the "torn panel" patterns changed from the card art to the figure.

The body and legs are sort of brilliant. The droid body is cast in brown put painted mostly in red with lines that look sort of like a plaid pattern, with the occasional "pocket" panel. I love this - I don't think we've ever had a plaid droid before. I'm surprised it didn't start in a Christmas robot. If you've seen the Lon Chaney Jr. classic The Wolf Man or even An American Werewolf in London, and my goodness you should see both, you know that lycanthropy results in torn clothing. Disney knows this too. The figure's right "shoulder" is exposed brown, as are a couple of back panels and one front panel. What a clever idea! I would continue with the commentary, but it sort of gets ugly as you go down - the feet are brown, but so is a third leg extending from below the figure's shirt. Maybe they should have painted the feet brown or green. The soles of the feet are painted black, with black wheels. That's unusual, but it looks good.

If you're looking for something brown, or something dandy, make sure you get this one before it gets expensive. Disney really spent some money slathering this guy in paint, and it turned out rather well. It's creative, and while it probably has no real place in any diorama you can't deny it isn't interesting. $15 isn't cheap, but the only new 3 3/4-inch action figures on the market today at a lower price are Retro Kenner guys. And you have to buy a six pack. I hope monster collectors get wind of this one, I think they're going to enjoy it as a particularly exciting monster mash-up.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Shop Disney. It was $14.99 on launch day, $17.99 a couple days later, and then $14.99 again by the next Wednesday.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,374: August 25, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,373: CZ-3 (The Retro Collection)

CZ-3 Kenner Debut
The Retro Collection Target Exclusive 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure Set
Item No.: No. G2554
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: n/a
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 eBay now!

Commentary: When I first saw CZ-3 I said to myself "Hey, that's pretty good." It is rare that Hasbro makes a figure in Retro that hasn't received a previous Kenner/Hasbro release, but here's one. Disney made a CZ Series Communications Droid (White, Droid Factory) [FOTD #2,381] nearly ten years ago, but all Hasbro has made was 2007's CZ-4 - itself a very nice figure. The white, filthy business droid from Mos Eisley never got a Hasbro or Kenner figure until now. Maybe the other guys were good enough, and maybe not - I don't know you, so you'll have to tell me. I had the Disney guy standing in.

So, how is it?  Great. Wedge felt like a fudged modern sculpt. Captain Antilles was very good, but felt very digital. CZ-3 feels like someone might have caught a glimpse of the previous made-for-Disney droid, since their CZ bin bots have open right hands and gripping left hands - same as this guy. The fronts of the figures are quite similar, but their backs, arms, and head shapes are a little different. The 2026 Kenner figure has almost a pin head, pointier in the back. Speaking of the back, the design is quite different from both Hasbro and Disney CZ molds. The Kenner Retro guy has fewer details, and is honestly quite unimaginative. Kenner usually concocted something neat for the back, but at least I can say the design is pretty original. CZ-3's legs look like those of Kenner C-3PO but feature a lot of changes. For starters, the ribbing behind the knees are smoothed out, like the Disney figure. The raised lines over C-3PO's shins are smoothed out on CZ, and CZ has a single line running up the front of the thigh as opposed to the doubles on C-3PO. (And as we all know, triples is best.) The backs of the legs have changed up designs, and the feet are different too. I think a lot of fans would have been happy with a reuse of C-3PO legs, but Hasbro went and made something that felt the same but looks different. Good for them, I really like that decision.

The deco is different from previous figures as well as the costume from the movie. It's giving me a sense of a designer that probably worked from some reference, and some memory. It's good at capturing the vibes of the design, while getting it a little wrong. That's how Kenner did it, although not on purpose. The grey outline around the chest is pure nonsense, and the unpainted limbs seem very much like a Kenner move. (Heck, it's still a modern Mattel move.) The pointy coverings of the lower arms around the elbow are smoothed out, and the long nose somehow feels even longer - I like it. Hasbro also declined to paint the eyes, instead just sculpting in a dot and letting light do its thing. This was common in 3 3/4-inch Mego figures of the 1970s, go take a look at Mork from Ork or The Motion Picture Spock if you have them handy. I'll wait.

A departure from most Kenner-style droids who aren't Zuckuss or HK-87, this protocol-adjacent droid has one hand that can hold an accessory. I handed him Retro Wedge's blaster, and I was surprised to find out CZ-3's hand has a better grip than Wedge. Or Han. I have no reason for this guy to hold anything, ever, but I guess it's good to know Hasbro can make a good Kenner droid hand if they want. Nicely done.

I have nothing snarky to say here and little to criticize. I will buy another boxed set (or two, or three) for more of this guy. If it hits clearance, I will buy a few. All the joints move well and it feels pretty good. It's not hard ABS (I think) plastic like C-3PO, the Death Star Droid, or FX-7, but the PVC (again, I think) feels just fine. I wish he had a hint more of a slouch to his posture, but Hasbro really delivered the goods here. It's fun putting him in ships and playsets, and it looks cool. I like it, and I'll likely buy another one or two (sets.)

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Target. 

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,373: August 20, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,370: Captain Antilles (The Retro Collection)

CAPTAIN ANTILLES Kenner Debut
The Retro Collection Target Exclusive 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure Set
Item No.: No. G2554
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: DL-17 blaster pistol
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 Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: The more I go through these figures, I can't help but wonder if the sculpts would be more interesting (read: Kenner authentic) if you assigned them to a sculptor that is mostly working from memory. Accuracy is not necessarily the name of the game for these guys, and Captain Antilles has a figure that's pretty accurate and feels pretty retro. I was expecting a tweaked 2025 Rebel Fleet Trooper [FOTD #3,260] and I'm glad to say Hasbro gave us a new, improved, and refined design. I should note that has more or less the same blue Rebel blaster, which is fine by me.

If a figure makes me smile, it's a good one - and this one did. I noticed some dramatic improvements in how the details were cut, with deeper folds and exaggerated pockets and fabric layers giving it a level of detail that gets closer to the original Kenner figures. I particularly like the boots and pants, and it's worth noting the face - being painted, not molded - does a good job of highlighting the smile lines around the mouth. If the light hits him just right, you'll see tiny bags under his eyes and a weary expression that works well with the faux-Kenner eyes. The personality won me over here, with details like that added shell layer seemingly being added to the CAD file... unlike last time. I assume someone out there is expecting me to be angry about the lack of chin strap. Since the Death Squad Commander didn't have one, I don't much miss that particular detail. Colors are good, and textures more or less match what I would expect from someone who clearly referenced the movie.

He might be a little too good in spots. The five blue dots are painted, a detail Kenner just plain fudged Hoth Luke and the Rebel Commander. I assume Kenner would have sculpted the dots, or ignored them and made up a new badge, but not painted them. I also assume fans would complain if they didn't paint them, so really, nobody is going to be happy here. The position of the coat cuts on the legs more or less line up with the Rebel Commander. I find the pose to be a little uninspired - usually Kenner sneaks in an interesting arm or subtle ankle bend - but I think it passed the "vibes" test. The legs have a hint of a bend at the knee, and the folds in the pants look real good. Pick him up, stick him in that Tantive IV mini-rig you 3D printed, and he delivers the goods. They painted the black stripes on his pants, as we saw on most Han Solo figures from the old days, which makes for a pretty decent deco experience.

Articulation is standard, but well-engineered. The head on my sample moves with just the right amount of resistance, the arms move with no problems, and the legs? Oh ho ho, the legs! He has a squared-off butt, but when he sits everything lines up right. This is a hard detail for some retro figures to get right, so I'm quite pleased with how it turned out. He'll go great in that Kenner Blockade Runner that you don't have because there isn't one.

Nitpicks? Sure. I would have preferred sculpted rank dots, and it would be nice if the sculptor used his hands and a blade rather than/in addition to the computer. The outfit's pockets and creases are a little too perfect. A pal of mine (who I would love to get on the horn again) told me that you can "cheat" the process by taking a blade to the finished digital sculpt to add some imperfections and asymmetry, so that's my unsolicited annoying thing to suggest to Hasbro for next time. Just muck it up a little bit, make a "mistake" or four and the eye will probably buy that somebody sculpted this out of some putty before sending it to the factory. I can't tell if Hasbro did this with his helmet - it's a little "off" in a way that feels very realistic. I like the helmet and this figure a lot more than last year's Rebel Fleet Trooper.

The helmet seems to be a separate mold from the head, and the face is painted. That's probably more work than Kenner would have done, but the results are pretty good. I'd rather have both molded in color, but that's not what Kenner would have done either. By having the mold in plastic, it's likely to show less wear and tear over time thanks to the helmet likely causing a buffer from the nose getting dinged up during play. (But who am I kidding? No child is ever going to play with this figure.)

Captain Antilles and Yavin Leia were the two figures I was preparing to dislike... but I like this one. (I haven't opened Leia as of my writing this.) I admit that, as a kid, I never once thought about wanting this character because Vader can't hold him up and he doesn't do anything other than die. As an adult, I'm glad to have him walking around with my troopers. I appreciate Hasbro expanding the 1977 movie's Kenner cast by a dozen new characters and/or costumes over the past eight years. If you subtract the 35-figure overlap from the Kenner and Retro eras, this line is around 189 different figures. That's a lot of figures.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Target. I am seeing more of this set in Target stores than any of their previous Retro exclusives, and that's just in the first week of availability. I'd recommend buying at least one at regular price to show 'em we still care.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,370: August 11, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,369: Obi-Wan Kenobi (Utapau The Vintage Collection)

OBI-WAN KENOBI (Utapau)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Walmart Exclusive 2-Pack
Item No.: No. G3191
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #398
Includes: Cloak, lightsaber, hilt, alternat hand
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $39.99
Availability: March 2026
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: On the planet Utapau, General Obi-Wan Kenobi faced General Grievous and his four imposing lightsabers. Upon defeating Grievous, he escaped in the warlord's Stafighter. (Taken from the cardback.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Walmart now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: I got this Obi-Wan Kenobi (Utapau) in March and didn't open it until the end of July, in part because of the classic "I don't know where I'm going to put it" and "I was happy with the ones I have. The portrait of Ewan MaGregor looks better than previous Revenge of the Sith releases, no doubt. Sometimes by the time I'm ready to open a figure I'll be more excited by it but in this case, I'm not. It isn't bad, but it's another lateral release. It's great for fans who don't have an Episode III Kenobi, and on a technical level the articulation and head sculpt are the very best. But I'm not remotely disappointed in my old Kenobi figures, and there aren't enough new playsets or vehicles (or any) that I think could benefit from having an improved version of the Jedi Master.

It's easy to pose this figure and the articulation skeleton is excellent, but it's disappointing to see less exaggeration in his plastic textiles and the aforementioned knee issue. Is it a deal-breaker? No, not really. But in this era of endless figure remakes, I think it's fair to say fans expect and deserve figures that are improvements with no downsides. Each "replacement" figure should be superior across the board. It's very good, to be sure, but with no new accessory or action feature I would say it's essential to new collectors and worth a peek for the old guard. That head sculpt is eerily good, but the old figure's body sculpt is still pretty satisfying.

Compared to the Star Wars The Vintage Collection Obi-Wan Kenobi (Attack of the Clones) 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure, which has eyes like some sort of demon, this figure is an absolute dream. The plastic wig fits perfectly, the beard is painted cleanly and trimmed well. The eyes have visible whites on them, and he has just enough weariness around his painted eyes that you immediately know who he is. Maybe Hasbro will make a better one some day, or change the hair color to be 10% more realistic, but I don't know that it's necessary. They did good.

The previous The Vintage Collection Kenobi from 2010 was just The Saga Collection figure from 2006 with a higher price and two fewer accessories, as is the way. The head was great for its time, but it's a little puffier and more toy-like by modern standards. Id on't dislike it. The costume, on the other hand, seems better. It had the limitations of its day with no cloth soft goods and no rocker ankles, but you could still move it in most of the same places. Sure, this new one has optional swappable hands to lose and can sit more easily thanks to the cloth skirt robes, and the paint on the belt is better. But the texture of the 2006 robes is much richer, and the 2026 figure's legs are strange. His pants cover his boots, which I suppose is fine but there's a weird cut for the ring if you ever let the figure sit down. Even if Hasbro painted the articulation ring, it would still look weird in some poses. It's just a poor engineering choice and an inappropriate place to joint the figure. Maybe someone was new on the team, or they felt the location was more important than the aesthetics, but I don't agree on that design choice. It's kind of amazing to have good articulation and an amazing portrait, but a body that feels like a few steps back. Especially at a higher price, and even more especially because Hasbro already has an Attack of the Clones reuse of the body planned for later this year.

But how are the accessories? The robe has the same problem as other recent releases, with the hood sewn down. I dislike that. The lightsaber looks good, with decent painted detail and defined sculpted ridges. Both the hilt and the full lightsaber look good and are better than most previous releases, if not all, and the hilt plugs smoothly in the belt. They did a great job making sure the peg and the hole were the right size. I realize that may sound insincere, but it's not - some of these things are a real pain to get in there. Swapping hands also proved to be painless, which is good, I was expecting a fight with the peg hanging in for dear life.

I would say this is a great figure for carded collectors. Openers, you're going to have some complaints. As a display piece it's pretty good. If his cloth robes cover the body, you might not notice the knees being a little odd, or the shirt looking a little lifeless. I love the detail in the hair, and I can't complain a bit about the face. Hasbro has improved their work on human heads just so much in the past 10 years that I must know to whom they sacrificed a first-born to achieve these skills. I assume it was a Rumpelstiltskin.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Walmart. It can still be easily found here.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,369: August 6, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,368: Vendor Droid (Silver, Droid Factory)

VENDOR DROID Silver
Star Tours Droid Factory Customizable Figure
Item No.: ???
Manufacturer: Disney?
Number: n/a
Includes: n/a
Action Feature: Removable limbs
Retail: $12.95
Availability: April 2017
Appearances: The Clone Wars

Bio: A vendor droid, also known as a shopkeeper droid, was a type of droid assigned to sell merchandise. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: I've had a few of these for a while, but haven't reviewed them - but I hear parts bins are supposedly making the rounds again in some parks. So let's check out the Silver Vendor Droid, or Shop Droid, or whatever the cool kids are calling them. Is there some reason to bring it up now, to showcase it, is it appearing in something, somewhere? No. It's just a build-a-droid, made from a parts bin, and it's more of a souvenir than a part of this complete breakfast action figure collection. My pal Shannon put it together for me since he's able to go to Disney more than I am. (I think I was last at a theme park in 2016?)

It's funny calling anything obscure in the age of the internet, but the Disney droids made of parts from bins with no names are somewhat difficult to identify and how many were "manufactured" by fans is hard to know. Given that Disney allowed fans to create what they will, these are likely some of the rarest mass-produced droids in the entire history of Star Wars collecting. Aside from Vlix.

While neat, I increasingly find that I don't know what to do with some of the droids. The Vintage Collection lacks open-ended playsets or new environments, and we've never really gotten shop or street playsets of note. As such, this guy is just sort of taking up space - but he's pretty cool. This particular configuration uses CZ-style arms, a Shop Droid head, a C-3PO body, and C-3PO legs. The end result is pretty decent, especially since the right shoulder has some blue metallic silver paint on it. It's a subtle accent, but it gives the figure a sense of having been repaired.

He's got standard articulation for one of the Disney droids, with swivel wrists and jointed ankles. It's kind of funny to think that the body is riffing on what was more or less standard for Hasbro's build-a-droid releases in 2008, and here we are 18 years later with some of these molds still in rotation... without a price drop. If you look back to the 2000s and earlier, old molds usually gave us cheaper toys too - that doesn't seem to happen anymore. At the time, $13 for a single droid was still kind of expensive but not horrible for a theme park souvenir. Given how hard these are to get outside the parks, you'll probably pay considerably more for a junker made of random parts, and good luck to you if you can find something cohesive. I like this droid because I generally like droids, but the yellow eyes and blue scanner do little to really add zing to a pretty bland gray/silver chassis. It is a perfectly fine robot, but nothing about it is likely to stand out in a pool of over 3,000 Star Wars action figures in an era where there's no single complete tome of reference allowing any collector to see them all in one place.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Disney Hollywood Studios. Thanks Shannon!

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,368: August 4, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,367: Wedge Antilles (The Retro Collection)

WEDGE ANTILLES Kenner Debut
The Retro Collection Target Exclusive 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure Set
Item No.: No. G2554
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: DL-44 blaster pistol
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 Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: Originality is the art of concealing your source, and something seemed off about Wedge Antilles right away. I don't love this one. It looked familiar - but not like the 1979 X-Wing Luke or the 2020 Snowspeeder Luke [FOTD #2,698]. When I went into my ship room to see how Wedge fit in X-Wings and Y-Wings (just perfectly, even with the bulky helmet) I walked by my 2015 Saga Legends X-Wing Luke [FOTD #2,123], and there it was. Hasbro ripped off their own modern sculpt, rather than ripping off their previous real and faux retro sculpts. It certainly looks as if the sculptor cheated on the assignment for this one.

When I see this figure out of the corner of my eye, it reminds me of 1998 Biggs Darklighter - it's just not a first-gen flavored sculpt but it absolutely is very functional, can use his gear, and fit in old ships perfectly. It is a good toy figure, even if it does not look like a legitimate 1980s toy figure. I think they did a better job capturing the vibes with Snowspeeder Luke. If Wedge's sculpted torso detail was toned down a bit I could buy this 2026 Wedge as something that might have come out around 1984. Having said that, it feels amazing - the legs and arms swing perfectly, and the butt area isn't weirdly squared-off like some retro figures. It isn't a perfect Kenner figure sculpt, but I really do appreciate how it feels in my hands.

Wedge has very short arms, with fingers that more or less stop at the bottom of the torso. The level of vest and chest detail is much higher than any Kenner-era (or previous Retro) pilot figure, with many more vest ribs anything of that era. The torso doesn't really match the limbs stylistically - the level of detail on the boots, pants, arms, and gloves is much lower but generally in line with most of the best of Hasbro's retro modern figures. They're just very short. It's also worth noting that Wedge's helmet fits perfectly on that 2015 Luke - and vice-versa. I wouldn't be at all surprised if this sculptor used the CAD files for Luke as a starting point for Wedge, and just sort of didn't finish refining it.

Wedge retains details Kenner-era pilots lacked. While they did edit out the pockets on his pants, he does have the code tubes and shoulder pockets, same as 2015 Saga Legends Luke. Wedge has the same dube, the same basic straps (pushed up a bit on the legs, but same on the torso), plus the same tube on the lower left of the body. The chest computer has many of the same switches and buttons, just fudged a bit or moved slightly. He even has that often-ignored buckle on the back of his vest, same as 2015 Pilot Luke - the Kenner and Retro ones didn't have that.

Deco is more 1990s and 2000s than 1980s or 1970s. The previous Kenner/Retro pilots had black, not gray, chest computers and straps with white leg straps. The A-Wing and B-Wing pilots eschewed painting the leg straps completely, and if Hasbro's going for a 1980s vibe I wish they did that here too. The head sculpt is good in the "1980s removable helmet pinhead" sense, so no notes there. It was painted well, and sculpted appropriately. Painting the gloves made sense, but all of Hasbro's 1980s Rebel Pilots had bare hands - no gloves. Wedge feels more like a 1990s or 2015 figure, sculpted by someone who was probably on a deadline and painted by someone who didn't look at the previous four Rebel Pilots in this style. I don't think it's asking a lot for someone to look at Google and ask "how did they do this in the olden times?"

Wedge has two sensible accessories. The helmet was painted with an appropriate level of detail, including a yellow visor and some big green stripes on top - this is the right choice. I would have been happy if they cut out the visor, and I find the shape of the helmet odd. X-Wing and Snowspeeder Luke figures had helmets that bent inward toward the neck, while Wedge's flares out. It doesn't match and it looks too big for his head. The blaster is interesting. Cast in Kenner blue, it's a completely new digital sculpt with an appropriate level of detail. The lines on the grip are a little higher, and the cuts on the scope, the barrel, and the greeblies all seem to be a better depth. They're sharper, not as fuzzy or rounded as the scanned-in blasters of previous figures. Having said that, it's a little undercooked. One side of the blaster body is missing detail found in Kenner/Retro blasters, and the grip lines seem unfinished - like they should extend a bit more. I would have liked the area in front of the trigger to be more squared-off like the prop, but that's just a matter of taste really. As a new design, inspired by the old design, it's pretty neat. Nobody's going to be fooled into thinking this is the original.

If this were the first sculpt from the 2019 reboot, I'd grouse "it's a good first attempt, let's see how they do later." Last year's new figures were generally better, although the Rebel Fleet Trooper and Luke grew on me a bit. I'll be curious to see if Wedge does, but as first impressions go I would say a) Hasbro tried too hard, and b) Kenner was not beyond reusing molds when it suited them. In this case I think I would've preferred the Luke body with a new head, or at least this body with the Luke-style of deco.

Packaging Notes: I would say the 2026 packaging is easily the best packaging of The Retro Collection's entire eight year run to date. The front of the cards lack the faux weathering, and now feature a low-tack sticker that you can remove easily and apply to your phone case. I would give the card fronts an A+ in terms of template revisions and execution. Sure, you have the choke warning and yes, now you have the obnoxious 4+ circle for age rating, but that's not going away until they stop making multi-lingual packaging. The back of the packaging is as likely as good as it gets. Over half tof th cardback is hideous, multi-lingual legalese - which I wish they could just leave on the box as the figures are not labeled for individual sale - but you do get a 1979-style 3x2 figure grid showing the wave. That's a plus! I hope they do something similar next year to showcase multiple items. I love an upsell, but if you've bought everything in one set it is a little less useful. Charming, sure.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Target. It was on shelf, they did not fulfill my pre-order yet.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,367: July 30, 2026