Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,836: FN-2187 (Finn Stormtrooper, The Force Awakens)

FN-2187 Finn
The Force Awakens Desert and Snow Figures
Item No.: Asst. B3963 No. B6339
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: "Combine" gun, blaster, helmet
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: January 2016
Appearances: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Bio: After his first taste of combat during a brutal First Order night assault on a Jakku village, stormtooper FN-2187 defects from Kylo Ren's forces, becoming a fugitive.. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: I sat on FN-2187 for quite some time - well, it hung on a peg over my desk since 2016. Which is a shame, it's a good figure and probably should have been the first figure released in the line. It would've been a good Sneak Preview figure, had Hasbro still done those things. It's kind of fun to look at these figures later, with decent quality figures and a few oddball decisions that look even weirder in context.

The body is fundamentally the same as all the 3 3/4-inch First Order stormtroopers, which means it stands well, sits well, has a place to plug a blaster in the thigh, but can't sit. The legs don't swing forward all the way, so it's a rotten vehicle pilot - but if you need someone to stand at a cannon, he's great. The arms have no problems swinging forward, and the ball-jointed head is just the right size so the helmet slips on without too much friction. Having reviewed thousands of these things, it's kind of surprising to know that every figure you buy is something of a coin toss as to if the accessories will fit, or if the legs can be positioned in a way to fit in the vehicles. Kenner pretty much hit them out of the park in the 1970s and most of the 1980s, although I will say there's no question that the sculpting is a lot better on these newer guys.

The Finn head likeness is good, and the blaster is a little loose in the plug - if you knock it, it'll fall out. Thankfully the helmet is more or less perfect, and if you just want a cool figure to stand on your desk - or stay on the card - it's amazing. The big cannon accessory is kind of dopey, and looking back on it, they're especially maddening. We got charged extra for these things. Sometimes less is more, but Hasbro was probably also wise to sell a figure at a higher price point at the time because the mania in 2015 was so high that people would likely have paid $10 just to get something new. That's one of the things I don't much love about the hobby - the prices seem to be somewhat fluid based on hype and availability. It wasn't a great impulse price point at the time, but when you can convince fans to line up at midnight to buy toys, such things really don't matter a whole heck of a lot. It's a great figure. It's no the best toy.

One of my go-to tests for "is this a good toy?" has been "can it pilot an old Kenner Landspeeder?" and in this case, the answer is "barely." I just fit him in the MTV-7 Mini-Rig I keep on my desk, and he can pilot it - but he's leaning back a lot. The figure ticks the boxes of what you need for a good action figure, but I think with better hips it would be superb. As it is, it's just OK - but since it's from the new trilogy, you're probably not going to care about this figure for another ten, maybe fifteen years as the kids who grew up on this trilogy may later decide to collect these things.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,836: July 8, 2021

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,653: Finn (Galaxy of Adventures 5-Inch)

FINN Action Vest
Galaxy of Adventures   5-Inch
Item No.: Asst. E3016 No. E3814
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, satchel
Action Feature: Fast Blast Attack
Retail: $9.99
Availability: October 2019
Appearances: The Rise of Skywalker

Bio: "Finn" was the nickname of FN-2187 ("Eight-Seven"), a human male stormtrooper who served the First Order until his desertion and subsequent defection to the Resistance during the First Order–Resistance war. Though trained since birth to be a loyal and obedient soldier, FN-2187's conscience conflicted with the methods of the First Order. For a time he was unwilling to support the Resistance, hoping to escape the galactic conflict instead of fighting for a cause he believed was doomed to fail. As the galaxy became consumed by war, the renegade trooper was ultimately forced to decide where his true loyalties lay.   (Stolen from Wookieepedia. 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!

Commentary: Now that he has new hair and a new costume, Finn seems to not be getting as many toys.  As of my writing this there's no 6-inch or 3 3/4-inch figure based on his new costume, just this one 5-inch figure.  The stylized costume keeps the brown motif we got from the previous movies, but the vest on top of the brown shirt is significantly different.  His hair is longer, he has a new blaster.  The pants are still very much like Han Solo's, but the fact that he droppe
d the jacket and grew his hair make for a figure that's different enough to be interesting.

The likeness is John Boyega-ish, expressive but not overly so.  He stands, he sits, he could sit in a vehicle if Hasbro made one for him - I'd love to see if they  have the courage to consider an appropriate Millennium Falcon at some point. (They won't.)   Finn can stand and with 23 points of articulation allowing him a great range of movement, but it's worth noting his left shoulder has an action feature.  Pull the arm back and let go for a "quick draw" attack.  I can't say it's exciting - I find it kind of annoying, but it doesn't get in the way of posing him too much.  Figuring out just how much to pull it back before it clicks and won't work is tricky, but once you figure it out it works perfectly.

It would seem Hasbro is treating Finn as a kid-targeted character this time around, but anything can happen in an environment where nobody really knows what he's going to be doing - or if he's going to be surviving - the "final" chapter of the Star Wars Skywalker saga.  I'm hoping that Hasbro either finishes the main group of heroes in this style, or makes Finn in the other formats - the weird mismatched sizes are vexing, but at least we're not getting multiple figures of the character in the same costume in every size at launch this time around.   That hasn't worked out so well so far.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,653: January 7, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,483: Finn (First Order Disguise, The Last Jedi Line Look)

FINN (First Order Disguise) with Captain Phasma
The Last Jedi Deluxe Action Figure 2-Packs
Item No.: Asst. C1242 No. E0624
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Pistol, Riot Baton, Cape, Backpack, Rifle, Pike, Phasma figure
Action Feature: Force Link sounds
Retail: $17.99
Availability: April 2018
Appearances: The Last Jedi

Bio: Finn and Rose recruited a codebreaker named DJ to help them break into the Supremacy, but ended up worsening the Resistance's situation when DJ left them behind to be captured by Phasma. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.  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!

Commentary:  While not one of the most popular characters as toys go, tastemakers know Finn (First Order Disguise) is a dang fine figure in a pretty great set.   For a figure with five joints, Hasbro made sure it had a great range of motion along with good paint and accessories.  In short, it's better than I would have expected.

This Finn is way more interesting than the single carded Finn [FOTD #2,442] last year - with the same weapon and jacket, to many fans he basically was the same figure from 2015.  (He wasn't, but perception is everything.)  This outfit is new, distinctive, and has a cool weapon - this is the one I wanted.  Too bad it wasn't a launch toy!   The arms and legs are stiff and rotate rather freely, with the soft "skirt" bits easily giving way to the legs swinging forward.  It's great!  This is how figures should be.

The sculpting seems to be from the same digital source as other figures in this costume, like the 6-inch one.   There are differences for articulation, but they're staggeringly similar.  He has no problems standing, and while I kind of wish we had better arm articulation for dueling purposes it's decent.  He can still wave around his weapon, but his hat isn't removable so you can't exactly replicate the climactic anti-climax of the duel. The cap is great, though - there's a tiny First Order symbol and a lot of tiny, difficult-to-see detail in the emblem.  They did a nice job here.  The facial details are crisp, and while it's easy to knock at this size it's also tough to paint good eyebrows on something smaller than a peanut.  I'm pretty impressed.   I'm also biased, but I like it, it's different, and that's about all I can ask for.  Get one if you can!

Exclusive Notes: This item was not produced for the North American - and perhaps Global - market.  The item was effectively rescued from oblivion by Entertainment Earth, a story I am not at liberty to discuss at this time but hey, maybe some day.

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

Force Link Notes: "I'm with the Resistance." "I can disable the shields, but I have to be there."  "You don't know the First Order like I do."  "You want me to blast that bucket off your head?"  Baton sounds.  I believe most of it is from The Force Awakens.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,483: May 21, 2018

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,442: Finn (Resistance Fighter, The Last Jedi Line Look)

FINN (Resistance Fighter) with Force Link
The Last Jedi Basic Figure Orange Assortment
Item No.: Asst. C1503  No. C1505
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: Force Link sounds
Retail: $8.99
Availability: September 2017
Appearances: The Last Jedi

Bio: Finn was a human male who fought for the Resistance during their war against the First Order, which he previously served in as a stormtrooper prior to defecting.  (Stolen from Wookieepedia.  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!

Commentary:  Much like Poe, I find Finn (Resistance Fighter) figures to be irritating.  Finn is one of my favorite characters - a lovable goof, with a good heart who's a bit of a coward.   As an audience surrogate, he's one of the best - of course he'd get his butt handed to him.  He's a janitor.  He even had some pretty cool costumes, but Hasbro once again didn't lead with the one that would be the biggest seller.  For The Force Awakens they leaned heavily on Poe-jacket Finn - which, hey, why not.  Fans began shipping him and thanks to many toys in the same outfit, sales slumped.  And for this new movie?  Same figure, new pants and shirt.   Bah!  I would've been excited for his medi-suit, but that wouldn't sell.   His First Order Officer uniform figure is coming later supposedly, but Hasbro (or Disney) decided to launch with this figure instead.

It's a good figure - the jacket matches the lighter tan of the China-made figures, rather than the slightly darker brown of the one from Vietnam from Rogue One.   The detail is good, he has 5 points of articulation, and the blaster is pretty much the same giant gun Han handed him.  Thanks to the same jacket and accessory, it's easy to confuse the figure for a repack despite wearing a new shirt and pants not unlike what Han Solo had on in 1977.  His jacket details are crisp, and the likeness is good - the eyes have a little less white in them this time.  Overall it's probably a better figure than the last mainline Finn, but if you just want a good Finn you've probably already got one.   If you need something specific to the new movie - and I do - this is currently the best and only 3 3/4-inch option.

Thanks to the sound effects being recycled from The Force Awakens there's not a lot of freshness here.  It's good.  It's improved.   It's just not the massive difference we saw with figures from previous sequels - I'm both surprised and somewhat delighted Disney didn't lean on the creative team more to change stuff up just to sell toys.   It's good, because it's not like any of the designs should change that significantly given no time had passed between movies.  On the other hand, Finn somehow has new pants and Poe has a new engine upgrade that just got slapped on in a few hours.   Sure, I guess.  Whatever.   It's a decent figure, and if you're collecting it's probably already on your shopping list.


Force Link Notes:  "My name is Finn. I'm in charge."  "Do exactly as I say. I can get you out of here."  "Stay low. It confuses their tracking."  Also a smattering of blaster sounds.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,442: January 1, 2018

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,359: Finn (The Force Awakens Value 6-Inch)

FINN Titan Guardians-Esque
The Force Awakens "Dollar Store" 6-Inch Figure
Item No.: Asst. B3946 No. B3948
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Dedicated blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.75?
Availability: Fall 2015, Mexico/Australia
Appearances: The Force Awakens

Bio:  A trained warrior desperate to escape his past, Finn is plunged into adventure as his conscience drives him down a heroic, but dangerous, path.  (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Commentary:  The answer to your question is eBay.   I had to order this Finn (and his wavemates) from Mexico for about $10 per shipped last year, because they never actually showed up in the USA so far as I could tell.  These value channel items are popular in markets in need of cheaper products, so Hasbro doesn't play them up as much here.  There have been three waves, two of which hit the USA so far.  It would not surprise me to see Finn or others get released for The Last Jedi later in the year, but as of this moment I have no idea if this 6-inch 4-jointed figure will ever be sold to American kids.

For what it would sell for here - about $7 - it's killer.  Hasbro's normal 3 3/4-inch figures are about $8, and this one is 6-inches tall but lacks any accessories.  Finn has jointed shoulders, an articulated waist, and a swiveling neck - that's it.  He's basically the exact same size as his The Black Series counterpart with a lighter jacket and a shirt that's a lighter grey.  And he's got no dirt on his shoes.  And his blaster is a totally different color for some reason.  Also it isn't removable from his fist.

This cheaper 6-inch Finn has darker skin and seems to be derived from the same digital files as the other figures.  A lot of the folds and textures are in the exact same places as on the other figures, just without the cuts for articulation or certain paint applications.    He can't sit, but he can stand as long as his arms are straight.   Once you tilt those shoulders up, he may fall forward.

This is an oddity for collectors.  It would be a kid line, but kids aren't going to get it in the USA just yet.   It's basically a statue, although its ability to stand up without too much of a fight is arguably a fantastic feature.  Hasbro left off the silver paint on the jacket and the color may not be exactly what you want, but given the work you're probably going to have to put in to track this down?   It's all moot.  I doubt you'll want to bother to get it unless you're a completist in the format (or it hits US shelves), but for $7 or less it's fantastic.   For $10, you could've had the 12-inch one too, though - so maybe you really don't need this one.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Mexico via eBay.  Wave 1 was international only so far (Australia, Mexico).  It's hard to find these because not many come up for sale and there's no consistent branding/name for this particular scale.  Good luck!

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,359: April 10, 2017

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,334: Finn (Jakku, Rogue One Line Look)

FINN (Jakku) vs. Captain Phasma
Rogue One   Two Pack Action Figures
Item No.: Asst. B7073 No. B9855
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: 2 figures, 1 lightsaber, 1 rocket launcher, blaster, 2 rockets, cape
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $14.99
Availability: December 2016
Appearances: Star Wars Rebels

Bio: Finn's conscience and desperation to escape his stormtrooper past propel him down a heroic and dangerous path when he faces off against the formidable Captain Phasma and the First Order's legions of troopers during a devastating night raid on Jakku.  (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: As with Captain Phasma, this Finn is pretty much just different enough to make you mad.  It, too, was cranked out in Vietnam with a different set of tools, meaning it looks different.  At first glance it's the same except his accessory - the blaster has been replaced with a Skywalker saber complete with hilt loop, but to the trained eye it's different.  Very different.   The 2015 Finn figures were made in China.

The first thing I noticed was his coat - it's now darker, a richer brown.   It's less faded, less light.   The undershirt is a lighter grey, with a different texture.   The legs seem closer together, cut slightly differently, and able to swing forward a tiny bit more.   His skin color is darker, the face seems a little sharper, and the hair is a smidgen less fluffy.  Oh, and it looks like his pants have a sculpted zipper - but that could just be a flaw of the molding process.   You'll also notice the copyright stamps are different, with a new country of origin.

Since there are minor differences to the sculpt, deco, and accessory, plus the factory, it would seem this is a new mold rather than a repack.   It seems cast from the same digital files, interpreted barely differently by the person in charge of the tooling.   Given its lightsaber accessory (and curious on-package bio) it's a worthwhile curiosity for collectors who are after it all - but we've also had a ton of jacket Finns by now, and this variant may be one too many.   I would argue it looks better than the other ones - but if you already got the super-articulated one, you probably neither need nor want another.   Recommended if you don't have a Finn (or Phasma), or if you need all the variations.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,334: January 16, 2017

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,274: Finn (The Black Series 3 3/4-Inch)

FINN Ex-Stormtrooper
The Force Awakens   The Black Series - Walmart Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. B4054 No. B5007
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.96
Availability: December 2015
Appearances: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Bio: A trained warrior desperate to escape his past, Finn is plunged into adventure as his conscience drives him down a heroic, but dangerous, path.  (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: Sometimes Hasbro delivers the goods that fans didn't want.  With The Black Series it was no surprise that Hasbro focused on the main important characters, but Finn was the last of the main characters to sell.   Most stores sold the other Finn toys by now, but it's not uncommon to find this one hanging out with Poe on markdown.  I have theories as to why this is, but one would hope those reasons might help a wider audience to embrace the figure.   Everybody loves Kylo Ren and Rey, but Poe and Finn don't seem to have quite the love as of yet.  It's a pity, but having multiple Finn figures in this exact outfit can't help things.   Poe benefits from being more or less unique with a good, clear-visor helmet otherwise unavailable without a vehicle.  Finn's main improvement is articulation.

The lovable goofball has 26 points of articulation - the same as Poe with added bend-and-swivel wrists, and he can get more out of them thanks to a lack of straps or other restrictions.   He can stand - and has stood on my desk for months.  He can sit, but it's awkward - the hips splay out so it's obvious Hasbro assumed (correctly) that most people buying this figure would either leave him in the package or just have him standing on a shelf, which is sadly the fate for many collected action figures these days.   All of that articulation, largely wasted.  At least he can double-grip a lightsaber, which no other Finn can do.   The sculpt is basically the same as other Finns, which means he has a top-notch head sculpt and a decent all around costume.  Lots of wrinkles, lots of folds, and a mid-torso ball joint for plus posings.

Deco has been improved!  The blaster has black scoring and burn marks, plus some blue energy markings.  It's a huge improvement.  His shoes have some more dirt, as do his pants.   Even the zipper gets a dot of silver, making this the best 3 3/4-inch Finn your toy display money can buy.  The regular ones are perfectly nice and good for vehicles, but if you want a figure to stand around on a shelf this is probably your best bet.  It's a shame they didn't toss him a lightsaber, but whatever.  You've got lightsabers.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Walmart thanks to help from an awesome toy blogger.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,274: September 14, 2016

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,216: Finn (The Force Awakens)

FINN Headset Edition
The Force Awakens Vehicle Pack-In
Item No.: No.  B3678
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, 2 figures, vehicle
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $139.99
Availability: October 2015
Appearances: The Force Awakens

Bio: An extensively modified Corellian light freighter, the Millennium Falcon is a legend in smuggler circles and is coveted by many for being the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary:  So far I've got four Finn 3 3/4-inch figures, 3 of which are pretty much the same   Each mold is a tiny bit different - this one is visually more distinctive thanks to the remolded head and jacket.   So far you'll only find this one in the Millennium Falcon, and the return of "headset" figures with the vehicle is a nice nod to the giant Millennium Falcon which, of course, this is not.  The new vehicle is basically the same size as the 1978 original, as well as its 1995 and 2004 descendants (and their repacks).

The sculpt is very similar to the single carded figure - the plastic is a little different and at first glance, I thought he might be shorter.  He's not.  The legs are closer together, his jacket no longer has a hole, and the head is - of course - a new sculpt with the headset.  The headset clamps on to a new strap on his jacket, which is charmingly retro - after all, The Clone Wars showed us tiny cell phone-sized communicators built in the trooper armor.  This is a big, 1970s-style headset which, I assume, is part of some proprietary internal communicator for the Falcon and Han was too cheap to upgrade it.   It's a little loose, but it does clip on the strap without too much of a fuss - just be careful with it.  Finn has no problems fitting in the driver's seat of the Falcon, and pretty much everybody plops in the gunner's station easily.

The head sculpt and general look and feel of the figure is basically the classic "just different enough to make you mad."  If you already own Finn, the minor changes are irritating - and if you don't, it's a fine replacement.  The gun is now a different color, and the pose is different - but the costume isn't.   Vehicle fans will be delighted that he's different, all-in figure collectors will be irritated he's not more different, and right now I'm just hoping he's my new favorite character since I have so many of him before seeing the movie.  I hope the next Finn I see is, at least, in Stormtrooper armor or has a new hat.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,216: October 15, 2015

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,214: Finn (The Force Awakens)

FINN Desert Landspeeder
The Force Awakens Vehicle Pack-In
Item No.: Asst. B3672 No.  B3674
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, backpack, removable pauldron, rocket, launcher, vehicle
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $29.99
Availability: September 2015
Appearances: The Force Awakens

Bio: Built from scavenged parts, this Landspeeder has been customized to hold up in harsh desert terrain.  (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary:  While clearly derived from a similar resource as the other figures, this  Finn (Jakku) is very much a different sculpt.  It's not super obvious - at first glance he looks like an unjacketed figure with new arms.  It turns out they made a number of alterations, while keeping some (but not all) of the clothing creases and wrinkles in place.  The face is a little different - I daresay better - and the textures are a bit softer, but it's certainly very interesting in that his legs are now straighter, and he looks a little dusty.   As I write this, I don't know if he or his vehicle appear in the movie thanks to the lack of "The Force Awakens" on the packaging - it could go either way.

As a toy, this one is nice - he can sit better than the other Finns, so he's an ideal vehicle driver.  The torso has been retooled in a few spots, so he no longer sports the backpack hole and his crotch area has been resculpted a bit.  The shirt isn't as textured as the other releases - it's much smoother - and his arms now match the shirt instead of the aforementioned jacket.  Where it gets weird are his legs - they look like the same sculpt, but the knees are more bent on the other Finns.  Speeder Finn has straighter legs and is much easier to stand up.  It may be my imagination, but the head sculpt seems crisper too - the nose looks different, and the eyes are painted straighter.   Overall, I like this Finn more.

Deco is good - his clothes are unpainted save for shoes and dirt.  His hands, neck, and face are flesh tone, and his eyes have a little detail below his black hair.  It's simple, and it works - mostly it works with the vehicle, and that's what's really important as we get to these higher price points.

...and I really like the speeder.  It has a few shortcomings, but the design is straight out of the 1980s.  If you put this on Ingo and had Thall Joben drive it, it could have been a cherished part of my childhood.  With Landspeeder-like engines and Speederbike-esque vanes, it seems like someone is really trying to make us think of the post-Jedi era of merchandising.  Two rockets are included, and there's onboard storage for one so you don't lose it.  There is no such storage for Finn's blaster, but you do get seating for two plus a gunner's station.  What's more, the back of the vehicle can form a makeshift seat or standing place for a figure - you can wedge it in the area which I could best call a spoiler.   The only downer in toy-ness is that it doesn't do much other than fall apart.  That gunner's station pops right apart - the turret is two pieces that aren't glued together.  It's easy to accidentally pop them apart as they are not fastened securely, which I would believe means you'll never, ever see a complete one of these at a garage sale.

I'm guessing people who only collect figures are increasingly annoyed at vehicle pack-ins, and rightly so.  The speeder looks awesome and is a treat to look at, but it isn't a ton of fun to play around with - it doesn't do much.  It's big and neat, but it may not be worth it just to get the pack-in figure.  At the right price you should absolutely get this, and if you're swimming in toy money I'd recommend it.   It's very OK, and for $20-$25 it would be fantastic.   But that's the business now - we all grew up and got jobs, so inflation happens and sort of puts us back into that "what should I spend my allowance on?" feeling rather than just spending gobs of money on whatever we please.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,214: October 13, 2015

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,205: Finn (Starkiller Base - The Force Awakens)

FINN Starkiller Base
The Force Awakens   Armor Up Figures
Item No.: Asst. B3886 No. B3887
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, armor
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.99  
Availability: September 2015
Appearances: The Force Awakens

Bio: A trained warrior desperate to escape his past, Finn is plunged into adventure as his conscience drives him down a heroic, but dangerous, path. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary:  The Armor Up Finn has something new to offer.   Granted, it's not totally new - but nothing in here is a straight-up repack of items released on the launch day.  The armor is exclusive to this release.  The blaster has exclusive deco - and so does the figure.  Granted we really don't know much about the character yet, but it's very safe to assume he's an ex-Stormtrooper and he goes to a snow planet, if this deco is any indication.   His clothing is covered in snow - or at least, his pants are.  Maybe it's chalk dust from leaving the Academy in a hurry.    The figure - otherwise identical to the individually carded release - has added snow on his shoulders and sleeves as well but interestingly, the armor and head are devoid of snow.    Given that this figure is not a troop builder, I'm really happy Hasbro made sure to distinguish the figure itself beyond merely having different accessories - I hope they continue to do this.

His blaster is grimy and looks like someone rubbed dirty, disgusting week-old street snow all over it.   It's big and looks significantly cooler than the regular release, so if you've got the money this one may be worthwhile just for the unique deco.  The armor is no slouch either, although "armor" is a term I'd use loosely.  Basically they gave Finn a Han Solo-style blue snow jacket hood with face mask, and slapped it on white/blue/orange body armor that looks like it might fit in pretty much any modern Hasbro toy line.   It clamps over the figure quite nicely, mixing harder and softer plastics to fit over his head as his eyes can see right through the visor.  It's actually nicely engineered.  I assume it won't be in the movie, but it does resemble some of the recent Nerf N-Strike Elite toys and I get a big kick out of that.   If not in style, the colors definitely match Nerf's top-selling foam dart blaster line and that alone makes this an amusing purchase as a toy fan.   It works.  I won't say it's great or worth the $13, but it's certainly different enough to be notable.  I hope the price comes down, but given how well this and other figures are selling that's unlikely.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,205: September 30, 2015