Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,328: Obi-Wan Kenobi (Jedi Legend, The Vintage Collection)

OBI-WAN KENOBI (Jedi Legend)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. E7763 No. G0912
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #357
Includes: Lightsaber, hilt, goggles, cloak
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $16.99
Availability: May 2025
Appearances: Obi-Wan Kenobi

Bio: Emerging from his darkest days stronger and more hopeful than ever, Obi-Wan Kenobi looks forward to the future and fulfilling his obligation to steward the Skywalker legacy. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: It doesn't always matter if a figure is good or not - if Hasbro makes too many, or of fans don't show up, they wind up at Ross for $4.99. Obi-Wan Kenobi (Jedi Legend) is a lot of great things, and one bad thing. What's bad? Timing - he came out in May 2025, about three years after we saw this outfit on screen. That's too late. That would be like releasing a Hoth figure in 1983. But the figure itself is very good, with the right accessories, and if you missed it? Well, you can go to Ross and maybe find one for five bucks. It's worth it. Even at $17, it's a very nice figure. I'm looking for a reason to complain, and "Hasbro didn't get it in enough regular stores so now you can get it for 70% off" and "came out really late" are as much as I've got.

He shares many parts with #291 (the showdown 2-pack figure, which I haven't opened yet) and that would be my main complaint. But he's fine. Yeah, the gloves are just painted on... but they look perfectly nice. Sure, the fresher white robes show minor signs of wear... but whatever, it works. His many joints move smoothly and you can get some great combat poses here. The ball-jointed hips mean he can ride an Eopie, if you got one. The lightsaber hilt plugs in his belt, and the goggles can stretch over his head or you can pop off his melon and hang them around his neck. They also replicated his weirdly Kenner-esque cape, which also means he looks a lot like the Obi-Wan Kenobi Mythos Statue that we all loved so much. It was nice to see a collectible inspire the TV show - I mean, it's the right choice - and the figure is a perfectly nice riff on a riff (of a riff.) I haven't had any real problems getting the joints to move, or finding his center of gravity. The fingers took a bit of work to manipulate so he can double-grip the lightsaber, but that's not abnormal at this scale.

The Ewan McGregor is very good, not perfect, but excellent for the size. The wig is glued on, the face is printed on, and the beard shows much improvement over what we were seeing 20-25 years ago. Maybe a little gray in the hair would be nice, but we rarely see much of it at this scale. The outfit deco is largely simple, lacking in any signs of dirt or weathering, but that sort of thing is also increasingly common a few years after a price increase, but before the next round of price increases. (Vintage would shoot up to $19.99 a few months after this guy came out.)

As a "the adventure continues!" figure, this is fantastic. I really wish we got this outfit in The Retro Collection because this is the kind of costuming that inspires kids to imagine their own adventures... and that's where my interests remain. This was his "goodbye" outfit on the show, but what did he do next? Nobody knows! But I bet he was wearing these pants when he did it! Unless you're opposed to the Disney era in general, I'd recommend this one. It's a hopeful figure that would be fun to play with, were you of such a mindset. There's no real good reason for this figure to exist given it's meant as an adult collectible souvenir for the post-post-release of a streaming show, but I like it. I'm glad they did it. I wouldn't mind a few more figures from Obi-Wan Kenobi either. That show holds up better on a rewatch.

Confidential to Lucasfilm: if you're never doing another live-action Kenobi show from this era, consider doing a cartoon. I'd love to see this outfit in action, somewhere, somehow.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,328: March 17, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,321 Darth Vader (Force Masters / Epic World of Action)

DARTH VADER Force Masters Pack
Epic World of Action Target Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. G0363 No. G0778
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Red lightsaber, Force lightning, 4 other figures with accessories
Action Feature: Lightning grip for fists, lightning can wrap around figure
Retail: $34.99
Availability: July 2025
Appearances: Obi-Wan Kenobi

Bio: Jedi Masters take on Sith Lord Darth Vader in this 5-pack of Star Wars action figures inspired by Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke Skywalker, Force Ghost Yoda, Ahsoka Tano, and Darth Vader. (Taken from the Target's web site. Package has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: This is an interesting Darth Vader, in a year with many Darths Vader. In 2025 Hasbro gave us a "basic" Vader that's pretty much the same as this one - but with some minor changes. For this release, Hasbro added red lightning to his gloves, changed his belt buckle to have an unpainted triangle for some reason, and also painted the lenses on the helmet red. It's different!

The body itself is the same basic mold we got with the Mech or on the individual cardback - and it's a very nice figure. You get bend-and-swivel joints at the shoulders, elbows, and knees plus ball-jointed hips. The whole thing is very efficient and while it isn't the joint-spree of The Vintage Collection it's also half the price. He stands easily, but I might not recommend him as a fighter pilot. Yes, the cape is removable, but the skirt piece is a little thick and may get in the way of driving the family car. Hasbro did a good job sculpting him, unfortunately the grooves and cuts aren't super deep or detailed like many of the older figures. The detail is still present - check out the silver on the chest armor, which is over the robes. Note the horizontal lines on the gloves, which is specific to Obi-Wan Kenobi, Rebels, Rogue One and Star Wars. Hasbro also sculpted the figure to have a smoother, shinier texture on the various "hard" elements of the costume. It's a clever cost-cutting measure, this way they don't need to paint it with a glossy black paint.

I had no problems getting him to stand, even while holding his massive accessories. The big boots and tight joints keep him from doing a face-plant. This is a good design for a figure. "But Adam!" you say, "I don't like kiddo toys." Well, sure you do, we all grew up with toys and you can be an adult and admit it is OK if you buy toys for children. You've been doing it for years, it's OK, I won't make fun of you and we'd probably even be good friends if we met and if you're, you know, cool. If adult fans didn't insist on demanding features they don't want to pay for, I think collectors would see the mold and design as a good one. It's better than what we got in the 1990s, arguably cheaper given inflation, but I will admit that deco is a mixed bag.

This mold mostly replicates the looks from Rebels and Obi-Wan Kenobi with brighter than bright red lenses that are unique to this release, and kind of welcome. As we get older, or display our stuff in dark rooms, having brighter or in some way exaggerated features on small items helps a bunch. I like the light silver armor, I appreciate the belt buckle and the two lights on the chest they painted. I'm disappointed they left off the coin slots and the column ornament deco, though - it's sculpted, just blank. I also can't explain why they changed the belt buckle from being all silver to having a black cut-out for the paint mask. Some merch has this region partially black due to the vents - but the other Hasbro figures using this mold don't. I'm not sure why they would make the change. It stood out, and it's a notable difference. Hasbro also gave him some red lightning on hisi gloves which, honestly, I could do without. We got the red lightning as an accessory, and blue is the typical color whenever we see Vader lighting up some fools or being lit up himself... canon or otherwise.

But how's the gear? Good. The cape fits on the back peg hole, the lightning fits in his fist, and the cracklin' lightsaber also fits in the fist. The lightning is sort of a venus fly trap, able to grasp a figure a bit depending on its weight. It's pretty clever, as you can "grab" a guy in a distinct pose too. I know Vader is typically not canonically shown using it, but also, I unlocked all the secret characters and found the movies in Star Wars: Masters of Teras Kasi so Hasbro can do whatever they want if it's on screen somewhere.

I love that Hasbro gave him red lenses to make him stand out from the Mech Pilot, the Single Card (5 joints), the Single Card (9 joints), and of course the 2-pack with the Stormtrooper (5 joints.) Any time they include a unique accessory or deco hit to make it stand out - especially if it's weird - I'm generally supportive of the change. This might be the most interesting deco overall on this version of the mold, so I'd steer you to this set especially if it's on sale. I'd love a little more silver paint on the helmet and chest, but it's also a kid toy in a kid line that I feel is not long for this world. I would love to see more figures made in this 4-inch style (maybe not with the lightning), and I commend Hasbro for coming up with a way to make these stand out from last year's models. And I can also be cranky I've bought the sculpt about five times between the two significant molds.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Target on sale for $24.49. If I didn't overpay for Walmart's exclusives last year, I probably would've bought this one at full price and not complain. I needed that karmic price adjustment.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,321: February 19, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,228: Darth Vader (Epic World of Action)

DARTH VADER 2025 Kids Line
Epic World of Action "Power the Force" Basic Figure
Item No.: Asst. F9405 No. G0100 (same 2024 SKU, new 2025 figure)
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: February 2025
Appearances: Obi-Wan Kenobi
Bio: Seduced by the Dark Side of the Force, Sith Lord Darth Vader led the Empire's eradication of the Jedi order. (Taken from the packaging)

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: Death, taxes, and new Darth Vader figures are the only inevitabilities of life. It's going to happen. The question: how? The 2024 Epic Hero Series line is now the 2025 Epic World of Action line - a much improved product for the same price, or cheaper. To the average consumer, 2024 Darth Vader [FOTD #3,218] looks identical to 2025 Darth Vader. Both seem to be derived from the same basic sculpt with enhanced articulation - so this is a new tool, a new slot. It's a pretty good figure, too.

The armor is based on Obi-Wan Kenobi, featuring the gloves with the lines across the hands and shoulder armor with robes underneath. Comparing the old and new "Epic" Vaders side by side, the wrinkles and creases are all in pretty much the same places. The only giveaway that it's new is a "Power the Force" burst on the package - that's Disney's 2025 marketing umbrella - and a new energy-crackling lightsaber. 2025 Vader looks mostly the same, but now you can pose him a little bit better and adjust his center of gravity.

 But what about that lightsaber? It uses the same chunky hilt and adds an energy-cracklin' blade that would make Kylo Ren blush. There's a lightsaber inside there, but it's covered in massive energy surges that make it stand apart from every version of the character we've seen so far. Hasbro's Unleashed Vader figures didn't even have a real "swoosh." Kids might dig it. For collectors who have it all, weird departures like this remind you that this doesn't have to be boring. It's surprisingly to see an "extreme" accessory in rather conservative packaging, too.

You don't have to buy this figure just to get the lightsaber. A Mech is coming with the same Vader mold, painted with red Force energy, and he'll include the same cracklesaber. (Heck, maybe just wait for that one.) I think kids will dig this version and people who poo-pooed the 5-jointed figure might appreciate bend-and-swivel joints at the shoulders, elbows, knees, and hips, with a ball-jointed neck. Counting generously - any 2 pieces of plastic that join to make a moving part as a joint - this Vader has 15 points of articulation. For eight bucks, that's really good. And just as I wrote that, the right shoulder snapped off in the joint. Well. (I bought a case with two Vaders, so time to open the other one. Time elapses, nothing broke and all the joints are good.)

Assuming the "snap" was a fluke, this is a really good figure. The articulation is just right, he stands up well, and his articulation allows him to have a bit more personalty. I'd buy this figure for a kid. I'd love to see what other riffs they can do on Vader for kid toys, especially as in 47 years we usually just get "guy in black suit with red stick" (or sometimes, no stick.) Clearly, Hasbro is holding out on us, and has lots of neat ideas. I hope the kids like this one, because making a familiar villain look dangerous again is tough to pull off. While not as articulated as The Vintage Collection, he's really good - and half price - which is going to be good enough for a lot of customers.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,228: April 1, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,128: Darth Vader (Epic Hero Series)

DARTH VADER New Kids Line
Epic Hero Series Basic Figure
Item No.: Asst. F9405 No. G0100
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Cape, lightsaber
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: January 2024
Appearances: Obi-Wan Kenobi
Bio: Seduced by the dark side of the Force, Sith Lord Darth Vader led the Empire's eradication of the Jedi Order (Taken from the packaging)

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: Look - they can't all be amazing and fun. I'm pretty open to new things, toy things, kid things, things for that ever-growing class of toy collectors who seem to be ashamed of buying toys for children. I want to see stuff that is the very best example of what it can be in my toys, be it a perfectly-executed gimmick, an amazing sculpt, or a figure that's satisfyingly made to fit in a pilot's seat. This Darth Vader exists in a unique spot where you can go down the checklist of the things it does well, while not arriving at a satisfying finale. The same is true for most Darth Vader figures - there are some good ones, but think about it - how many were truly great figures that can stand, sit, be posed properly, with a correct lightsaber, good deco, and capes that don't get in the way? There really weren't many - quite a few get the job done, to some extent, and I would say my all-time favorite one was the 30th Anniversary Collection Darth Vader [FOTD 1,163] from 2007 (and 2006.) 

We've seen better sculpting, but for its time and place 2006-2007 figures satisfied fans of all ages with a good accessory, a nice gimmick, robes that just plain worked, and tip-top articulation featuring legs you could swing forward and it didn't have that weird codpiece that would flip up sometimes when he sits. There's so much going on right with that figure that it was easy to take for granted, and people hand-wave away things like sometimes getting the hilt wrong (I've done this) or heads falling off (you know who you are.) This new figure excels in no specific way. It is mid. Not Mid, the kid from Final Fantasy V, but middling. The other figures in this line show signs of refinement. Not Darth Vader. (Also not the Stormtrooper.)

I should make an aside to tell you that this Darth Vader appears to be based on his appearance in Obi-Wan Kenobi, which makes him the only figure in this entire line to date that comes from a timeline before the first movie from 1977. How can you tell? The gloves are the ones with the horizontal ribbing across the hands, rather than parallel to the arms. You'll see those in Rogue One and Star Wars as well. The other tell is that his shoulder region does not have his robes draped over it, but rather, under it. In the two aforementioned movies, the robes are on top. This combination of robes below the armor with these gloves is unique to this series, although Disney has used it in spots since 2019 (if not earlier) despite it not having appeared anywhere yet. I'm nitpicky.

His pedal extremities really are colossal. Darth Vader has unusually big feet, yet has problems standing - the center of gravity is off, the capes do him no favors. The other figures in this line are easy to pick up, pose, and place on a table. Vader may stumble over - the only figure in this line to do so. You really have to get his arm out front just-so in order for him to not flop over backward, which is really an upsetting thing if you're a child and this is your favorite bad guy. You can swing his arms and legs forward, but the cape is cut oddly - like some of the ForceLink-era figures - with odd cuts that may help him squeeze in a ship, but there's no ship in this scale as of yet. So what's the point? The figure has no ship, no playset, no action feature - is his purpose merely to be collected? Does he need to exist? He fills a space in an assortment and no doubt makes people in suits who make decisions happy, but there's a lack of creativity here that stings a big, especially after over 60 Darth Vader figures from Hasbro alone.

Darth Vader's sculpt is mostly great. The detail doesn't get lost at all (like spots in 2022's The Retro Collection Darth Vader [FOTD 2,961], which had some pretty soft gloves and underdefined helmet detail. The factory made this figure sharp - which I assume means a lack of understanding what "Retro" really means, and some nice work on the toolmasters here. The quilted sleeves look good, and the armor is shiny. The helmet seems assembled off-center, with the crest on the top not quite lining up with the nose - also the lenses aren't painted here. Numerous chest details are left off, as are some elements on his belt. Hasbro also integrated the wrist sockets to snap in accessories from other figures, and thanks to the design and coloring they blend right in.

I'm not fond of the cape, either - it's kind of a hassle to get the peg lined up in his back, but once you get it in there it is sturdy. If it were a bit longer it could help prop him up without having to balance him exactly perfectly. The lightsaber feels short, but isn't - it might just be an illusion from his size, and the decision to make the hilt silver rather than all black or silver with black highlights. It seems wrong - no doubt to keep costs low, which I can appreciate, but it's not going to win him any beauty contests.

While Mando and Ahsoka were largely well-executed affairs in Epic Hero Series, doing what they should do without any real caveats, Darth Vader seems like a bad first handshake to this new line. I could see this figure turning off fans from buying more, not because it is terrible but because it's just below average enough to throw off the curve. I would say this is my least favorite figure in the entire line, and experiencing it in 2024 certainly made me think back to all of the Darth Vader figures. So many of them do interesting or weird things, but I don't think any of them was a favorite toy. I would invite Hasbro to try Darth Vader again, perhaps as a deluxe with an interrogation droid or some sort of wrist-mounted Force blast, with the goal of making a figure who could fit in a ship with no problems and who can stand without fuss. Also with a centered helmet - mine might be a special case, but I can't un-see it. I would nudge you toward the other, non-Imperial figures from the first wave as places to start.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,128: April 25, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,068: Obi-Wan Kenobi (Jabiim, The Black Series)

OBI-WAN KENOBI (Jabiim)
The Black Series 2023 Closed Box Line Look Obi-Wan Kenobi Packaging
Item No.: Asst. E8908 No. F7098
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #13 - Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi
Includes: Lightsaber, blaster, robe
Action Feature: Working holster
Retail: $24.99
Availability: June 2023
Appearances: Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi

Bio: Obi-Wan Kenobi is set years after the dramatic events of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith where Kenobi faced the corruption of his friend and Jedi apprentice, Anakin Skywalker turned Sith Lord Darth Vader. (Taken from the packaging. It's still this not-specific.)

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!

Click here to buy it at Walmart now!

Commentary: The Obi-Wan Kenobi (Jabiim) 6-inch figure is something of a predictable experience. It's also not the first one - a 3 3/4-inch Expanded Universe Obi-Wan Kenobi [FOTD #513] was sold as a comic pack over 15 year ago. (Gaze upon time and weep.) This figure riffs on those comics slightly, bringing you a shaggy-haired, dirty and haggard Obi-Wan Kenobi. The big twist here? No sleeves on the robes, and he's got a gun. Hasbro did a great job bringing the small screen suit home, but with multiple options for this character in similar-but-different costumes you may want to be selective about which one you buy. (My advice would be "get the cheap one.)

It's a nice looking figure with decent boots and a face that looks more like Attack of the Clones than Revenge of the Sith. The figure itself recycles the legs from the Wandering Jedi figure, but you get a new chest, arms, and "skirt." He can hold his tiny blaster or holster it, plus the lightsaber hilt can peg on his belt. There's also a removable blade. As accessories go, they did a good job giving him enough stuff so you might not be mad he's $25.

I found the figure to be a little wobbly, as you may find his ankles to be a little loose and he may topple over if you aren't careful and precise about posing him. It's worth noting they did a nice job with him - the Ewan McGregor head sculpt looks good, the Jedi robes have a nice texture, the deco is light (and appropriate) with a new Jedi robe that seems like more of an action figure bit than a movie costume. It was off-putting on the show, and it's kind of off-putting here. A similar-but-different figure is coming to Walmart as an exclusive using many of the same parts with a white shirt, a Skyhopper, and some goggles. In other words, it's more interesting than this one, and it's one of four 6-inch Obi-Wan figures from the streaming series. They're pretty nicely executed, but it's over $100 for four very similar figures with a lot of shared parts before tax and shipping. It's a good thing the articulation is mostly good but the wrists don't quite bend with the robes in the way, and the joints are mostly hidden. They did a nice job - if you want more Obi-Ewan, this is as good of a purchase as any of them.

For $25 or less, it's a perfectly nice figure that has very little room to improve. The portrait is good, the fabric is nice, the accessories meet requirements, and other than a nice display stand I wouldn't have asked for much more here. Other than, you know, more character variety - Obi-Wan got more love for series in the first year than Mando did for his.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,068: September 28, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,064: Tala Durith (Imperial Officer, The Black Series)

TALA DURITH (Imperial Officer)
The Black Series 2023 Closed Box Line Look Obi-Wan Kenobi Packaging
Item No.: Asst. E8908 No. F7096
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #13 - Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $24.99
Availability: June 2023
Appearances: Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi

Bio: Obi-Wan Kenobi is set years after the dramatic events of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith where Kenobi faced the corruption of his friend and Jedi apprentice, Anakin Skywalker turned Sith Lord Darth Vader. (Taken from the packaging. It's still this not-specific.)

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!

Click here to buy it at Walmart now!

Commentary: Tala Durtith (Imperial Officer) was released pretty recently, and the free market has spoken. For some reason she's packed two per case - an honor usually reserved for the more popular characters - but she's around $16 on Walmart.com and $21.58 on Amazon as of my writing this just before Labor Day. In short, nobody cares - which was also the feeling I had when she went up for pre-order. I wouldn't necessarily blame the character or the quality of the figure, but at $25 fans may need to have a stronger relationship with the character and I am going to predict that at some point in the next 2-3 years you'll find her for sale for $5-$10 at a collectible toy store near you, if not Amazon or eBay. There was nothing wrong with the costume, there was nothing wrong with the actress, but when fans do not truly love a show, and then you start making figures of lesser characters that look a lot like other figures they've bought in the past, it's not hard for people to go "I don't want to give you my money for this one."

And it is important to point out that Hasbro did a good job. The waist joint cut at the belt? Excellent. The thigh cuts under the "skirt"? Great. The knee joints tucked behind the very, very wide pants? Good job. The articulation offers nothing new, but she is expressive and while the elbows are only able to bend 90 degrees it's still pretty good. She has a working holster and a non-removable (but separately molded) hat above a perfectly printed face of Indira Varma.

Hasbro did a nice job with the body sculpt here and when I look at it, I assume we got it so they can use this body for other figures later. (I'm OK with that for 3 3/4-inch figures, but for $25+ premium figures, not so much.) I assume Dedra Meero (or Tobbi Dala, or Ysanne Isard) will be made using this buck in the future because the textures are excellent. She stands well, she doesn't flip over while I type on my desk, the feet are nice and flat - a problem that's been coming up, round-foots fall over - and the joints move smoothly. It's so odd to have a figure like this where I have no real complaints over how they did it, but at $25 I just don't feel like there's any level of measurable excitement despite a high level of quality for what was delivered. Is it me? Am I depressed? Am I just finally out of touch with this hobby enough that I need to be put on the ice floe and shoved off?

I'm finding my fandom is tied to the figures a lot more than I thought, the 6-inch line and a lack of comics or good guide books left me cold and I skipped all of the exclusives for this show because they started off at $27.50 or higher each - it just wasn't worth it for a variant of an existing mold, and that saved me over $300. Looking on the secondary market, most of those figures that came out last year can be had below retail quite cheaply and I still don't want to give them the money - and Teeka is right up my alley. (I did buy the 3 3/4-inch retro and vintage ones, though.) Tala is just too far removed from the formats that got me collecting in the first place, even though she turned out nicely I have zero connection to this figure. I bought the wave, opened her, wrote this review, and at some point I will probably end up giving her away or selling her at a loss just to get the shelf space back. My complaints may be less for the figure itself than the "system" - I got playsets, ships, stands, and other accoutrements that make even the dullest of 3 3/4-inch figures a valuable addition to a collection. But 6-inch figures, the figure has to exist and be of value in and of itself - so unless there's something intrinsically awesome (or rare) about the figure, it's not going to hold its retail price and fans are going to spend their money or efforts elsewhere.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,064: September 14, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,054: Grand Inquisitor (The Retro Collection)

GRAND INQUISITOR (Kenner Style)
The Retro Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. F4200 No. F5773
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, vinyl cape
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $11.99
Availability: July 2022
Appearances: Obi-Wan Kenobi

Bio: The Star Wars Retro Collection features design and detailing inspired by the original 1970s Star Wars figures. (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: I opened this Grand Inquisitor from The Retro Collection about a year ago and I didn't like it all that much - so he hung out with me on my desk all this time. My opinion of him has improved a tiny bit, but he's still got problems and at under $6 on Amazon the free market has spoken. This is not a desirable figure.

The character's personality and design changed a bunch from Rebels to Obi-Wan Kenobi, and the figure reflects that. But, being a retro figure, that's OK - part of their charm were simplified and often incorrect features, as long as the figure itself looks cool. Sure, Hammerhead doesn't match the on-screen Ithorian - but he looks cool. The Grand Inquisitor looks a little odd with a bigger head, a rounder more baby-like face, and a head that says "I was made from concept art" to me. The aliens from Utapau had deep cranial ridges, sharp fangs, and really high foreheads - Grandy here has very smoothed-out ridges and not much of a forehead. (This matches the show.) The eyes and tattoos are all red, and the show has some grays in there. The skin is a pale rosy color - not as ashen as the show - but his expression is good. It definitely reads as being a real, old figure.

The body is pretty good - the major landmarks are there, and some are unpainted or underrepresented. The shoulder armor and gauntlets look great. The boots and pants and belt are fine. Some of the buttons aren't quite as good as the show, but for a Kenner-style figure it doesn't really matter much. The gray parts are a little light, while the black parts are a little glossy. It's striking, but seems a little off. There's decent articulation to be had, although the vinyl cape hurts it a great deal. Unless you want to crease the cape, this figure is unlikely to be sitting any time soon. (Of course given the now-cheap market prices, you can just buy another one.)

His accessories are a cape and a lightsaber. The double lightsaber design is clever - props to them for it - with a round hilt and a double-blade design that borrows from the 1980s Kenner Luke hilts. I can buy that this is what Kenner might have done. The vinyl cape is pretty good in terms of design, but the execution turned out just below what I would hope to get. It was pre-wrinkled in the package and since it can't be removed without cutting off the arms, I don't think you can iron it flat to fix those wrinkles. It's also a little long, so you have to curl it back a bit otherwise he'll fall face-forward. It's a smart design, but a bad practical piece - had it been done in cloth, I think nobody would complain. I also don't know when Hasbro opts for cloth over vinyl, as two figures from this wave went cloth and two didn't. As Hasbro more or less stopped making new vinyl figures about four years in, it's a curious choice.

Because I love Kenner figures, this one is acceptable. The sculpting doesn't have the deep grooves of real Kenner figures, nor does it have a particularly interesting pose - he seems to have copied Bespin Luke's stance, as have most new Hasbro Kenner sculpts. I would love to see slightly bent elbows or maybe some variation in the knees, especially on figures who can't sit well. By no means is this figure awful, but it's probably the worst of the wave. I would recommend grabbing the Fifth Brother first, but given how cheap the Grand Inquisitor is these days, why not just buy one? Five bucks on Amazon is peanuts for something in the "decent" range, and this certainly does meet those standards. At full price - or above retail - I wouldn't run and get one unless you're also a hardcore Kenner fanatic.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,054: August 10, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,052: Inquisitor (Fourth Sister, The Black Series)

INQUISITOR (Fourth Sister)
The Black Series 2023 Closed Box Line Look Obi-Wan Kenobi Packaging
Item No.: Asst. E8908 No. F7099
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #12 - Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi
Includes: Lightsaber
Action Feature: 2 removable blades, hilt can plug in back
Retail: $24.99
Availability: June 2023
Appearances: Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi

Bio: Obi-Wan Kenobi is set years after the dramatic events of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith where Kenobi faced the corruption of his friend and Jedi apprentice, Anakin Skywalker turned Sith Lord Darth Vader. (Taken from the packaging. Yes, this corporate synopsis is on the packaging in five languages instead of upsells.)

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 Inquisitor (Fourth Sister) is one of the more fascinating figures in this sector of toys. Thanks to the popularity of Jedi: Fallen Order and Rebels, plus the momentum from Obi-Wan Kenobi, we've got a pretty good chunk of these guys. The premise of the Inquisitors is to make something that looks like a McQuarrie Concept from the 1970s, reinterpreted by space goth vampire teens. Most of the beings are pale with yellow or red in their eyes, but Ms. Fourth is unique in that her skin is orange - and she's a new alien species. Exciting! Well, as exciting as these things get - she came in a wave with Bastilla Shan, Vel Sartha, another Obi-Wan Kenobi, and doubles of Darth Malak and Tala. I assume the game figures will do fine, and the rest... well, we'll see. Hasbro has had an incredible talent for making its newer figures pretty good - most of them have better joints and balance more easily, but they're also heavily weighted to minor characters that don't yet have some sort of weird fan cult. We didn't get a Wedge for 20 years, but Hasbro gave us this nameless lady in about a year. It's also fascinating - and surprisingly progressive - that the case is over 50% women. That's unusual, particularly for a franchise whose attitude toward not-dudes has been "oh, we've got one" per film trilogy until the 2010s.

While I do grouse about Obi-Wan Kenobi - I admit I haven't rewatched it yet, but quoting Ed Wood describes my feelings regarding the show and this action figure. "See, 'The soldier costumes are very realistic.' That's positive!" This figure looks like she could fit right in with the old 1970s designs, and if they ever did her Kenner-style I would be first in line to buy her again. (Especially with a Snowtrooper-esque cape!) She's something new that looks like something old - the red piping recalls Darth Maul's "Sith Apprentice" concept costume/figure, with a standard issue lightsaber she can hold much more easily than that of her Inquisitor buddies. The joints all move smoothly, with the legs being enough on the stiff side to ensure she is less likely to faceplant. Her joints are nicely integrated in the costume, and the ribbing all looks fantastic. Her belt sculpting is so detailed I had to touch it to make sure it wasn't some kind of fabric - it's remarkable. The leathery texture and wrinkles on her "cape" look fantastic, and her boots are no slouch. As a toy figure, even if you've never seen the show, this one looks good.

Her head is good, but not great - the eyes look Sithly, but also a little bloodshot due to the current printing process. Maybe the resolution will get bumped up, but the complexion is just a bit waxier than I think she needed to be - but she has cool head printing too, and the lips are on straight. If you don't get too close, you're going to love it. Clearly someone adored this costume, because the head tails look excellent, the hood is loaded with detail, and she has the body language of a star. It's a remarkably good action figure and like many of the toys from this series, probably would be even more popular if she were released before the show. It's a shame fans can't get a month or two with these toys before the movie comes out to pop your imagination's bubble.

The Black Series is still capable of churning out strong figures from forgettable characters, and while some figures look like someone just took a digital model and carved them up, this one looks like someone was trying to impress the boss. I love how the lightsaber plugs in her back, I'm thrilled to get a new alien species, and while I'm irritable that there is no guide book or trading card to tell me more about her, hopefully that will come some day. I was a 1980s kid - I had to dig up old (frequently apocryphal) guide books and/or wait for something better to come out in the 1990s - and maybe there's some sort of long game where Disney is trying to do for dadgum everything what Lucasfilm did for Boba Fett. I'd actually like to know more about this character, and I also know full well that knowing it probably won't make me like this figure any more than I do right now. Get her if you feel like paying the asking price, but definitely pick one up if you luck into her on sale. Unless there's a 3 3/4-inch version, in which case, maybe just get that. It's not like you've got a ton of room.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,052: August 3, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,028: Reva (Third Sister, The Black Series)

REVA (Third Sister)
The Black Series 2020 Line Look Obi-Wan Kenobi Packaging
Item No.: Asst. E8908 No. F4362
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #03 - Obi-Wan Kenobi
Includes: Double-bladed lightsaber, 2 single-bladed lightsabers
Action Feature: All four blades are removable
Retail: $24.99
Availability: July 2022
Appearances: Obi-Wan Kenobi

Bio: Obi-Wan Kenobi is set years after the dramatic events of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith where Kenobi faced the corruption of his friend and Jedi apprentice, Anakin Skywalker turned Sith Lord Darth Vader . (Yes, this useless copy is taken from the 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: "Did Hasbro make too much?" is a common query in my Q&A column, and for the assortment - not necessarily the figure - featuring Reva (Second Sister) the answer seems to be "yes." There's limitless demand for Darth Vader toys - he'll sell eventually - but everybody else in the wave tended to sit around a bit in my neck of the woods. And there are good figures in there too - this one, packed at one per case, is no slouch. As I write this in April, she's $17.77 on Amazon. That's usually a sign of production exceeding demand, and the reaction of fans to the character before the show was, as always, even-tempered and sensible. (I'm kidding, of course, because people are monsters.) Hasbro did do a good job of ensuring Reva as out as a Retro, Vintage, and Black Series just after the show was on - and you need to do that for these things, lest the attention span wander. Sadly late is late, and having a ton of arguably identical 3 3/4-inch Reva product was a bit too much at once, despite the fact they're all excellent.

 There are a lot of middling figures, but Reva turned out really well. She stands nicely, the joints are all cut well, the outfit accurately replicates what we saw on-screen, her face looks like Moses Ingram, and they even did a good job getting the hair about as good as I would expect on a painted figure of this size. Her lips are well-painted, her nose plastic is just the right translucency that a little bit of light passes through it (making it seem more lively), and her eyes shine nicely. In case it isn't obvious, I'm looking for things to nitpick, and can't find any. Hasbro did well here.

Her costume is great, with an Empire brand on her right arm and the shoulder armor plus separately molded pauldrons. The range of arm movement is excellent, from the rotating shoulders to the better-than-average bend in her elbows. And while looking at her gloves, you can see a couple of buttons on right left wrist that didn't get painted. Odds are most fans won't notice nor care, but it's the kind of thing you'd like to see fully decorated if you shell out $25 for an action figure given mot of her is molded in color. Her cape sits nicely too, with a new, simple cut that just lets gravity do its thing. The boots are great, too.

I took a while to open this figure - and a lot of figures - and that's no knock on it's quality. There's just too dang much coming out right now. Hasbro should be applauded for cranking out what may well be the definitive release of the figure the first time, because it's unlikely the show or its characters will be making a heck of a lot of return appearances given how the anticipation quickly resulted in a wave of indifference. If you have any love for the show and this character in particular, this a good figure that interacts with her accessories well and is easy to keep standing up on my desk. It's a low bar but with this line, "doesn't fall over" and "can hold lightsaber" are things we don't always get.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,028: May 11, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,019: Fifth Brother (Inquisitor, The Black Series)

FIFTH BROTHER (Inquisitor)
The Black Series 2020 Line Look Obi-Wan Kenobi Packaging
Item No.: Asst. E8908 No. F4363
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #04 - Obi-Wan Kenobi
Includes: Lightsaber with removable blades
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $24.99
Availability: July 2022
Appearances: Obi-Wan Kenobi

Bio: Obi-Wan Kenobi is set years after the dramatic events of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith where Kenobi faced the corruption of his friend and Jedi apprentice, Anakin Skywalker turned Sith Lord Darth Vader. (Taken from the packaging. What a waste of space.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: An incredibly nicely-designed costume and well-engineered action figure Fifth Brother (Inquisitor) sat in a box for a few months before I got to him. As of my writing this, he's pretty cheap on Amazon at $19 - an indication of a pattern Hasbro and Disney haven't cracked. Namely, the lesser figures tend to sell better before people see the movie or TV show, although you can understand why they want to make us wait sometimes. Rey and Grogu needed you to meet them first. A lot of the 2022 figures were increasingly ho-hum, even if they're pretty good, with the Fifth Brother (Sister Mother Sister, why did you put that peg in the lightsaber grip?) delivering a very good figure with annoying accessory interaction. If you've seen the horrible giant metal pylons they put on benches so people can't lay on them, Hasbro put one on the lightsaber grip. How annoying.

To paraphrase Frasier: "What is the one thing better than an exquisite action figure? An exquisite action figure with one tiny flaw we can pick at all night." That's the Fifth Brother. Hasbro delivered a well-engineered figure with well-hidden articulation, putting that usually obnoxious torso joint right in the armor so it's not an eyesore. The elbows and knees move nicely. The wrists move well, as does the double-neck joint. The ankles rock nicely, and the feet are big so he stands easily and in my futzing, doesn't tip over easily. The Imperial cogs are sculpted on his sleeves too, and there are tons of little painted lights on his hat and chest armor. Which brings us to the tiny flaw: the hips don't have the best clearances. You can swing them forward, but not all the way. Had Hasbro shaved a tiny bit off the lower waist or maybe recessed a bit of the upper leg, he could sit like a normal action figure. Instead, he's probably going to just be standing. Given Hasbro rarely makes vehicles for these figures, I assume they don't care and also the vast majority of you won't either.

The big flaw is the lightsaber hilt. You do get a peg on it to plug it in his back - and that's good thinking! But it's poor execution. The peg is a giant eyesore and Hasbro could have maybe put a small hook on the back of the figure to hold the lightsaber, or included a second hilt for decoration instead of a giant, ugly silver peg that makes it hard for him to actually hold said lightsaber. It does plug well in the hole in his back. So if you're not going to ever use the blades and just store his Tron Identity Disc back there, you're fine, this figure is nearly perfect.

I liked this costume a lot. They cast the fellow well and he looks superb in a costume that fell out of a 1970s concept painting, with lovely banded shoulders and Darth Vader-ish details galore. But, like most things, no one scale has all the Inquisitors as of yet. The Black Series will likely end up with the most of them at the current rate, but will anyone care to collect them all if it takes a few years? The Sun has set on this series already, and while I think this is an excellent action figure unto itself, and if this were an unlicensed design that had nothing to do with Star Wars I'd probably say "Oh this is cool, you should get it." It's very Star Wars, and also available in Kenner-style, where I think he's arguably a lot more fun. But you should get him in either scale you like, because a cool weapon, a nice costume, and a swell hat are generally good reasons to buy any well-engineered action figure.

...minus that awful lightsaber peg.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,019: April 11, 2023