Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,781: Rey (Dark Side Vision, The Black Series 6-Inch)

REY Dark Side Vision
The Black Series 2020 Line Look Blue Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Packaging
Item No.: Asst. E8908 No. F1307
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #01 - Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Includes: Lightsaber
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: January 2021
Appearances: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Bio: While searching for the Sith wayfinder, Rey envisions her turn to the dark side. Wielding a double-bladed lightsaber, her rage and immense power is frightening. (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: If you liked The Rise of Skywalker, or if you have taste, you can probably agree that Rey (Dark Side Vision) represented a tantalizing taste of a story we didn't get. Hasbro has mentioned on a few occasions that they knew they had to make her as soon as they could once she showed up in the trailer - and that wasn't much different from her appearance in the actual film. The vision was basically just Rey in one of very few significant costume changes, a mix of Palpatine's robes and Kylo Ren's outfit, with a nice hood and some dark make-up. She doesn't look super-evil, but she does look pretty cool. Also this figure has proven to be insanely popular, which makes sense, because Hasbro put a lot of love into this design.

The 6-inch scale figure has two key landmarks that are likely to grab your attention. The hood is black plastic affixed to the figure. You can turn her head inside it, but the hood won't move. It sits on top of her shoulders which have a cloth cape that is one of the better executions of robes, capes, and the like in this scale. Her double-lightsaber is hinged, with hilts designed to look like a warped take on the classic Graflex Skywalker Saber look. You can see Vader's black cap in the design, a mutant version of the Luke/Anakin tip, and some coloring that reminds me of Palpatine. It articulates nicely, and is one of the better (and more fun) accessories in this scale.

The figure herself is excellent. The hands can grip the weapon. She can stand without a hitch. The elbows can bend more than 90 degrees - that's a huge plus. You can see a little ring on her hand, and her outfit is sculpted with horizontal bands all over. This reminds me a lot of the 1977 Darth Vader suit's gloves... and Dark Empire Luke's outfit in the comics, and Kylo Ren's costume. Getting her to stand or posing her is an effortless affair, and she has great knee joints, rocker ankles, and thigh swivels. Anything below the waist is largely worthless thanks to the plastic dress clamshell, but it's nice to see they put the work into it since they were going to charge you the same regardless of the number of joints. There are about 29, by my count.

While this figure doesn't really do much to expand thee galaxy, it's good. The only suggestions for improvement I would make are ridiculous, as the portrait's printed face is wonderful, the articulation is as good as any Hasbro figure on the "better" end of the spectrum, and she just plain looks cool for a cameo costume. If you can see her for $20ish, buy her if you like her costume! This is a lovely figure and I can't see much reason for them to make more figures of this costume. Also, as I write this I do not have Asajj Ventress... I am curious if she will share leg tooling with this Rey. It would be hyperbolic to say that The Rise of Skywalker would all be worth it for this figure, but I would go as far as to say this may well be the best thing to come out of Hasbro's toys for that film. Their offerings since the new line look have been consistently superior.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,781: February 25, 2021

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,684: Sith Jet Trooper (The Black Series 6-Inch)

SITH JET TROOPER Red Repaint
The Black Series   6-Inch Figure
Item No.: Asst. E4071 No. E9320
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #106
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: March 2020
Appearances: The Rise of Skywalker and/or Battlefront

Bio: In its ultimate push toward galactic conquest, the First Order readies an army of elite soldiers that draw inspiration from a dark and ancient legacy.  (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 don't know if the Sith Jet Trooper is accurate or not.  How's that for an intro?   As I write this I haven't got the tech to zoom in film frames to check to see if Hasbro's decision to redecorate its white Jet Trooper in red is sufficient or not.   Guide books, Battlefront, and even the photo on the 3 3/4-inch The Vintage Collection figure match this 6-inch release.  However, the 3 3/4-inch figure itself, and the Pop! Funko figure, and a few others have these nifty grooves in the helmet, shins, thighs, and shoulders.  The 6-inch figure lacks these distinctive elements.  So one of the two is probably wrong - or maybe, there's a tiny chance that there's two versions in the movie and we haven't gone over enough behind-the-scenes material thanks to the secrecy behind these movies.   So maybe this figure is correct - and maybe it isn't.  If nothing else, it's true to Battlefront.

It's a nice figure but not as impressive as some other late 2019 and early 2020 releases.   It doesn't have the extra shoulder movement of the Sith Trooper, but it does have articulated jets on the jet pack as well as extra deco that the 3 3/4-inch figure is missing.   You still get double-jointed knees, rocking ankles, and excellent articulation allowing the figure to grip and aim the blaster easily.  The leg articulation is a bit more restricted, while there is movement it doesn't seem like it would be as good sitting in a vehicle, were a vehicle made for such a purpose.

The figure has no problems standing or being posed in a number of action poses, and I'm impressed by how stable it is.   It's shiny and red, and it looks cool.   The blaster plugs in the thigh without a fuss, and I would say this is a worthwhile purchase if you can find it at a fair price.  It seems to match the portrait on the box, so let's say it's good enough until we find out otherwise.  As time goes on, our access to better stills, or the props themselves at a museum, we and Hasbro start to ask for better improvements on these figures.   For now, as far as I can tell, this is good enough.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,684: April 23, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,669: Sith Jet Trooper (The Vintage Collection)

SITH JET TROOPER Red with Lines
The Vintage Collection
Item No.: Asst. E5912 No. E6036
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #159
Includes: n/a
Action Feature: 2 blasters
Retail: $12.99
Availability: October 2019
Appearances: The Rise of Skywalker

Bio: Sith jet troopers were Sith Eternal stormtroopers used for aerial combat. The 105th Battalion was a Sith trooper unit that included Sith jet troopers in its ranks. The troopers drew on a dark and ancient legacy for power.   (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: I popped this figure open shortly before seeing The Rise of Skywalker and said "Well, I'll review it after I see the movie, then I'll have something to say about its function in the movie!"   It turns out that the Sith Jet Trooper is basically like Darth Vader's Security Force - a red Snowtrooper - from the classic Super NES game, Super The Empire Strikes Back.   It also has a squad mark on the chest, which you may have seen in the old The Empire Strikes Back Sketchbook or other sources of concept art.   It's basically the same as a Jet Trooper, except it has extra lines in it for some reason.  Much like the movie from which it came, it feels derivative.  Do you like troopers? Here's another one.

This does not mean it's a bad figure - as always, Hasbro tends to do a good job with its figures using the resources at hand to deliver increasingly well-executed products based on movies that this audience probably would gladly swap for a few retro characters.   Bend-and-swivel wrists, the double-jointed neck post, and thigh cuts are all here to give the figure an enhanced range of motion.   If you've liked Hasbro's new way of doing articulation since Rogue One, you'll no doubt appreciate the top-notch engineering here.  Two blasters are included, one of which can fit right in the thigh slot, just like other First Order trooper figures.

The jets on the backpack don't seem to be easily moved, so either my joints are stuck or mine was assembled poorly.  They're going in two different directions - it's silly.  From the front it looks fine, just don't look too closely at them.   Proportions, accessories, sculpting, and detail are all good here.  Assembly imperfections are hard to see before you open the figure, but I am currently wagering most fans aren't dying to troop build this guy and will probably buy a couple and call it quits.  It's good - and I hope fans get as many figures from these new movies as Hasbro deems worthwhile to produce, and/or that Disney wants them to produce.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,669: March 3, 2020