Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,147: Stormtrooper Commander (Star Wars Rebels Mission Series)

STORMTROOPER COMMANDER and Hera Syndulla
Star Wars Rebels Mission Series
Item No.: Asst. A5228 No. B1385
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #MS19
Includes: Stormtrooper blaster, Hera Syndulla blaster with figure
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: March 2015
Appearances: Star Wars Rebels

Bio: Hera is the ace pilot aboard the Ghost starship and supports any mission that undermines the authority of the Empire's Stormtrooper Commanders. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Commentary: The funny thing about this Stormtrooper Commander is that it's basically just a Stormtrooper with an orange shoulder pad, which puts it in line with how the fandom generally saw Sandtroopers in the early 1990s.  A lot of the customs in the early Internet and pre-Internet days didn't feature things like backpacks or dirt - you just got a Stormtrooper, you added a shoulder pad to it, and you called it a day.  The notions of variant lenses in the helmets and the diamond-shaped knee armor never even came up in most discussions I've had and certainly never showed up on customized figures.  For that reason, this is sort of a perfect fit for that whole nostalgia bomb that is most of Rebels.  This figure really feels like it might have been a Kenner design for a Sandtrooper in the 1980s, had the line continued - if Walrus Man can have swim fins and no jacket, a Sandtrooper can be a Stormtrooper with one new part.  That's just good science.

The figure is part of an unusual directive in this line, in that Hasbro is actually making a lot of Stormtroopers.  This rarely happens - usually they're made at a rate similar to the other figures, but this time around you can get a plain white Stormtrooper as a basic figure or in at least two different Mission Series packs, plus this one.  They all have the same basic sculpt with rotating necks, shoulders, and hips.  He has no problems fitting in any of the vehicles or handling his blaster rifle, which is the same one you'll see with the other Stormtroopers in this line. 

The detailing is pretty good, and on par for action figures of this era.  The armor in the cartoons has this wonderfully shiny white metallic look that seems impossible to replicate on a toy of this price point, but perhaps someone will let Funko's Hikari factory take a crack at it in the future and come up with something superb.   For the money, this is a set that's worth picking up because you get one new figure and one new enough figure for ten bucks.  And if you hate the pauldron, you can clip it off and get another plain Stormtrooper.  You've got options.

Collector's Notes: I got this from Entertainment Earth.  This set started appearing in stores late in March.   You may find it in a store today.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,147: April 17, 2015

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,146: Ezra Bridger (Cadet, Star Wars Rebels Mission Series)

EZRA BRIDGER (Cadet) and Kanan Jarrus
Star Wars Rebels Mission Series
Item No.: Asst. A5228 No. B1384
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #MS18
Includes: Helmet, repck of Kanan Jarrus with lightsaber
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: March 2015
Appearances: Star Wars Rebels

Bio: Ezra impersonates a cadet to get inside an Imperial academy, as Kanan seeks more opportunities to disrupt the Empire's control. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Commentary: While the Kanan in this set is one of no less than four ways to buy pretty much the same exact figure, Ezra Bridger is new.   And not just a little new - a lot new.  The figure is almost a half of a head shorter than the previous release for reasons I do not understand, making this a bit of a surprise.  The outfit was worn by several academy students in the cartoon, including several who never took off their helmets - making this an ideal body to use and reuse for several new figures, provided Hasbro elects to make new heads.

The helmet is similar to the last one, but is cast in a whiter plastic with new, unique red markings. I have no idea what any of these markings mean - I assume it's just something each cadet adds for fun, but perhaps there's a rank or honor system here.  He has no blaster or weapon, but press photos show him carrying Kanan's lightsaber for some reason.   The deco is pretty clean on the figure, with boots, gloves, and various jacket details painted in within the lines.

I realize this doesn't sound exciting, but I've seen (and bought) a lot of sloppy toys over the years.  Seeing rows of figures that all look good is a nice change of pace.

If you've been following the new, simplified figures you know what to expect out of this one.  He stands fine, sits fine, and doesn't offer a lot new other than being a good representation of something you probably didn't buy yet.  If you don't have Kanan, you're basically paying $10 for the first (and so far only) new costume figure for any of the main cast of this show.

I don't assume we'll see a lot more given that the line seems to be crawling along slowly, and things like new movies will no doubt quickly distract Hasbro from supporting the TV line.  (See: 3-D movie reissues decimating new The Clone Wars product.)  I assume you have Kanan by now, as to be "complete" for this line you're going to have to buy at least two of him just to get this Ezra and the holographic Obi-Wan.  And should Hasbro make any other gift sets, you'll probably need to get those, too.  I'd say get this figure because it's a unique costume, a unique sculpt, and if The Clone Wars is any indication you're going to be really, really sorry if you skip anything from this show in the long run.

Collector's Notes: I got this from Entertainment Earth.  This set started appearing in stores late in March.   You may find it in a store today.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,146: April 16, 2015

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,145: Luke Skywalker (Hoth, Star Wars Rebels Mission Series)

LUKE SKYWALKER and Han Solo
Star Wars Rebels Mission Series
Item No.: Asst. A5228 No. B0129
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #MS15
Includes: Lightsaber, blaster, Han Solo figure
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: March 2015
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: Luke and Han face life-threatening dangers on the ice planet Hoth. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Commentary: I suggest getting this set, because Hoth is awesome and these guys stand up well.  But between the two, Luke Skywalker is the lesser figure.  Not only has it been released on the heels of a super-articulated new head/redeco figure from The Black Series, but that original The Vintage Collection Hoth Luke from 2012 was even better with fancier paint apps and less blood.  I guess if you get the vintage figure and the Mission Series figure, you can skip The Black Series one - it's really the middle child.   The funny thing is there are quite a few differences between this release and the previous ones in terms of deco, and when I'm looking at reference photography you can make a case for it being "correct."

Overall, this figure owes a lot to the original Kenner figure (mostly unpainted arms) and the previous Black Series figure in terms of plastic color.  But there are a lot of strange differences, like the fact that the shoulders and boot straps are now unpainted, or that the gloves are now all one color.  The funny thing is I see some reference shots of one-color gloves, and others where they're clearly two-tone.  Based on some of what I'm seeing, I don't think it's out of the question that there may well be two different sets of gloves and as such, this figure may as well be labeled authentic.  The facial scarring is different from the movie stills, with the previous release getting higher marks for having... higher marks.  The orientation seems more accurate there, even if this newer figure seems proportioned a little more weakly in the torso zone.   Also, the pockets on the sleeves are missing, plus the pants are now brown instead of grey.  For all I know this might be another reference issue, because there's a costume labeled Luke's Hoth Gear at the National Air and Space Museum that, from the photos, could be the source of some of the differences.

The figure is about as good as Han in terms of engineering.  He can't quite sit, he makes you wish you had a trapdoor Tauntaun with a modern sculpt, and he has no problems holding the lightsaber.   Some of the minor paint apps are gone, as are some of the pouches on his belt. The bottom of his parka is also a little more tattered.

What we have here is an unquestionably different figure, and determining the design reference should be a fun thing to do when I have time to sit down and do it.  Which will be never.  So for now, I like this figure because it looks different enough from the last two to really qualify as being different, and at this point "different" is arguably the most I can hope for.  Get this set if you see it, it's worth the ten bucks.

Collector's Notes: I got this from Entertainment Earth.  This set started appearing in stores late in March.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,145: April 15, 2015

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,144: Han Solo (Hoth, Star Wars Rebels Mission Series)

HAN SOLO and Luke Skywalker
Star Wars Rebels Mission Series
Item No.: Asst. A5228 No. B0129
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #MS15
Includes: Blaster, lightsaber, Luke figure
Action Feature: Blaster fits in holster
Retail: $9.99
Availability: March 2015
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: Luke and Han face life-threatening dangers on the ice planet Hoth. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Commentary: Get this set.  I can't imagine whey they didn't single-card these two, as Hoth Han Solo is pretty fantastic.  In terms of sculpt and deco, it's very similar to the 6-inch figure we just looked at last week - it just lacks a few key details, a little silver and some markings on the gloves.  Oh, and there's only five joints and no removable parts, but other than that?   Basically the same look and feel.

For you old farts, this figure is the real deal.  The jacket is more of a brownish color, but the sculpt is pure 1980.  Han's goggles are on his head, his arms are straight, and he looks like he needs a new Tauntaun with a trap door.  This is exactly what I pictured the future of Star Wars figures to be in the early 1990s.  And you might be saying "Adam, you really thought that the action figures of the future would have slightly better paint and significantly better sculpting?"  Well, pretty much yeah.  

I was originally expecting Star Trek-style 4 1/2-inch figures for five bucks, but clearly Kenner didn't want to go that route - so when I heard 3 3/4-inch, this is more or less what I figure we'd get.  The figure holds his gun just fine, and he can hold Luke's lightsaber.  The silver barrel on his gun is a real surprise, but the lack of painted straps on his boots is not.

His leg joints are a little weak - he can't sit in most vehicles due to the range of movement, and he can't fit in any modern-era Tauntaun thanks to the lack of trapdoors or lateral hip movement.  I need to unpack my 1980 Tauntaun to check the legs, which I have not been able to find the time to do just yet.  I really hope Hasbro keeps going down this road of quasi-Kenner remakes and goes whole hog to give us a $15-$20 simplified Tauntaun, but given that the 6-inch one is $40 and has a great 6-inch Han figure maybe we don't need them to do that.  

This is a great little set for the money, and given the similarity between the big and small figures that just hit I can't necessarily say you need both.  I need both - each one does different things for me.   But on a shelf, side by side, the similarities are oddly striking.

Collector's Notes: I got this from Entertainment Earth.  This set started appearing in stores late in March.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,144: April 14, 2015

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,143: Luke Skywalker (Stormtrooper Disguise, Star Wars Rebels Mission Series)

LUKE SKYWALKER (Stormtrooper Disguise) and Princess Leia
Star Wars Rebels Mission Series
Item No.: Asst. A5228 No. B1386
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #MS20
Includes: Helmet, blaster, Leia figure
Action Feature: Removable helmet
Retail: $9.99
Availability: March 2015
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Luke disguises himself as a Stormtrooper on the Death Star to rescue the imprisoned Princess Leia. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Commentary: It's a proud tradition.  Luke Skywalker (Stormtrooper Disguise) comes up every few years and surprisingly, he often gets a new body sculpt for many of the releases.  This one trades on the existing Stormtrooper's design, meaning Luke is not at all short this time around.  He's the same size as the other troopers and his helmet is so snug, it might rub his nose down.   It's a shame, as these figures tend to have better interaction with their accessories.  For that reason, this figure doesn't make a great stand-in Stormtrooper, or a great Luke in disguise - it's sort of in a weird middle place.  Technically it doesn't even have his own gun as it's given in-pack to Leia, but he has no problems holding it if you want to give it to him.

The head sculpt is on par with other recent Luke figures, with  hair that's a little too brown for my liking.  Luke also has the copyright information sculpted in his upper thigh, clearly visible when looking at the figure head-on or even in the package.  This is kind of sloppy.   His eyes look pretty good in person, but under the harsh lights of a digital camera's macro functionality things don't look quite as good.  Even when I squint, in person, he looks OK.  I blame technology.  He could still use a gun, maybe better hair color, and a better-fitting helmet, but at least the eyes look OK here in the basement.

Still, there's a novelty to getting yet another Stormtrooper and Luke in his disguise is a figure I'm always pleased to see, even if it isn't great.  (It isn't great.)   It's a fine sculpt overall, but the execution - specifically the too-tight helmet - places him at the bottom of the list for me.  It's a good display piece, and if you leave his helmet off it's perfectly good, it's just that accessory interaction is far weaker than it should be in 2015.  If it basically worked in 1984, in 1996, and every version since, it should really work here too - and an extra gun wouldn't have hurt them.

Collector's Notes: I got this from Entertainment Earth.  This set started appearing in stores late in March.   Interestingly, since they started making Luke in Mission Series and Saga Legends we've received updates of all of the 1970s and 1980s Lukes except the original farm Luke and, if you want to get technical, 1983 Jedi Knight Luke.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,143: April 13, 2015

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,142: Hera Syndulla (Star Wars Rebels Mission Series)

HERA SYNDULLA and Stormtrooper Commander
Star Wars Rebels Mission Series
Item No.: Asst. A5228 No. B1385
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #MS19
Includes: Blaster, Stormtrooper blaster, Stormtrooper figure
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: March 2015
Appearances: Star Wars Rebels

Bio: Hera is the ace pilot aboard the Ghost starship and supports any mission that undermines the authority of the Empire's Stormtrooper Commanders. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Commentary: It took three waves but we got Hera Syndulla action figures!   Hasbro made an interesting editorial decision to include Stormtroopers - otherwise known as an easy sale - with their lady figures in the 2-packs, which makes me assume it was a form of insurance policy.  If you won't buy the set for Hera, you're definitely going to buy it for a Stormtrooper Commander.  As the show's most competent, least jerky character Hera didn't get enough screentime this year, and so far this seems to be her only other than a LEGO figure.   This is a pretty neat figure, and best of all Hasbro made sure she can fit in the vehicle.   They weren't too generous with paint, but there are some clever workarounds for that here.

Many of the figures in this line have molded parts inserted in their limbs, rather than paint.  For example, the Leia we looked at has flesh plastic hands glued into white plastic arms with no paint.  If the glue holds, this is great - that way paint won't wear off the hands.   Hera's boots are brown plastic, inserted into unpainted orange plastic legs.  Playmobil is king of this, using multiple colors of injected plastic instead of paint to save money and improve longevity.  Her right boot has a holster molded into it, but it's too small for a gun and wasn't designed for interaction with a weapon.  The gloves are painted, as are the belt, shoulder pads, and a few other bits and pieces.  The hands have no real problem holding the weapons, and the paint works.  The straps on the legs were left unpainted, unfortunately, but such is the future if trying to make toys cheap.  Similarly, the paint on the lekku is a little on the whiter side so it doesn't quite look as natural as the animation model.

The face is pretty good.  We got lips, eyes, eyebrows, goggles, and the flight cap decorated with most of the attention to detail centered on this part of the toy.   They didn't seem to cut any corners here, which is good, because this is where you really notice things going wrong.   The head turns nicely and the figure's design doesn't hurt its ability to fit in the driver's seat of most of your vehicles.   The head coloring contrasts a bit more than I'd like, but it works - you can tell who it is, and make out facial features without having to squint.  Leia's coloring may have been too subtle for the size, or at least the lips don't quite "pop" at this size.

If you're in the market for Hera, get this one. Don't wait for a perfect super-articulated one - there may not be another in this costume.   And if there is, show Hasbro there's a market for more aliens by buying this one.   If you're buying figures from the cartoons, this should probably be at the top of your list.  She's not the first green-skinned, orange flight suited Twi'lek with anti-Empire leanings but she's the first one to appear on TV and as such is a worthwhile purchase.  If you have Cesi Elrriss - and even if you don't - go try and get a Hera figure.

Collector's Notes: I got this from Entertainment Earth.  This set started appearing in stores late in March

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,142: April 10, 2015

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,141: Princess Leia (Star Wars Rebels Mission Series)

PRINCESS LEIA and Luke Skywalker (Stormtrooper Disguise)
Star Wars Rebels Mission Series
Item No.: Asst. A5228 No. B1386
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #MS20
Includes: Helmet, blaster, Luke figure
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: March 2015
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Luke disguises himself as a Stormtrooper on the Death Star to rescue the imprisoned Princess Leia. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Commentary: It has been a few years since Hasbro gave us a new 3 3/4-inch white outfit  Princess Leia action figure with her traditional hairstyle.   The last individually carded ones may  have been 2004 unless I'm blanking one out, although she appears in box sets every few years in one form or another.  What's kind of amusing is that for the lead woman in the movie series, Leia doesn't get a lot of figures and a kid born 10 years ago probably never had a crack at a Leia in this outfit for under ten bucks.  I know I keep coming back to this, but it does make a difference - if a kid can't get the figure they want, they'll get another toy.  It might not be Star Wars, so hopefully this figure is in circulation for a while so kids might get a shot at her.

This figure is an all-new sculpt which turned out acceptably.  The sculpt is good, the deco is good, the execution is just OK.   My main problem with this figure are how the legs are split, because there's a gap in the dress and there shouldn't be.   Other figures with this sort of design have had the same problem lately, like Funko's ReAction Bride of Frankenstein from last year.   She stands just fine, on shoes with painted soles!  That's a big surprise - most of the figures don't have painted soles these days unless the entire shoe is painted.  The face deco is pretty good, although the blush is turned up a bit and the lips are on the light side. A little more white in her eyes would help, but as it is she looks decent.  It's a good Leia figure, but not a great Carrie Fisher figure.

The sculpt and costume is pretty great - I like how they made her feel smaller for a change, and her pose is open to more options than "shoot to kill."   She has no problems standing or sitting, and holds the gun perfectly.  This is a great Leia figure for your 1990s Power of the Force playsets and the full-size modern Death Star that Hasbro will probably never make for us.  Or the Tantive IV vehicle that, despite being the first vehicle ever seen in Star Wars, still has no 3 3/4-inch scale toy.  But it's a good figure, and an OK set, so if you've got ten bucks I'd recommend it.

Collector's Notes: I got this from Entertainment Earth.  This set started appearing in stores late in March.   This is only the second "5 POA" Leia since this form factor returned.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,141: April 9, 2015

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,139: R2-D2 (Star Wars Rebels Mission Series)

R2-D2 and Yoda
Star Wars Rebels Mission Series
Item No.: Asst. A5228 No. B0130
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #MS16
Includes: Cane, lamp, Yoda figure
Action Feature: Opening arm compartment
Retail: $9.99
Availability: March 2015
Appearances: The Empire Strikes  Back

Bio: R2-D2 encounters the mysterious Yoda on the planet Dagobah. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Commentary: It's essential!  Well, no it isn't - but it's neat. R2-D2, for a figure with one "outfit" unless you count mud or dirt splatter, is surprisingly popular when it comes to repaints and new toys.  This "cheaper" R2-D2 is slightly different than the last two, in that he has an action feature.    For ten bucks this is something Hasbro would be downright stupid to not keep in circulation through the end of the year, because what parent wouldn't buy their Star Wars-loving kid a Yoda with an R2-D2 for ten bucks?  (Bad parents.)

This one is painted similarly to the last movie Mission Series figure from late 2013, which was also similar to the Rebels figure from last year.   In terms of deco, this R2-D2 is a little less sparkly - the last one had a gorgeous shiny blue paint and this is a duller one - but R2 does have the blue spot on top of his head painted, so he wins.  Everything else is pretty much the same - you get the blck eye, the red dot, the brownish wires, the blue stripe on the leg, and a few painted panels.  He could benefit from a few pennies worth of additional paint, but this was not to be.

Most surprising to me was the sculpt, in that it's a new one.  R2-D2's dome is similar but the 2013 version is more textured in spots, while this one is flatter.  Sculpted arm detail is different, and clearly crisper on this go-round with slightly larger pistons in the sides.  His body is, of course, totally new with the opening compartment with a tiny arm that's about as valuable to this figure as a T-Rex' arms probably were to his ability to type.   It's too small to hold the lamp, but it looks cool - and it's something.  When I first opened the package I thought "this might be a good mold to repaint as other droids," mostly because very few astromech droids have any moving bits and pieces unless they're R2-D2.   This R2-D2's body isn't shiny and a few of the various panels are sculpted differently, which I found surprising given that I thought there was more reliance on digital sculpting techniques and the potential shortcuts available therein.  Ah well!

Of the cheap R2-D2 figures over the last two years, this is unquestionably the most interesting.  You don't get a third leg, but the deco is a little better and the action feature makes it more interesting than a figure that does nothing.   I'm guessing nobody will care about this figure until they dry up, let's say around September, at which point it'll probably sell for $20 on Amazon to parents who didn't plan ahead.   Also note, if you have the Bartender R2-D2 from 2010 you probably don't need this one, unless you also want the Yoda, and I think that you do.

Collector's Notes: I got this from Entertainment Earth.  This set started appearing in stores late in March.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,139: April 7, 2015

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,138: Yoda (Star Wars Rebels Mission Series)

YODA and R2-D2
Star Wars Rebels Mission Series
Item No.: Asst. A5228 No. B0130
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #MS16
Includes: Cane, lamp, R2-D2 figure
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: March 2015
Appearances: The Empire Strikes  Back

Bio: R2-D2 encounters the mysterious Yoda on the planet Dagobah. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Commentary: Popularity trumps necessity these days, which is why we're getting another Yoda.  We're getting close to one a year, at least, because it's one of those characters that Hasbro really needs to keep in circulation in some form or another.  Interestingly, Hasbro seemed to struggle with Yoda from The Empire Strikes Back since the 1990s, particularly with the higher-end figures.  The vintage ones and last year's 3 3/4-inch The Black Series release struggle with spindly limbs where the articulation prevents the figure from holding together well, plus bulky cloth elements made it hard to play with.  This one just plain works.  It's not fancy, but the set is a pretty decent deal.

This is a figure where Hasbro seems to have taken their time to do a great job.   The texture on Yoda's clock is rich and exaggerated, giving the plastic a cloth-like feel that we very rarely see.  The last time we saw an all-plastic Yoda from The Empire Strikes Back was 2004, and that figure managed to benefit from a lot of paint to dirty up the costume.  This one is virtually unpainted - it looks like a toy, complete with his belt pouch just a little too high on his torso.  This is for his leg clearance - he has no problems standing or sitting, and if you were one of the 7 people who bought a Yoda's Jedi Starfighter in 2013  you'll be interested in knowing he actually doesn't fit thanks to the shape of his head.

I like this figure - the head sculpt is good and the paint is pretty clean overall.  He has no problem holding his accessories and is probably one of very few figures in this new, simplified line to improve on the articulation levels of his 1990s counterparts.  Yoda has two legs rather than one, and inside you can see that Yoda's pants are sculpted wrapped around each leg.  It's not as interesting as the pants and boots on other figures, but hey, it's Yoda.   This set makes me wish there was a better modern Hasbro Dagobah playset, but such is life - it's nice, I like it, and for the price I think you'll get your money's worth.

Collector's Notes: I got this from Entertainment Earth.  This set started appearing in stores late in March.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,138: April 6, 2015

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,137: TIE Pilot (Star Wars Rebels Saga Legends)

TIE PILOT Animated Version
Star Wars Rebels Saga Legends
Item No.: Asst. A3857 No. A9376
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #SL13
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $5.99
Availability: February 2015
Appearances: Star Wars Rebels

Bio: TIE pilots are specially trained to fly TIE starfighters in battle and on missions for the Empire. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Commentary: With no regular TIE Fighters on the market - and there have been none for a while - the TIE Pilot is a curious choice for this line.  I'm not complaining - it's a neat figure, but it's another one of those oddities. I  was really expecting newer, smaller, cheaper TIE Fighters to go with the pilot which is not only available on this single card, but also in a snazzy 2-pack with a Stormtrooper for ten bucks.  (Hasbro, this is a good idea.)

The figure is perfectly good, although the coloring might not be quite right.   The new pilot matches what we usually know about pilots - they're black, the suit is sparse, there are buttons, and there's a nice belt buckle.  The figure is a matte black with glossy gloves, boots, and helmet... but on the package, it looks like a grey flight suit.  There are definitely grey pilots on the show, but it looks like there might also be both - so I can't knock this figure for being "wrong" as it might be right.  I wish they picked another reference photo for the packaging, but such is life.

The sculpt is pretty good with an exaggerated helmet and the 5 joints you come to expect from these figures.  He has no problems standing or sitting in most vehicles - the lack of knees means he can't fit in any TIE Fighter with the retooled "ejector seat" cockpit, which I believe means the last TIE Fighter that can be used with this figure was released around 2007  or 2008.   That may as well be a lifetime ago, considering that the target market for toys (as toys) is boys ages 4-11 and today's 11 year old was born in 2004 and very likely wouldn't have had a crack at a TIE Fighter with the right kind of seat in his or her lifetime as a consumer.

But I digress - the figure has Empire symbols on his helmet and shoulders, or at least I think it does.  The helmet looks like an Empire symbol when I zoom in and my eyes ain't that good.  The shoulders are tough to see so I'll give it the "good enough for $6" squint.  While I do admire and need a good attention to detail, I guess once I can't tell if a figure is right or wrong with my own eyes it doesn't matter.  Or I'm too old to be writing a column like this one.  Either way, the figure scratches that 1982 Kennery itch and continues a possible proud tradition of figures that aren't quite the right color.  At $20 that'd make me angry, but at $6 I find mistakes arguably more interesting and charming.  If he really should have had a grey suit, well, it's a fun curiosity rather than being yet another figure that turned out pretty well.   And even as an error it will look right to most fans, which at this price point is probably the most important thing Hasbro can do.

Collector's Notes: I got this from Entertainment Earth.  I started seeing this wave at Target and Toys R Us so far.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,137: April 3, 2015

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,136: Commander Bly (Star Wars Rebels Saga Legends)

COMMANDER BLY with the helmet still wrong
Star Wars Rebels Saga Legends
Item No.: Asst. A3857 No. B1112
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #SL26
Includes: 2 blasters
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $5.99
Availability: March 2015
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: Due to the changeover to multilingual packaging, there is no bio nor is there space for a bio.  Viva globalism.

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Commentary: You can skip Commander Bly and no one will fault you.   A mix of new and old parts, this isn't a bad figure but while the other ones in this simplified style usually do a good job representing the character as best it can, this one doesn't.   It's very similar to Captain Rex from last year in that it has blasters and holsters, but it has a unique pauldron and a new head with removable (yes!) binoculars.  However (no!) the binoculars are not articulated - and it probably wouldn't have cost them a lot to make the pegs round, rather than square, to do this.

Deco is where this figure falls apart for me - Hasbro set expectations for what a Saga Legends Clone is in 2013, and that's a figure with a head that's probably too small on a torso that's probably too bulky, but it's OK - they're fun.  This one got some of the detailing right, but they didn't paint the visor in the binoculars. That looks bad.  They did paint the dark yellow/brown on the pauldron, but neglected to paint the stripe down the middle of the helmet that color.  A variant of the 2005 Bly had that stripe, and Hasbro has repeatedly set "we'll get it right next time" since then.  Every 3 3/4-inch Bly since then, they forgot to put it back.   You might not care and if you don't care or notice that is totally fine - but it bugs me given how many times fans and Hasbro have talked on this issue in various panels and Q&A sessions.  They didn't paint the mouth on the helmet, which is visible.  They did paint the visor on the helmet, which is covered by the binoculars.  Does this make sense to anyone?

The figure has no problems standing or sitting, and the binoculars can be easily removed off of their pegs.   Normally in this line I am quick to forgive little absences like the unpainted armband or the missing shoe stripes, but the brown helmet stripe just seems like a problem.  Had Hasbro said "We'll probably never do it," or "Budgets. Am I right?" over the last decade I'd just shrug and say they did their best.  The missing mouth, though, I just can't smile and say that this is a great figure.  It's a cheap Bly if you need one, and it's as fun as the other Clones in terms of play value, but even for a cheapo figure it could be better.     Given that Toys R Us is asking $8 for this series nowadays, I suggest you go to Amazon or eBay and spring $10-$15 for the 2005 Commander Bly.  It has more guns, more articulation, and more paint.  Granted, that one can't sit but odds are you didn't buy this one to sit in a vehicle.   If you can find the brown stripe variant of the 2005 version, all the better, but really either version is more charming and generally a better buy than this one at the new higher prices.  Unless you're a completist like I am, in which case just buy it and shrug that you'll probably never see Hasbro get that helmet right again.

Collector's Notes: I got this from Entertainment Earth.  I have not seen this wave in stores yet.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,136: April 2, 2015