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 2,375: Kylo Ren (6-Inch Value Figure)

KYLO REN Titan Guardians-Esque
The Force Awakens "Dollar Store" 6-Inch Figure
Item No.: Asst. B3946 No. B3949
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.75?
Availability: Fall 2015, Mexico/Australia
Appearances: The Force Awakens

Bio:  A dark warrior strong with the Force, Kylo Ren commands First Order missions with a temper as fiery as his unconventional lightsaber.  (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Commentary:  It seems Kylo Ren sells well.  This particular version hasn't been offered in the USA as of yet, it's a 6-inch tall figure with jointed arms and a moving waist.  The neck is a separate joint too, but the hood hangs over his back preventing movement.   Thanks to his distinctive build the figure is a bit hollow - and I do mean that literally - but he stands without any fuss and can hold his lightsaber.  Too bad you're going to have to go overseas or do lots of networking to find one, as it scarcely shows up on the electronic bay or online toy sellers since most people aren't even aware it exists.

This take on Ben Solo seems to be derived from Kylo Ren [FOTD #2,229] from 2015, with some similar details in how the robes are positioned - particularly around the feet - with with tweaks to the hands and deco.  The tattered hood/cape is still here, as is the distinctive mask.  His belt buckle is left unpainted, but glossy black paint was added to the boots, gloves, belt, and helmet to add a little more "oomph" to the otherwise one-color figure.  I'm actually kind of annoyed they left the belt buckle unpainted... not because we probably wouldn't miss it, because it's pretty much the only thing left to do to make this figure almost perfect (for what it is.)

The whole cloaked Darth mummy thing works pretty well here as it usually does, with the crossguard lightsaber fitting perfectly in his hand and, if you ask me, looking better than most other of Hasbro's takes on the weapon as an action figure accessory.  The energy spills out of the emitters, and even though the hilt is only painted one shade of grey it still looks superb.     I just wish you could turn his head.

For six bones, it's magnificent.  For ten dollars, you could just as easily get the 12-inch figure.  For more than that, odds are you'd be better served getting a big Jakks Pacific figure or Hasbro's The Black Series release - especially if the latter is on markdown still somewhere near you.   Were this at Big Lots! near you right now, I'd say run out and buy yourself one because it's cheap, sizable, and would look great as a work decoration.  Especially because at $6, if it gets stolen,  you wouldn't freak out - but it's not $6, it's a scarce international collectible now.   I'm glad I got mine, and I hope Hasbro continues to pump these out, slowly, over the coming years.

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 2,375: June 5, 2017

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,367: First Order Snowtrooper Officer (The Force Awakens)

FIRST ORDER SNOWTROOPER OFFICER and Snap Wexley
The Force Awakens 2-Packs
Item No.: Asst. B3955 No.  B5895
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, rocket, launcher, Snap Wexley, blaster
Action Feature: Working holster, spring-loaded hook rocket
Retail: $14.99
Availability: January 2016
Appearances: The Force Awakens

Bio: The latest generation of cold-weather assault Stormtroopers, Snowtroopers wear advanced insulated armor and helmets that reduce the glare of icy 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:  Blah  blah blah First Order Snowtrooper Officer.  With the confirmation that The Vintage Collection is coming back, you really have to examine some of the figures from The Force Awakens and Rogue One in new context - like "was the original good enough," and "if we get a new version, do I want to buy all the flavors again for more joints?"  In this case I'd say the initial figures were pretty good, and if they're going to cost us $13-$15 to get them with more joints I am only too happy to keep the black pauldron trooper I have now.  I don't necessarily need an upgrade.

For a figure with only 5 joints, Hasbro did a good job here.  The Snowtrooper Officer has a removable black pauldron, a removable backpack, a swell blaster, and can sit.  This is pretty much all I ask for when the price is right - two figures for $15 is a pretty acceptable price, with the markdowns available online making this a sweet set for the money.  The trooper can stand or sit in his First Order Snowspeeder without a fight, and the waistcoat doesn't get in the way of play or display.  Sure, the pose is boring, but it's not like these guys saw a ton of action on Starkiller Base in the final cut of the movie.  The deco is sound, with the hest markings in place and a shoulder marking too.  It's mostly an unpainted white plastic figure, save for a belt, the helmet, and a couple of other bells and whistles.   If you wanted a cheap figure to army build, this is it - there's not a lot too it and it doesn't disappoint.  He stands, he grips his blaster, and he doesn't fall over backward after standing on my desk for a year.  This is a good figure.  It is not a great figure.

You more or less get your money's worth here, and odds are Hasbro is preparing a more complex version of it as I write this.  Why wouldn't they?  We're suckers for vintage packaging and troopers, so they could easily trot out four or more of these in the next few years.   If they don't, it's possible the existing versions will be somewhat desirable given the lack of an alternative, but nobody seems to care too much yet.   If we ever get evidence that Hasbro will formally "move on," like we've seen with The Clone Wars, I could see fans getting antsy that they missed this one - but given its current asking price on Amazon of under $8 for a 2-pack, that may be a ways off.   I'd recommend this one for now, but keep an eye out for something better.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth a million years ago.


--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,367: May 8, 2017

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,366: Snap Wexley (The Force Awakens)

SNAP WEXLEY and First Order Snowtrooper Officer
The Force Awakens 2-Packs
Item No.: Asst. B3955 No.  B5895
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, rocket, launcher, Snowtrooper, blaster
Action Feature: Working holster, spring-loaded hook rocket
Retail: $14.99
Availability: January 2016
Appearances: The Force Awakens

Bio: An ace X-wing fighter pilot for the Resistance, Snap Wexley undertook the vital recon mission that confirmed the location of the Starkiller weapon, and flew in the assault against the abominable weapon. (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:  Let it never be said that Hasbro doesn't listen.  Fans want lots of Rebel (and Resistance) Pilots, so we got Snap Wexley early on along with Poe Dameron and Asty.   One one hand, that's cool - but on another, it's not.  The figures borrow heavily from the aesthetics of the original 1979 Luke Skywalker (X-Wing Pilot) figure with limited articulation and a non-removable helmet, plus the indignity of an opaque yellow visor.  It's not pretty.   It's consistent so far, but it wouldn't stun me to see newer, better versions of these figures as Hasbro starts to get in to The Vintage Collection in 2018.  

Snap's got no problems standing, but sitting provides a challenge - he's a thicker man, so the design needs to account for the hip joints swinging forward.  As he is, the legs are stopped by his crotch region pretty quickly.  He won't be able to sit in an X-Wing, even if he could fit in it - and you'll recall Hasbro's X-Wings for The Force Awakens were a tight squeeze for even smaller figures than this one.   The sculpting seems on par with the rest of the line, featuring generous detail work translating a cloth flight suit to plastic.  The vest has lots of detail too, and a swell Resistance logo on the flight vest.  The cable connects the chest box to his pocket, plus he's even got a working holster for his blaster.   I love the deco on the helmet, but the flesh is pale and the beard is weird.  This is an ideal figure for buying, putting on the shelf, and then never touching again.

I'm not a big fan of the grappling hook gun - I don't know why it's here, and I have a strong dislike for most of The Force Awakens' bonus weapons.  Rogue One figures had rocket launchers that better fit the spirit of the film - this one just looks like someone cobbled together something because they were on deadline and Disney wouldn't get them reference material.  (I'd bet money this is actually what happened.)    The grip is positioned so that Snap can carry it like a briefcase, not exactly holding it up or aiming it at someone.   This is good, because the figure can hold it on a flat surface and not topple over.  This is bad, because it's the antithesis of being an action-oriented figure.  It looks like he's just lugging it around Comic-Con.

The set wasn't a huge hit - you can get it on Amazon for about half price.  Hasbro has a weird habit of releasing the characters that benefit from the movie early on, with some of the weirder ones after the movie comes out.  Thing is, fans are more likely to buy anything without knowing if it matters or not prior to seeing the film, whereas after the movie is the only time they'll probably understand why they want that Finn or Jyn or whoever.  This was a good set for fans - a trooper and a new pilot are a great combo pack.   It's just that the figure could be better with a removable helmet, better face paint, or better articulation.  For $8 or less get one.  For $15 or more, I'd say you can wait it out.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth a million years ago.


--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,366: May 3, 2017

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,365: First Order Stormtrooper (The Force Awakens Value 6-Inch Figures)

FIRST ORDER STORMTROOPER Titan Guardians-Esque
The Force Awakens "Dollar Store" 6-Inch Figure
Item No.: Asst. B3946 No. B3950
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:  Equipped with sleek armor and powerful weapons, the Stormtroopers enforce the will of the First Order.  (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Commentary:  I really wish that this particular First Order Stormtrooper - currently exclusive to non-US markets - makes it out here.  Why? Cheap troop builder.  The 6-inch action figure stands at attention with only 4 points of articulation, but it's about $6.   It stands the same size as the $20-$25 super-articulated The Black Series figures, so on a shelf full of figures it'd be great to have these cheap guys to flesh out an army.   Of course, for the time being these cheap ones are harder to get than the super-articulated figures.  Oh well.

The import has swivel shoulders, a rotating neck, and a swivel waist.    It's light but sturdy, a figure that stands with no real problems and a blaster fused to his fist.  Unlike the black/white blaster in the movie, this one is all black - basically classic Stormtrooper colors.   The paint is pretty good, as the white plastic figure has a fair amount of black details.  Most of the exposed body suit bits are decorated, but for some reason the back of the shoulder joints were not - and it's pretty obvious.    The helmet could probably use a little more paint, but the product isn't bad as it is - you can see the corners they cut to keep the price relatively low.  Of course, in the USA a figure of this size would be $6 or $7, and the 12-inch figure of similar quality would be $10.  So that'd be the better buy.

If these were sold in the USA, I'd recommend you go out and buy a shelf full of them to hang out with Kylo Ren and menace your other sequel trilogy figures.   At this point it's possible the same exact suit will be used in The Last Jedi and Hasbro could bring this figure out to the USA in a new box, mixed in with the other hard-to-find 6-inch figures from the very same assortment.  But we don't know these things.

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 2,365: May 1, 2017

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,364: Darth Maul (The Force Awakens 6-Inch Value Figures)

DARTH MAUL Titan Guardians-Esque
The Force Awakens "Dollar Store" 6-Inch Figure
Item No.: Asst. B3946 No. B9892
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: 2 hilts, 2 blades
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.00
Availability: December 2016
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio:  A powerful and ferocious Sith Lord warrior trained by Darth Sidious, Darth Maul wields an intimidating double-sided lightsaber.. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Commentary:  It's kind of amazing that the biggest legacy of The Phantom Menace is the character with the least dialogue.   Darth Maul is pretty much the only aspect of that movie to survive mostly unscathed, which is impressive given his bisection at the film's climax.   He looked cool, and dammit he needed to - the Jedi heroes were largely bores, everybody seemed to wear gowns, long coats, and robes, and the movie's centerpiece was a race that gives new meaning to "show-stopping."   Fans latched on to Maul, and naturally he had to go - but he's been resurrected a few times, becoming the prequel era's Boba Fett.  Maul even came back in The Clone Wars giving him an arc that brought him in to Rebels - but most of the toys still center around The Phantom Menace, including this "value" 6-inch action figure.  It's basically the same size and proportions as The Black Series release with less articulation, no soft goods, and a preposterously cheaper price point.  Seriously, $6.  $6!

It'll be a great stand-in for your 6-inch figure shelf if you missed the 2013 super-articulated Maul - or if you want to display that figure with his full robes and hooded head, and want an alternate costume version hanging around.   As far as I can tell this sculpt isn't the same as the other ones, which is nifty given how many figures seem to be derived from the same digital sculpts these days.  The figure has a decent Ray Park head and amazing robe textures, plus slick black boots.   Courtesy of his oh-so-black duds, glossy black paint has been added to his boots, gloves, and belt to add some level of contrast in a sea of darkness.  The arms, neck, and waist rotate freely and both hands have no problems gripping his lightsaber - combined, or halved.  I love how he stands with no problems, making him an ideal desk figure.

Maul has the fanciest weapon of the format - the lightsaber is completely unpainted but splits in two with removable blades.  This is fancy - fancier than many of the 1999 Maul figures, at a fraction of the price.  The only place he comes up short is deco.  The heads of every sample I see have a little red "ding" on his nose which looks weird, and I'll probably touch up with a black marker after this review.  The horns are only partially painted - the front ones are, but the ones on the back of his head were left unpainted to keep costs down.  The lightsaber's hilt is also completely grey, which was unusual for Hasbro.  Maul figures usually have red or black buttons and switches on the hilt to add some color to the otherwise bland silver pole.  This one isn't silver, but grey.  You might want to paint it.

I got my money's worth - it's a nice figure for the price, offering a worthwhile size and just enough detail to not be terrible.  The plastic quality feels like a plussed up McDonalds toy, but I'm fine not having to necessarily eat the food.  (More time to go to Lenny's.)   Based on the Disney-era figures, I assume we'll likely never see a figure from The Phantom Menace for Maul to fight.  If we do, it'd probably be Qui-Gon Jinn but I sincerely doubt it'd be soon or ever.  If you stumble on this one at $6 or $7, get it - I've seen so few since its release last year that I don't know if we'll see a ton more.   Maybe you're luckier than I am, but I rarely see these up for sale on eBay or Amazon either.  It's one of those weird little Hasbro figure items that you don't know and don't care that you don't have.

Collector's Notes: I got mine at a Big Lots last year - she shipped with Rey.  I've seen these figures maybe one or two more times since - they don't seem to be particularly easy to find, but the assortments of this kind of figure hit Dollar General, Family Dollar, and Big Lots in my neck of the woods.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,364: April 27, 2017

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,363: Rey (The Force Awakens 6-Inch Value Figures)

REY Titan Guardians-Esque
The Force Awakens "Dollar Store" 6-Inch Figure
Item No.: Asst. B3946 No. B9891
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, hilt
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.00
Availability: December 2016
Appearances: The Force Awakens

Bio:  Rey is a resilient survivor, a scavenger toughened by a lifetime of dealing with the cutthroats of the harsh desert world of Jakku. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Commentary:  This is a 6-inch Rey figure with limited articulation - I'd say it feels like a really good, really big Burger King toy.   She has jointed shoulders, a jointed neck, and a jointed waist.   Rey seems to be derived of the same basic digital sculpt that formed the basis of numerous other products, which is good and bad.  One one hand, she has a decent likeness and a better-than-expected paint job on her head.  On the other, she feels a little hollow.

The figure is light on decoration - and mass - as you'll see with a tan dress sporting minimal contrast.  A brown belt and shoes do a good job breaking up the sea of single color, and her skin has been painted surprisingly evenly on her hands, neck, face, lower legs, and upper arms.    With more paint, this would be an amazing figure - as is, it's still decent.

Rey has no problems standing or holding the lightsaber, but can't actually do much of anything. This makes her a decent collectible sized to fit in with your The Black Series toys - at least in terms of scale.  When it comes to deco and articulation, this is more or less a great toy for kids.   It's a shame she wasn't easier to find - heck, I'm not even sure if she's rare or not since the assortment is so scarce - but it's a big, cheap Rey that you wish you had a year ago.  What really surprised me was the lightsaber - not only is it removable from her hand, but the blade pops out of the hilt.  It's also the darkest blue lightsaber I think I've seen on a Hasbro action figure.    It's not opaque, but it is fairly dark.  The hilt is a slightly different take on the classic "Skywalker hilt," as the top isn't tapered - it's flat.  The blade plugs right in, and the grip is completely undecorated.

This is by no means the most impressive or most fantastic figure in this style, but it is the only girl so far.  Hasbro didn't take any shortcuts in terms of delivering a figure that looks like Rey with an appropriate amount of personality, and thankfully there's a fancier version for fans wanting The Black Series levels of accessories and decoration. And BB-8.   I like this one enough to hope Hasbro cranks out some more, and I've been haunting those lower-level discount chains hoping to see Jyn Erso, a classic Stormtrooper, or any character that might translate nicely to the "cheap kid toy" format.   If you see Rey for six bucks, she's worth your while to snag mostly because I doubt most people are going to see her anywhere, ever.

Collector's Notes: I got mine at a Big Lots last year - she shipped with Darth Maul.  I've seen these figures maybe one or two more times since - they don't seem to be particularly easy to find, but the assortments of this kind of figure hit Dollar General, Family Dollar, and Big Lots in my neck of the woods.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,363: April 25, 2017

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 2,357: First Order Snowtrooper (The Force Awakens Value 6-Inch)

FIRST ORDER SNOWTROOPER Titan Guardians-Esque
The Force Awakens "Dollar Store" 6-Inch Figure
Item No.: Asst. B3946 No. B3951
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Dedicated blaster, removable backpack
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.75?
Availability: Fall 2015, Mexico/Australia
Appearances: The Force Awakens

Bio:  The latest generation of cold-weather assault Stormtroopers, Snowtroopers wear advanced insulated armor helmets that reduce the glare of icy terrain.  (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Commentary:  While I'm extraordinarily fond of this figure format, the 6-inch First Order Snowtrooper seems to feel more like what you might expect when you hear "cheap 6-inch figure for export markets."   It has a good center of gravity - this means he can point the blaster while remaining standing - but it's hollow with softer detailing and not all the paint applications you might want on your faceless troopers.   Interestingly, it did see release before the 6-inch  The Black Series action figure, but not by much.  This is a neat discount collectible, but not much of a display piece.

The sculpt seems to be pretty much the same as the various 3 3/4-inch versions of the trooper with minor changes.  You'll notice less sculpted detail in the backpack, for example.   Why the change?  I have no idea - I can't imagine it has to do with actual cost.  Most of the folds and wrinkles are in the same place, and you get a better look at the kama sculpt and how it would have allowed for a great range of motion were the figure not just one big piece from the waist joint down.   It feels hollow and light, with only three more points of articulation at the neck and each shoulder.   He stands there and looks neat, sized to fit with your more expensive figures if you can get past the lack of paint.


One big change is that the pouches on the kama were moved forward slightly, but this may not be immediately obvious.   Jakks Pacific's big 20-inch Snowtrooper is similarly sculpted.  The McQuarrie-esque markings below the neck on the armor are left unpainted, as is the black stripe that goes around the back and sides of its helmet.  Interestingly, the straps around the boots are still painted black while the markings on the shoulders are left off entirely.   Much like Finn, the Snowtrooper blaster is decorated differently than the movie - you'll notice more black on it, with fewer separate markings overall.  I think it looks great, visually speaking, but it's not authentic and it's not like you can swap it out without power tools.

I thought I was going to say "Oh, you can skip this" without reservations - but here I am, somewhat enamored by its off-model deco and different-than-other-Hasbro-figure pouches.   On a shelf with other First Order figures, this release would add some variety at a lower price.  With any luck, it'll see distribution following the sequel line's launch this year.  It's probably more likely that this one will just vanish and be forgotten, except for those who can't not have one and lurk on eBay until the itch is scratched.  If you can score it for $10 or less, it's neat.  I'd even say $20 or less is worthwhile, although once you get the small, efficient box in your hands you'd probably scream bloody murder about how you got ripped off.  They're astonishingly small and less wasteful compared to most American toys, which is sort of gleefully upsetting.

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 2,357: April 4, 2017

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,340: Unkar Plutt (The Force Awakens Line Look)

UNKAR PLUTT Junk Boss
The Force Awakens   Desert and Snow Figures
Item No.: Asst. B3963 No. B6340
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: "Combine" claw, blaster, removable arm
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99  
Availability: January 2016
Appearances: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Bio: The junk boss of Jakku, Unkar runs a profitable business stealing, scavenging, and selling scrap on the desert world. If defied, he calls upon his gang of desert thugs to take what he wants.  (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 Unkar Plutt for a while - he's been on my desk for months, and I want to move him to his new home.   This is a really neat figure, mostly because it incorporates some fun features.   For starters, you can rip his arm out of his socket - this is most likely due to a scene that was actually shot where Chewbacca, uh, disarms him in a fight.   You can replace the arm with the "Cobmine" weapon - a larger claw that just happens to exactly fit the missing limb's footprint.   It's the kind of classic Kenner thinking that's brilliant and wonderful, and I hope we see a lot more of it.  There's a problem, and a solution - and you can also use the claw to put together some dumb tripod rocket launcher thing that looks like a bad high school art class "found object" sculpture.

The figure itself is pretty good, it looks a bit like the movie.  The blobfish who surfaced too quickly is big and pink, but not hugely tall - in the movie he's not exactly huge either.  Much like Jabba the Hutt, he stands higher than others behind a desk so size comparisons are tough to suss out unless you see the aforementioned deleted scene where he's basically the same size as Rey.   The texture on the skin and shirt are great, the bizarre armor plate is good, and the colors are basically as good as you can expect from Hasbro's encheapened figure line.  Thanks to the removable arm, he has six points of articulation.

You may disagree, but I think this is one of Hasbro's better executed figures.  The armor that rolls down the front of his body is nice and flexible so he can sit with it.  The legs swing forward and unlike many corpulent plastic gentlemen his legs don't have a v-crotch.  The armos swing forward nicely, and it gives us something Simon Pegg probably always wanted - a Star Wars figure of himself.  And residuals.   Presumably.

The plug-in arm is cool, and has three jointed claws.  You wouldn't miss it if Hasbro left it out, but it's a far more interesting accessory than most of what we got for The Force Awakens.  It's not the most Star Wars-y thing ever, but it serves a function to this figure specifically, building on a (deleted) story idea.  Unkar Plutt will probably have both arms when he appears next time, but I have to say I appreciate Hasbro giving kids a way to play out the (again, deleted) scene and also put him back together again so he can still play.   The figure was designed prior to the film's release, so it's sort of a deleted scene figure - just not intentionally.   He was a slow seller in 2016 and he's starting to vanish - get him if you still can, he's swell.


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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,340: February 1, 2017