Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,115: Paige (Resistance Gunner, The Last Jedi Line Look)

PAIGE Resistance Gunner
The Last Jedi Basic Figure Teal Assortment
Item No.: Asst. C1531 No. C1538
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, helmet
Action Feature: Force Link sounds
Retail: $8.99
Availability: September 2017
Appearances: The Last Jedi

Bio: Paige Tico, nicknamed Pae-Pae by her sister, was a human female who served as a gunner on a MG-100 StarFortress SF-17 in the Resistance during their conflict with the First Order. (Stolen from Wookieepedia. Packaging has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: When making toys from an unreleased movie, you're at the mercy of your licensor - hopefully you get some sort of access to the script, the sets, and indeed any part of the filmmakers you can get. Before a new movie is released, most toys are equals - Constable Zuvio, Finn, Rey, and Poe Dameron were all on the same footing. The same was true in 2017 when we got Resistance Gunner Paige, who could be a major character in the movie. Or not. It turns out the character was not a major player in the movie - heck, most of the movie line's figures were a mix of repeats - ad it didn't help that Paige and Rose shipped together in matching mustard-colored Resistance uniforms. Fans were not excited - heck, she sat unopened on a peg in my basement until last month (along with a few other figures from the sequel era) because we've had a ton of things to review and sometimes, things just keep getting kicked down the road. And that was about five and a half years ago.

Before the movie, this was an interesting new pilot figure with a cool helmet. And after the movie, none of that changed as we saw a character have a brief, appearance that served as a way to help define her sister Rose Tico. In a movie year, it's always a little upsetting when your "sneak preview" figures wind up being of little consequence in the grand scheme of things. The sculpting is really good, with Paige having that somehow form-fitting-yet-baggy look that seems to show signs of wear, but without the painted weathering. The vest is a light gray, and every bit of her clothing has the illusion of feeling used and old despite being shiny and new. I'm impressed. She also had a Resistance (or Rebel if you're nasty) symbol on her sleeve and a vaguely familiar checkerboard pattern on her removable helmet. The face sculpt is good, and the face deco is pretty great for pre-Photo Real. I would love to see more paint on the straps and buckles, but at least her leg straps and boots are painted. For her time, this was a pretty great figure in a time where The Vintage Collection was on hiatus.

Her pose is typical of the time - skinny, straight limbs that swing forward with no problems whatsoever. I assume many people in their 40s (or 50s) will turn their nose up at this figure, but the only complaint I had would be getting the mask on her chest plugged in to her removable helmet. It's a great feature, but it's really hard to get it in there and to have it hold in place despite having pegs. She has no problems holding her blaster, and the helmet fits like a glove. Or helmet. It's a good fit, is where I'm going, and you may as well leave the mask off so you can see the face.

I assume the dud of a toy line that was The Rise of Skywalker pumped the brakes on future generations of fans collecting sequel toys later, as it didn't quite come in for the kind of landing we saw with Star Wars originally in The Power of the Force line or the numerous victory laps we saw from Revenge of the Sith figures. The Last Jedi had an action figure series I would call acceptable, Solo had a good enough one, but there weren't a lot of thrilling or weird figures to be had. Paige is aggressively well-engineered, nicely-sculpted and decorated, priced more or less fairly... but she's another boring human. The main thing she had going for her at the time of release was that she was one of very few new characters in the line, and today, I would probably bet you $50 she'll never have another action figure in the next five to ten years. Or longer. She's cheap if you can find her at a comic shop and I doubt you'll find the figure disappointing unless you just don't want another pilot figure. I'd love to see Hasbro make more figures at around this price point and level of quality for a modern audience.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth in 2017. They are long sold out... but there's a nonzero chance a 99 Cents Only store near you might have a few dusty ForceLink-era figures on their pegs.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,115: March 12, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,597: Resistance A-Wing Pilot (The Last Jedi Line Look)

RESISTANCE A-WING PILOT with Resistance A-Wing Fighter (Red Squadron)
The Last Jedi Exclusive (technically released with Solo, also it's complicated)
Item No.:   No. E2265
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster pistol, vehicle, projectiles, figure
Action Feature: Force Link sounds
Retail: $7.99
Availability: Spring 2019
Appearances: The Last Jedi

Bio: A longtime reliable starfighter model used by the Resistance that dates back to the struggle between the Empire and the Rebellion, the A-Wing is a nimble, wedge-shaped fighter propelled to incredible speeds by large twin engines. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: There are complications, and there are complications.   This Resistance A-Wing Pilot is a variation on Resistance Pilot Tallie [FOTD #2,407] - it's a redeco with a new head.  Fun story I can't tell at length - this was not the original intended pack-in, nor did this item have a smooth ride to market.  There were rumors of where it would be sold, and changes, and other stuff - this was a toy that clearly did not want to get released.  It did eventually escape to closeout shelves, getting dumped at Ross for $7.99 despite another intended home for it - but that's a long story I can't tell right now.

The nameless dark green suited figure probably isn't meant to be Pammich Nerro Goode, and I am unable to find the identity or reference for the outfit in my limited resources on-hand.     The helmet is now in blue, with a darker orange visor, and a newly-sculpted head with a slightly different face and different hair coming out of the back of the helmet.  She has 5 points of articulation and a blaster, making this a unique character but probably not one you can name just yet.   The paint is nice and clean, it's unique, but it's not a character I can identify or point to in a book just yet.  Maybe you can.  I'm glad she got a new head, but it's not like I needed either this ship or its pilot. I'm just a sucker for A-Wings.

Force Link Notes: "Reporting in, Squadron Leader." "The enemy is on the move."  "I've located the targets."  "Concentrate fire on the enemy position."  With the ship, it's "Firmware update required."  Never change, Force Link 2.0.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Ross.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,597: June 25, 2019

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,503: C'ai Threnalli (The Last Jedi Line Look)

C'AI THRENALLI Talking Edition
The Last Jedi Force Link Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. C1503  No. E0524
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Helmet, blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $10.99
Availability: June 2018
Appearances: The Last Jedi

Bio: C'ai Threnalli[2] was an Abednedo male who flew in the Resistance Starfighter Corps of the Resistance's military during their conflict with the First Order.  This 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:  This is a figure I wasn't sure if people would want - at work, we picked it up after Hasbro dropped it from the US mainline.  C'ai Threnalli looked like a slightly better Ello Asty at first glance - this time with a removable helmet and no holster.  The figure had a bit more to offer than sounds and new joints, and has proven to be pretty popular.  (I've seen the sales figures.  This should be the first one to sell out.)

The arms seem to be derived from the same digital sculpt as Asty, as do parts of the torso - the vest matches the wrinkles on the older figure in spots quite closely.   It's a safe bet Disney and Lucasfilm are giving Hasbro some digital assets while not being afraid to tweak existing models.   Threnalli has articulated wrists and boots either as a forward-thinking way to fit in future vehicles, or as a cost-cutting measure to avoid having to paint those pieces by molding them in color. I assume the latter.  It's a nice feature though - I'll take articulation any way I can get it!  The helmet is rubbery and is a perfect fit on his head, which is sculpted surprisingly well with a lot of detail.  

It looks better than a lot of the other The Last Jedi figures, which kind of is unfortunate as it had more limited availability.  It's similar, but different, and certainly good enough to warrant your attention with extra flight straps and definitely new legs.  C'ai, along with Maz Kanata, a Flametrooper, and Emperor Palpatine were all bumped from the main line but all found homes somewhere.  (The single Palpatine was sold overseas, and in 3-packs at Target.)  I think they're all decent for different reasons.   If you're a pilot fan, get one.

  "Got 'em."  "Come and get me!"  "Roger."  "We have a mission to complete."  "Come and get me!"  And blaster effects.  The voice is, obviously, not from the movie.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth.   This figure was originally slated to be a part of the first Force Link line for The Last Jedi but when the final wave got axed, this item was dumped in the USA.  It is a de facto USA Entertainment Earth exclusive.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,503: July 31, 2018

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,499: First Order Flametrooper (The Last Jedi Line Look)

FIRST ORDER FLAMETROOPER Talking Edition
The Last Jedi Force Link Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. C1503  No. E0521
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Thrower, backpack
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $10.99
Availability: June 2018
Appearances: The Last Jedi

Bio: Specialized Stormtroopers of the First Order, Flametroopers carry incendiary weapons that can transform any battlefield into an infernal blaze.  (Stolen from the 2015 figure packaging.  This 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:  Generally speaking I'm pretty fond of trooper figures, especially when new poses come in.  The surprising thing about the Flame Trooper is that he is a big improvement over The Force Awakens Flametrooper [FOTD #2,200].  Both have the same number of joints and appear to be cut from the same cloth, but the 2018 version has some improvements.  (Also I worked to bring these out to Entertainment Earth, so consider this your bias warning.)

First up, the white is glossier and seems almost painted all over - it's s harp.  The whites are brighter and shinier, with a few extra paint applications.  A line in the chest is painted, and the backpack has some red dots that weren't painted before.     The index fingers are white now rather than black, which is more consistent with the prop replicas and merchandise appearances.  A few panel lines and dots were left undecorated, but someone with a fine enough paintbrush or toothpick could probably touch it up pretty nicely.   Hasbro basically fixed a number of details from the 2015 release.

Despite only having 5 joints, they did improve the pose.  The arms are now both posed to hold the blaster with both hands, truer to the movie.  While not super-articulated, it's a heck of a nice improvement and arguably a better way to build an army.  You could probably get a few of each flavor and makes a nice display - the colors may not be a perfect match, though.   Given its status, I'd say it's worth getting.  But of course I'd tell you that.  If a better super-articulated one ever makes the rounds you'll likely want that, but with few unsightly joints and a decent flame-sweeping pose you still may wish to get one or two of this model.

Force Link Notes: "What are my orders?"  "Sir! Resistance fighters!"  "Call in the airstrike!"  And some flaming death noises - these are likely not from the movie.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth.   This figure was originally slated to be a part of the first Force Link line for The Last Jedi but when the final wave got axed, this item was dumped in the USA.  It is a de facto USA Entertainment Earth exclusive.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,499: July 17, 2018

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,491: Luke Skywalker (Hoth, The Last Jedi / Solo: A Star Wars Story Line Look)

LUKE SKYWALKER (Hoth) with Wampa
Solo: A Star Wars Story Force Link 2.0 Class A Vehicles
Item No.: Asst. E0325  No. E1689
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster pistol, lightsaber, wampa
Action Feature: Force Link 2.0 sounds, removable arm
Retail: $7.99
Availability: April 2018
Appearances: the Empire Strikes Back

Bio: Wampas are powerful, furred bipeds that dwell in the snowy wastes of the ice world Hoth.  These hulking predators have razor-sharp fangs and claws, yet move with surprising stealth, relying on their white fur for camouflage while hunting prey such as tauntauns.

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 it seemed like we got a Luke Skywalker (Hoth) recently, we did - we got a few.  In the past few years, we got a The Black Series one in 2014 and a 5-jointed one in 2015.   This one isn't the same as either - Hasbro took the same basic costume, but decorated it differently.  Neither version is necessarily superior, as each offers unique features with added (or missing) paint details.  

Recent super-articulated releases feature white hands, painted silver bits on the gloves, more silver details, and goggles.  There aren't any goggles here - but Luke's scarf is articulated, and that's a rare perk.   He looks pretty cool upside-down, plus his parka has a "skirt" now.    The soft plastic has enough give so he can sit, but there aren't any vehicles or tauntauns for him right now - so he'll just stand.     I like that they added the white trim to the boots, and the holster actually works - that's a nice perk.

Luke's head is painted pretty well, with clean scars and fleshy face  that certainly looks like Commander Skywalker.   The one thing I felt was missing was the silver on his rank badge - the three blue dots are there, but they left off the silver back.  I don't think a lot of people are going to notice it's missing at that size,

The weapons are a blaster and a lightsaber.  Neither have any problems fitting in Luke's hands, with a decent smaller pistol that easily slips in the holster.  Luke's lightsaber has a loop on the back, but there's no hook on which to hang it.   It's still decent.

I like this figure - I don't need it, and I assume you've probably got about a dozen Hoth Lukes if you've been doing this for a while.  It's basically true to the movie, and it has a great Wampa with it.  I wouldn't  necessarily recommend buying the set just for Luke - but as a complete set, it's great.

Packaging Notes: The box is a comical waste of space - it is mostly empty.  The Wampa is tucked behind a window showing Luke, so about 70% of the packaging is empty, wasted space - this happens a lot. Sometimes it's because an item is thin and log, but in this case it's just a huge waste of space.  A great toy, but the unboxing experience can be an important first impression - and this one has a great toy in a lousy, empty waste of a box.

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

Force Link Notes: "I'm looking for a great warrior."   "I won't fail  you.  I'm not afraid."  "There's something not right here.  I feel cold... death."  "You'll find I'm full of surprises."  "I can help them.  I feel the Force!"   And a bunch of lightsaber and deflect noises.  None of these are from Hoth - all are Dagbah or Bespin lines.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,491: June 18, 2018

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,487: Captain Phasma (First Order Disguise, The Last Jedi Line Look)

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

Bio: Phasma later ordered the death of Resistance members Finn and Rose Tico, when they were caught after being betrayed by their slicer DJ while attempting to infiltrate the Supremacy to disable a tracker.  (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:  One of the more popular figures from the first few year of the Disney era, Captain Phasma has precious little she can change about her costume.  Maybe we can get a vac-metal version, or perhaps the cracked helmet, but other than that all we really have are things like pose and articulation - and deco.   This de facto Entertainment Earth exclusive changes the pose while keeping the same basic sculpt from the Rogue One version, which is crisper.  What's really surprising is the improved deco, subtly improving an already good figure.

Let's start with deco. Most Phasma figures have silver paint on the helmet and torso, but swirly silver molded arms and legs.  This one paints the whole darned thing, with crisper helmet detailing which stays within the lines.   The cape is pretty much the same, but you'll probably appreciate how the black paint stays where it should and doesn't get at all blobby.  Subtle textures on the  mouth and shoulders remain, and if you didn't get the Rogue One line's 2-pack the improved sculpting bits here are going to be new to you. 

The legs are posed similarly to previous figures, but the arms are new.   I'm kind of surprised how well they work - you can use them to double-grip her rifle, and if you move them a bit she can also grip her pike with two hands.   I assumed she'd need wrist or elbow movements, but it turns out she can just hold everything.   I would not have guessed.  Leg articulation is slightly hindered by the belt, but as she has no ship in which to sit yet I'm not going to throw a fit over it.  It's fine, it's good enough - but seeing how they engineered the arms, we know Hasbro is capable of doing some pretty great things with only five joints.

She has no problem holding her rifle or pike.  The rifle can plug in to her thigh like a holster, and she has a bonus Force Link accessory - a backpack.  It makes cool noises, but if they dropped it and cut the price by a buck you'd not have missed it.   It also looks a lot like a rocket launcher, but there's no projectile and it doesn't actually shoot anything.  It's acceptable but surplus to requirements.

As 5-jointed Phasma figures go, this is the unquestioned champ.   The super-articulated one has more movement, but the bonus accessories and paint job here are about as good as we've seen so far.  Maybe Hasbro will come up with something better, but even if they don't it's enough of an improvement that I can recommend it without feeling like a shill.   (The Finn helps a bunch, though.)  Get her if you see this set at a price you like.

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

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

Force Link Notes: "On my command."   "Report to my division at once."  "Move to your ships now."  (The "Move to" is a little muffled and sounds kind of like a sexy moan.  Or maybe I'm just a pervert.)   "Fire!"   And a bunch of dueling buzzing pike  noises.  I assume that's what they are, anyway.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,487: June 4, 2018

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,485: Wampa (with Luke Skywalker, Solo/The Last Jedi Line Look)

WAMPA with Luke Skywalker (Hoth)
Solo: A Star Wars Story Force Link 2.0 Class A Vehicles
Item No.: Asst. E0325  No. E1689
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster pistol, bandolier
Action Feature: Force Link 2.0 sounds, removable arm
Retail: $7.99
Availability: April 2018
Appearances: the Empire Strikes Back

Bio: Wampas are powerful, furred bipeds that dwell in the snowy wastes of the ice world Hoth.  These hulking predators have razor-sharp fangs and claws, yet move with surprising stealth, relying on their white fur for camouflage while hunting prey such as tauntauns.

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary:  Nearly every decade, Hasbro (or Kenner) gives us a Wampa.  We got one in 1980, and 1997, and then another in 2004, and now another new one in 2018 - and it might be the best yet.  I love the simple cord arm-smack of the original, and the bloody arm stumps we've gotten since are neat - but I never really loved the bloody mouths.  This new one looks perfectly nice, and as far as I can tell it's a new sculpt with the most limb articulation on a 3 3/4-inch scale Wampa yet.  So it's a keeper.

Every time we get a new Wampa I'm a little disappointed no cave came with it - the last one had some ice chunks, this one doesn't.   It's just a big guy with Luke, but it's a good big guy.  The lfet shoulder, both elbows, knees, and ankles have ball joints with swivels at the neck, hips, and right shoulder.   This is about as good as these get, and the right shoulder can be sliced off with a bloody stump left behind.  The designers did a great job sculpting it and painting his horns, claws, slips teeth, toe beans, palms, and nose with a light dusting of yellow to imply shading and/or urine.  (Obviously, I'm kidding about that.)   The deco is about as good as we usually get, mostly because there's not a lot of room for improvement - at this point, the most dramatic change Hasbro could make would be to do a Wampa without facial blood. 

The main draws of this toy will be just having a toy of the Wampa - the last new mold was a while ago - and the sound chip. Since the new Force Link 2.0 band comes needing a Day 0 firmware update, I can't test it - but I can say that the elbow and knee joints make for a surprisingly new experience with a Wampa toy.  He can finally hunch over a bit to look like he might eat some Tauntaun, and I love that functionality is finally here.  After all, most of what we saw it do was smack Luke in the face and, in 1997, hunch over lunch. 

You no doubt have a few Wampa toys by now, but this may be one of the best.  I love the 2004 ice set-up, but as figures go this one has a better sculpt with more articulation and great deco.  I like the new face better too.   Shaggy, cute, mean, and just so gosh darn nifty, this is the best Wampa figure for the 3 3/4-inch collector.  If you ask me.  And you did, by reading this - it's just unfortunate that it's one per case with an assortment cramming yet another Rathtarr on store shelves.

Packaging Notes: This is a comical waste of space - the box is mostly empty.  The Wampa is tucked behind a window showing Luke, so about 70% of the packaging is empty, wasted space - this happens a lot. Sometimes it's because an item is thin and log, but in this case it's just a huge waste of space.  A great toy, but the unboxing experience can be an important first impression - and this one has a great toy in a lousy, empty waste of a box.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,485: May 28, 2018

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

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

Bio: Finn and Rose recruited a codebreaker named DJ to help them break into the Supremacy, but ended up worsening the Resistance's situation when DJ left them behind to be captured by Phasma. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.  Packaging has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

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

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

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

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

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

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,483: May 21, 2018

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,471: Rey (Crait Defense, The Last Jedi Line Look)

REY Crait Defense
The Last Jedi Home Video Battle on Crait 4-Pack
Item No.:    No. E0321
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: 4 figures, 4 blasters, poncho, lightsaber, staff
Action Feature: Force Link sounds
Retail: $24.99
Availability: February 2018
Appearances: The Last Jedi

Bio: At long last, Rey has found Luke Skywalker, the last Jedi Master in the Galaxy.   Hoping to find a hero of legend, she must unlearn what she has learned as Skywalker challenges her expectations.  (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:  "Just different to make you mad" has been a recurring theme here, especially since 2005 when Hasbro put a lot of toys in circulation in a short period of time.  And again in 2006.   And again in 2007.   "The same figure with dirt on its shoes" was a common thing, and this Rey does it with salt.  She's pretty much the same as Rey (Jedi Training) [FOTD #2,445], the made-in-China figure with less hip movement and better accessory detailing.    Love how her face is painted, it's a lot sharper and has a lot more personality than the single-carded Rey from last year.

Deco is sharp but it's pretty much the same as the carded figure, save for batch changes and one added point of decoration - salty boots.  Inspired by Bolivia, Rey has white on her shoes.   That's why this one is special - we've seen the same thing with R2-D2, Chewbacca, C-3PO, Darth Vader, and we've seen grass stains on Stormtroopers too.   I realize many may furrow their brow, but I applaud Hasbro for having actually made it different.   For the last two films, we got a Rey and a Jyn that looked pretty much the same.  This is not fun nor is it terribly interesting.   While I'd rather have a new figure, that wasn't an option.  A change beats no change, variations may not always be exciting but I'll take any sort of change rather than a third nearly identical Rey.   She's the least interesting part of the boxed set, but at least she is a little bit different.   If you see this set in a store, go ahead and snag one.  You're worth it.  For $25ish, the set is too.

Packaging Notes: This is a good box.   The footprint is the same as the previous Disney movie 4-packs, which were designed to be the same size as the digital download boxes a few years ago so a fan could collect them all on a shelf together.  This isn't widely promoted.  The box itself is much better than the rest of the 3 3/4-inch figure line, with a much better use of the space.  The back has bios for all four figures in multiple languages along with shots of figures that show them with (or without) their accessories, and there's no big use of white space like on the Kohl's set.  Hasbro did a great job here.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,471: April 11, 2018

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,470: First Order Walker Driver (The Last Jedi Line Look)

FIRST ORDER WALKER DRIVER Crait Defense
The Last Jedi Home Video Battle on Crait 4-Pack
Item No.:    No. E0321
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: 4 figures, 4 blasters, poncho, lightsaber, staff
Action Feature: Force Link sounds
Retail: $24.99
Availability: February 2018
Appearances: The Last Jedi

Bio: The First Order unleashes armored walkers into combat, manned by a crew of specialists coordinating the movements of the complex vehicles.  (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary:  The one bad thing about The Force Awakens being the trooper-iest movie in years is that The Last Jedi is a snooze by comparison.   The First Order Walker Driver is a new mold, but it's clearly derived from the First Order Snowtrooper sculpt we got several times since 2015.  It's not bad - it's just similar. 

The 5-jointed figure has a remarkably smooth neck ball joint and decent swivels at the shoulders and hips.  He can sit well - which would be great, had Hasbro made that Gorilla Walker from The Last Jedi.   The shiny white helmet is great, and the grey looks cool - not unlike the Coruscant Clone Troopers.   He's missing a flourish on the left shoulder, and possibly a few other details.  The pouches are off to the sides rather than the front of the hips, most likely to allow for easier leg movement. (I approve.)  He has no problems standing and looks perfectly fine.

I love that it's not identical to a figure I have, but I admit that it's close.  I would have loved a wholly new design with a new helmet or new colors - sort of like the AT-AT Driver looked vaguely like a white TIE Fighter pilot - but such is life.  Maybe Abrams and friends will dump new troopers galore on us for the next entry.   This figure is perfectly good - but not exciting.  Hasbro did a good job executing it, it's just kind of a boring design and that's no fault of the big H.

Packaging Notes: This is a good box.   The footprint is the same as the previous Disney movie 4-packs, which were designed to be the same size as the digital download boxes a few years ago so a fan could collect them all on a shelf together.  This isn't widely promoted.  The box itself is much better than the rest of the 3 3/4-inch figure line, with a much better use of the space.  The back has bios for all four figures in multiple languages along with shots of figures that show them with (or without) their accessories, and there's no big use of white space like on the Kohl's set.  Hasbro did a great job here.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,470: April 9, 2018

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,469: Rose (Crait Defense, The Last Jedi Line Look)

ROSE Crait Defense
The Last Jedi Home Video Battle on Crait 4-Pack
Item No.:    No. E0321
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: 4 figures, 4 blasters, poncho, lightsaber, staff
Action Feature: Force Link sounds
Retail: $24.99
Availability: February 2018
Appearances: The Last Jedi

Bio: Part of the support crew that keeps the Resistance starfighters flying, Rose has hated the First Order since she was a child.  Now able to fight back against the enemy, Rose keeps her focus on her mission.  (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary:  The costuming in The Last Jedi really strikes me as odd - some people wear the same clothes as the last movie, some change in front of our very eyes! The Rose (Crait Defense) figure wears the poncho we saw in the Resistance Ski Speeder at the end of the movie, and by that I mean you didn't notice it at all.   She went from a yellow speed suit to a First Order officer disguise to this.  Well, it's basically the disguise - her boots and pants are First Order-issue, while the white undershirt was probably there the whole time.  Why the poncho?  I have no idea.  Modesty?

The poncho is brown with little slices in it so she can swing her arms forward.  Each arm has a jointed wrist, and they're small hands unlike the meat paws we're used to getting.  She can hold her blaster easily, and it's a gunmetal silver take on the black ones we got with the yellow outfit figures.   The plastic poncho - oh, how I wish it was cloth - comes off when you pop her head off.   Underneath you can see her necklace, and she looks great.  Nothing looks too out of whack, the head sculpt is good, and the deco is as it should be.  What's better, she can sit!  The legs can swing forward and don't stop at some weird angle.  The hair is great, the face deco is wonderful, and she delivers a decent figure experience.  I'm amazed they bothered to make this costume, and I assume they were hedging their bets that she might be a phenomenon.  Like the movie, Rose seems to have received mixed reactions.  I enjoyed seeing her on-screen, even if she and Finn were dorks.

Hasbro did a good job with the figures in this line, even if you don't love the character choices.  The texture is good, te paint is sharp, and the likenesses are so good you have to assume someone forgot to tick a box to get Harrison Ford's face 30 years ago as the reason they all look... close.  But not exact.  This is a good set for the money, and a last hurrah for the line's retail support as it transitions to Force Link 2.0.  

Packaging Notes: This is a good box.   The footprint is the same as the previous Disney movie 4-packs, which were designed to be the same size as the digital download boxes a few years ago so a fan could collect them all on a shelf together.  This isn't widely promoted.  The box itself is much better than the rest of the 3 3/4-inch figure line, with a much better use of the space.  The back has bios for all four figures in multiple languages along with shots of figures that show them with (or without) their accessories, and there's no big use of white space like on the Kohl's set.  Hasbro did a great job here.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,469: April 4, 2018

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,465: First Order Gunner (The Last Jedi Line Look)

FIRST ORDER GUNNER Battle on Crait
The Last Jedi Home Video Battle on Crait 4-Pack
Item No.:    No. E0321
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: 4 figures, 4 blasters, poncho, lightsaber, staff
Action Feature: Force Link sounds
Retail: $24.99
Availability: February 2018
Appearances: The Last Jedi

Bio: The First Order Gunners crew the heavy weapons emplacements that dot the surfaces of cruisers and installations.  (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:  New! The First Order Gunner is barely seen in the movie and reference photos online are hard to find - there's also a LEGO minifigure, but not a lot of details are out there for the costume.  With a massive underbite-looking visor, this figure does a good job matching the LEGO figure and Topps trading cards, which may as well count as reference.  The figure uses stunningly little paint, with glossy gloves and boots plus a First Order symbol on one shoulder.    True to the reference, everything is black and molded in color.  It's almost a crime Hasbro didn't sell these individually as the cheapest figures in their library that are completely accurate.

The 5-jointed figure is a gem.  It stands, it holds the blaster, and it even sits with the legs at a reasonable angle at which they can sit in vehicles.   The thin male body is in a plain black suit with space jodhpurs, obviously because someone is evoking a certain kind of image in our collective cultural memory.  The bizarre, faceless helmet resembles the original Death Star's gunners after an accident.    The little pouches on the belt are a nice touch, and I can't find anything specific I don't like about the figure.  His blaster fits in his hand, and while simple it's an effective toy.   If you see this set, go ahead and get it - three new figures and one deco variant is a pretty good mix.  The Rogue One 4-pack was a little more exciting, but this is still plenty good.

Packaging Notes: This is a good box.   The footprint is the same as the previous Disney movie 4-packs, which were designed to be the same size as the digital download boxes a few years ago so a fan could collect them all on a shelf together.  This isn't widely promoted.  The box itself is much better than the rest of the 3 3/4-inch figure line, with a much better use of the space.  The back has bios for all four figures in multiple languages along with shots of figures that show them with (or without) their accessories, and there's no big use of white space like on the Kohl's set.  Hasbro did a great job here.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,465: March 21, 2018