Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,930: K-7R1 (Droid Depot set, The Black Series)

K-7R1 Droid Depot Set
The Black Series Galaxy's Edge Exclusive Action Figure
Item No.: No. F3400
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Babu Frik, Pit Droid, Battle Droid with blaster and antenna backpacks, K-7R1, and CB-23
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $74.99
Availability: March 2022
Appearances: Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge and Star Wars: Resistance
Bio: Hoping to be reactivated, the KX security droid with black and white plating known as K-7R1 was dismantled and displayed in the Droid Depot by the proprietor Mubo. (Taken from the packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: Go back and read the above bio for K-7R1 up there, because they just told us that this robot exists as a dismembered pile of semi-aware parts in a Hellish liminal space on the cusp of the android equivalent of life and death, which sounds more than a little morbid. Just what the heck did this robot do? Does it have a bad motivator? Did it kill a dog? Being a pile of parts seems to be this guy's entire story, so there's not much to judge here beyond "it's a neat repaint of K-2SO" and "it looks pretty cool."

Back in 2016 there were two flavors of Hasbro's big K-2SO figures (one has red eyes) and now you've got one with a different black body. The figure stands just as well, with clear elements in the limbs to make it look hollow and a top-heavy build that will collapse if you aren't careful. (So be careful.) For the droid fiend, this is a must-buy. He can torment the Mandalorians, or stand around, or be dismembered I guess. Hasbro added some amazing scuffing and rusting, with little patches showing better-than-average faux wear and/or tear on this big Imperial stooge. Some gray plating on the forearms and shoulders set it apart a bit from the previous figure, with lots of grey markings on the face and chest doing the most to say "hey, this is different."

Since there's no character behind it, it's kind of useless and mostly just filler in a set that could've been populated by a protocol or astromech droid that looked a bit more distinct. The Disney or Lucasfilm people did a good job of giving us a robot that seems to have come out of the same factories as K-2SO, but I would argue this figure currently has no purpose beyond being collected or standing around. In-universe, it's debris - so a smaller figure that would be more likely to have a diorama may have made a better home for it.

As I said, "it's a neat repaint of K-2SO" and "it looks pretty cool." I prefer my weird robot repaints to be 3 3/4-inch scale so that they take up less room, but the robot fan in my likes it and as gift set filler goes, it's better than getting a third, largely unchanged K-2SO. (I guess this is some sort of collector Stockholm Syndrome.) If I ever got to a point where I had to pare down my 6-inch collection I probably wouldn't cry over letting this one go, but he wouldn't be the first on the selling block. Hopefully the design gets some use in a movie or streaming show, but I wouldn't hold my breath. If you're getting the set anyway, you'll probably like him just fine.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Shop Disney.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,930: June 2, 2022

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,725: K-2SO (The Vintage Collection)

K-2SO Better!
The Vintage Collection   3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. E7763 No. E8089
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #170
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.99
Availability: July 2020
Appearances: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Bio: A reprogrammed Imperial security droid now loyal to the Alliance, K-2SO is an alarming sight standing within a secret Rebel base.    (Taken from Hasbro marketing materials.)

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 admit, I did not see the point of doing a new K-2SO now.  I still don't - the line ended 3 years ago and this droid stands as an island in a shallow sea of characters.  The previous 3 3/4-inch figures were fine - but this is better.  It stands  as a testament to just how good Hasbro is at making 5-jointed figures, and how good Hasbro is at hiding joints in super-articulated figures, that it's not obvious that one is at all an improvement over another.  It probably won't help sales either - in-pack, they look essentially the same.

This time around, Hasbro made hands that better grip the included pistol - that's a big plus.  Subtle dirt and damage appear all over the figure, from the silver you can't miss to browns you might not see unless you have this figure brightly lit.  With 25 points of articulation, this is a big step up from the 2016 figure and its many later variations, but you're probably going to be OK with what you have - for now.  If more Rogue One creations get toys, you'll want to make sure to get this upgrade.  Or a bunch of this upgrade, for future army-building and diorama-stuffing experience, if we ever get an Imperial capital ship or another installation.  Which I assume will not happen soon.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,725: September 15, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,488: K-2SO (Solo: A Star Wars Story Line Look)

K-2SO Talking Edition
Solo: A Star Wars Story Force Link 2.0 Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. E0323  No. E1638
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster pistol
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: April 2018
Appearances: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Bio: K-2SO (Kay-Tuesso), abbreviated K-2 (Kay-Tu or Kaytoo) or Kay, was a KX-series security droid originally created for use in the Galactic Empire's armed forces.  (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:  The line for Solo: A Star Wars Story were developed about 18 months before launch, which would mean just prior to the release of Rogue One back when we didn't know K-2SO
died.   It makes sense that they'd want to bring him back again, but the timing is peculiar - why is he two per case for a Han Solo movie that has Han Solo at zero per case?  And why did Hasbro change the sculpt from the 2016 K-2SO [FOTD #2,285]?  

Part of the reason to change is the Force Link 2.0 chip - the figure has a slight rattle inside that I assume is the chip, plus a retooled sole of his foot.   However, this 6-jointed figure has a few other surprise changes too.  The back panel's raised elements are recessed and smaller this time.  Details are overall much sharper, with smaller, more subtle vents and greeblies.  K-2SO's Empire symbols are cleaned up and whole, rather than worn off a bit.  His head seems rounder, as opposed to the slightly flatter 2016 release.  He's the very definition of just different enough to make you mad, plus has a new weapon to boot.

The range of motion is unchanged - he has a wide sitting radius, with wide hips that will prevent him from ever sitting in a vehicle.   Like the arms, his legs are pop-on ball joints you can use to easily dismember him if you want.  The neck is a separate piece from the skull, so you can pose him to look inquisitively at other figures.  This is a nice touch, and something I assume they'd put on a super-articulated figure some day.

I should note his blaster is cool, but you will misplace it.  It's a very loose grip and it's a small weapon - if you aren't extraordinarily careful, it's going to get eaten by your dog or your Roomba.  It's a nice design, but the figure could use tighter gripping fists.

This is not a bad figure - the toy itself is slightly better than the previous one, but not different enough to warrant a purchase unless you're all-in for weapons or Force Link.  If you need a K2 figure, this is my favorite at the size.  If you've got one, for now, you probably don't need this one too - but I should note his is one of the best sound chips since it's actually Alan Tudyk quotes from the movie and not a soundalike.

Force Link 2.0 Notes: "I'm K-2SO.  I'm a reprogrammed Imperial droid."  "Congratulations.  You are being rescued."  "I'm not very optimistic about our odds!"  "There are a lot of explosions for two people blending in."  And blaster sounds.  There may be more, but the interface isn't helping and the app crashes.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,488: June 6, 2018

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,318: K-2SO (The Black Series 6-Inch)

K-2SO Giant Black Droid
The Force Awakens The Black Series 6-Inch Figure
Item No.: Asst. B3834 No. B9396
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #24
Includes: n/a
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: September 2016
Appearances: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Bio: A reprogrammed Imperial security droid now loyal to the Alliance, K-2SO is an alarming sight standing within a secret Rebel base. The pragmatic droid is an effective insertion agent, as he can blend in perfectly at Imperial installations and outposts. (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:  And we're back for a bit!  The very tall much-needed comic relief is here, in 6-inch plastic form! K-2SO is one of the tallest - if not tallest - droids this line may ever see.   It has loads of articulation and, surprisingly, can remain standing upright so far. Given the thin legs and bulky body I can't assume this will last forever, but hey - maybe!  Worst case scenario, we all need to go buy a bunch of doll stands.   I should also note that this toy does not include a blaster - early samples used in photography show a gun, but the Alan Tudyk robot has no hand weapon.

Arguably the bright spot of the new movie, K-2SO continues the long tradition of droids in Star Wars being more human than their flesh-and-blood counterparts.   In the mold of the likes of HK-47, C-3PO, and PROXY, this particular droid is reformatted Empire military hardware with a few problems - hence the interesting personality.  It's a bug, not a feature, and there are multiples of these guys in service that look almost the same.   As such, you could probably use these in your various dioramas since there are no real official playsets being made for anything right now.  The figure is a good one, loaded with articulation and brilliant design cheats.   The elbows, knees, and ankles are open circles in the movie - but that leads to stability problems, so instead Hasbro employed clear plastic filler in there to look like it's clear.   Hasbro is usually good at making decisions to keep figures stable, but clear plastic for joints can be problematic.  (See: DC Collectibles' Batman: The Animated Series, some Funko Legacy figures, some Transformers.)   Since it's PVC, I assume the worst that will happen is some yellowing after exposure to light and/or time.  But for now, at least, it looks good.

The black metal body is great, with "exposed" damage marks showing the silvery metal underneath and orange on some of the joints.  29 points of articulation keep this droid alive, allowing you bend-and-swivel wrists and numerous other joints all over his body.  Interestingly, the figure has a smell very similar to my childhood Empire Strikes Back-era Darth Vader - I wonder if they used a similar plastic?   The character looks pretty good as there's no human head to replicate, so it's appropriately droid-ey.  You get the Imperial logos, you get the silver joints, it's a big robot with the Stormtrooper-esque "OII" on his back with a little antenna duo.  The design reminds me a lot of the EV-9D9-esque droid from Return of the Jedi that shows up in some of the archive books - no toy was ever made, but it's big and tall and black.  It's consistent with the Empire's general ethos.

Despite the lack of accessories, I like this figure.  A big droid with tons of articulation meets my needs for base level awesomeness, and I assume this is/was/will be the favorite character from the movie for a lot of people.   Get this one for now, I don't expect figures from this movie to be a regular thing down the road.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,318: December 20, 2016

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,285: K-2SO (Rogue One)

K-2S0 Realistic Robot
Rogue One   Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. B7072 No. B7277
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Zipline claw accessory
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: September 2016
Appearances: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Bio: A reprogrammed Imperial security droid now loyal to the Alliance, K-2SO is an alarming sight standing within a secret Rebel base. The pragmatic droid  is an effective insertion agent, as he can blend in perfectly at Imperial installations and outposts.  (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: Hey, something new!  K-2SO is an Imperial droid reprogrammed as a Rebel droid.  I'm assuming this is exposition and not a spoiler.   It's cast in black and quite tall - he towers over the other figures in the line so far.  The long arms and legs are connected by ball joints, so you can pop the limbs off if you like.  This also limits his movement as the legs can't properly swing forward - they can swivel out a bit, though, so that's better than nothing and it helps adjust his center of gravity if you decide to give him his grapple accessory.

He only has 6 joints - 2 at the neck - but he makes up for it with pretty good deco.  Scraped-up silver knees and elbows are matched with appropriately worn Imperial symbols on his shoulders, plus little silver highlights with detail around the fax joints, eyes, mouth, and wires.  There are even orangey/rusty rings around the hips and shoulders that seem close to the color of some existing Imperial Astromechs stationed on the second Death Star.   The proportions seem very new school, but other than that the visual language seems pretty close to being similar to the original trilogy.  I could see this guy banged up and rusted out, serving some limited function in Jabba's Palace.

The reverse side of the figure is interesting, in both good and bad ways.  He has two little antenna that come pre-bent thanks to the packaging, but he also oddly sports the classic Stormtrooper design "OII" on his upper back.  Why?  No idea!  Maybe it means something, and some day maybe someone will tell us.  Maybe it's an oversight.  The back of the figure is almost completely undecorated save for some spillover of the joints we discussed above - there are no special lights or symbols or buttons painted here.

His accessory is a "zipline" - a claw on an arm-mounted gadget that extends a rope out a few inches and he can zip up it, if he holds on.  I wish it was a backpack.   It looks OK, but if you lost it you probably won't miss it.  It's fun enough, but safety prevents us from getting long strings so figures can really go places.  It's only slightly longer than my water glass.

Unless you've got an allergy to the new movie, this is an awesome looking new droid and a worthwhile addition to your Imperial stash.  Even if the movie is weak, I assume this droid will still be welcomed by Imperial army collectors as one more addition to shelves or dioramas.   It looks good, it's real big, and I don't have a lot quite like it.  So, I approve - I know we all wish it were super-articulated, but given the history of Battle Droids maybe it'll be more sturdy as a limited articulation release.   We'll see how the 6-inch one plays out.  The new Empire figure designs seem pretty strong so far, so go ahead and get them.  Just don't expect this one to stay standing for long - its weighty torso makes it easy to accidentally knock down.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,285: October 4, 2016