Figure of the Day: Day 311: Saesee Tiin

SAESEE TIIN Army of the Republic
Clone Wars Collection
Item No.: Asst. 84851 No. 84769
Number: 0351
Includes: Lightsaber, headgear, gauntlets, shin armor
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $4.99
Availability: Fall 2003
Appearances: Clone Wars

Bio: The imposing Saesee Tiin was a member of the Jedi Council during the final years the Republic. His master, Omo Bouri, instiled in him a strong sense of comviction, honing the Iktotchi's skill and dedication to the order to the point of near-fanaticism. True to his unswerving commitment, Tiin fought with unrelenting courage and determination in the Clone Wars, bearing the scars of battle in the partial loss of one of the dramatic horns that surround his grim face. During the Clone Wars, he demonstrated his masterful skills as a pilot. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: It's not every day Hasbro designs a figure with battle-damage, the ability to sit, and the foresight to use it as a pilot for a vehicle that would come a lot later. (Of course, as it was using a ship mold from 2002, it's not a stretch.) Saesee Tiin has been given four figures, all of which are pretty excellent. This one is the most fun as far as a plaything goes, as it has gear, can sit in a ship, and just plain looks good. His face has a lot of deco and detail, his costume is just improved enough from the movie one to look tough without looking goofy. The gloved hands were a nice touch, and it's great to see Hasbro gave this figure an entirely new sculpt rather than churning out a variant of an existing product with slightly different limbs. If you're a fan of good figures, this should be on your wish list. And if you bought the bright orange Saesee Tiin's Jedi Starfighter vehicle, consider this action figure a must-buy.

Collector's Notes: What's notable-- and unfortunate-- is that the design on the cartoon Clone Wars was even cooler than what Hasbro came up with for this action figure. In the animated series, he was given some space armor that was a mishmash of this figure and the aesthetics of the Clone Trooper. It's awesome. Gentle Giant is making a Bust-Ups micro bust based on that design, but Hasbro has yet to commit to an action figure based on the design. (But a Transformer? Yes.) This figure can be had fairly cheaply, so you shouldn't have to pay too much more than $10 shipped for it if you're patient and do enough hunting.

Day 311: March 13, 2007