Figure of the Day: Day 1,135: Obi-Wan Kenobi

OBI-WAN KENOBI Evolutions Reject
The Legacy Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 87535 No. 92812
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #BD06
Includes: Cloak, lightsaber
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: September 2009
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Image: Adam's TV tray.

Bio: Obi-Wan Kenobi battles Darth Maul after the mysterious Sith apprentice fatally wounds Kenobi's Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn. Kenobi calls upon his years of training to defeat this deadly opponent who is as skilled with the lightsaber as any Jedi. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Commentary: After ten years, Hasbro made Obi-Wan Kenobi with the kind of super-articulation you might come to expect-- mostly. Unlike his EpII (2009( and EpIII (2008) cousins, this figure does not have lateral hip movement. He does, however, have a great range of movement and a lightsaber accessory that, thankfully, isn't the pre-2002 pre-flare mold anymore. The head sculpt is closer to Ewan McGregor's, but is not perfect-- but hey, at this size, that's normal. Hasbro has pushed what "standard" is for their figures, and as such Kenobi has a hard time impressing simply because what was astonishing for 2005 is basically normal today. It's a great figure, but when it gets to its current level of goodness, there's not much for Hasbro to do in order to go beyond and be even more impressive. For a Jedi-in-training, the figure basically nails the look and feel of a figure for today. Considering the last truly new sculpting work on this character nearly eight years ago, this newly-sculpted version is a welcome addition to pretty much any collection.

If there's one area where this figure disappoints, it's accessories. The Episode IV Obi-Wan had a huge freaking table and holographic Princess Leia. The Episode II version had a communicator. This one doesn't have much special. A lightsaber and cloak are about as bare as you can get, a communicator would have been nice. A variant "wet" head for the diving bit in Naboo would be awesome, but let's not get crazy here.

Collector's Notes: This figure is a brand new sculpt, and was originally created to be sold as part of a never-released Obi-Wan Kenobi Evolutions boxed set.
--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,135: October 20, 2009