Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,579: Barriss Offee

BARRISS OFFEE includes Brain Worms!
The Clone Wars Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 94736 No. 28528
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #CW50
Includes: Lightsaber, stand, 3 Geonosian brain worms
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $8.99
Availability: May 2011
Appearances: The Clone Wars

Bio: Barriss Offee is infected with a Geonosian brain worm. The Padawan has survived the battle to destroy a droid factory on Geonosis. She is aboard a medical frigate when she and several other passengers are infected. Brainwashed by the worms, she attacks fellow Padawan Ashoka, who struggles to save the ship and all on board. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's kitchen.

Commentary: Every now and again Hasbro makes a figure that captures the look and feel of another character, and Barriss Offee is one of these. The Padawan has similar articulation to Ahsoka Tano (the 2008 one) complete with nearly identical articulation. Barriss is jointed at the neck, shoulders, hips, waist, plus she has swivel forearms for added Jedi action. Her deco is pretty great, with big blue eyes and the face markings she carried in the film. The body has a ribbed outfit, with lots of painted detail as appropriate. Her headdress is molded to the head, while there's a cape around her neck to complete the upper body's outfit. Below the waist is a thick cloth dress which doesn't hinder her articulation, and it does a great job giving the figure a little more weight. Unfortunately, it doesn't do much to help her stand, as gravity will likely cause her to slowly lean forward or back with time. You might want to pursue another stand solution, like a small doll stand, if you plan on keeping her upright in a long-term display environment.

While the figure is great, the "brain worms" are even cooler. These simple accessories were designed to wrap around her limbs, and one even has parts of the egg still attached. If you're looking to stage an invasion, the three brain worms with this figure might be a good start. I like the overall package, so Barriss is absolutely worth tracking down-- even for a slight premium. Just remember, she doesn't like to stand for long periods of time without added support.

Collector's Notes: This figure is the first (and only) animated-style Barriss Offee to date, and the first figure of the character in several years. She only ships in one case so far, and I've only seen her in the wild a couple of times.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,579: July 4, 2011