Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,778: Mickey Mouse, Jedi Knight

JEDI MICKEY & R2-MK
Star Tours Gift Set
Item No.: No. 16990900
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Display base, R2-MK, lightsaber
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $18.95
Availability: Summer 2010
Appearances: n/a

Bio: Whether he is fighting the Separatist forces in the Clone Wars, or helping the galaxy with their struggles against the Galactic Empire, Jedi Master Mickey Mouse is ready to use the Force at anytime. Aided by his new friend astromech droid R2-MK, these allies can complete any mission in the galaxy. Join Jedi Mickey and R2-MK on their many adventures across the stars! May the Force be with You. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' insert box.

Commentary: The question of "does it count?" comes up a lot, and Jedi Mickey was one I kept kicking down the road in hopes that I would not be writing this column at some point and could weasel out of making the call. Some of you will be upset that he's here, and some of you will understand why he is. So why is he here? He comes packaged with Star Wars branding, an unquestionably Star Wars-y robot, and is made by Hasbro. If the Hasbro logo didn't appear on the box, and/or he were packaged separately, you probably wouldn't see a 3 3/4-inch scale Jedi Mickey Mouse in this column. But they did, so I feel obligated to include it.

This is the second version of this figure-- the first has light tan robes and is packaged with (the worst) Yoda, and this one has slightly reddish brown robes but is fundamentally a similar figure. The sculpting is OK-- not bad for Hasbro standards, and it captures the character's personality fairly well. Granted, as an adult American in 2012 I don't see or think about Mickey Mouse much, beyond that great clip on the Soup a few months ago. He doesn't really belong in any diorama or display shelf, unless you pull out your Star Tours stuff. To date (and correct me if I'm wrong) he's the only Disney mascot 3 3/4-inch scale figure to appear in a Hasbro-branded Star Tours product, as the rest seem to be Disney Parks items. (Depending on who you asked at Hasbro, they sometimes are cagey about this being a Hasbro product-- except by its SKU, it's a pretty safe bet it came out of Hasbro. Industry stuff. Long story.)

He can't do much other than look angry and wave around his lightsaber, so this is the sort of thing Disney fans are sure to love while the rest of us probably roll our eyes and grumble they didn't just give us another astromech repaint instead. Hasbro's relationship with theme park merchandise can elicit all sorts of responses in collectors, so let me put it this way: I wouldn't have bought this figure if it weren't for R2-MK. It's a perfectly nice figure but he's one of a tiny number of figures I have no real desire to display, or really even own, so let's move on.

Collector's Notes: Initially a fairly expensive park exclusive, the set is now... still kind of pricey on eBay. Prices start at $20 and go as high as $35, and I do not know about its Disney Park availability as I haven't been to a Disney compound since roughly 2010.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,778: April 6, 2012