Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,420: Yoda (The Last Jedi Line Look)

YODA Jedi Surprise
The Last Jedi Basic Figure Teal Assortment
Item No.: Asst. C1531  No. C3465
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, cane
Action Feature: Force Link sounds
Retail: $8.99
Availability: September 2017
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: Yoda is Palpatine's little green friend.  (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:  Hasbro has been stingy with basic updates of core characters, so  Yoda getting a new figure - let alone an all-new prequel-based sculpt - is more than a little surprise.   While I would have loved to see another The Empire Strikes Back update, we did just get one a couple of years ago - so this is perfectly nice.

The short Jedi has a clear green lightsaber and a cane, clearly not the same as the gimer stick from the original trilogy.   His hands were a little wide for the accessories, so getting him to grip them properly may present a low-level challenge.  The lightsaber lacks the "flare" at the base, so it should be an easy-to-identify weapon in future piles of accessories.  Unless, of course, they make another dozen Yodas... and if that spin-off movie happens, they probably will.   He also has a cloak that's a separate rubbery piece, but you're not supposed to remove it.

This is my favorite prequel-based Yoda now.   The figure has ball-jointed shoulders along with a swivel waist and rotating feet, plus a ball-jointed neck.  This means he can't sit, but given his robes such hip joints would have been superfluous.   The pose reminds me of his pre-duel posturing, which means he can look like he's about to unleash his might on Darth Tyrannus or Darth Sidious as he keeps eye contact and draws forth his mighty blade.   The pose - and arms - can also be easily positioned to look like he's walking with his cane, and thanks to his expression and the general pose of the figure he looks like he's putting some weight on it.   There are few wrinkles in his robes - they almost look too clean - but it's convincing.  It's good.

The face sculpt is great, as is the hair deco.  His hair is light and wispy, with eyes barely outlined to bring them out.  The face is wrinkly, with extra wrinkles just above his mouth.  The ears are a thin green plastic, allowing some light to pass through reminiscent of the puppets.  His body has pretty much no deco, and his tridactyl feet are more on model with how we know Yoda should look.   His fingernails and toe claws are unpainted, but I doubt anyone will notice - they'll be too distracted by the fine detail on his robes and cane.  

As rapid prototyping gets better, we're going to see more fine detail on some action figures.  Yoda's is pretty impressive, but you have to get in real close with ample lighting to notice.    The figure is not visually impressive for eight bucks, but the shoulder joints and sculpted detail were enough to get me to take it to the registers with a smile.   Get if if you can find one.

Force Link Notes: "Destroy the Sith we must."  "Judge me by my size, do you?"  "Use the Force."  "The dark side I sense in you."  Lightsabers.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Walmart, and I was surprised to see it.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,420: October 25, 2017