PRINCESS LEIA ORGANA (Endor)
The Black Series 2020 Line Look Green Star Wars: Return of the Jedi Packaging - Also PulseCon Boxed Set
Item No.: Asst. E8908 No. E9363 also
No. EXXXX
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #05
Includes: Helmet, belt, poncho, blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: October 2020
Appearances: Return of the Jedi
Bio: Princess Leia Organa rendezvoused with the Rebel fleet and helped organize a plan to destroy the Empire's new Death Star: they would head to Endor and knock out the space station's shield generator. (Taken from the packaging.)
Image: Adam's photo lab.
Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!
Click here to buy it at Amazon now!
Commentary: My favorite movie for toys is
Return of the Jedi, so I'm happy when Hasbro does something really well - like
Princess Leia Organa (Endor) from last year. Kenner and Hasbro have both done several versions of this figure, and in various sizes. And with vehicles. But this time, she's 6-inches tall and for the first chronological time, she also has the photo-real face printing that everybody wishes they did years earlier.
The figure is a new one, with 2020-style elbow and knee articulation. This means they're like the 3 3/4-inch figure joints, although with a slightly deeper cut so they can bend more than 90-degrees. The costume is designed to look just like the movie, with blue-grey pants (complete with yellow stripes), the boots have painted soles, and she even has her blaster complete with a painted barrel. The helmet has the appropriate coloration and damage markings, plus the poncho looks closer to what you remember from the movie or the 1984 Kenner figure - a lot of Hasbro-era ponchos were a little on the dark side.
Having a figure with great leg articulation, a good costume, and top-notch accessories for about $20 should seem like a big deal, or at least enough to make a sale. However, I would nudge you to consider just how good the head is - not only did Hasbro do a dynamite job sculpting the figure, but a perfectly painted face makes it look like a 1983 Carrie Fisher was somehow shrunk and put on the head of a 1:12 scale replica. The eyes are dark, shiny, and intense. The lips and cheeks have just enough color. The skin isn't terribly waxy like some releases, with a hint of shine and great eyebrows. I'm impressed! We've seen lots of ups and downs when it comes to the faces of original trilogy leads as 3 3/4-inch action figures, and it's great to see that Hasbro continues to find ways to refine old figures or just make something wholly new that is extremely impressive. The various 12-inch figures over the year and
Forces of Destiny figures were also quite good, but typically the boy's action figure line doesn't tend to get the very best Leia toys.
While one could imagine slight tweaks to improve Endor Han, Endor Leia may be as good as we'll ever see from Hasbro for quite some time. For a 38-year-old movie, near-perfection should be a lot easier to achieve since we've got lots of reference photos and numerous previous attempts to make this costume as a toy. Hasbro didn't disappoint, and even though the figure lacks any sort of action features, the poncho, holster, and helmet give you meaningful ways to interact with the figure beyond merely opening her, posing her, and then never having to think about her again. Sure it's dress-up play, but I'll take any sort of interactive features on these toys that we can get. You know, beyond the classic "face-plant" action.
Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth for the single release, and my 4-pack came from Hasbro Pulse.
--Adam Pawlus
Day 2,847: August 17, 2021
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