Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,057: Sun’il Ei’de (Drums, The Vintage Collection)

SUN'IL EI'DE (Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Hasbro Pulse Shared Exclusive Action Figure Set
Item No.: No. F6984
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: 7 band members with 2 Kloo Horns, 1 Fanfar, 1 Fizzz, 1 Ommni Box with pedals and stand, 2 drum sticks, 1 drum, 1 Bandfill,
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $89.99
Availability: March 2023
Appearances: Star Wars
Bio: This 7-piece ensemble of Bith musicians was a common sight at the Mos Eisley Cantina, playing swinging instrumentals for the watering hole’s staggering patrons. (Taken from marketing copy. There is no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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Commentary: We looked at other band members - and we've got more to come - so let's look at Sun’il Ei’de, a name I genuinely did not recognize despite being a fan of band things. Apparently the reason I didn't get the name was he wasn't identified as such until 2011 in a book I didn't buy. That'd do it - over the years it's been kind of a weird riddle with multiple band members and books identifying the seemingly-identical band members in a not-entirely-consistent way. I think the first time I saw the names was in the short story collections in the 1990s, but it's possible the first time I saw any names in 1995 was either Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina or Decipher's customizable card game. But who can remember?

All the figures are the same, and pretty good. Sun'il is listed as playing "drums," a decidedly unoriginal name for something that looks like a tube you hit with sticks. The silver device sits on a black stand, which itself is mounted to a black disc stand so it won't fall over. I don't think it's the best-looking option for a playset display, but it's 2023. It's not like Hasbro has shown any initiative in doing a full Cantina playset this century. Our musician has no problems holding the drum sticks, and thanks to an abundance of excellent articulation he can stand at them with no problems. It's kind of a waste of resources - this figure could have five joints and serve the purpose just fine. Instead it's part of a $90 boxed set of 7 identical figures with unique accessories - good for army-builders and diorama completists, but probably vexing for people who don't want all of that.

For specific figure commentary, read this. The figure seems to be based on a behind-the-scenes photo I found where the "drum" has a circle facing the audience, so the bar hanging off the side is on his right (the listener's left) as they watch the show. Hasbro did a nice job sculpting it, and fan-made accessories are also quite cheap too.

When getting this set I was happy to have a "complete band." But the definition of what that is has changed a lot, so I guess it's this now. It was weird to see revisionism happening in the 1990s, and even weirder now - but it's technically a new character, and a new accessory, and it's something to add to the generally sparse offering of Cantina stuff. I'd still recommend the set, especially if you're not buying much other stuff these days. I'm still hoping we get a new Cantina. I'm not holding my breath, though.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Hasbro Pulse. Within a week, it went up for sale at other fan outlets.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,057: August 22, 2023