Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,071: R7-TN0

R7-TN0 Droid Cosplay
Star Wars Droid Factory
Item No.: ???
Manufacturer: Disney
Number: n/a
Includes: n/a
Action Feature: Comes apart
Retail: $14.99 $10.98
Availability: May 2022
Appearances: n/a

Bio: All different types of astromech droid populate the Star Wars galaxy. Each droid is different and has their own unique personality and colors. This droid is optimized to function in the idyllic and lush world of Kiros among the local artisans. Join R7-TN0 on their adventures throughout the galaxy! May the Force be with you... and your droids! (Taken from the packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!   

Commentary: I got R7-TN0 last year and it's one of sadly very many figures not opened for a very long time. I ripped it open about a month ago and checked eBay to see what it's going for... and apparently it's $80 now. What the heck, man? That's pretty pricey for a weird concept. Disney seemingly said "let's make droids colored to match popular characters," which is what we've seen for Christmas and Halloween for years. It doesn't seem like the concept had a lot of traction at Disney, and Hasbro did a couple of similar character-themed droids that matched their style, if not their actual appearance. Also there's a swell Stan Solo B0-B4 [FOTD #2,958] that looks like a Kenner Boba Fett. It's actually kind of a brilliant idea - R2-D2, to match characters? You can make a new droid, while kids can see a figure and go "I want the Ahsoka robot!" Everybody wins here.

This particular droid mimics the Rebels-era Ahsoka pretty nicely. The dome and shoulders mimic her skin, with some white stripes on the legs that sort of nod to her head markings and white panel lines that recall her armored costume. There are white stripes on the feet which I assume have no significance, but maybe they're here to match her white lightsabers. The big central orange eye looks great, and the gray dome topper vaguely recalls the former Jedi's head, with a surprising amount of painted panels around the orange dome. This one looks more complicated in terms of paint when compared to other figures, and while I am not pleased with the rising costs on old molds based on old molds that have been repainted dozens of times I can't deny they did nice work here.

I like this one enough where I could see Hasbro or Disney doing an entire line of astromech repaints to match other popular characters - it's a little silly, but so is this entire hobby. I paid a lot for a Boba R2-D2. I'd probably throw down more than a few bucks for an R2 unit in Sy Snootles or Chewbacca colors, too. If you can find this one for a reasonable price, I'd recommend it as it looks like something you'd see on-screen while also being a blatant nod to a main character. It's a superbly clever idea and I think the designer should get a pat on the back... and assignment to do a lot more of them.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Disney with a help from a friend.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,071: October 10, 2023