Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,069: Tusken Raider Warrior (Single Card Edition, The Vintage Collection)

TUSKEN WARRIOR single carded version
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Deluxe Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. F7311 No. F6878
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #279
Includes: Gaffi stick
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $16.99
Availability: June 2023
Appearances: The Book of Boba Fett

Bio: A female[3] Tusken Raider warrior was a member of a tribe of Tusken Raiders on the planet Tatooine. When the prisoner Boba Fett attempted to escape the tribe's camp, the warrior defeated him in a duel, allowing the rest of her tribe to recapture their captive. After Fett killed a sand beast, he was accepted to the tribe. The warrior instructed Fett how to fight with a gaderffii stick. (Stolen from Wookieepedia. There is no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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Commentary: This Tusken Warrior figure manages to make you feel like a schmuck, even if you like it. Hasbro did a single-carded release, and then a store exclusive deluxe boxed one with a Massiff, and both are partially retooled Rey figures from 2016 with a few new parts. If we were still paying $10 or $12 for these things, I'd be fine with that - but at $17 you might want something a little bit better than Rey's bare biceps molded in black and barely hidden under some Tusken shoulder armor. You might recognize Rey's gloves and wrappings under the breathing apparatus. For a figure that took 18 months to make it to market after we saw the show, it's an effort that's half-baked and at best, acceptable. Hasbro did a nice job on the new parts, but for $17 it should be all new parts.

If you pop the figure's head off, you can easily take her apart for those Dark Rey customs you wanted to do - it looks like an easy head swap. Her head easily comes off and you can see the Rey elements much more easily - but the average fan might not notice. The carded collector will, since the figure stands right next to a full-body photo where you can look at it and go "wait, this doesn't seem right." The arms are, mercifully, good ones - the range of motion is good, and they can easily hold a gaffi stick.

I've got nothing bad to say about the new parts - the head sculpt is good, with separately molded "hair" wrappings draping down. The tabbard looks cool, with lots of painted detail. The (I think) new shoes and lower legs look great, and the shoulders are also excellent. They just needed to give her a new body. I'm sure someone at Hasbro may be rolling their eyes at this, but for a premium priced product it's at best a 7 out of 10. And we had the same problem with that Endor Raid Han, and the Bespin Guards, and others... if the budget isn't there to make more great figures, I'd settle for fewer figures period, and maybe we just have to wait a bit longer. Or maybe someone did the math and said "fans say they hate the show so much, let's do the best we can at a budget and call it a day." I don't know.

But I do know the figure looks decently, and I'm a sucker for Tusken toys. I loved when Toys R Us got that variant "red clan" boxed set with a Bantha, and I dig this too. Variety in the familiar faces is an exciting addition to any line, and I'd rather have an undercooked Tusken Warrior than no Tusken Warrior at all. Maybe we'll get the kid Tusken that Jimmy Kimmel's nephew played some day. I'm glad they're trying these things out, but as fans I certainly would like to see the level of quality go up (or the price go down) for new releases. Heck, I'm pretty miffed that reissues from 10 years ago are suddenly nearly twice as expensive.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,069: October 3, 2023