Galactic Hunter's Star Wars Figure of the Day with Adam Pawlus

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,361: R4-6D0 (Droid Factory)

2026-07-09T01:00:00.000-07:00

R4-6D0 3 3/4-Inch Debut
Star Wars Droid Depot
Item No.: ???
Manufacturer: Disney
Number: n/a
Includes: Collector card, TC-332 right leg
Action Feature: Pulls apart
Retail: $19.99
Availability: April 2026
Appearances: n/a

Bio: All different types of droids populate the Star Wars galaxy. Each droid is different and has their own unique personality and colors. This droid can be found in the office of the Magistrate of Nevarro. Join R4-6D0 on their adventures throughout the galaxy! May the Force be with you... and your Droids! (Taken from the packaging.) (Taken from the packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: Expensive and maddeningly fast to sell out, R4-6D0 is nothing if not actually worth the effort. Given the build-a-droid collection was a mix of reruns and something new, this is actually new enough to make you go "oh, that was actually kind of nice." Assuming, of course, you were able to get it for around $20. At $40, I can't say it's a tour de force so much as a very good redeco of a decent mold, with the foot cables, that actually appeared on the show. These are decent reasons to want this figure which, again, is obnoxiously scarce. For large droid fans Hasbro made a The Black Series version for Walmart, if you need it.

You've seen this mold and bought it (or passed on it) dozens of times, so why buy it in white, with red legs, and peach panels? The boxes are a little different, and the colors are unique. You'll notice the dome has many silver outlines unique to this droid, plus red and black boxes painted on the sides. The orange panels on top look great, and the red ring around the base looks good too. While you may have orange or red droids, you don't have this one - and that's a nice change of pace. And it's a good match for the show!

The same is true for the body. The panels are colored in, but differently. There's a panel on his right that splits the peach color with red - a unique design I haven't seen elsewhere. There's a series of white stripes on the center foot, partially painted orange - that's new! The red legs have orange panels, and the side panels on the body have white stripes within them. I didn't think we'd see original panel designs. There's not much else I can say other than "if I'm going to have dozens of R4s, at least I got one that doesn't look like all the rest."

If this were a basic figure you could get in stores for $20, I'd say "good enough." The bonus droid parts are nice - if frustrating - because you're unlikely to be able to complete the set unless you've already got them, or if money is a non-issue. $120ish for 6 droids plus a bonus seventh isn't the worst deal, but it would be nice if they were all original and if you could combine shipping charges. Such is life. I'm not upset I bought the set but I don't know how Round Two will go. I guess we're going to find out as the months go on.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Disney Store's web site. It sold out instantly, I got it on a brief restock window of availability.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,361: July 9, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,360: Guard Droid (with STAP, ActionVerse)

2026-07-07T01:00:00.000-07:00

GUARD DROID & Mercenary STAP
ActionVerse Target Exclusive Vehicle
Item No.: Asst. E7763 No. F9798
Number: n/a
Includes: 2-part green display base, cape, STAP vehicle, two red rockets
Action Feature: Blaster fits in holster
Retail: $21.99
Availability: April 2024
Appearances: The Mandalorian and Grogu

Bio: B-1 series mercenary sentry droids were a variant of B1-series battle droid that existed in the galaxy by the early New Republic Era. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: Not planned for the 3 3/4-inch collector lines (as far as I know), this Guard Droid was something I saw at Target and planned to skip. Heck, the whole line is something I planned to skip because I wasn't in the mood for yet another new scale... but I'll buy a clearance vehicle for 66.66% off. This is a particularly interesting piece in light of the history of this toy line, because back in 1998 we got an Episode I sneak preview STAP with Battle Droid and it was $19.99. It was similarly jointed, and that was 28 years ago. If you're wondering if there's a collector tax of sorts, wonder no more - but that "tax" is also what happens when your toys stop being toys. If Hasbro made a 3 3/4-inch version of this same exact vehicle with movie-accurate bodily proportions at the very same price, I'd be screaming from the rooftops about how you should buy it, until they hauled me away.

Hasbro's figures-for-adults have exceeded their mandate, and fan tastes are a little too fancy for the price points they want. At $21.99, this whole set is $2 more than a 3 3/4-inch The Vintage Collection figure. It really does raise the question of "what are wrist and ankle joints worth to you?" The Guard Droid lacks ankle or wrist joints, but everything else is really good. The ball-jointed neck is perfect. The shoulders, hips, knees, and elbows all bend and swivel. He even has a very nice plastic cape - other than the beefy proportions I think most fans of all ages would be generally happy to have a 3 3/4-inch figure of this quality. I just don't want another (most likely temporary) scale in my collection, but I can't deny Hasbro did a nice job painting the blue, rusty, and brown parts that give us a surprisingly ornate kiddo action figure for the asking price. It isn't a perfect match for the movie, but it's not bad at all. For the money, I'm generally impressed. It's good enough, but I also don't agree with the general sense of fans demanding everything be a tiny prop replica with every detail that's perfect, and money is no object. The head is a little wide, and it's all a little silly - but it evokes the vibe from the movie.

While there's no handheld blaster in the box, Hasbro instead gives you a full-blown vehicle and a stand that's also a micro playset. Grogu can hide in the side of the 2-piece green display base, effectively giving him a little cave in a tree. That's a great, clever idea on Hasbro's part. The STAP plugs in the base nicely, and if you have any trouble you can pop it apart to remove it. There's a peg and a hole to keep it upright. Will it snap off? I have no idea, I'm old and not going to snap it. The ship itself is made out of a great hard plastic and has two firing rocket launchers. Each launcher is activated by its own unique button, so you can pick which one goes off. The red fireblasts look bright and shiny, making them easier to find in the carpet than a brown rocket. Unless, of course, your carpeting is covered in fresh blood or berries. If either of those things are happening, get the appropriate help. Our Guard Droid friend has no problems reaching the foot pedals and the handlebars, making this an absolutely ideal example of Hasbro making a toy with figure/vehicle compatibility that works without flaw.

If I bought this set at full price, particularly in this economy, I would tell you it's very good and Hasbro's changes to the STAP & Battle Droid format work well even after their cost-cutting. By changing scale, Hasbro made something I think a lot of fans have no reason to consider or even look at despite the fact their engineers cooked up a really solid-feeling toy that is a heck of a lot more fun than more expensive items on the toy aisle. For those of you who like toys, I'd strongly recommend picking it up on sale. I'll probably pick up other vehicles (and maybe figures) as they hit sale shelves. I'm a big supporter of buying what you like at full price, but I didn't want this scale because it doesn't fit in well with any of the many toy lines I collect. It's a great one-off, though, and Hasbro's toy designers should be proud that they managed to deliver a toy concept from the 1990s at the same price and same quality given all the production and freight challenges they face in 2026.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Target. It was on clearance for $6.59.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,360: July 7, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,359: Ahsoka Tano (Peridea, The Vintage Collection)

2026-07-02T01:00:00.000-07:00

AHSOKA TANO (Peridea)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. E7763 No. F9798
Number: #338
Includes: Two lightsabers
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $16.99
Availability: October 2024
Appearances: Ahsoka

Bio: Ahsoka Tano's quest to stop Grand Admiral Thrawn brings her beyond the galaxy once more to the World Between Worlds, where she gains newfound wisdom. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: A good figure that people decided they didn't want, Ahsoka Tano (Peridea) is "Ahsoka the White," which makes her previous live-action costume her take on "Gandalf the Grey." Disney-era Star Wars seems intent on keeping people in the same clothes day after day after year, so a new costume (and new toys) can be pretty refreshing. Poor Fennec Shand wore the same armor since her The Bad Batch appearances, which is just kind of ridiculous - Ahsoka had numerous costume changes during The Clone Wars, so it's good she has yet another one. It shares parts with the previous The Mandalorian and Ahsoka live-action The Vintage Collection figures, with a new head, hew belt, and new boots.

I don't know that her lekku are a big improvement, the stripes are a different layout and it's not a perfect match for the show. Does that matter? Good question, I'm glad I asked it - not really. Unless you hold this up to the TV screen, you won't notice - but in the era of $17 (now $20) figures, plus the fact that the figure lagged the show by a year, I think accuracy is fair to expect. The face is improved, with a better paint job and skin color to more accurately match the show with a darker, more saturated color. The white markings are very similar, and there's a new "hair band" to mask the transition from the face to the head tails. For the improved face, I would say this is the kind of thing that makes the purchase worth it.

The body is functionally the same as previous releases, which is good. Hasbro did a really great job with the pants. They're not quite as baggy as on TV, but that's good - if they were, the figure's legs couldn't swing forward. The ball joints let her sit well, so if we ever get vehicles for her? She's all set. The arms have the standard amount of movement, her wrists bend and swivel, and the knee joints are just superb. The knees are hidden in the pants! How great is that? The ankles rock, and that's good - but they're stiff, so you have to get it just right or she just might face-plant. The new belt has a separately sculpted braid - with paint! - that looks better than the previous one, and the painted metal ring also looks great. Her shins and forearms have armor, and the silver has a decent shine to it. Despite being a retool, I can't knock Hasbro for taking shortcuts. They improved her where it was needed to authenticity, mostly, and didn't fix what wasn't generally broken.

I would have liked hilts for her belt - we didn't get those. Instead she just has the same two milky-white lightsabers she's had before. There isn't anything wrong with them, but again, for $17? I'd like some hilts or removable blades. I assume a cloaked version of Ahsoka the White will come in 2027 for the show, unless Hasbro has decided it has tired of seeing this mold on markdown shelves. It's not a bad figure, but the edition size for the Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth. She's sold out, and about $10 on the secondary market - get her before the show returns next year.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,359: July 2, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,358: BB-PR0UD (Pride Collection, Droid Factory)

2026-06-30T01:00:00.000-07:00

BB-PR0UD Rainbow Edition
Star Wars Droid Depot Pride Collection
Item No.: ???
Manufacturer: Disney
Number: n/a
Includes: n/a
Action Feature: Pulls apart
Retail: $12.99
Availability: May 2022
Appearances: n/a

Bio: A In celebration of Pride and the company's Pride collection, The Walt Disney Company is giving funds as part of our ongoing commitment to organizations around the world that support LGBTQ+ communities. (Taken from the packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: The first BB droid in the Pride Collection and the second in the line, BB-PR0UD predated BB-YOU [FOTD #3,063] by about a year. Both make use of the same mold, but the color patterns are a little different. BB-YOU seemed to be more of a general riff on the traditional Pride flag, while BB-PR0UD... I don't know. There are a lot of different LGBTQ+ flags, as seen in the fun parties or on the backpacks of your better friends, but I can't quite place the specific dark indigo blue (I think) plastic with the specific splashes of color unless maybe someone is a fan of the Indigo Girls? I come at this from a place of ignorance, so use that comment field if you are the designer or are better informed than I.

The indigo base figure provides the manufacturer with a challenge when it comes to paint. Dark plastic will bleed through bright colors unless you apply thick, even layers of pigment on top. Hasbro and 1980s toymakers tended to forget this, which is why your Battle Beasts Hardtop Tortoise's orange armor looks a little sloppy even when it was new. On the other hand, anything Onell Design does tends to have significantly thick shells of shiny paint covering any blemishes. This droid has some issues with the orange and yellow being a bit thin for my taste, but you might be fine with it given that it gives the droid's fresh coat of paint a vaguely weathered look. In addition to six rainbow-ish colors, this droid also has silver and black highlights on some of the panels.

If you pop off the chassis, an inner gray orb has numerous painted silver elements plus a few red and blue lights. Kudos to Disney for having done it, it's detail a lot of fans will never see and it was back when these guys were a then-princely sum of $12.99. (You'll remember, Hasbro usually included BB droids as accessories rather than full-fledged action figures when it comes to smaller figure lines.)

In hindsight, I really don't get why Disney didn't just rerelease the in-demand and still expensive rarity R2-RNBW. This is fine - it's a unique color of BB droid with a lot lots of bright color flourishes, and I can't complain about that too much. But as a collector with thousands of figures (and about 10 of the 11 Pride Droids plus honorary members) this doesn't add much new to the overall collection. I assume Disney is done with BB droids unless we get a cameo in Starfighter or the Rey movie, and I hope we get a protocol droid next year, because I don't know what I need with more BB-series droids. The good news is that it's inexpensive on the secondary market, so there's nothing stopping you from picking a unique droid up today.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Disney Store's web site.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,358: June 30, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,357: Imperial Remnant Stormtrooper (Pauldron, The Vintage Collection)

2026-06-25T01:00:00.000-07:00

IMPERIAL REMNANT STORMTROOPER (Pauldron)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Hasbro Pulse Exclusive 4-Pack
Item No.: No. G32115
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster pistol, blaster rifle
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $67.99
Availability: April 2026
Appearances: The Mandalorian and Grogu

Bio: Figures inspired by the live-action Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu movie. (Taken from the web site description. They're really not trying hard for this movie.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: We've looked at two of the four figures in the Imperial Remnant Stormtrooper set - this one has shoulder armor. The black pauldron may sound like a Disney bomb from the 1980s, but it's an adornment over the figure's right shoulder. Otherwise, it's pretty similar to the other figures in the four-pack.

Now that we've seen The Mandalorian and Grogu we can all say that the Empire had very little to do after the first reel of the movie. After Mando finishes his first mission, we don't see a lot more troopers - and these guys basically just stood around and got shot. That's not out of the ordinary, and it was probably wise to release these figures before anyone saw the movie and went "Wait, were there Stormtroopers in that movie? I forgot."

For The Black Series, Hasbro merged the "ammo pouch trooper" and "pauldron trooper" together - you can configure it any way you want. Having seen the 6-inch one in person, I am happy to stick with the little guys. There's something about the white plastic that looks a little ghostly, and the added dirt does it no favors. There are also at least two single-box slots taken by Stormtroopers so far, as opposed to The Vintage Collection where Hasbro put four in a single $67 box. (That's a "savings" of about $12, or 15%, if these were single figures. I wonder if Hasbro would have sold more as a single trooper, though.)

So why is this 3 3/4-inch Remnant Trooper worth a look? Well, it's very similar to the other figures in the set. This means you still have the no-longer-exciting old hip joints, but the arms, knees, ankles, neck, and waist are all great. The wrists bend and swivel, making this a figure that takes a pose pretty well. For displays, dioramas, and miniature photography? Great figure. If you just want to play with this figure? It hates you, and you have to spend time massaging the hips in place rather than just having him bend and sit like the old days. I realize many collectors have matured beyond how they interacted with their toys when they were children, but I have decided that is not as much fun. Once I get this guy situated, I'll probably not touch it for years. That is no knock on the quality of the figure, because the sculpt (other than the hips) is excellent and the deco is some of Hasbro's best at any scale. I just have a lot less fun with toys if it's a challenge to put them in a stable pose. It can be done, but Retro is easier.

You get rifles and smaller, traditional blasters (without the added Rogue One greeblies) in this set. Offered without deco, they look fine and can be held reasonably well. The hands do their job well, and I haven't had a problem with anyone dropping anything since getting the set.

I like what Hasbro did here. By giving fans four troopers at once, they can easily army-build. Also, it probably means Hasbro is done with this trooper at this size and nobody is watching a livestream when another flavor of trooper gets announced as a 6-inch exclusive and groans. (The figures are generally very nice, but it has gotten a little monotonous.) If you like troopers, this is a very good set - and we've got one more of these guys to look at to go. I can't imagine Hasbro will do a superior weathered Stormtrooper this or even next year, so I'd recommend getting it. If it goes on sale? Buy two. I would not put it past Hasbro to want to sell one of these guys on a card later, and it'd probably sell. I don't think it's necessary, given the 4-pack is still available as I write this.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Hasbro Pulse.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,357: June 25, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,356: B2EMO (Droid Factory build a figure)

2026-06-23T01:00:00.000-07:00

B2EMO Just Different Enough to Make You Mad
Star Wars Droid Depot
Item No.: ???
Manufacturer: Disney
Number: n/a
Includes: Collector card, TC-332 left leg
Action Feature: Removable dome
Retail: $19.99
Availability: June 2026
Appearances: Andor

Bio: All different types of droids populate the Star Wars galaxy. Each droid is different and has their own unique personality and colors. This droid helped Cassian and his friends build a new life on the grain fields of Mina-Rau, forging bonds with other droids and the children of their settlement.. Join B2EMO on his 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 eBay now!

Commentary: Someone recently asked me "do you have any regrets in collecting?" B2EMO might be it. Is it a bad figure? No. But I got B2EMO [FOTD #2,995] the first time for $15 back in 2022, and this is the same figure minus some dirt, some green, and a blue droid leg. You don't need both, unless you need the droid part. And you probably do.

Since Disney shorted the market - twice now - fans who just want the droid should probably go after The Black Series version, which seemingly nobody wants. (It is my unconfirmed belief that 3 3/4-inch fans are more hardcore, and 6-inch fans are more casual. For now. This might change in 10 years as collectors turn 70.)

If you missed the figure the first time, he's pretty neat, but that was when he was around $23 shipped. Now he's around $33 shipped, which is kind of absurd given that you can get a 6-inch Cassian with B2EMO for the same price. Disney's 3 3/4-inch scale droid has four feet which can swivel or extend in front of and behind his body. The head can turn, plus it can telescope up slightly. There are four wheels, but they really don't roll well - Disney would be well-served to trim them out of future droids and cut costs. The sculpt is quite nice, and matches what you see on the show about as well as you might expect. It is also worth noting Hasbro has no 3 3/4-inch scale B2EMO figures - their only figure was a the 6-inch SDCC exclusive.

So what's new with this version?

Paint. Instead of silver damage, this new version has a lot of black wipes all over. I think this was a good call, but poorly executed. The model from the show had more of a "wash" effect with black dirt getting in his panels and grooves, which brought out the detail - and this figure does not. From a distance, though, it does look a smidgen better than version 1.0. This version also adds 3 green markings to the head, and changes the belly equator's pattern up while making it lighter green too. Side by side, it's easy to tell which one is new and which one is old. If you only had the first release, it's very possible you didn't notice they're different. Based on prop photos he could be even more beat-up and dirty, but that was not the way they went.

If Disney is feeling saucy, there's a "clean" variant from the Kenari flashbacks where B2 has non-worn green markings, all red feet, and a relatively clean body. It should require a retooled foot, but honestly, the green holiday B2 didn't retool anything. It looked fine with four green feet.

Given Hasbro has not really built up Andor as as toy line (no Syrill, no aliens, no prison stuff, no TIEs, and so on) you might not feel a need to buy this or collect that show's toys. It was pretty lacking, and people didn't show up for it - and I think the lack of toys kept some people from checking out the show, and the lack of toys prevented people from being excited to collect. It's very spare, and this guy - super popular B2EMO - was never sold widely in stores, online or off. He was always an exclusive. If you must have a toy of the character to go with your 3 3/4-inch figures, get this one. You can always sell off the blue droid leg to recoup your costs, if you aren't in to that. I don't think Hasbro would have necessarily done it any better, so kudos to Disney for fixing it up a bit. Having said that, at $20 (at the park) to $33 (by mail) you will unlikely feel you were sold this figure at a fair price. If Disney does another Droid Factory campaign to build a figure, I hope it is more original and less competitive next time because all six figures (plus BAF) will have cost me about $200ish. And I don't feel good about that.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Shop Disney. It sold out online within an hour and shot up quickly on eBay, so check the theme park not near 95% of you.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,356: June 23, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,355: Mandalorian Privateer (Playset Pack-In, The Vintage Collection)

2026-06-18T01:00:00.000-07:00

MANDALORIAN PRIVATEER Vintage Debut
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Playset Pack-In Action Figure
Item No.: No. F9260
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #326
Includes: Blaster, jet pack
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $59.99
Availability: November 2024
Appearances: The Mandalorian

Bio: After being seized by a strike team lead by Din Djarin and Bo-Katan Kryze, a team of Mandalorian privateers led by Axe Woves now commands Moff Gideon's Imperial Light Cruiset. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: This Mandalorian Privateer figure was released a couple of years ago and I opened the box right away, because I wanted to try out the Imperial Light Cruiser playset. Then I just kept putting off opening him. He's not a bad figure, but with the many blue Mandos like the Mandalorian Fleet Commander [FOTD #3,243] I already had more than a few figures with a similar - but not identical - configuration. Hasbro does a great job repurposing its tooling like the show reuses costume parts, but as a toy collector it can be a bit much to keep track of all the variants when the extent of enjoyment may be saying "yup, this one's different" before putting it away.

He has the same basic configuration as the commander, but many of the colors are shifted around. The thighs are now silver, the shins are now blue, the chest and shoulders are now also blue, and the helmet is a little more blue. They use the same helmet, jet pack, and blaster while sharing the same costume molds - which makes sense, it's practical. The same belt is used, which means you get no holster here - be sure to store the blaster in his hands. The figure features the modern hip joints, meaning you'll have an easier time getting him to stand or sit. His shoulder armor is connected to his body, so be careful when posing the arms - it will bend those elements up a bit.

Hasbro also made a 6-inch Privateer, with slight changes to the costume configuration - notably blue thighs and a stripe on the helmet. I doubt it will make it out as a 3 3/4-inch figure at this point, because it seems the mania from doing every last repaint may have subsided for now. If it didn't come out in the wake of movie product, I assume the appetite for it (especially at $20) has diminished and this is an army people may no longer feel the need to build.

It's a good figure. As a playset pack-in, it's a pretty good choice - you can army-build it, or customize it, or sell it if you bought several playsets to make a big diorama. But I didn't find it to be compelling, only because we have so many nameless Mandalorians at this point that without new colors (or a face) it's hard to find a reason to open these. Well, beyond writing this review. The good news is that the entire package is quite cheap on eBay thanks to an appearance at Ross, so you can get yours for less than I paid for mine.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth. Reportedly it showed up at Ross last year, although I never found any there.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,355: June 18, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,354: Chopper (Imperial Disguise, The Vintage Collection)

2026-06-16T01:00:00.000-07:00

CHOPPER (Imperial Disguise)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch basic figure
Item No.: Asst. G2786 No. G2616
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #350
Includes: Alternate radar dish
Action Feature: Arm opens on torso, removable radar dishes, jointed hands, tilting neck
Retail: $19.99
Availability: July 2025
Appearances: Star Wars Rebels

Bio: With help from his fellow Spectre crew member Sabine Wren, Chopper (C1-10P) could join his team's underccover missions in disguise, painted as an Imperial droid. (Taken from the cardback.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: Is there any figure as satisfying as the sensible repaint? Chopper (Imperial Disguise) was a figure I expected us to see when the show was still running, because Hasbro loves a repaint. Well, we finally got him about a year ago - they took the basic droid body, removed an accessory, reduced the paint a bit, and gave us something new. The orange dome is now black with red, and looks great. The body is mostly unpainted, which matches the show. Typical Chopper figures have lots of painted panels and cables, while this one keeps it plain.

He has an alternate radar dish, and I'd have been fine if they left it out. I don't know where to store it, and it's going to get lost - but I guess you have an option if you want a tilted dish.

Articulation is really nice. The ankles move, the wheel sort of turns, the third leg pops out, but what's really exciting is the dome. This figure can spin and tilt in any direction, mimicking his ability in the cartoon. Each arm is jointed at the dome, but not at the "wrist" or "eblow" like Disney's exclusive version of the robot. Since a proper Chopper in these colors doesn't exist in Disney's mold, though, it's moot - you're going to want to get this one. It's also worth noting Hasbro's Chopper mold also has a flip-out arm in the body, with a dark grey interior behind it.

Is it perfect? No. Is it as good as you're going to get? Probably. Hasbro left the back of Imperial Chopper's body nearly completely unpainted, and also neglected to paint the cables on the back of his feet. The animation model doesn't seem to have cables, but the live action one does - so maybe that's why they skipped them here. It's too much work for a repaint, even if it's a repaint of a short figure that probably could have stood to not be full price. But if you want 3 3/4-inch scale Chopper in these colors, this is your one option.

Even if you don't like the show, this is a neat figure - the coloring matches the panels and rooms on the first Death Star. If we ever get a Death Star playset again, this would be good hall filler. (I would like a Retro one, too.) I'd recommend getting this one since he's still at (or under) original retail price.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,354: June 16, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,353: R5-PR0UD (Pride Collection, Droid Factory)

2026-06-11T01:00:00.000-07:00

R5-PR0UD Rainbow Edition
Star Wars Droid Depot
Item No.: ???
Manufacturer: Disney
Number: n/a
Includes: n/a
Action Feature: Pulls apart
Retail: $17.99
Availability: May 2026
Appearances: n/a

Bio: All different types of droids populate the Star Wars galaxy. Each droid is different and has their own unique personality and colors. These four were featured in the colorful and peaceful world of Takobo. Join R5-PR0UD 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 eBay now!

Commentary: Now an annual tradition, R5-PR0UD came in slightly cheaper than some other single-carded droids but still $3 over last year's model. I think you can thank tariffs and an economy that will charge a little more for things just in case something else disrupts the markets, but at least Disney didn't skimp on paint applications. There are plenty of colored panels here, and my sample had better aligned paint than the one used on Disney's product page. I can live with that.

The series has been going since 2021 with at least one carded droid per year. There's even a boxed set of six solid color robots. As a collection, it's a pretty neat one - and it makes sense to have a "souvenir" Droid set. I'd rather have droids that appear in the movies, but this one looks good with a more off-white plastic chassis and lots of bright color panels. I was surprised the big, middle panel has a silver vent painted on it this time. The six colors of greeblies near the shoulder are very precisely painted, and fairly impressively done. The silver paint on his feet are so well done, I hope Hasbro takes note if they ever go back and do a blue Snaggletooth Retro figure. Every single panel was done with a level of precision that seems better than most of Disney's droids - which are good. Given multiple colors fill some of the larger panels, it's necessary to ensure they're exact and not merely close enough. I think they did a nice job here, because if for some reason you can't get behind "pride" (for example, "completism with R2-RN8w still being impossible to get) you can at least take solace in knowing you can have a figure that looks like a Japanese Lucky Draw prize for a kid that won a TV Boy coloring contest.

The droid mold is the same as it ever was, but at least Disney is showing off what it can do. The silver isn't reflective, but it's much shinier than most other droid figures. The technical perfection needed to get silver outlines in some of those panels is worthy of praise, although it may be a little too subtle to show up well in all photos. I'm impressed with this one on a technical level, and here's hoping next year we'll get a Protocol Droid or, if they're feeling it, something with the B-R72 mold.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Disney Store's web site. It did not sell out.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,353: June 11, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,352: The Mandalorian and Grogu (The Vintage Collection)

2026-06-09T01:00:00.000-07:00

THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU Gear Galorian
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Deluxe Action Figure
Item No.: No. G2532
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #395
Includes: Jet pack, pistol, rifle, knife, sword, Grogu shoulder sitter
Action Feature: Grogu slots on backpack, pistol fits in holster
Retail: $27.99
Availability: March 2026
Appearances: The Mandalorian and Grogu

Bio: The Mandalorian and his young apprentice Grogu embark on a thrilling adventure as they travel the galaxy. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: This gets long, but it's the best version of this character yet - and you're charged accordingly. You can pose him with a sniper rifle. His son can hang on his back. He has an extra hand, and an alternate sword, and a knife I assume we'll all lose. Considering version 1.0 was $12.99, $27.99 is a lot to ask. At least you know it has more stuff, and a revised sculpt, and the articulation is as good as Hasbro ever gives us at this scale.

This The Mandalorian and Grogu set for this year's movie occupies a territory between "the best" and "boring." I waited to open it until after the movie. I didn't grasp the significance of the accessories being new or if the armor had many changes until seeing the movie. I can tell you that this seems to have a lot of new sculpted parts, with a chest plate bigger than TVC #312A. The helmet has some added grooves in it. The thigh plates aren't the precise same shape or color. But there's absolutely no way you could tell without a side-by-side comparison, and Hasbro has made so many versions of Mando that I have lost count. I haven't reviewed or opened them all, despite each new release having something unique about it. If what you had was amazing, and what you are being asked to buy yet again is slightly more amazing, it might be hard to spend the money unless you demand The Very Best.

Little tiny details in the Beskar armor are indeed barely changed, but it seems that Hasbro had the budget to do a new mold of a guy and spent it on this rather than tweaking and repackaging an existing figure. It's a very good mold, but I imagine long-haul collectors will not appreciate the fact that they're being asked to spend $28 on a figure they may have six or seven other versions of at home. They might appreciate the chest plate is bigger and covers more of the torso. But they may also not have even been aware the previous one was in any way coming up short. Extremely online collectors who need to have the very best version are going to find it here, while those of us who were happy with what we have at home just wanted something new.

A Grogu figure that comes in the package is arguably the biggest selling point. This little guy has a hole in his chest that fits on a large peg on Mando's jet pack. It would be disingenuous to call it a separate figure as it can't stand and both of them look silly when separated. Heh olds on incredibly well, and Grogu's ear and face paint both look fantastic. The sculpting on his robe looks good, plus his tiny hands are holding specific parts of Mando's armor. Hasbro did a nice job with the assets available to them. Grogu's neck can turn, but he has no additional moving parts.

Mando's new gear is specific to the movie, with a sniper rifle, his classic pistol, a sword from the arena fight, and a knife. I am confident I am going to lose one or more of these over time. He also has an alternate right hand with an extended trigger finger for resting the rifle over his shoulder. The hand is very similar, includes extra paint, and requires assembly - so it adds a fair bit to the cost of a figure. (This is $8 more than a current standard release and you could convince me the extra stuff and Grogu is worth $8 for those needing the very best.)

I don't believe this is a great use of the budget, as a pared-down $20 figure probably would have sold better and fans might not have even realized they were missing the extra stuff. He has no problems holding or holstering any of his parts, and it would seem Hasbro went out of their way to make an exquisitely detailed figure with the best-yet articulation and gear for toy photographers. Is it fun for collectors? I don't think that was ever the intent - they know this item is going to sell on Amazon and would be the most popular character, so we're getting the very best figure set that the price point could warrant.

The sword is perfect for his fight with Rotta the Hutt. (There is no Rotta the Hutt figure to buy from Hasbro right now.) The leg articulation is great and would fit perfectly in a ship. (Hasbro doesn't have any ships scaled for this figure in its product line right now - but you may have an old one at home.) It's a weird place to be in when we're getting the top-of-the-line figure like this, but it's kind of a letdown because there are no dioramas to build, no vehicles to pilot, indeed no toys to play with anymore. This guy exists as a souvenir from a very good movie. I suspect more figures are coming, and sure he can pal around with the forthcoming Zeb, but there's no "collection" of stuff to go with the movie. Which dropped to #3 in week 2. Unfortunate - I really do wonder if a massive toy launch with creatures and ships might have helped capture the public's interest, or if what is effectively a season 5 pay-per-view special of a TV show couldn't muster that level of enthusiasm.

I have no complaints about Mando's articulation. It's super easy to get a good pose out of him, although balancing him may take some time. On the bright side, his hands can both grip the rifle and look awesome doing it. Hasbro really did a bang-up job carving out the joints in a way that might make you ask "why can't the other figures do this, too?" and I don't have an answer for you. All I can say is that they really went to town making sure Mando's hip joints, thigh swivels, knees, elbows, shoulders, and wrists all function well enough for an arena combatant with nobody to fight.

If you have no Mando figures, this is the one to get. I'm really happy with the quality of paint, the range of movement, and the amount of gear that you get. I also would like to see if Hasbro could see what they can do to bring costs down so more fans can enter the hobby and participate with the rest of us. In the early 1990s, the secondary market prices would squeeze out fans who weren't in early enough - and we're seeing that again. For those of you seeking incremental steps toward perfection? You need this. For newbies? This is very, very good. But the rest of us know the score - Hasbro will find ways to alter the same costume and improve it, again and again, and we'll probably have another version of this guy if and when a new season or movie see release. That is the way. And if you're happy with what you have at home, keep being happy unless you want to use this specific gear for him to take on the various Remnant figures we got so far.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth. I have found this figure at local sellers of Hasbro wares. This is a good thing for new fans wanting to jump in, but given that scarcity (artificial or otherwise) has driven purchases since 1995? Maybe we're seeing the end of mass interest in The Vintage Collection.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,352: June 9, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,351: BDX Droid (Orange with Dorn symbol, Droid Factory, Boxed)

2026-06-04T01:00:00.000-07:00

BDX DROID Orange Dorn
Star Wars Droid Depot
Item No.: ???
Manufacturer: Disney
Number: n/a
Includes: 3 other droids
Action Feature: Hatless - I repeat, hatless
Retail: $49.99
Availability: May 2026
Appearances: The Mandalorian and Grogu and theme parks

Bio: All different types of droids populate the Star Wars galaxy. Each droid is different and has their own unique personality and colors. These four were featured in Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu. 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 eBay now!

Commentary: I fully intended to skip this set (and indeed, most Disney droids) after some fast sell-outs left some gaps in my collection that exceeded my willingness to pay on eBay - but then there were some restocks, and things worked out with free shipping, so I now have an orange BDX Droid. If you haven't seen the new movie - shame on you - but these guys were just background cameos on a New Republic base. They're blurry and in the background, presumably included to canonize them as something greater than a theme park gimmick. I'm assuming and projecting, at any rate - they look like they came from a different design school. These guys seem more in line with Tomy's 1980s robots and Nintendo's R.O.B. with vestiges of video game droids.

It is incredibly difficult to put a dinger on why some droids seem "Star Warsy" and some don't, and I assume it boils down to novelty. If Star Wars were Pokemon, the BDX is the Raichu to BD-1's Pikachu. I think. Someone correct me if I have that wrong. It's a bigger bot, with what seems to be an opening belly. Mine doesn't seem to open, but the seams for the mold have a big enough gap in it that it's either poorly assembled or maybe it really does open. I don't plan to break it and find out. Stock photography seems to be more cleanly assembled so it appears I just got a figure from (say it with me) the bad batch.

The general design philosophy seems to match some other Disney droids, with colors and shapes that closely match Delta Squad from Republic Commando. The shapes look very much like they come from the era of the original Xbox, with heads that look like a 1980s toy robot, and greeblies that seems unmistakably Star Wars. For half-pint robots they seem a little small, but Disney did try to make them worth the asking price with a couple of neck joints allowing them to look up The head can also fold down to the body. Each leg is jointed at the hip, the knee, and the ankle. For such a small figure, there are a lot of joints here. But for $12.50 a droid, it still comes up a little short. You can get more action poses out of these guys than an astromech droid, but I don't think anyone would have missed it if they just had swappable limbs or static legs. The range of movement is somewhat limited, and you can't really get them to emote outside of the neck.

The paint applications are pretty much the same on each figure. All of them are molded in white (cost savinfs), with the same beige, pink, and black paint applications. They mix it up with the spot colors - each one has a unique icon on the left near the back. Orange has the Aurebesh character "Dorn," which is a D. I suppose this makes it educational.

This is an item that makes sense as a bit of corporate synergy. These little guys have been walking around the Disney parks for a while, and they put them in the movie - so of course it's a good idea for a theme park souvenir. In Disney's shoes I might've put it in a set with a different droid at a lower price point, because $50 for four nearly identical little guys is something that might appeal to a collector more than a child. I think it's a more interesting "toy robot" than "Star Wars figure," if that makes sense, and the kind of thing I'd probably be weirdly more excited about without Star Wars branding on the box. As there are no New Republic ships or playsets which need to be built out with wacky droids, this figure serves no real purpose right now other than to take up some space until a better home for it makes itself evident, or I retire and then just start selling this stuff off or something. I think Disney did as good of a job as they could have done to make this design at this scale, but I am not charmed by the very visible seams or how repetitive the set is. If it weren't for the free shipping coupon at a time there were 2 other droids I wanted in stock, I'd have skipped this set and probably never thought about it again.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Disney Store's web site. It did not sell out.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,351: June 4, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,350: Baze Malbus (Deluxe, The Vintage Collection)

2026-06-02T01:00:00.000-07:00

BAZE MALBUS TVC Debut
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Deluxe Action Figure
Item No.: No. G2533
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #397

Includes:Heavy repeater cannon, cable, backpack, detonator
Action Feature: Heavy repeater cannon, cable, backpack, detonator connect to figure
Retail: $27.99
Availability: May 2026
Appearances: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Bio: The harsh reality of his Imperial-occupied home world has hardened Baze Malbus into a pragmatic soldier and a crack shot with his heavy repeater cannon. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: This Baze Malbus figure walks the line between perfect and eye-rollingly expensive. It's a good figure - Hasbro's best Baze Malbus yet. They did a great job with deco and articulation, did a bang-up job with the accessories, everything in terms of the actual product is above and beyond previous toys - including the very good The Black Series figure (and its improved repaint.) Every artist, craftsman, and nitpicky person should be very proud of the finished product... which is a 3 3/4-inch figure that costs the same (actually, technically more) than the equivalent 6-inch figure. It is better - but a lot of fans don't realize that this is a new-for-2026 figure, and the previous one was a 2017 ForceLink figure. As a 10th anniversary release for Rogue One, I'm particularly pleased that I can't find anything bad to say here - heck, it showed me that I had misconceptions about the costume that even Hot Toys seems to have wrong.

I was under the impression that his gloves were all fingerless - every figure or collectible that I've seen has shown them to be that way, except this figure. Hasbro made this figure with the right index finger on the glove intact, and when I look for reference photos that sure as heck seems to be how it actually was in the movie. Pictures of the costume from various exhibitions seem to show this too, but it's hard to tell given a lot of the mannequins have black hands (or no hands) plus nobody was really focused on shooting gloves. So, kudos to Hasbro for finding something that was wrong, fixing it, and having less ego than I'd have had by seemingly not taking a victory lap about the correction. (Or if you did, I missed it.) Reference on the left index finger seems to vary, so I've got no reason to say that it's not accurate.

Textures look great. Skin is about as good as it gets at this size, with perfectly good plastic wig hair. The plastoid armor has some very subtle panel detail, and the cloth body suit looks great. Textures look different, and that's great to see. The cloth cape is also a very nice touch, as Hasbro's previous Baze capes have all been plastic. (I assume cloth is cheaper, but I don't know this for a fact. I don't get to see their contracts.)

The hip joints are really good. I've come to appreciate the new-and-improved joints, and Hasbro's taking cues from G.I. Joe by carving a little more of the torso out so they can swing forward for any poses you may need in the future - like sitting in a vehicle. Thigh swivels, ankle tilts, and everything else you might expect are about as good as they always are. They took their time making sure the backpack fits, the blaster can be held in both hands, and there's no fighting, or "not quite there" with the elbow bends. This one got a little more time in the oven, which is crucial because every single fan (myself included) will look for an excuse of how to say it wasn't worth the 40% upcharge over a typical The Vintage Collection figure, which is already quite expensive.

But there is a place to nitpick, and it's deco. It's very good for the size, but once we pass $25 I don't think anyone is expecting anything less than perfect. The face paint is very good, but seems a little cross-eyed and the eyebrows are a little thin. The body suit's color is good, but it's lacking some of the stains of the costume, and the off-white armor bits are a little too clean. If it sounds like I'm picking nits, I am only doing it because of the price. If I'm paying for 1.4 figures, I expect 1.4 figures' worth of paint.

The price is the figure's biggest flaw. With "basic" figures at $20, this figure simply doesn't have another $8 worth of value. The part count isn't far off from an Emperor's Wrath Darth Vader, and while this figure does have extra deco I think they really needed to cap this one at $25. $28 is "I've got one at home" price, even though it is very good - but it's not perfect. That's a tall order, but when you're paying twice what The Vintage Collection figures cost five years ago, I don't think it's an unreasonable expectation to be flawless.

Should you buy it? If you don't have a Baze, yes. If you're in the future when it is on sale because people balked at $28 for it? Also yes. If it's over $30 because, for some reason, the future gave it a price increase? No. Hasbro did a real nice job here, but I think there has to be a limit on what you can charge for a single figure before fans need to get bonuses in the packaging (coins, sidekick aliens, etc.) This doesn't meet the standard of good value right now, and I hope Hasbro considers a price cut if it is sitting on inventory. This is a very good figure, and at $25 I'd begrudgingly say you'll feel you got a quality item for the price. But $28 is the price we should be paying on Amazon after it sold out and is now collectible, so vote with your wallet here. Just be aware if you skip it, you'll be missing out on one of Hasbro's best figures.

Confidential to Hasbro: if you can't bring prices back down, throw us a bone and consider throwing in a cheap unpainted plastic display stand behind the figure in the bubble. It won't cost you much, and it might earn back some goodwill on the cheap. (We got them when figures were $6.99.) That, or maybe some figures just can't be done in the current economy and would need to be reconfigured to a non-super-articulated model. (Super articulated wasn't the standard until 2010 - before that we'd have gimmicks, swappable limbs, figure 2-packs, and other variation on what a figure could be.)

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,350: June 2, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,349: Captain Enoch (The Vintage Collection)

2026-05-28T01:00:00.000-07:00

CAPTAIN ENOCH Gold Face
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure Set
Item No.: No. F9259
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: Working holster
Retail: $54.99
Availability: July 2024
Appearances: Ahsoka

Bio: Enoch was Grand Admiral Thrawn's Captain of the Guard during his forces' exile from the galaxy on the planet Peridea. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: One of the reasons to buy the Night Trooper set was to get Captain Enoch, a figure that I'm rather surprised wasn't sold on a standard cardback first/instead. The boxed set has three very good trooper repaints with a couple of remolded parts each - and this guy, who has a new skirt/belt, helmet, and torso. The character doesn't have a heck of a lot to do. Heck, a lot of Ahsoka seemed to be more about pageantry than characterization as we've been seeing a lot of stories relying more on recognition than novelty. But that's not why this is an interesting figure. Even if you have a rather blah story on a gray planet where you don't get a lot of personality, that's not entirely a problem for action figures. For over 48 years fans were fascinated by the vibes and the amazing work of the creature shops and costume departments. We're not collecting characters so much as we're hoarding scaled-down replicas of the craftsmanship from Hollywood's finest. And that's OK, this is a pretty neat riff on a Stormtrooper.

Enoch's limbs are the same as a standard Stormtrooper, with a newly-sculpted back piece featuring distinctive deco and greeblies that remind me a lot of the exterior of It's a Small World. It's mostly white with basic shapes and some gold, with little splashes of color - it seems to fit. I was delighted to see the gold patterns on the armor painted quite nicely, and the red fingers and body glove gave the figure a much different feel from an average trooper. Sure, the legs are mostly the same, but you have that whole new skirt which seems to riff on Jedi and bounty hunter elements. A working holster? With a new pistol? That's pretty exciting, too. The unique silhouette reminded me a bit of Captain Bacara (the Clone) too, but the gold keeps it fresh. Hopefully the gold paint ages well, because it looks really good now and you can see a lot of money was spent in painting this guy. And here we are, not even two years later, where one figure with as much (or less) paint costs us $19.99 when in 2024, this four pack was a mere $55.

Given it's a trooper from an army builder set, I had low expectations - but that new back piece and the paint are capped off by an all-new helmet. There's a sculpted humanoid face in there. It's painted gold, with black eyes! It looks a lot like the TV show, so the sculptor or whoever scanned it and adapted it for figures did a great job. The paint choices were smart, but I think we're once again seeing some limitations in what you can do at the size. The prop on the show had a sort of faded quality, and a texture that you just can't replicate on a head the size of a grape. The helmet detail is a little fuzzy, with the Imperial cogs feeling a bit less sharp. The gray painted-in boxes on the back of the helmet are off by a couple of millimeters. If it was the front, it'd be a problem - but here, it's fine. The gold detailing looks good too. It also looks a little too fresh, which frequently happens with budgets for toys in this day and age. Wear and tear make Star Wars feel like Star Wars, and Hasbro did a great job including the patch jobs with the gold paint. But the grit, the texture, that wasn't replicated on this one. (I also assume it'd add $10 to the set if they did it.)

I still feel that if you get a figure (or figure set) for a price that feels fair, it's a good figure. This is a good figure. Figures were closer to $17 when the set came out, and I'd have happily paid it just for this one captain - the fact that he had there buddies makes it a better deal. While his skirt does get in the way of leg mobility, so do the older leg joints which just feel older and older after a dozen or so trooper figures. Hasbro has shown us they can do better, and hopefully they'll take the initiative to make new hips for the next new Stormtrooper variant because these aren't so great. In the context of this figure's release, they were good enough and we were charged accordingly. With just a few parts, Hasbro made an old mold feel like a new figure and that's the kind of smart budgeting that makes this line interesting and, as we seem to be treading water in a stream of trooper and droid repaints, kind of exhausting. But I would have made this same figure, this same way, were I given any sort of project management control at its time of release and I hope Hasbro brings it back to stores (key word: to stores) so fans can buy it when Ahsoka season two hits digital airwaves.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth. But they're sold out, so use the ">Amazon sponsored link as the price was even more reasonable as I write this.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,349: May 28, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,348: Garazeb "Zeb" Orrelios (HasLab, The Vintage Collection)

2026-05-26T01:00:00.000-07:00

GARAZEB "ZEB" ORRELIOS (The Ghost Pack-In Figure)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Pack-In Figure
Item No.: No. G0040
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: HAS 006
Includes: The Ghost ship, expanded bo-rifle, compressed bo-rifle, 2 energy effects, 3 additional figures
Action Feature: Store staff on back, plug energy blasts on staff
Retail: $499.99
Availability: December 2024
Appearances: Star Wars: Rebels

Bio: During the time of the Empire, the Ghost served as a mobile base for General Hera Syndulla's small band of rebels working to aid the people of Lothal and other planets in need. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: While I opened The Ghost immediately, I dragged my feet opening the pack-in figures. I wanted to see if we'd get retail versions, and I guess technically we did. This version of Garazeb "Zeb" Orrelios was based on his end-of-the-show costume from Star Wars: Rebels, making it a desirable addition to a collection of toys from a pretty good show with a pretty good toy line. I dare say Rebels was one of the two best toy line-ups since Disney took over, the other being Solo: A Star Wars Story for its pretty decent vehicle selection which mixed "amazing" (TIE Fighter, Han Solo's Landspeeder, AD-DT Walker) with "trash" (Kesssel Run Millennium Falcon, don't argue, I'm right.) If you liked The Clone Wars you have hundreds of great LEGO sets and Hasbro figures to buy. If you loved Rebels, it's a smaller collection - but pretty rewarding. The 6-inch figures? Good. The kiddo cartoon line? Wonderful sculpts, plus some of Hasbro's best vehicles since the line returned in the 1990s. Even The Vintage Collection delivers the goods, just not a lot of them. These guys were handled with care - even a retool like Zeb.

And with The Mandalorian and Grogu opening over the weekend, why not look at Zeb? I'm writing this before I see the movie, so if he does anything weird I am currently unaware of it.

As a figure that shares parts with a season 1-specific version [FOTD #3,161], this Zeb is still a solid figure with nearly identical accessories which, by modern standards, make it seem preposterous that the first release was sold as a "deluxe." You get bo-rifles in extended and packed-in modes, plus desaturated pink energy nodules. If you mixed them up in your personal collection, you might not easily be able to tell the difference - they were good before, and they're good here.

The figure itself has an all-new head, no shoulder armor, a new belt, and new neck armor. It looks different, the colors are a little different, but it's functionally the same figure. That is to say, Hasbro did a good job with articulation and wisely said "don't change it!" The legs swing forward nicely, the knees bend cleanly, the ankles rock, the wrists bend and swivel, and there's a rocking waist pivot joint too. With thigh swivels, knee joints, and elbow joints, plus the obligatory neck joint, I have no reason to make one complaint about articulation. He stands, he sits, he crouches, he's pretty much perfectly engineered and one of those figures you could hand someone as an example of Hasbro doing what they do well. I'm sure you can thank Lucasfilm too - with no skirt, no coat, and no unsightly dangling fabric, everything just works.

But how does he look? Great. Hasbro did a nice job here. Unlike the previous release, there's no "cartoon" version of this costume as an action figure. This is it. He has the red stripes on his shoulders, the yellow lights on his belt, the revised communicator colors on his wrist, and even that blue circle with a white triangle in it. He even has what seems to be Sabine Wren artwork in the form of the Big Bingo from earlier in the series - a nice detail, to be sure. The colors are all in line with how the cartoon model looked, but maybe not the brightness or contrast. The purple fur all seems darker, so the stripes are harder to see. However, this seems to make the smirking, sneering face look better. His smile really pops and his eyes are posed perfectly so he can elbow Ezra and needle him in your dioramas. It's a little bit of personality, but it goes a long way and makes this figure way more fun than his peers. It's rare that a modern The Vintage Collection figure has real personality - photorealism, yes, but not personality - and it really was a good choice here. It's kind of a shame they locked him behind a crowdfund, because I believe fans would clear this guy off the pegs if they ever put him out in an assortment in stores. At a reasonable price.

While those colors aren't perfect, I'm always going to give Hasbro more of a benefit to the doubt when making realistic figures out of a stylized design, or a retro figure off of any design. So maybe his shoulder paint isn't as bright as the cardback art - that's fine. It still looks cool, and the figure has plenty of detail and articulation. The only thing missing is a "Rebel" version of Kallus with the nicer hair and jacket from the end of the show, and maybe Hasbro will get to that someday. It's been a slow clip of new releases from Rebels, but at least when we look back at the run it's mostly very good. Get this one if you see him at a fair price, and if you don't, ask Hasbro to reissue him. I'll support you.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Hasbro Pulse. The set hasn't really held its value over time, which may be good news for you - you might be able to pick up the vehicle and all the figures for $100 or so more than I paid for mine as a pre-sale. And others may be willing to sell just the figures, or just the ship, if they're so inclined.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,348: May 26, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,346: Mandalorian Shriek-Hawk (Green and Yellow Chest Armor, Blue Right Shoulder, The Vintage Collection)

2026-05-21T01:00:00.000-07:00

MANDALORIAN SHRIEK-HAWK Green and Yellow Chest Armor, Tam Scarf
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Amazon Exclusive Special Action Figure Set
Item No.: No. G0265
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Four figures, four jet packs, four knives, five blasters
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $64.99
Availability: October 2024
Appearances: The Mandalorian

Bio: The Shriek-Hawks are a team of Mandalorian specialists skilled in jetpack operations as well as scouting and rescue missions. (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: It's kind of a bummer that the lady Mandalorian Shriek-Hawk and her pals weren't bigger hits. Hasbro did a pretty good job with the set, riffing on its existing figure molds much as Lucasfilm iterated on its existing armor molds to make new costumes. Heck, I'll even say I'm mildly annoyed people weren't bigger fans of the third season of the show - I rewatched it not-too-recently and had a pretty good time. Really the only thing that bugged me was a big Mandalorian showdown for leadership of a clan in what seemed to be a Los Angeles park. Otherwise, we got a pretty solid little show filled with new faces and the faceless, nameless armored dudes. Really, the only thing anybody did wrong here was wait this long to make this kind of a show. In the 2020s, we've had a lot of Mandalorians so making a nameless $65 gift set for characters with little personality and few appearances may make for tough sells. At least they also make for cool figures.

The leftmost figure in the box has no given name as far as I can tell, so really all we have to go from is the packaging phhoto, some stills, and the "wow" factor. I think this figure would've been a hit in stores, even if she is a modified Bo-Katan Kryze costume. The holsters, skirt, and scarf are new with the rest being mostly reused elements. New paint goes a long way, and with her colors resembling a pastiche of Boba and Jango Fett suits there's a lot to like. The slightly scuffed helmet looks good, and the scarf seems less like an affectation of a film professor wearing such a garment in Tucson when it's 100 degrees out. (You know who you are.) The figure doesn't have the rifle from the illustration per se, but she does have a cool blaster pistol and a knife. She has no problems holding the gear or holstering the blaster, and the jetpack fits in her back socket nicely. I'm not exactly a fan with a super high bar to clear here, if the figure has the correct colors and can use her accessories I'm a happy camper.

The tiny jetpack is amusing in light of current global fashion trends, where tiny Loungefly or other bags have supplanted the purse as a popular go-to can't-miss accessory for about half of the population. I can't help but wonder why the other half of the Mandalorians wouldn't want less weight, but maybe there's something about fuel efficiency I don't know. It is cast in green with an orange stripe and some silver enhancements.

I really dig how the coloring of a lot of these guys seems to just barely nod to things like Kenner's original Boba Fett, what with the orangey/yellow gauntlet, the red gauntlet, the green chest plate, and the blue body suit. It's a subtle nod, and the mishmashed armor seems to be consistent with what we've seen with a lot of other not-rich armored characters on the show. Articulation is on par with other modern figures, complete with the improved ball-jointed hips. Sure, the skirt sort of gets in the way, but I don't think she's in much danger of having a vehicle in which to sit at this point. For a figure that'll look cool standing around, Hasbro did a great job. I wish there were more toys for her to mess with, but apparently someone decided "adult mature collectors" want their little plastic men to be all serious and in packaging and not leading around weird flying monsters inside vehicles or other cool stuff, which is unfortunate. Hasbro did a bang-up job here, and I'd see no reason for them to go back and give us a do-over other than to appeal to that ever-diminishing "I only want single-carded figures" contingent. If you just want a figure that will look awesome in nearly any display, this is a set worth your dollars. Especially since it seems to be marked down on the regular.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Amazon.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,346: May 21, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,346: Imperial Remnant Stormtrooper (Standard, The Vintage Collection)

2026-05-19T01:00:00.000-07:00

IMPERIAL REMNANT STORMTROOPER (Unenhanced)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Hasbro Pulse Exclusive 4-Pack
Item No.: No. G3211
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster pistol, blaster rifle
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $67.99
Availability: April 2026
Appearances: The Mandalorian and Grogu

Bio: Figures inspired by the live-action Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu movie. (Taken from the web site description. They're really not trying hard for this movie.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: In the four-pack there are always guaranteed to be a plainer version of a trooper, like the Imperial Remnant Stormtrooper you see here. Other ones add unique armor or other adornments and this one is your basic fellow. It still reuses that body that's increasingly long in the tooth, but it's also the very best one we have at this size. I was surprised I was able to get some pretty amusing poses out of it still, especially given restrictions on the hips and shoulders.

Like the other troopers in the set, it has very impressive weathering. Whenever I see the 6-inch version of this trooper from The Black Series I marvel at just how much better the deco and the plastic on the 3 3/4-inch one turned out to be. Good for us, I say. Deco is really clean, except where it's filthy. Every bit of white armor looks like someone never, ever bothered to run it through a car wash. I love that. The black body suit and soles of his shoes are painted black, with lenses that look black or at least, very dark gray.

This is not a flashy trooper - but it's one I wish they sold individually. It's subtle, and every element looks perfectly fine. You're not getting the most modern articulation. I wish it could be a hair cheaper, but at least it's a sturdy figure with some of the best paint Hasbro has given us for a filthy post-Death Stars Stormtrooper. I've previously recommended the set, and I still do - until Hasbro makes a better base Stormtrooper mold.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Hasbro Pulse.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,346: May 19, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,345: IG-11 (Nevarro Marshal, The Vintage Collection)

2026-05-14T01:00:00.000-07:00

IG-11 (Nevarro Marshal)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch basic figure
Item No.: Asst. G2786 No. G2616
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #388
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: March 2026
Appearances: The Mandalorian

Bio: The Mandalorian returns the blasted fragments of the assassin droid hero, who undergoes a total rebuild - complete with reprogramming and marshal stripes that denote IG-11 as Nevarro's protector. (Taken from the cardback.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: IG-11 (Nevarro Marshal) is one of those ideas that just makes sense from a production standpoint. Back in 2021 IG-11 [FOTD #2,871] formed the basis for at least three versions of the character - and that one currently sells for a bit of a premium. The most recent version of the character (a very nice figure, with two smaller buddy figures) was blown out at Ross for $4.99 this one has the advantage of different colors and accessories. Its success will probably have to do with the size of the production run, so if it comes and goes quickly you might not see it on markdown shelves. I sure as heck haven't seen many of it in stores yet as it seemed to sell through almost immediately, but I assume more shipments could be coming.

This 2026 release uses the same basic body as the 2021 version, but replaces the vest with a belt and adds some more color. This figure matches The Mandalorian season 3 finale, where the droid gets his repaired torso back as well as a holster and a vest. He has red and cream markings on his body now, plus a matching belt buckle to denote his status - somehow being the marshal of an entire planet. The various hoses and greeblies are pretty much the same as the previous version of the droid, with deco more or less perfectly matching the TV show. The one element that isn't a perfect match - and I wouldn't have noticed if someone hadn't pointed it out to me - is on the chest. On the cardback photo and TV show reference, the red stripes go a little above the nub on the center of the chest. On the figure, they stop at the nub. Would I ever have noticed were it not pointed out to me? No. I don't assume we'll ever see a variant (as virtually nothing gets a second production run under the same item number in The Vintage Collection anymore), but it's an interesting thing to note if you're wondering if you got a bad one. You didn't - they're all like this.

Articulation is quite good, with the spread-out fingers and ankles that both bend and swivel. The hips have a good range of movement, and the ball joint in the arms is pretty great at allowing him to have numerous poses. The head is multiple swiveling parts, too, allowing him to be posed as you see fit. Hasbro did a real nice job on this guy the first time, so they're able to reap dividends from its reuse as needed. The new blaster and holster fit really nicely, and it's quite amazing how so many of the color breaks on the mold just happen to fit the mold breaks on the plastic figure. I wonder if it was planned accordingly when they were redesigning IG-11 for the show?

It's funny to me that Mando himself keeps changing his outfit, but it's largely the same after the end of the first season. Sure, he swaps out parts, but still looks effectively the same. IG-11 has had several looks - his first appearance, partially exploded, a statue, a T-800 skeleton trying to kill Grogu, a mobility device for Grogu, and now this new version with new colors - and they all look surprisingly different. How toyetic! I am a little burned out on all of Hasbro's trooper variants, but for some (admittedly hypocritical) reason I'm still interested in deco changes on droids, or Han's jackets, or stuff like that. I would recommend checking this one out if you're a fan of the TV show. I would also recommend re-watching season 3 of The Mandalorian, because I found it held up nicely on a rewatch last year. I have no idea if he'll appear on the movie, but I'm not currently betting on it. I am, however, expecting Boba Fett might have a cameo.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,345: May 14, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,344: Imperial Droid (With Probe-Mate Hyperspace Pod, Droid Factory, Boxed)

2026-05-12T01:00:00.000-07:00

IMPERIAL DROID with Probe-Mate Hyperspace Pod
Star Wars Droid Depot
Item No.: ???
Manufacturer: Disney
Number: n/a
Includes: Droid, stand, pod
Action Feature: Removable dome
Retail: $29.99
Availability: August 2025
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: All different types of droids populate the Star Wars galaxy. Each droid is different and has their own unique personality and colors. These two were first featured in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. May the Force be with you... and your Droids! (Taken from the packaging. Wait... these two?)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: The Empire Strikes Back was released 46 years ago! This Imperial Droid would probably better known as a Probot or Imperial Probe Droid by most fans, but hey, that's what the box says. The main figure mold is the Viper Probe Droid [FOTD #2,980] from Obi-Wan Kenobi, released in 2022. I consider it to be a pretty good figure, and almost identical. Disney tweaked the silver highlights on the droid in a few spots, but they're largely very similar. It would seem the silver paint is much brighter, and the red is a little brighter, but otherwise? It's more or less the same figure. If you have one, you may not need the other. And I use the word "may" because the Kenobi Probe came with 3 other droid figures, and this The Empire Strikes Back Probe comes with what effectively amounts to the first all-new The Empire Strikes Back vehicle mold in over 15 years and the first all-new classic trilogy ship since - someone correct me if I forgot something - the Sail Barge. Yes, we really haven't had many new original trilogy-era vehicles from Hasbro in quite some time.

Is the droid the right size? It's hard to say - the measurements on Wookieepedia say 1.5-1.6 meters, which means about as tall as Leia, probably. But where you you measure from? The longest leg? Hover height? Do you count the antenna? It's hard to tell, and looking at behind-the-scenes photos frequently have the droid hovering, elevated on a stand, in front of other characters or actors making it difficult to get a straight comparison with a normal sized person. Hasbro has made their Probe Droids bigger, and fans tend to react strongly to "corrections" even if they're correct. Things like Han's jacket or Jabba's height seem obvious to some and beyond argument to others. For the sake of brevity, let's say it's close enough for jazz.

That last probe droid sold for $50 in a 4-pack, which was a pretty decent deal. Give or take inflation, let's say he'd be about $15 today, making the Probe-Mate Hyperspace Pod about $15 - an excellent price. For me to consider something worth about $20, it needs to be roughly Speeder Bike size. And it is! According to Wookieepedia, the hyperspace pod is about 3.4-3.5-meters long. The toy is about 7-inches long. Ballparking 3 3/4-inch scale figures as 1:18 scale, that means the pod is about the right size. Functionally, it's a little tight. The droid fits inside with his display stand, but the interior panels nudge the antenna. If the antenna could telescope, I'd say it's perfect - but it's not. I do not recommend storing your droid in the pod.

The pod itself is kind of remarkable. As a kid I could never make it out in the movie, as it was small and blurry. Looking at Jazwares' Micro Galaxy Squadron toy or Wookieepedia's image, it looks like it's closer to the latter. Is it right or wrong? Let's say it's good enough, as I don't have sufficient reference handy that I can recall. The toy is a base, a lid, and 5 identical fold-down panels. It's incredibly efficient, and you can see Disney has effectively made a whole ship out of 3 fairly simple parts that can be assembled by hand with no screws or fasteners. Is it cheap or brilliant? I'd say both. The light paint on the panel is really all I need, and while weathering would be nice I can't argue with the price. Even with the theme park mark-up, it's a decent ship and I don't know if a Hasbro equivalent would be under $50. The plastic feels nice, and it has a nice hollow "chonk" sound to it that reminds me of Kenner's old mini-rigs.

Would Hasbro be held to a higher standard? Probably, because fans expect too damn much and Hasbro really wants to sell top-of-the-line stuff. Disney seems to be going for more of a middle ground, and I'm thrilled to have an all-new Hoth figure-scale toy for the first time in decades. It's so rare to see anybody pull out a figure or especially a ship from the original trilogy that hasn't been done one or two (or 14) times, so I would say this was worth my while of calling in a favor so I could get it after missing the initial sale. I'm sure your model maker buddy could do a better job painting it, but for a theme park souvenir I couldn't ask for much more. Given the typical 3 3/4-inch figure at a store is $20, $30 is fine for something like this and I hope Hasbro considers making some slightly compromised but cheaper toys in the future. I don't need perfection - I just need something cool and fun.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Greg (hi Greg) who stopped by a Disney park to get me one in Spring 2026. It sold out online almost immediately, so thanks much for the help there.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,344: May 12, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,343: Marrok (The Vintage Collection)

2026-05-07T01:00:00.000-07:00

MARROK We're #1 (or #3)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch single figure
Item No.: Asst. G2786 No. G2616
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #386
Includes: Cape, lightsaber, lightsaber hilt
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: March 2026
Appearances: Ahsoka, Tales of the Empire, Maul: Shadow Lord

Bio: Fully encased in battle armor, the Inquisitor Marrok carries a red double-bladed lightsaber with a circular hilt. (Taken from the cardback.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: Marrok was kind of an interesting mystery in Ahsoka three years ago. He looked sort of like an armored black knight, he carried around Inquisitor lightsabers, and it seems he was made of gas. Or will be made of gas. As I write this, we just saw him on the cartoon Maul: Shadow Lord as another more or less generic bad guy. Since Rebels ended, the Inquisitors don't seem to have a lot of motivation other than "I am Marrok, and I like my job." Like many characters, it seems team Lucasfilm just want to keep people wearing the same clothes for 20 years worth of story. One thing we do know about him is that he seemingly exists after the Empire falls, while the rest of his peers seem to have been disposed of. Maybe the interesting story is still coming, because there sure seems to be something going on beyond "is menacing, wears black, and has a red lightsaber."

Weirdly, we got a Marrok from Ahsoka in Retro and Black Series, but not Vintage - so this is your stand-in. The colors aren't identical as his live-action costume has a little more dirt or rust plus some color on the buttons, but other than that? It's pretty much the same. Hasbro could probably repaint this for an Ahsoka product in the next year, or whenever that show will air. Articulation is standard for The Vintage Collection, with no extra flourishes in the shoulders. His rocker ankles made me realize the costume has pointy bits on his boots, plus he has armor hanging off his shoulders. The helmet still looks cool, and it still looks like it was made by a particularly skilled blacksmith. The cape is draped over his shoulder, and you can mount his hilt under it if you like.

The sculpting is good, and the joints are well-integrated into the armor. Hasbro is better and better at making the textures look different, so you'll notice the body suit sets itself off from the metal-looking armor. All of the pieces fit together well, with lots of movement in the mid-torso joint and the hips swing forward fully. If they ever make an appropriate vehicle, this guy should be able to pilot it easily. Sadly we're moving into the "adult collectible" phase (or "endgame," probably) of the hobby where an increased emphasis on high-endedness will probably make this sort of thing unlikely. It's a shame, this design is super cool and would be a lot of fun if it were treated more like a toy, what with the spinning double-bladed lightsaber on the show and everything.

I wouldn't not recommend this one. If you see it in stores, give it a look. It might go with the Shin Hati and Baylan Skoll figures you find at Ross. Hasbro did a really nice job with it, but like so many figures we're in an era where people are no longer super fixated on the new thing for very long. Or the old thing, because Disney is giving us so much new stuff that you might not ever be in a position to consider a rewatch of these fairly fun shows. Is it worth $20? Well, maybe. The secondary market prices on The Black Series Marrok are approaching $90 and The Retro Collection is still holding SRP. I assume this guy, barring overproduction on Hasbro's part, is something you'll want to pick up before it runs out.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,343: May 7, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,342: Poggle the Lesser (The Vintage Collection)

2026-05-05T01:00:00.000-07:00

POGGLE THE LESSER Take Three
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch single figure
Item No.: Asst. F6878 No. G2602
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #391
Includes: Cane
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: March 2026
Appearances: Attack of the Clones

Bio: Poggle the Lesser was a powerful figure within the Confederacy of Independent Systems, commanding hte droid armies that fought the Republic for control of Geonosis. (Taken from the single-figure packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: Older fans like to dunk on the prequels, but they did a nice job there. The design work is amazing, with weird backstories and some genuinely great nomenclature. The sequels didn't top Poggle the Lesser, a bizarrely-named, strange-voiced, uses-his-rival's-leg-as-a-walking-stick antagonist from Attack of the Clones. Maybe he'd be more popular if Hasbro put out the figure in year one - we got our first basic figure in 2003 with a redeco in 2006. That means he's been off the market for about 20 years - so this is a good time to try again, now with knees, elbows, wrists, and other added articulation.

The 2003/2006 sculpt was very good, being based on digital assets and having all the wrinkly skin and intricate armor detail you might want - but it was still painted like a toy of its era. This new one has a bigger budget, with more detailing of the leather-like stuff covering his lower waist, more mottling in his beard, livelier eyes, and many - but not all - of the gems now painted. The turquoise bits were left unadorned, and the red gems seema little too bright, but otherwise? They did a nice job. The bug brooch looks good, the golden bangles are colored well, and the skin seems generally about as good as you can expect at this price point. I'm not sure if the vest color is quite right - but I'm not going to knock it. There are a lot of paint apps here and Hasbro did a great job making him feel a little more finished. Even the wings have a nice shimmer to them!

The sculpt is mostly great. The bug skin? Perfect. The clothing texture? Top-notch. The only parts I'm not fond of are the artistic decisions, which generally coincides with how I feel about most "collector" figures in general. The figure seems to have perfectly replicated a basic pose of a digital model. That's good, right? Mostly, yes. The problem is that it missed some key details or quirks that make the figure seem alive. If you look at the digital model from the movies, you'll notice the bangles around his wrists are sort of a cluttered, messy, jangly thing. The figure is tight and orderly. The figure stands upright with his head held high, and excellent posture. The movie character was something of a hunchback, with his Wookieepedia portrait tilting his head in a way the figure just can't do. They nailed the details, but this goes to show you that even a super-articulated figure needs work on its pose in order to give it the right personality. It's not bad. It's no worse than what we had before. But if Hasbro does Version 3.0 some day, I would recommend making him a little slouchier, a little messier, and generally more alive.

His one accessory is a cane, and it's also about as good as the last one. The movie model has some gold on the top, and a few cracks, and some weathering. This one is mostly clean except for some gold adornments. The sculpt is good, but it's a little too nice and clean. If this were still a $17 figure I'd have little reason to complain, but as we're at $20 and probably not that far off from $23, I want either a perfect figure or a cheap figure.

Articulation is very good, with the shoulders inset in his torso nicely. The hands move well, the feet rock a bit, and he has the knees, thighs, hips, and any other joints you might want. Thin-legged figures with unusual poses can dip and fall over with time, so the articulation is very welcome here as a correcting mechanism to the aging process. I suspect Poggle figures will slowly lurch forward over the years, so at least you can to in there and move the ankles and knees a bit rather than warp a single-piece leg. He's not going to sit in any vehicles, or probably at any war room tables, but at least he can stand as the manufacturer intended.

Hasbro did a great job on the craft, but I would like to see a slouchier, nervier pose if we ever see him again. Poggle the Lesser is an awesomely weird alien out of the George Lucas catalog, but he's not a being who you would say holds his head high. I think the final deco details - even with the missing turquoise - are a good choice as it looks more like he would on a red-tinted Geonosis or Mustafar. This is probably the very best Poggle the Lesser collectible of any kind you can buy today, and it's certainly one that's loaded with personality, jointed wings, and precious metals galore. If you have that 2002 Geonosis Arena playset, he'd love to hang out there. I assume I will not see a higher-grade 3 3/4-inch version of this figure, so I can recommend this one as the best figure you'll probably ever get. The amount of fine detailing here is impressive, and I imagine followed a style guide to the letter. Companies just need to start making messier figures that love drama.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,342: May 5, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,341: DD-BD (Droid Factory, Carded)

2026-04-30T01:00:00.000-07:00

DD-BD New Mold, New Silhouette
Star Wars Droid Depot
Item No.: ???
Manufacturer: Disney
Number: n/a
Includes: Collector card, TC-332 left arm
Action Feature: Removable dome
Retail: $19.99
Availability: April 2026
Appearances: Solo: A Star Wars Story

Bio: All different types of droids populate the Star Wars galaxy. Each droid is different and has their own unique personality and colors. This droid can be found in the mining operations control center of Kessel. Join DD-BD 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 eBay now!

Commentary: The most exciting Star Wars figures are new ones. I have no snark for DD-BD, a brand-new admintech droid, from a brand-new mold, that doesn't look like anything else we've bought. Sure, the feet are not unlike a Power Droid, and yes, his design seems not unlike an Astromech. The figure stands about 3-inches tall, is cast mostly in white, and has silver, grey, and red painted elements. Is it as filthy as the photo or the movie design? No, they left off the grime but did keep a little weathering. It's very good.

My main complaint about The Vintage Collection has been fan acceptance of things like articulation over innovation, or fresh characters. I have no doubt fans will gripe that DD-BD has but only 3 points of articulation. The dome, and both legs, are capable of movement. And that's it. The dome swivels, and each leg can swing forward and backward. You can pop the dome off, but it doesn't swap particularly well with R2-units. Functionally, it's on par with anything you could've expected from the 1978-1998 Kenner reign with better sculpting and deco.

There isn't a lot of paint, but it's precise and generally crisp. Under the dome are a bunch of silver greeblies - nothing special here, nothing bad either. Outside, you have perfect rectangular red panels. Cables are painted silver or in a gunmetal gray. There is a very, very, very subtle amount of gray "weathering" around some of the panels that's hard to see in normal ambient lighting. The painted bolts and projectors look great, and the silver cap on his head has a hole in it for hats. I just put the rabbit ears on top, and they fit well. Glorious.

On the day this came in the mail, I overheard a fan in a collector shop railing against "bad figures" that don't have ankle joints. That just rankles me to no end. When it comes to troopers, or acrobatic heroes? I want a lot of articulation. When it comes to droids, or aliens that stand in one place or sit on a barstool? Just charge me a fair price for the quality of figure that was manufactured. I won't argue that $19.99 (plus $10 shipping, plus tax) is an eye-wateringly high price to pay for this figure. But, it's also new, and interesting, and unlike anything else I've bought from Hasbro, Kenner, or Disney over the past nearly five decades. If I'm going to pay a premium for something, it's going to be this.

I don't dislike super-articulated figures but I do loathe being bored. I have a lot of great figures that make me happy, and this build-a-TC-332 program is about 50% "cool" and 50% "UGH." I don't need another pink droid, or B2-EMO, or R5-K6. But I'm happy to buy CU-28, DD-BD, and soon R4-6D0. (BDX set, jury's still out.) If Disney - and hopefully Hasbro - are willing to innovate and bring us new things... REAL new things, not just "this guy you have, with ankles" I hope they continue to be rewarded with quick sell-throughs and hopefully reruns. Even if you have an axe to grind with the Disney era, you can't deny the creature and droid work in the current era of TV and movies hasn't been good. We used to rely on toys and guide books and trading cards to show off this amazing craftsmanship, but Disney seems to be tightening the reigns there. Thank goodness we got this guy, and I wouldn't be surprised if this winds up being my favorite figure of 2026. Not that Chalmun or Arleil Schous won't be good, but it's superbly rare that we get a completely new body type in this line - and the Wookiee uses Chewbacca parts, and Arleil stole Jod Na Nawood's pants. If you have the means, and you love droids, go get DD-BD and then tell Hasbro you also want more figures like this, too, lest Disney steal their lunch money.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Shop Disney. It sold out online within 90 minutes, so check theme parks for availability.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,341: April 30, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,340: Imperial Remnant Stormtrooper (Replaced shin and shoulder, The Vintage Collection)

2026-04-28T01:00:00.000-07:00

IMPERIAL REMNANT STORMTROOPER (Shoretrooper Shin)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Hasbro Pulse Exclusive 4-Pack
Item No.: No. G3211
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster pistol, blaster rifle
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $67.99
Availability: April 2026
Appearances: The Mandalorian and Grogu

Bio: Figures inspired by the live-action Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu movie. (Taken from the web site description. They're really not trying hard for this movie.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: I wanted to grouse about the Imperial Remnant Stormtrooper four-pack, mostly because it only has one new body part and still has those same, old, tired hip joints and not the newer, better style we see on other figures. We've seen this mold reused for numerous movie troopers, video game troopers, TV troopers, and I would like to think that Hasbro would splurge for some retooling to make it perfect. Well, no dice. It's still very good, and for a standing-around figure it'll do. At $67.99 for four, though, you won't feel like you're getting a good deal anymore.

But, it is a good figure. I think these are wasted on being exclusives on a web site - ramshackle, mismatched troopers are the kind of thing you want to see in a store, on a card, with minor changes so you can buy a new one whenever you see one. Each one in the set has at least one distinctive armor element, so we'll look at them all in depth starting with this shoretrooper leg guy. He scrounged a brown bit of armor from the Rogue One era of trooper molds, while the rest of the figure stays more or less the same mold as previous releases. This is the best Hasbro 3 3/4-inch Stormtrooper mold you can get right now, and as far as I can tell, will continue to be for a while. It has the old, annoying hip joints (rather than the ball-and-socket ones) so you have to kind of dig in there to get it to pose or move. Everything else is more or less modern, with rocker ankles and bend-and-swivel wrists. The shoulders have a very good range of motion, and I was able to finagle a "walking/aiming" pose out of this guy without the use of a display stand. It's still a versatile mold, but it could be better. Other than including a holster, the figure's look is as good as we're going to get for a while - I'd just like to see better joints.

The helmet looks incredible, thanks in part to a very good level of filth. The dirt deco isn't just off-white, it feels like it went through some grime and the trooper didn't spend a lot of time polishing it. Clearly, the Imperial Remnant has never heard that you can wipe dirt off hard, smooth services and water spots on your faucets quite handily with used dryer softener sheets. (Thanks for the tip, Bobbi.) The fine detailing on the helmet is good, with black outlines that help the mouth pop. Maybe we'll see finer detailing someday, but at this size? Their heads are as good as we've ever seen, and the extra paint makes them feel so real I want to buy another set of these. The belt, the belly, each part pops nicely - but weirdly, that brown shin armor is pretty clean. This trooper also has a flourish on his shoulder, as you can see a little band there. I'm not sure if it's a mark of a prosthetic or just a scrounged droid part. Maybe we'll find out in the movie!

The set has six blasters - four more-or-less typical Stormtrooper blasters plus two long rifles. You can assign/lose as you see fit. I have this guy one regular blaster, and it lacks the silver paint mark or the scope we saw on some other variations. He looks great holding it, and the multi-jointed neck allows the figure to tilt his gaze down the scope. It's really nice.

I wish Hasbro could have kept the price down given they have more than made their money back on these molds, and the soft rubber outerpants weren't glued down on mine. They're gorgeous figures, and you'd probably pay a customizer more to dirty up your plain troopers at home. They're better than the previous Remnant dirty repaints by a fair margin, and the added new bits on 3 of the 4 figures make it interesting. I would not pout if Hasbro released these carded to big box stores if only to meet what I assume is a lot of quiet demand. People are going to want to buy these one or two at a time, and I assume they're less of an impulse buy at $68. Get these if you have the inclination, they're gorgeous and I love the specialized armor bits here.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Hasbro Pulse.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,340: April 28, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,339: Funko Luke Skywalker (Bitty Pop! Arcade Display)

2026-04-23T01:00:00.000-07:00

LUKE SKYWALKER Arcade Display
Bitty Pop! Mini Figure with Display
Item No.: No. 85545
Manufacturer: Funko
Number: n/a
Includes: Tiny figure in tiny box with 2 3/4-inch scale arcade cabinet
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: ??? 2025
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Insert Bitty Pop! into arcade display. Bitty Pop! box fits under Bitty Pop figure. (Taken from the cardback.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: I've written thousands of reviews, so sometimes I need to write about something because I feel like it. Bitty Pop! Arcade Display Luke Skywalker is part of a series with Ninja Turtles, Tron, X-Men, and other little arcade cabinets. They are a little small for 3 3/4-inch figures, but line up with full-size Pop! Vinyl, Playmobil, 2 3/4-inch Glyos, and other slightly smaller-bodied figures. I suppose if you imagine they're like the Arcade 1-Up scaled-down cabinets they've been selling in Walmart, they could be 3 3/4-inch scale. They just need a riser. The cabinet mold seems to be the same for all figures, with new deco. The art doesn't match any real Star Wars game art, as it's a lot more subdued. The real deal from Atari was a brighter affair, and I assume there were art licensing issues. (Ask anyone who's ever licensed a Konami game about box art licensing!)

For arcade cabinet collectors, it looks more or less normal with coin slots and convex Suzo-Happ style buttons. I don't recognize the stick - it's not like most American bat-top sticks, or most Japanese ball-top sticks. It's a mushroom, and I don't think that's a thing on coin-op machines. If nothing else, nobody can sue them for patent infringement. I would have gone with a red stick top and red buttons, but hey, I'm not on the Funko payroll. Maybe there's significance here.

The figure itself is pretty interesting. Luke stands about an inch high, and has blocks of paint to represent pixels. It's more cutesy than accurate, but fans' eyesight might appreciate the exaggerated cheeks and the square pixels over the round, very-not-8-bit eyes. The errant darker blue pixel on the lightsaber made me smile. Luke has no articulation to speak of, but he does have a tiny black plastic box in addition to the cabinet. If you want to store him in an itty bitty Funko box, you can do that. You can also swap in other Bitty figures in the cabinet.

I mostly write about figures from the perspective of someone who has been buying this stuff for decades, who has many figures, and gripes when a new scale comes out. This item grabbed me because it was something else - it appeals to my interest in video games, pixel things, and tiny replicas of video game stuff. For eight bucks, the value proposition was pretty good and I'd recommend checking these out as diorama elements or as collectibles unto themeselves. It's not amazing, it has no real articulation, and it will not change your life. But it's cool, and I got into toys because I was a kid and I like fun things that make me happy. This one works. Order one online, or check the Funko section of big red big box store. It might not be for you, but it spoke to me and it's under eight bucks. I'm willing to try something new if it's not priced to drain my wallet, so I appreciate what Funko did here.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,339: April 23, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,338: Airborne Clone Trooper (212th Battalion, The Vintage Collection)

2026-04-21T01:00:00.000-07:00

AIRBORNE CLONE TROOPER (212th Battalion)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Walmart Exclusive 2-Pack
Item No.: Asst. G2786 No. G2621
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #399
Includes: Blaster pistol, blaster rifle
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $39.99
Availability: March 2026
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: On Clone Commander Cody's orders, the 212th battalion's specially trained clone paratroopers searched - to no avail - for their missing commander, Obi-Wan Kenobi. (Taken from the cardback.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Walmart now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: Sometimes I see a set, hold my nose, and order it anyway. Not because it's bad - but because I wasn't disappointed in what I have at home. This Airborne Clone Trooper (212th Battalion) is a newer, skinnier, debatably improved version of a 30th Anniversary Collection figure from 2007. The 2007 one had vibrant orange coloring, a removable helmet, battle damage, and even a hidden blaster inside his pouch. It even had a coin, and it was $6.99 (about $11 adjusted for inflation.) Even at the time, that was a really good price. This figure stands well, physically and on its own merits. Having said that, the 2007 one was so good, you might not feel compelled to upgrade. I would not argue if you felt that way.

This new figure was about $20 (in a 2-pack that cost $40). It has no removable helmet, two blasters (one is different), and no battle damage. The new ankles rock better, the helmet pivots better and is a bit more appropriately sized, the waist joint is better, and the wrists move well. The elbow cuts? They're better too. It's much easier to pose this new version, but what's kind of vexing is the part count isn't that much different from the original, much cheaper toy. I prefer the new cloth kama piece to the plastic original, though, so there's that.

I liked the coloring of the original release a little more, mostly because it just popped. The white is a little duller, and the orange is a little paler this time. All the rank markings are where they were last time, though, but the color drift over 20 years means your 212th attack battalion figures likely won't all match any more.

Hasbro's 2027 figure isn't bad, so my grumpiness comes mostly from my satisfaction of the old figure, what with its banged-up black marks and weathered armor, being a perfectly good, much cheaper toy. With a coin. That 2007 figure costs about the same as this new one, and if you ask me which one you should buy? It's a hard choice. I like the coin a lot from 2007, but I think most fans will prefer the soft goods kama and improved range of articulation on the otherwise very similar joints. For 18 years, it doesn't feel like the massive leaps we saw from 1978 to 1998, or even 2002 to 2007. We do see some massive leaps forward with some of our human likenesses and every all-new, never-before-made figure tends to look amazing. It's just when we already have one at home (or in a storage unit) it can be tough to really hold up a higher-priced remake as a beacon of awesomeness, even if it is very nicely executed. If Hasbro included the battle damage, a removable helmet, and a pouch blaster, I'd say this would be clearly a superior figure... but as it stands, I'm having more fun with the 30th Anniversary Collection incarnation. It's a better toy, this is a better figure adults can use to try to impress each other.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Walmart. I got mine online, but I was surprised to see this in multiple stores. I was less surprised to see this set ripped open with the Clone stolen. Arizona gonna Arizona.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,338: April 21, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,337: CU-28 (Droid Factory, Carded)

2026-04-16T01:00:00.000-07:00

CU-28 Old Mold, New Droid
Star Wars Droid Depot
Item No.: ???
Manufacturer: Disney
Number: n/a
Includes: Collector card, TC-332 head
Action Feature: Comes apart
Retail: $19.99
Availability: February 2026
Appearances: The Mandalorian

Bio: All different types of droids populate the Star Wars galaxy. Each droid is different and has their own unique personality and colors. This droid can be found in the office of the Magistrate of Nevarro. Join CU-28 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 eBay now!

Commentary: A Star Wars toy that's educational? You'll find out how valuable your science classes are when you pick up CU-28 and if your reaction is "Oh, the scientific symbol for Copper and its number on the Periodic Table of Elements!" or "more like see you next Tuesday am I right?" (Kids, don't ask your parents.) CU-28 is a redeco of GS-C1B [FOTD #3,254], which we got about a year ago as part of a The Book of Boba Fett figure four-pack. That figure was in a set with four figures for $45. This one figure costs $20, and after shipping and tax is about $33. That's inflation for you.

While the prop costume has a couple of raised dots on the chest, the figure is smooth - and otherwise pretty accurate. This is one I'll call "good enough!" I don't assume Hasbro will give us one, given their allergy to droids and aliens, so you can take it from me that this is the best one we'll likely ever get. The copper-colored paint doesn't justify the higher price, but it pads it a bit. The figure was molded in copper plastic, but this finish makes it look a lot better. It's not vac-metal, but again, it's about as good as we're going to get. The green eyes match the show, and the finish is about as good as anything else we've got on a recent Star Wars figure. The wires on the belly look pretty good, too. Unlike GS-C1B, there aren't a lot of other highlights on his chassis - it's just a clean penny, it always comes back to you. Don't curse him for his nature, don't bless him for his wrongs.

For a figure whose parts most likely date back to the 2009-era build-a-droid with modifications, it's pretty good. It's also absurd how many very old molds are still in development (with no price cuts) after all this time. Currently, the secondary market prices for a single CU-28 are silly - $50 or more. I don't think it's worth it, but some people sell bundles/lots of 2 or more droids averaging $30 each. That, I would say, is fair/what I had to pay. It's not a bargain. It's not good. But it's as good as you're going to get for a bright, distinctive robot action figure that I am actually not complaining about owning. Nothing is more exciting than a new character, or a distinctive new costume.* Get this one if you can.

* - ...except Kenner-style Retro figures. Those are the best.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Shop Disney. It sold very quickly.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,337: April 16, 2026