Star Wars Action Figures and Articulation

Whose Line is it Anyway?

Star Wars Rebels: Kanan Jarras

5POA. If you’re a fan of Star Wars action figures at present, or most current licensed toy lines for that matter, that term is likely to evoke some strong emotions one way or another. With the reveal of the 5POA Kanan figure from the upcoming Star Wars Rebels line (above), I think I’ve finally hit a moment of clarity with regards to my own stance on the articulation debate.

As a rule I try not to let the excessive negativity of online forums get to me, and sometimes find myself taking a contrarian position just to counter that aggressiveness – I can’t help it, I have a natural aversion to sharing a viewpoint with some of the more… dedicated forumers out there. It was this attitude, along with genuine curiosity and an appreciation for the fact that Hasbro were making action figures affordable again that I picked up my first Saga Legends figure, the Super Battle Droid. Despite some initial reservations this purchase was swiftly followed with Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi and the Shock Trooper from Saga Legends, and the Darth Vader/Seeker Droid and 212^th Clone Trooper/Battle Droid sets from the Mission Series. I’ve now essentially got a small selection of vintage style Revenge of the Sith action figures, but as cool as they all look together… I’m not really sure what to do with them.

A small selection of Saga Legends

I enjoy taking photos of my toys when I can find the time, but I’ve struggled to get much mileage from the Saga Legends in that regard. Don’t get me wrong, I love Rather Childish (RIP?) as much as the next toy collecting Star Wars nerd, but there are two factors stopping me from ripping him off as much as I’d like: firstly, my photography skills are nowhere near as developed as his, and secondly the vintage figures have a certain charm that the Saga Legends toys emulate, but don’t quite match… And that’s probably as close as we’re going to get to an empirical value for nostalgia. As pilot figures I think they look great, and I would love to pick up a Class II (accurately scaled) Jedi Starfighter with which to display either Anakin or Kenobi when I have the funds. Beyond that though, I’ve really run out of interest, and that’s only confirmed that this isn’t the action figure line for me.

And the thing is, it’s really not. I called it when the Saga Legends were first announced, and after giving them a fair go I’m happy enough to say that these figures aren’t for me. They’re for my nephew, his friends, and any other kids discovering Star Wars for the first time, and I am not gonna fault Hasbro for that – after all, it was an affordable kids toy line that got us all hooked in the first place, whether it was vintage or POTF2. That’s why I’m OK with the new Rebels figures being 5POA, because it means staying affordable, and might even lead to a new group of collectors eventually joining the party - something that’s definitely required if the line is ever to reclaim the heights it once scaled.

Star Wars Rebels: Ezra Bridger & The Ghost

The Saga Legends toy line isn’t for us, and the Rebels cartoon (a Disney channel exclusive, no less) isn’t for us either. If we enjoy it, that’s a different matter; but it’s not for us, and amidst all the pitchfork wielding about how the new Rebels characters have been designed purely for kid appeal, or that the latest figures aren't the greatest quality, that’s something entirely worth remembering.

I'll get off my soapbox now... 

Thoughts prompted and images snatched from the always awesome FLYGUY.

Best of the Best: The Star Wars Soundtrack Countdown

VII-IX Pending.

I’ve had very little time to focus on action figure reviews or photography over the last few weeks as my university course has grown increasingly hectic (it’s the final year rush!), but one thing that’s kept me going in that time has been Spotify, and in particular the fantastic work of John Williams. Whilst I’ve been happily listening to his scores for Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, and The Book Thief, it’s really the Star Wars soundtracks that made me fall in love with his music, over and above, say, the incredible themes for E.T. or Indiana Jones. 

The thing is that when you begin to consider the music as a separate entity to the films a very different order of preference emerges, and the prequels don’t seem quite as bad anymore… With that in mind, I proudly present:

The Star Wars Soundtrack Countdown

6. Return of the Jedi

Coming at the tail-end of the OT, the Return of the Jedi soundtrack has its moments, such as the soaring, operatic majesty of Luke and Leia or the haunting Emperor’s Throne Room. However the music rarely takes off, and never feels quite as vibrant as the earlier scores, due in large part to the production which is almost muted and flat by comparison to the earlier records. The Special Editions were the hardest on this film as well, as we were ‘treated’ to the appalling Jedi Rocks and inferior Victory Celebration tunes – celebrate the love indeed. Like the actual film, the Jedi soundtrack has some depth, but a lot of filler. Still worth a listen though!

5. Attack of the Clones

On a similar note (hah!), the Attack of the Clones soundtrack has some beautiful moments, such as Across the Stars and Yoda and the Younglings; but it still falls a bit flat in places – Zam the Assassin and the Chase Through Coruscant is as bitty and noisy as the horrible, horrible scene it scores, for example. However, tracks like Confrontation with Count Dooku and Finale really emphasises the intended mystery of the Sith, and on the whole it’s a collection of beautiful music with a building, tragic undertone that sells the story far better than the actual film. It’s an undeservedly elegant score.

4. Revenge of the Sith

Revenge of the Sith comes the closest out of the prequels to matching the quality and tone of the OT, and as such it’s far more in harmony with its score than the previous two episodes. I’m still confused as to why Battle of the Heroes was composed and used when Duel of the Fates would have been equally (if not more) appropriate, but it’s a fine tune in and of itself. We’re also introduced to the brilliant, alert General Grievous, which is a sharp continuation of themes from The Phantom Menace album. The soundtrack is punctuated with stabs of the Imperial March, and the closing A New Hope and End Credits is the perfect way to tie the two trilogies together. It might not have a beautiful high point like the ROTJ or AOTC albums, but as a whole this soundtrack is greater than the sum of its parts.

3. The Phantom Menace

The soundtrack that started the debate. In my factual and scientifically endorsed opinion this is only the fifth best Star Wars film, but the soundtrack runs the top two extremely close. This album was pretty much all I listened to over the summer of 1999, and it’s a score of unexpected majesty, beauty, and fun – waking up the neighbours by blaring out Augie’s Great Municipal Band and End Credits every morning certainly fulfilled my bizarre, Calvin-esque rebellious streak; Anakin’s Theme is one of my favourite tracks from the whole saga, and even Jar Jar Binks gets a bone with a playful, enigmatic introductory tune. That’s even before we consider the commercial impact of the frenetic Duel of the Fates, as exciting as the fight scenes it accompanies… Regardless of your take on the success of Lucas’ decision to show a more regal and refined galaxy, John Williams delivered the goods in spades.

2. The Empire Strikes Back

I struggle with the Empire soundtrack, because it’s simply amazing – from an objective viewpoint, it can be genuinely considered for the title of the greatest film soundtrack ever. However, and I’m being subjective here, I listen to it fairly frequently and find myself skipping the ends of tracks, before the Imperial March comes crashing in and destroys the mood the previous music created. I get it, how the never-too-distant fear of the Empire is perfect for the film, but from a selfish point of view I’d really enjoy being able to listen to the soul edifying grandeur of Yoda and the Force without having to worry about turning the volume down almost immediately afterwards.

But maybe I’m being too critical; after all, this album gave us The Asteroid Field, City in the Clouds, Han Solo and the Princess, Yoda’s Theme… And of course, the Imperial March. It’s a classic.

1. Star Wars

Now, I’m not the kind to think that Star Wars is the greatest achievement of the saga (however great an achievement it is), and I love the fact that we have two complete stories, those of both Luke and Anakin Skywalker. However the score is a huge part of why Star Wars exists as it does today, and Williams nailed it at the first time of asking. The Main Title is a cultural touchstone, enough said. Beyond that there are moments of beauty and adolescent melancholy galore with The Hologram/Binary Sunset, and Tales of a Jedi Knight/Learn About the Force, weighted against the drama and tension of Burning Homestead. The beauty reaches a high point with Princess Leia’s Theme. There’s the playfulness that sets this film apart from the others in The Dune Sea of Tatooine/Jawa Sandcrawler and Cantina Band, and the glorious, rousing The Throne Room/End Title caps both the listening and the viewing experience off perfectly.

The Star Wars soundtrack established the themes and pattern for the others to follow, and however great Williams’ achievements on the other five films, or any of his countless other classics, no other soundtrack surpasses his work on this.

John Williams is The Man.

The music of Star Wars is one of the elements of the franchise that I enjoy the most, and do so on an almost daily basis. Whatever order you may put these soundtracks in, we should all be grateful that such masterful music exists for our listening pleasure. All the same if you think I've got it the wrong way around, let me know in the comments!

SL05: Saga Legends (2013) Super Battle Droid Review

"Super Battle Droids are capable of inflicting a punishing assault on their targets."

The 2013 Saga Legends figures have started to hit, which is either a case of 'about time', or 'oh God no', depending on your articulation/price point preference ratio... I plan to cherry pick from the first wave (I'm more excited about the Mission Series line-up), but today I saw the first single-carded figure that I was always aiming to get: the Super Battle Droid. 

Battle Droids (Super and not-so Super) in action.

In the interests of full-disclosure, I should point out that I've never been against this line. When it was announced at New York Toy Fair in February, I thought that the sculpts looked fantastic and the move back to a lower price point was long overdue. Many online were more reticent, to say the least, but the proof was always going to be in the final product.

Card Front

This is the first Super Battle Droid figure I've owned as I wasn't collecting much other than the odd Luke or Anakin during the AOTC/ROTS years, but now I've got a fairly sizable clone squad this seemed like the ideal opportunity to pick one up. Significantly more substantial than the Episode I Battle Droids, the Super Battle Droids, along with the Droidekas, present a far greater challenge to any Republic forces on the toy shelf...

Card Back

First up, the packaging. Now I wasn't sure about this at first, but in person it really works. Smaller than the cards we've been used to, the Vader picture on the front works surprisingly well and the cracked effect of the plastic bubble helps it to look more dynamic. This is exciting packaging, and an inspired choice for the kids/budget line. The card back is still ruined by more warning signs than I have fingers, but at least they managed to get some character info and pictures of other available characters on there. For any fellow EU collectors who picked up the late Vintage Collection, this makes a welcome change.

Face Front!

My immediate first impressions were of how sturdy the Super Battle Droid felt when I removed it from the bubble. The limbs feel solid and the joints are tight, and the figure has some weight to it. As you probably know, the most controversial aspect of the new Saga Legends line is the reduced articulation, with most figure clocking in at five (swivel head, arms and legs). The Super Battle Droid goes one less however, with the head being sunk into the body as it is. For this character that's not so much an issue as it only really stands to attention or extends its gun arm at 90 degrees anyway, so I'll have no problem using this with my clones and other droids.

Take Aim...

The payoff from the limited articulation (other than the lower RRP) is the more accurate sculpt. Unencumbered by multiple joints and hinges, the Super Battle Droid has an accurate silhouette and decent proportions, which means that for display this is one of the best versions of this character you can get. There's a lot of detail in the sculpt, from the pistons on the arms to the grooves on the soles of the feet, and the plastic has a shiny quality to it that gives the Super Battle Droid a metal-like sheen representative of the films. There isn't really a paint job to speak of, which given some of the boss eyes being reported on Mace Windu and Yoda may not be such a bad thing; all we get here is a simple red dot to indicate the power light. A wash might help bring out the sculpt a bit more, but it doesn't require any vital work to look like the character.

'10 to 2' position on the (imaginary) wheel

There's a lot of baggage around the new Saga Legends on message boards and nerd sites the world over, so I think the fairest way to look at this figure is without the context. It's got a great sculpt, stands well (didn't fall over once whilst shooting), and accurately represents the character. Elbow joints would be nice, even just on the left arm, and the almost total lack of paint shows how much the figures are being stripped back for this line. But then at least that's reflected in the price; probably the biggest plus point of all.

"Freeze, Jedi!"

Ultimately, the economy isn't what it was, and if this is the direction Hasbro has to take to keep action figures affordable, then so be it. For the Super Battle Droid the pros outweigh the cons, but I don't think the entire line will fare so well.

*****

Thanks for reading!

MH11: Movie Heroes Clone Trooper Review

As I've mentioned before, I find the period between the Prequels and the OT a fascinating time in Star Wars lore - there's a lot of ground to be covered with many of the 'big' characters in their prime, and a wholesale change in the style and look of the galaxy. This is where the Clone Troopers come into their own, having been on a pretty clear path of evolution from their introduction in Episode II. I have to say, with hindsight and a softening demeanour towards the Prequels as a whole, I'm actually rather fond of the ROTS 'Phase 2' look. With that in mind, it's time to review... The Movie Heroes Clone Trooper!

Clone Trooper and his Gear

Basic Training

This figure is a re-pack of 2005's Clone Trooper with Firing Jet Backpack, a deluxe figure that was based on unused concept art for Revenge of the Sith. As far as I can tell it's a straight-up repack, with no change to the paint apps. The figure features 12 points of articulation and the aforementioned Firing Jet Backpack (essential for anti-Separatist missions!), and a rifle with a sight. It also comes packed with a Star Wars display base, a Galactic Battle Game Card and Game Die.

For the Republic!

Firstly, it's a decent sculpt. A lot of detail has been crafted into the armour, with lines in all the right places and an impressive level of detail on the belt and the right-wrist controls. The paint apps are really well done, with great detailing on the helmet in particular. The ball-jointed head is the right size, and the waist joint, swivel hips and ball jointed knees and ankles allow for some well-balanced poses (although posing is an issue that will be discussed further below). Even with the heavy weight of the firing jetpack plugged into its back the Clone Trooper can still stand up well. The jetpack itself looks very cool, and both the spring loaded wings and missile firing feature work well enough as play features for me; I'm sure that a kid would absolutely love this toy for that alone!

For the Empire!

As you may have noticed so far however, I've avoided talking about the arms. And if you look at the pictures above, you may notice they're all in the same position - and that right there is the serious flaw with this figure, ladies and gentlemen: swivel elbows. Without any kind of hinge action (and nothing like a ball joint), this Clone Trooper is eternally stuck in either a rigid, double-handed gun holding pose, or with his arms out in a 'what ya gonna do?' kind of stance. I know how he'll sit on my shelf, but it's not a great choice. Another problem I've found is seriously loose joints, and a lower left arm that came off straight out of the packet. The former isn't a huge problem because as yet the Trooper's had no difficulty holding a pose, but the arm has dropped out a couple of times since. The rifle is incredibly under-sculpted as well, but it serves its purpose well enough.

"Why me?" bemoans the MH Clone Trooper as his SL counterpart stretches w-i-d-e...

For Some Ball-Jointed Arms!

My overall impression is that this is a very solid toy with one big minus point; however, the good almost counteracts it. There's a decent sculpt, a very good paint job, great lower-body posability that can make the upper-body poses seem less static, and a very cool and well-made action feature that keeps the spirit of the character whilst also providing a great toy. The arms aren't great, but at least the pose they hold looks natural and appropriate, and I'd have absolutely no second thoughts about putting this guy on display next to my Saga Legends Clone Trooper. In fact, I'd say they look pretty swell together...

***

Escaping Utapau

I watched Episode One on Friday night, for the first time in years and in the right frame of mind to enjoy it thoroughly. Jar Jar Binks wasn't as bad as the hyperbole, and at the end I was left thinking that it was a decent Star Wars film in need of some serious editing - just trimming scenes and shots and terrible dialogue here and there, nothing too drastic. Anyway, that's kept me in a Prequel mood. I'm reluctant to watch Attack of the Clones (for obvious reasons), but feel that I probably should watch them in order to get back around to Revenge of the Sith. Yeah, it's flawed, but it's the first time in any of the Prequel series that it feels like anybody involved in making it is actually having fun...

I tried a lot of different ways of editing this shot, but in the end went back to how it was (almost) originally. Still not thrilled with it from a composition angle, but it's passable. And considering how much I've been trying to force shots this weekend when there's been nothing doing, I'll take that.