The Hunt Is On - Force Link 3 3/4" "Battle On Crait" Pack Found

The last item to be released in the Force Link line of figures is the "Battle On Crait" set, which continues the recent tradition of releasing a four-pack to coincide with the home video release of the latest film (in this case, The Last Jedi). Mine turned up in the mail this week courtesy of Target - and at $24.99US ($34.56), it's a great little set.


"Battle On Crait" is a vast improvement on the "Takodana Encounter" pack that accompanied the home video release of The Force Awakens. That set disappointingly came with three repacks - but it was the only way to get hold of Maz Kanata (and her adorable lightsaber chest). This time around, we're seeing three brand new characters: Rose (Crait Defense), the First Order Gunner, and the First Order Walker Driver. Granted, the latter is a repaint of the Force Awakens First Order Snowtrooper - but I'm a fiend a for trooper variants, and will take them any way they come. Rose and the Gunner are entirely new sculpts, however. The Gunner (who, with his flared trousers and ostentatious helmet, certainly wins the award for most ridiculous trooper uniform) is a basic sculpt, but looks great alongside his other 3 3/4" First Order comrades.

The real standout here, however, is Rose. Dressed in a removable rubberised poncho, she features some wonderful details - like sculpted wisps of hair and a gold-painted moon necklace. The real surprise is that she features an extra two points of articulation in her wrists. It's unclear why she was given these, but it's certainly not unwelcome.

The one repack is Rey, whom we've already seen twice in this line so far. This time, however, she comes with salty feet - earning her the 'Crait Defense' designation seen on the box. All four figures come packed with a screen-accurate sidearm, while Rey also has her lightsaber and staff.

This purchase wraps up my Force Link hunt list - and does so almost three weeks before the next line of figures hits (for the first time since Disney bought the Star Wars franchise). I remember a time when we used to get three years between these things...

The Last Jedi Target Exclusive Blu-Ray and DVD Set

This week saw the home video release of Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi. There were a battery of different purchase options available, but I eventually decided to go for the Target exclusive Blu-Ray and DVD set.


This pack includes The Last Jedi on Blu-Ray, DVD, and digital as well as a Blu-Ray disc containing the standard assortment of special features and the Target Exclusive DVD disc with the "Meet the Porgs" featurette. The included special features give some wonderful insights into the film-making process, but the real standout is The Director and the Jedi - a heartfelt feature-length look behind-the-scenes of The Last Jedi. It's a wonderful tribute to the contributions of both Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill to the saga, and might just be my second favourite Star Wars documentary yet (after the wonderful Empire of Dreams that accompanied the 2004 DVD release of the original trilogy).

The deleted scenes are another great highlight. Whereas these scenes are usually dull and uninspired - making clear the director's reasons for their omission - the deleted scenes from The Last Jedi are, for the most part, truly excellent. More than once, my fiancee and I found ourselves saying "I wish they'd left that in". It's a real credit to director Rian Johnson that - even after assembling a two-and-a-half hour film (the longest Star Wars movie to date) - there was still a raft of great scenes left on the cutting-room floor.

Also included is a gorgeous 40-page 'Gallery Book' featuring factoids, concept art, and behind-the-scenes photographs. The packaging features stunning photographs of the cast - all suffused with the red palette that became the signature of this film. At only $27.99US ($38.71NZ) it is - in my estimations - the best way to go if you're looking to add this movie to your collection!

Micro Force Blind Bags Series 2 Figures

Coming hot on the heels of series 1, the second wave of Micro Force figures is now flooding into stores. My fiancée and I once again hunted these down with abandon - and yesterday managed to complete the set with only minimal double-ups.


While the first wave consisted mostly of repacks from the old Fighter Pods line, series 2 features a slew of new sculpts - predominantly from Rogue One and the sequel trilogy. There are also a few older characters (like Darth Maul, young Obi-wan, and Emperor Palpatine) to help round out the set of prequel and original trilogy characters from the first series. The real highlights here, however, are Phasma and BB-8. The latter even comes with a little sculpted dust cloud to simulate his frantic rolling.

The paint applications are once again top-notch - with tiny details (like the fact that Phasma's blaster should be a slightly different shade of silver to her armour) paid mind. My excitement continues to grow for this line, and I'm fascinated to see what comes next!

The Hunt Is On - Force Link 3 3/4" Rose (First Order Disguise), BB-8, and BB-9E 2-Pack Found

Although it's taken a little longer than in other parts of the country, the Rose (First Order Disguise), BB-8, and BB-9E 2-pack - one of the last releases in the Last Jedi Force Link line - has finally turned up in my area. 


This set is everything a 2-pack should be. While Rose is a great figure - and would have always been a must-have for me - current stock levels at brick-and-mortar stores suggest she would most likely have become a peg warmer had she been released single-carded. So instead, Hasbro have packed  her with two highly-desirable droids: a resculpted BB-8, and the all new BB-9E. They've even eschewed the usual oversized missile-firing accessory in favour of a fantastic screen-used cannon that'll look great alongside a cadre of first order stormtroopers.

Rose is a wonderful sculpt featuring a spot-on likeness. As usual, she only comes with 5 points of articulation, but she does have a working holster for her included blaster pistol. Both BB-8 and BB-9E come with two points of 'neck' articulation, giving them a significant range of expression in their heads.

My only criticism of this set is the cannon. Don't get me wrong - it's great, and can be disassembled into four separate pieces for all kinds of added display options. Unfortunately, it's sculpted from a soft rubbery plastic that seems prone to warping. Both the barrel and prop came severely bent, and a quick search online shows that I'm not the only one who's had this issue. It's an easy problem to solve (hot water, straighten, then cold water), but Hasbro's quality control should be ensuring that this kind of fix isn't even needed in the first place. Stormtroopers already have enough trouble firing straight!

Jon Favreau to Executive Produce and Write Live-Action Star Wars Series

Another day, another announcement about upcoming new Star Wars content. (They just keep coming, don't they?) StarWars.com this morning announced that Jon Favreau is set to executive produce and write a new live-action Star Wars series for Disney's new direct-to-consumer platform.

(Image courtesy of Ethan Miller / Getty Images)

For now, I'm assuming that this live action series is the very same one that Bob Iger announced back in November 2017. Best known for Iron Man and Iron Man 2, Favreau has also appeared had roles in  both The Clone Wars and the upcoming Solo: A Star Wars Story.

What are your thoughts on this announcement? Be sure to let us know via Facebook or Twitter, or by sending an email to relicsoftheforce@gmail.com!

The Hunt Is On - The Vintage Collection Figures

(New items from the Vintage Collection line will be added to this list as they are announced.)

Along with the release of the new Force Link 2.0 line, April 13th will also see the return of the wonderful Vintage Collection. As a 3 3/4" figure collector, I couldn't have hoped for better news. The original Vintage Collection (lasting from 2010 until 2013) featured some of the most high quality, super-articulated Star Wars figures we've ever seen.  I picked up a large chunk of the line (and, in all honesty, wished I'd grabbed more). Having them come back is a dream come true.


Yakface.com has once again compiled a list of the initial releases from this line. Details are a little fuzzy about the wave assortments and when we can expect to see them - but so far, I've still managed to put forward a list of must-haves.

  1. The Vintage Collection 3 3/4" VC002 Leia (Hoth)
  2. The Vintage Collection 3 3/4" VC003 Han Solo (Echo Base)
  3. The Vintage Collection 3 3/4" VC008 Darth Vader
  4. The Vintage Collection 3 3/4" VC009 Boba Fett
  5. The Vintage Collection 3 3/4" VC021 Gamorrean Guard
  6. The Vintage Collection 3 3/4" VC023 Luke Skywalker (Endor Capture)
  7. The Vintage Collection 3 3/4" VC120 Rebel Soldier (Hoth)
  8. The Vintage Collection 3 3/4" VC132 Saelt-Marae (Yakface)
  9. The Vintage Collection 3 3/4" VC134 Leia (Boussh Disguise)
  10. The Vintage Collection 3 3/4" VC135 Klaatu (Skiff Guard)
  11. The Vintage Collection 3 3/4" VC137 Ree-Yees
  12. The Vintage Collection 3 3/4" VC143 Han Solo (Stormtrooper Disguise)
  13. The Vintage Collection 3 3/4" VC144 Lando Calrissian (Skiff Guard)
  14. The Vintage Collection 3 3/4" VC146 Luke Skywalker (Crait)
  15. The Vintage Collection 3 3/4" VC147 Death Star Gunner
  16. The Vintage Collection 3 3/4" Doctor Aphra Comic 3 Pack [2018 SDCC Exclusive]
  17. The Vintage Collection 3 3/4" Luke Skywalker Jedi Legacy 3 Pack [2019 SDCC Exclusive]
  18. The Vintage Collection 3 3/4" Tatooine Skiff 3 Pack
  19. The Vintage Collection 3 3/4" Jabba's Tatooine Skiff

The remainder of the announced figures are either repacks of earlier figures (particularly those from Walmart's exclusive Black Series line) or re-releases of characters I've already picked up in their 5-points-of-articulation versions. That being said, I'll be keeping a close eye on this line going forward!

So what's on your wishlist for April 13th? Be sure to let us know via Facebook or Twitter, or by sending an email to relicsoftheforce@gmail.com!

The Hunt Is On - Force Link 2.0 Figures

(New items from the Force Link 2.0 line will be added to this list as they are announced.)

Between a handful of leaks and the official announcements at Toy Fair 2018, Yakface.com has been able to put together a comprehensive list of what we can expect to see from the Force Link 2.0 line on April 13th. Using that, I've been able to put together my own huntlist for the next series of 3 3/4" figures a little earlier than usual.


Things have been pretty easy this time around - especially since the first wave only features four figures from Solo: A Star Wars Story. The Mimban Stormtrooper and Range Trooper are easy choices given my penchant for military figures, as are Chewbacca (with his new accessories) and Qi-Ra - two of the lead characters from the film. I'll be passing on the rest of the wave, however, as the remaining figures are simply repacks of characters I already have in my collection. The following two waves won't be giving us a whole lot of new Solo figures, either. In fact, there's only one: Moloch, Han's apparent racing rival. Despite this, there's a very welcome non-Solo inclusion in Wave 2 - namely, Supreme Leader Snoke. Despite almost two and a half years passing since his screen debut, this will be the first chance we've actually had to pick him up as a single-carded figure. (His only prior release in the 3 3/4" line was with the massive - and hugely expensive - BB-8 playset.)

Solo looks to trade on one of my favourite film tropes: assembling a rag-tag team of rogues. As such, I'll be looking to complete the gang in plastic, and it seems like this will happen in Wave 4 when Tobias Becket, Rio Durant, Val, and L3-37 all hit shelves. That wave will also see the release of the mudtrooper and Quay Tolsite.

In addition to these single-carded figures, I'll also be on the hunt for the Lando Calrissian, Rebolt, and Mimban Han Solo and Chewbacca two-packs, as well as Enfys Nest (who looks to be the central villain of the film) with his swoop. Hasbro will also be using the Force Link 2.0 launch to finally get their super-articulated wampa on shelves - an item I've been drooling over for at least the last six months.

So, in sum, I'll be looking for the following from April 13th onwards:


You might notice a glaring omission on this list of figures intended to accompany the release of a Han Solo-centric film: namely, a clean Han Solo (i.e., not mud-covered as in the Mimban two-pack). This is largely due to Hasbro's dubious decision to not release a single-carded version of the titular hero. There will be 3 3/4" Solos available on April 13th, but these will only be available with bigger sets. An exclusive 'jacketless' Solo comes with the horribly undersized 'Kessel Run' Millennium Falcon, but that vehicle is an easy pass for me. Another Solo comes with the $29.99 Force Link 2.0 bracelet - a device I have no interest in (especially after the disappointment of the first Force Link unit). Having said that, I expect this set to soon turn up in clearance aisles, and if I happen to see it for less than the New Zealand RRP of a single-carded figure (around $13.00US), I'll bite the bullet and pick it up. The only other option is the young Solo that's packed with Han's speeder. The design of this vehicle is really growing on me, and there's a good chance I'll pick it up if I spot it for a reduced price - so that might be my best chance of getting a Han in hand.

So what's on your wishlist for April 13th? Be sure to let us know via Facebook or Twitter, or by sending an email to relicsoftheforce@gmail.com!

The Black Series 3 3/4" Walmart Exclusive Imperial AT-ST Walker

Original trilogy 3 3/4" vehicles have been hard to come by in recent years. The one exception to this is the Black Series 3 3/4" Walmart Exclusive Imperial AT-ST Walker - a repack of the wonderful sculpt that first debuted in 2009's Legacy Collection. Unfortunately, its hefty price tag of $59.99US ($82.24NZ) had kept me away. Recently, however, I managed to come across one for a ridiculously low clearance price of $15.00US ($20.57NZ). The included driver would retail for $19.99 alone back in New Zealand - essentially making this a 58 cent vehicle. How could I say no?


The Black Series AT-ST is the very epitome of what a 3 3/4" vehicle should be. It's near perfection - seamlessly balancing playability and displayability for kids and collectors alike. Featuring a whopping twenty three points of articulation (fourteen of which are in the legs alone), this walker can be posed in almost any stance you can come up with. The viewport 'eyes' are independently hinged, and can be opened however far you wish (which, as my fiancée and I soon discovered, allows you to give the walker all sorts of amusing 'facial expressions'). Both side-mounted weapons rotate, while the chin-cannon both rotates and pivots. Speaking of the chin cannon - the AT-ST actually comes with two interchangeable options: one smaller, screen-accurate cannon and one larger cannon with firing spring-loaded missiles.

The interior - which can seat two figures, and is decorated with both stickers and sculpted details - can be accessed via a large hatch comprising most of the roof of the cockpit. A smaller, more screen-accurate opening circular hatch is inset within this roof, allowing the included super-articulated AT-ST driver figure (who comes with a blaster rifle and removable helmet) to peek out from the cockpit.

The AT-ST comes with some dirty weathering, and this is perhaps my only (very minor) criticism of the vehicle. Its 'muddy' look means that, while it'll look perfect in an Endor or Jedha diorama, it won't really suit a Hoth display. That minor gripe aside, there's not a thing I would change about this set. It's truly the definitive AT-ST for this scale, and one of the best bargains I've managed to pick up in a long time.
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