With The Rise of Skywalker receiving no dedicated 3 3/4" line, the Vintage Collection is now our exclusive source of action figures in the classic scale. Fortunately, Wave 9 of this rebooted line hit (some) stores on Triple Force Friday, giving us a phenomenal quintet of characters from the final film in the Skywalker saga.
While quantity may be lacking (the number of 3/4" figures hitting stores for a new Star Wars product launch will usually be well in to the double digits), the quality certainly isn't. With continually improving super-articulation and the advent of Photo Real faces, each wave of Vintage Collection figures seems to be surpassing the quality of its predecessors. The same trend continues with this wave.
First up is the Knight of Ren, a character (or, rather, one of six similarly named characters) that most of us have been dying to add to our collection ever since 2015's The Force Awakens. After such a long wait, it's satisfying to see that this figure has been given the love and care it truly deserves - from the muddy weathering to the finely picked out detailing on its armour and included (vibro-?) ax. Most pleasingly, Hasbro opted to sculpt the soft goods in rubber, a decision which allows this Knight of Ren to maintain its dynamic silhouette. While fabric detailing can be nice, it's still largely hit-and-miss - often looking stiff and unwieldy at this scale (see, for example, Darth Malgus).
Next is Rey. Coming with a comprehensive collection of accessories (a satchel, her blaster pistol, her staff, and both ignited and unignited versions of her lightsaber) and featuring a phenomenally accurate Photo Real face treatment, this Rey is easily the most perfect rendition of this character at this scale.
More mysterious is Zorii Bliss; a character about whom we still know very little. Still, one thing is clear: her look is both iconic and straight-up Star Wars. Zorri comes with two beautifully detailed - almost flintlock-like - blaster pistols and a pair of working holsters.
The Sith Jet Trooper is another figure whose role in the saga is yet to be revealed. Nevertheless, he makes a fantastic addition to the collection of any trooper completionist like myself. His bulked-up weaponry and integrated jetpack make him stand out from previous designs, while still drawing strongly from a heritage that includes the First Order Stormtrooper, Praetorian Guard, and even the Imperial Assault Tank Driver. He comes with two different blasters, and the same holster 'clip' that we've seen on other First Order troopers.
Poe is the sole repack within this wave - though labelling him as such doesn't really do him justice. He first debuted in the Walmart-exclusive Black Series line back in 2015, meaning that for many people (especially those outside the US) this rerelease represents the first attainable version of a super-articulated Poe. He's also had quite the makeover since 2015 - with a brand new paint app and a Photo Real face treatment that much better matches the appearance of Oscar Isaac. Poe comes packed with a removable helmet, his standard-issue sidearm, and a working holster.
All up, this is a great first dabble in 3 3/4" The Rise of Skywalker characters. But a Star Wars saga film - let alone the final film in the series - needs more coverage than this. Let's just hope that there are far more characters on their way!
All up, this is a great first dabble in 3 3/4" The Rise of Skywalker characters. But a Star Wars saga film - let alone the final film in the series - needs more coverage than this. Let's just hope that there are far more characters on their way!
