Season 7 of the Clone Wars not only wrapped up the series but put characters like Rex and Maul on the path we would see in Rebels. And of course we would see the path Ahsoka Tano would take, all the while sporting a brand new look. Plus, Ahsoka is one of my favorite characters (2nd favorite behind Luke Skywalker). Find out why this figure is the definitive Clone Wars Ahsoka, and why she will get released on a Rebels card sometime in the future. Sporting 17 POA, Ahsoka can do almost any action pose you can possibly do, none of the hip joints are tight (unlike Maul, which I'll go into further detail on his review). The cloth "skirt" doesn't inhibit her movement at all. Plus, this is a brand new sculpt, head to toe. Very rare to have this in the VC, even rarer to have 2 figures with brand new sculpts in the same wave (Maul). The only issue I have is with the paint apps on her shoulders. To be fair, I've only seen the Season 7 finale once but it looks like she h...

Since I'm covering 2 Kenner figures in one post, I decided to go with a theme. Admittedly, I'm not too wild about these two figures, although one version, if you're fortunate enough to own one, could literally pay for a house. But they are unique figures, and while I don't consider them essential for your collection. But the Jawa and Tusken Raider help for a couple of important scenes, each involving Luke and the Droids. First up, the Jawa! Originally released with a vinyl robe, Kenner decided it made the Jawa look inferior to the other figures. The small size meant something new was needed. Kenner came back with a cloth robe. All the Jawa came with was his ion blaster, and the basic 5 POA. If you have the vinyl cape version, you're rich! But beware of fakes if buying online. IMO, he doesn't need the robes. Vinyl Robe Jawa (super rare, VERY expensive): https://galacticfigures.com/figureDetails.aspx?id=2038 Cloth Robe Jawa: https://galacticfigures.com/...

The Corvette carrying the Jedi drops out of hyperspace in a remote sector. Luke and Ezra make their way to the bridge and see a couple Mandalorian Gauntlet fighters waiting outside. Ezra grins and tells Luke that she's here and brought help. As the ships dock, the door slides open to reveal Sabine Wren, and a team of Mandalorians. Kanan Bridger is happy to see his mother again, and Luke notices Kanan has changed into Mandalorian armor. As the Mandalorian board, the Jedi all assemble and Ezra & Sabine lay out the plan: Kyle, Voe, Kanan & the Mandalorians will go to where the other crystal mine is, and set charges to detonate it, as Luke, Hennix & Ezra will go to a chamber where it's possible Palpatine may be taking refuge in. Voe asks where they got this information from, when Luke tells them all he learned the layout from someone who escaped long ago, a woman he desperately wanted to help but couldn't. She left a map of the installation to him. Hennix now spea...

Appearances can be deceiving. When IG-11 was first revealed it appeared to be a repaint of the IG-88 figure. Big mistake! Once in hand, there's a big difference. For one, he has new hands, and very neat double ball jointed shoulders. The only knock is the plastic feels a bit too rubbery, but that doesn't deter me. If I had to choose, this is the best VC figure to come out this year (2021). Sporting 21 POA, yep. You read that right. 21 points of articulation including a unique double ball jointed shoulders, making him capable ox extending his arms out wide, something IG-88 cannot do. He can hold his weapons well in either hand as he comes with a long blaster rifle and a Stormtrooper blaster. It takes a few moments but once you do fit the weapons in either hand, they stay put. He also has a bandolier, which can be removed. When moving him, his forearms and calves could detach but it's okay. They can easily be snapped back on. If you keep him loose, you will need to use a ...

Quick, what is one of the most requested 3.75 inch figures to get a brand new sculpt for the Vintage Collection? If you guessed ANH Luke or Leia you'd be correct. But also in the requests are Bespin Lando. Well, Hasbro finally did him. And let me say, it is well worth the wait! Lando is a HUGE improvement over the VOTC Lando which came out around 2005, and once again years later in a VC 3 pack. This is a brand new sculpt, head to toe! The head sculpt on Lando is perfect. Yes, you read that right, perfect. It's a Mini Me to Billy Dee Williams! Like most new figures, he has ball joint hips, which are not tight. With 16 POA he can achieve almost any pose you can think of, and he can fit in the Millennium Falcon cockpit to help Chewie pilot our remaining heroes to safety as he did in The Empire Strikes Back. He comes with a Rebel blaster, and a removable cloth cape. To remove the cape you do have to remove his head, but it's safe to do so. There is no holster to store his b...

Ben puts his lightsaber to Chewbacca' s head as Leia pleads with her son to stop. He glares at her and moves the blade away from Chewie. Ben angrily yells at her for being named after a Jedi he barely knew and for having a last name that means nothing. Like his grandfather before him, he wants to embrace his destiny in the dark side. Han tries to talk to him but instead gets Force choked by his son. Ren is getting frustrated and tells Ben to kill one of them. Sensing that Ren wants to kill his mother, Ben lets go of his father and attacks Ren. After a short battle, Ben strikes him down. Looking at his lifeless body, Ben faces the remaining Knights of Ren. They all bow down. Phasma approaches Ben, who orders his parents and Chewie be taken to a cell. He'll decide their fate later. As they are being led away, Leia reminds Ben of what happened to his grandfather: he thought he would be a master but remained a slave. Her words echo over and over in his mind as they are lead away....

My 1st Legends book review/recap is one of the more interesting ones, with an adversary who deserved to be featured more prominently than he was. It also serves as a sequel of sorts to the Mace Windu novel Shatterpoint, as characters from that novel appear in prominent roles here. It also resurrects the villain Blackhole who was the adversary for the main heroes in the Russ Manning comic strips, with the black armored Stormtroopers making a comeback. The story also explains how Luke Skywalker was not only a general, but the only battle he would take an active part in while using that rank. What I hated: At times, the book takes some, interesting turns. Chewie's roars and R2's beeps are all spelled out. It takes away from the story flow. Also the chapters are either really long, or very long. At 311 pages there are under 20 chapters. Also, while I like connecting to past characters, I felt like there were just too many of them. Han & Leia have a story, Lando has a story, ...

Welcome to the 1st variant Star Wars figure ever made! Well, technically in 1978 everything Kenner made was the 1st Star Wars toy, but variants were not yet a thing until after this figure was made. Snaggletooth debuted as an exclusive figure in the Cantina playset, and was tall, and in a blue outfit. However, Kenner on seeing photos of the character realized they had made a mistake, he wasn't tall, he was supposed to be short! Both versions are well made for their time, and both are cleanly painted. The head sculpts are similar, but the hand sculpts are different, despite them both coming with a Han Solo style blaster. The taller version does not hold the blaster well at all. The smaller one, a perfect fit. Go figure, LOL! So in the 1979 release, he appeared in a red, not blue outfit, and was short not tall. So all good right? Well, no. For the card image, a film still or production art images were used on cards. But as you all know in 1978 the infamous Star Wars Holiday Speci...

Leia arrives home and can immediately sense something is wrong. Luke then tells them Ben has fallen to the dark side. Han and Leia assume it's this Snoke person Ben had told them about. Lando asks who this Snoke person is, when Luke drops another bombshell. Luke says Palpatine is alive, and living through Snoke. Tai, Voe and Hennix are stunned, as are Han, Leia and Lando. From some information he had gathered, Luke tells of a way Palpatine returned. Before he can speak about it, Lando asks if this had anything to do with Grogu. Luke nods his head. Leia asks who is Grogu when Luke tells them Grogu was one of his first students. Moff Gideon had been working on collecting genetic material from Force sensitive beings, and Grogu had told Luke about that. Luke drops another bombshell as he says that he and Lando have a back up Jedi Temple on a remote world, where Grogu is currently at. Voe is visibly upset, Tai is shocked and Hennix acts as if he knew about this. But Luke reminds them th...

Here we are, the top figure in the Vintage Collection. What makes this the top figure, you ask? Well, he never appeared on a film card in the Kenner line, only on a POTF card, and not even in the United States! Next to Vlix from the Droids line, Yakface, aka Saelt-Marae (his name came from West End Games around 1987). Also, Yakface checks off all the important boxes. World building, check. Background alien, check. Looks great, check. Sculpting and painting, check. 1st time on a Vintage Collection film card, yep! He only comes with a staff, but if he had come with a shot glass so he can share a drink with Ree-Yees, it would have been perfect. Speaking of perfection, Hasbro knocked this figure out of the park. Coming in with 17 POA, Yakface is not only unique for having 2 neck joints, he is also the tallest figure made in the Vintage Collection (4.5 inches tall!). None of his joints are tight. He can easily be made to sit down, just be move on the dance floor with Oola, Leia or the tri...

My first "What if" Fanfic! I hope you enjoy! Spoilers for The Rise of Kylo Ren Miniseries.  Tai, Voe & Hennix (Tai is a bald male human with light skin, Voe is a human female with dark skin and white hair, Hennix is a male Quarren like Squid Head/Tessek from Jabba's Palace) arrive as the Temple burns. They confront Ben Solo who tells them Master Luke had tried to kill him  which they don't believe. Voe, sensing Luke is alive, decides to not confront Ben, and encourages her fellow Jedi to let him go. They need to find survivors. Ben laughs them off, boards his ship and departs. Hennix wants to know why Voe wanted to let Ben leave when they sense Master Skywalker. Racing to the rubble that was once Ben's quarters, Tal sees a cybernetic hand raise out of the ground, clasping it and pulling up reveals a battered and bruised Luke Skywalker. He's alive! Meanwhile Ben Solo is aboard his ship, assisted by Geegee, a protocol droid assigned to the Jedi Temp...

I am not a huge fan of clones. I like Clonetroopers, the standard, unnamed and unranked ones for troop building purposes. But then the 2008 Clone Wars series debuted. And my feelings about clones changed. Rex  Wolffe, Gregor, all showed unique and independent personalities. One of the clones who would get developed well would soon get his story arc, as he discovered the clones had a chip, and would learn about Order 66 before it happened, and would sadly lose his life. Coming in at number 2 in my Vintage Collection countdown: Fives! Originally released in a convention exclusive 3 pack, Fives is the first one of the 3 to get a single card. I won't go into his bio, or why he's called Fives, but simply put, this is an amazing figure! Not only is the head sculpt nearly perfect, but in a rare move for modern VC figures, he comes with a LOT of accessories, and more importantly, they do properly fit on, and in his hands as well! He comes with a removable helmet, shoulder pauld...

If there is any controversial Kenner figure, it's this one. Originally named Death Squad Commander, Kenner got backlash and just changed the name for when it was released for The Empire Strikes Back (Star Destroyer Commander). Other than the name, the figure isn't half bad. Again, simple 5 POA and he comes with a Stormtrooper blaster so if you wanted to give Han or Leia his weapon you could. This figure looks more like the Imperial detention guards, but instead of a black outfit it's gray. Again, not a bad figure and not screen accurate but a lot of fun nonetheless. He could interact with the Kenner Death Star Playset or even on Vader's Star Destroyer Playset. If there was a reason to get this figure however, you probably didn't use him as a bad guy. Add a little blue, white and brown paint and he can double as a Rebel Fleet Trooper! Making this likely the 1st ever figure people felt comfortable customizing! From a 1978 sculpting perspective, this figure w...