BOB SHARE

This is the story of how Obi-Wan Kenobi became my favorite Star Wars character...

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...

Ok, so maybe not that long ago, and not very far away at all, I was young, and I liked Luke Skywalker.  Who didnt?  After all, he was the sagas protagonist and the "boy done good," who comes into his own, confronts his fears, and in the process saves his father and the known galaxy.

But then came the Prequel Trilogy, which was to shed some light on the past and in particular, one young Obi-Wan Kenobi as he came into his own.  We all cheered when he cut down Darth Maul but by the time the second movie was done, the only thing I could think of was why the hell would any Jedi think wearing a mullet and a trimmed beard would look cool? It didnt help that young Anakin was annoying and Obi-Wan couldnt stop sounding like he was annoyed with him.  And how the heck was he defeated by an old human Sith Lord when hed previously sliced up perhaps the fiercest villain in the Prequels (Maul)?

Ok I admit, I had a soft spot for him going into the movies because Obi-Wan was played by a dude named Ewan McGregor.   And by having the same name, I felt compelled, probably by the Force, to like him as a character. I sure didnt.  I liked none of them because they were all one (or less) dimensional.  But I did like the Original Trilogy Obi-Wan.  He was everything the old and supposedly wise Jedi in the prequels werent.  Patient, using his power only when absolutely necessary, accepting of his fate and of course, heroic. Everything a favorite character should be. :)

So thats how I came to think of old Obi-Wan as the guy I wouldnt mind being in the Original Trilogy.  Except Id try harder to kick Vaders ass.  Except Id run when I realized I was defeated, only to come back for a rematch.  Except Id take out the Death Star instead of just bringing down its shields.  Except Id show that cocky Han Solo guy I can pilot his piece of junk spaceship. Yeah, Id be more "excepting" of my power than "accepting" of my fate. Har.

Thus, Ive had this figure in packaging since I got him when he was first released and the Rangelord, who is my advisor in all things from the galaxy far, far away, said that this was the ultimate Obi-Wan.  Those word were never spoken more true. So click on for the details!

Like: That he looks a spitting image of the late Sir Alec Guinness.  How cool is that?  A Jedi Knight/Master played by a real life knight.  I think the expression on his face captures the feeling of calm and yet inevitability that Obi-Wan exudes in A New Hope.  The sad eyes, the slight frown, and the hair.  Yup, they even got the hair down perfectly.


Like: The voluminous cloth Jedi cloak. Its a brilliantly rich brown and has got body when worn. And it matches the cloth of the inner robes perfectly to give ol Ben a very real-life feel.  The cloaks even got a hood you can pull over his head.  Having him that way reminds me of his first appearance when he saves Luke from the Sand People.  We hear the strange cry of the krayt dragon and then a mysterious figure in a robe appears over the crest of the rise...

Like: His ball head and swivel neck.  I love it when they give us extra articulation.  I especially love it when it give the figure character--in this case, the neck is not entirely upright but attached at an angle that makes him look stooped over. Its perfect for an old hermit who lives out in the Jundland Wastes.

Like: His right hand.  Its sculpted in a Jedi mind-wipe pose that really adds character to all his other poses.  He really looks like he could kick ass with that lightsaber, even if its in his left hand.

Dislike: That he can only hold stuff in his left hand.  A minor issue, but interchangeable hands wouldve been awesome though probably not need.  At least Obi-Wan here can claim he was "using his left hand" while fighting Vader, thats why the Sith Lord won.  Yeah right, old geezer! :P

Like: His articulation.  Its pretty standard Star Wars, but Im beginning to appreciate this lines great swivel hinge knees and hinged hips.  These never really became loose (especially the knees) and keep the figure stable when put in poses.

I also like how this figure is so well articulated that it seemingly has better moves than the on-screen Obi-Wan.

Dislike: That his grip on the saber is a little loose.  I think this is down to the little rubber bands they use to tie the weapon to his hand in the package.  Somehow the band can be so tight as to warp the shape of the hand. Its not even a major warp, but a slight one is all thats needed to wreck a tight grip.

Like: The attention to detail to the inner robe sleeves and the pants beneath his robes.  The sleeves are nice and wide with folds and wrinkles just like in the movies.  His pants are cast brown, which is a nice touch considering they never show his pant in the movie (I dont think), but youve gotta appreciate the effort in making it a different color from the off white torso.

RATINGS
Aesthetics: 9/10 - Its simply beautiful how movie accurate this figure is.  I imagine Sir Alec himself would be proud if he were still alive to see it.  From the sharply painted eyes to the salt and pepper hair and beard, to the sculpt of the robes and boots, to the voluminous robes and his personalized lightsaber, I cant imagine there ever being a better 3.75" old Obi-Wan.

Poseability: 8/10 - Just look at the guy go! He looks very taichi, which a form of martial arts that focuses on slow but fluid and balance movements.  Old people in Singapore practice that a lot in the mornings.  I suspect in China too.  But its by no means a pushover "oldie" discipline. Someone who is a master can probably do some serious damage.  Its kinda like old Ben Kenobi in the movies using the Force in a passive but powerful manner.

Its the little things that make him so fun to pose, like the pointed hand, the kickass robes both sculpted (like his sleeves) and cloth (robe skirts and cloak).  And despite looking old and feeble and swaddled in cloth, none of his joints are obstructed by sculpt problems.

Fun: 10/10 - Its hard to put Old Ben down once youve got him in your hands.  Whether its a scene from within his hermit hut, a meditative pose, or an action stance, Obi-Wan can do it all.  The figures I have the most fun with are the ones that I can finish shooting and still want to play around with.  Theyre the ones I like to put on display, so that when I see them again after coming home from work, Ill have easy access to em! ;)

Value: 9/10 - Obi-Wan comes with his lightsaber, his robes, a table (complete with glued-on tea set), and a mini Princess Leia hologram.  He also comes with the orange left leg of R2-L3, which I didnt photo but Ill review in a special way soon, hopefully.  Though i cant remember what I paid for him, I did remember getting him at retail.  So going by todays retail prices here in Singapore, hed be the equivalent of US$10.  Thats quite a steal considering all the stuff he comes with and also the quality of the figure itself.
Overall: 9/10 - Yes, I may be biased towards Obi-Wan as a character since hes one of my favorites.  But this figure of him is really up to scratch.  Sometimes when youre partial to a certain character, the toys end up being more disappointing because they dont measure up to how you see them. In this case, he not only matches up to my expectations but also exceeds them.  So I can very safely say that if you were to want an ultimate Obi-Wan Kenobi, this would be it, with re-releases of the same sculpt dependent on the "extras" they come with.

The sneaky bastard.  Who does he think he is, running around the Death Star in his Storm Trooper armor disguise. Hes Han Solo, of course!  Good ol Harrison Ford himself some 33 years back. He just turned 68, so happy birthday, Han!

So does this latest 3.75 inch release of everyones favorite scoundrel do him justice?  It is, after all, the first figure of him with a Storm Trooper utility belt, so its gotta be good, right?


Well, lets find out...




 Like: That he comes with new/unusual accessories.  Removable Storm Trooper helmet and armor?  Sign me up!
Dislike: That the armor is incomplete.  Well, at least to my mind.  No ones gonna think Han ol boy heres a Trooper, not when hes missing the arms, legs, hand and boots to complete the look.  Whats the deal with the incomplete getup???

Like: The Storm Trooper utility belt.  The thing also has a detachable thermal detonator you can peg into a slot on the back. Way cool.  The belt also has a long sheathe/holster, which the blaster he comes with doesnt fit in because its too flat and long.  You could stick the blaster in there, but it doesnt fit right.  I suspect its for a vibro knife or something similar.

Like: The head sculpt!  I actually though he looked a little ragged/saggy in the face, but upon busting him open, he does look pretty much like Han Solo.  This is especially so when you remove his head for the shoulders.
Dislike: Extraordinarily large head, or rather, the exceptionally small body.  Its the narrow shoulders that make the head seem too large.  But its the shoulders which are barely wider than his hips. The skinny arms hes got dont help either.

Dislike: The pose theyve got him in in-package.  He kinda looks like hes strolling through the mall on his way to pick up a low-fat decaf latte after picking out some shoes.  Way too girly...:P

Like: The overall paint apps.  The head, trooper helmet, and pants (with red piping) are especially sharp.  Theres some fudging of the black around his collar and vest, which is probably my only problem with the paint.

Dislike: That he comes with imperial blaster pistol, but no DL-44 Heavy Blaster, Han weapon of choice!

Dislike: The slightly yellowed shirt torso, slightly yellowed helmet. All white plastics yellow with time, but isnt this figure supposed to be from the latest series?  Im just worried that it hasnt even been on the shelf that long and its turning color.  Better plastic next time, perhaps?

RATINGS
Aesthetics: 6/10 - Great head but to small a body, great overall paint but fudging on a major area of the figure (his vest). The head ball-joint is also visible when you swivel his head to the side.  The neck couldve and shouldve been a lot better.
Poseability: 7.5/10 - The only thing missing from this Han are some ball hips to give him sideways leg movement. Most Star Wars figures dont have these and don;t need them, really.  But otherwise he can do what a Han Solo needs to do--balance well in various shooting positions, even if youve got one foot on point with the other planted.



Fun: 7.5/10 - Its hard not to have fun with an iconic Star Wars figure like Han, even if this is not as close to the perfect Han Solo figure I wanted.  Whyd I get him then?  The accessories, for one, because the more stuff that comes with a figure, the more stuff you can do with it.  That the accessories are unique to this figure is a bonus.

Value: 8/10 - I got this guy minus the Build a droid part from the local "flea" market, bundled with an MISB Scanning Crew (Hell yeah!) for just S$22 (US$15.70).  Its a great deal for Star Wars figures here, which hardly ever go on clearance. Its a good thing the new Vintage Series is coming through--I now get to build my Star Wars collection for a better price.


Overall: 7.25 - Han Solo in Storm Trooper "disguise" is worth getting if, like me, you can identify with the Death Star escape Han Solo.  The utility belt he comes with simply smacks of nostalgia/adventure/derring-do all in one.  Also, he nice to have if: a) you dont have a Han Solo and want a decent basic one, or b) you fancy the Trooper helmet and the torso armor.

How do I know hes the ladies man?  Well, the wife and I are watching The Empire Strikes Back and she suddenly says, "I like Lando.  Hes my favorite Star Wars character."  Just like that.  Not Chewie, not Wicket, not Luke.  Lando.  See?  Ladies Man.

I guess it didnt help that Ladies-Man-Wannabe Han Solo was proving to be an obnoxious piece of bantha poodoo throughout the Original Trilogy.  But come on!  You put that next to Lando "Im respectable and have got a lot of responsibility, so I betray my friends to Darth Vader" Calrissian and Lando still comes off as more likable?  Its gotta be that slicked back hair and the artfully trimmed stache.  Its gotta be.

Like: Hes the ideal Lando, the "respectable" Lando.  Hes Lando the first time we see him in the Empire Strikes Back--slicked-back hair, combed mustache--pretending to hold a grudge against Han then being a little too friendly and then coming on to Leia.  And thats all within the first 20 seconds of screen time.  Its Lando like most of us would like to remember him. (Spoiler Alert!!!: Not like he dies or anything but yeah...)

Like: The chest holster for hold-out blaster.  Its perfect for the gambler who wants to conceal a weapon under his cloak or to show you that hes packin some heat and will use it--if you cheat at the sabaac table before he does.  Or he wear it proudly with his cape swept back to show you he aint holdin out on you by, you know, hiding a blaster.

Like: The holdout blaster!  I always love it when they have really small yet detailed pieces.  I mean you worry about lil kids choking on small things but this would go down easy no problem--its too small to choke anyone! :P  To be safe though, Im keeping this out of reach of my 5 month old...

But yeah, I always liked hold-out blasters in the Star War universe.  First theres the name.  Then theres the fact that it was made for concealment.  And third, some of my favorite Star Wars characters use it: Scout Troopers, Lando, and Obi-Wan Kenobi!  Ok so maybe Obi-Wan doesnt like blasters.  But he sure couldve used one to zap ol Darthie V on the Death Star!  (Oh and we all know Yoda was packin a piece in Empire.  No way he could trust that young punk Skywalker on Dagobah.  And yes, it was a hold-out blaster.

Stop looking at his ass.

Like: Swivel/Hinge Hips!  Star Wars figures have the best joints and PoAs hands down.  And their swivel.hinge hips are the most flexible--the hinge joint is nice and unhindered because of the length of the hinge piece.  And the swivel goes as far as any leg because just enough of the thigh top has been pared away to create space for movement.  All this while maintaining the look of the joint--it doesnt look too skinny or leave unsightly gaps between leg and lower torso.

Really. Stop. Oh, what do I care...

Dislike: The cape band!  Urgh!!!  It looks like Landos Mom decided to repair his cape with a giant elastic band.  It would have looked excellent if they had used perhaps a molded plastic "chain" or a silvered thread or something. But I think they went this route because it cinches the cape around his shoulders as it would if it were a real cape.  I only realized this while posing him around sweeping his cape here and there, back and forth.  Pity that it looks so chinsy though.  Im sure if youre handy with a needle and thread you could probably stitch on a better-looking solution.

Dislike: That the eyebrows are a little heavily painted!  The mustache looks great though its hard to go wrong with the paint there because it was such a thick stache. Lol.  But because of the bushy eyebrow paint, Lando looks a little bit like Chewbacca.  Then again, maybe thats what gives him the animal magnetism that all the ladies love...

Like:  But even with the slightly off eyebrow paint, he still looks exactly like Billy Dee Williams in the flesh!  (Though 18 times smaller and with a more plastic complexion.)  Up close, the sculpt is perfect.  And I cant quite put words to how good it is.  As the Star Wars line keeps being produced, the likenesses of the actors get better and better.  Now its just up to the Bro to keep fine-tuning the process so that paint turns out just as great!

RATINGS

Aesthetics: 8.5/10 - Loses points for the chinsy cape band.  But overall hes the best likeness of lando in this scale.  The colors, the cape (except the bad), the sculpt--all are mastered by Hasbro after years and years of producing Star Wars figures--weve been spoiled to expect no less. ;P

Underneath the cape the detailed sculpt is quite exquisite, as befits a gambler and scoundrel.  His tunic, pins, and wrist comlink are done almost exactly as I remember them and his belt is very nicely sculpted in a matte black. Theres minimal paint but whats painted (mustache, comlink, badges and pins, and silver pants piping) is done as perfectly as can be.  Special mention goes to the eyes--lookie how chocolate brown they are!

Poseability: 9/10 - What swivel/hinge hips he has!  Star Wars has the best joints in this department bar none in the 3.75" scale.  But thats no surprise considering they probably also have the biggest budget from making the most money from the toys compared to other brands.  The best part?  Theyre not that much more expensive than other 3.75" brands!

Landos articulation is perfect for the character, whether you need him lounging around roguishly or in a blaster fight, whether you need him flying your Millennium Falcon or mounting your Leia Wookiee Tauntaun, speederbike, whether you want him sitting at a sabaac table or just standing there looking charming but deadly, this version of Lando can do it all.  And though the elastic band of his cape might stick out like a sore thumb, it does allow him to swivel his cape and hold it in whatever position you want, hiding his hold-out blaster or showing it off.  Heck, theres even enough cape to completely enclose the guy and an Ewok!

Fun: 9/10 - YeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeHaaaaaaaaaa!!!!  Thats what Landos all about: blowing up Death Stars in a fun, friendly, and manner like a cowboy with alien co-pilots.  ("Break off the attack! The shield is still up!")  Besides Luke Skwalker going from moisture farmer to X-Wing pilot to Jedi Knight, Landos the only other guy who changes his career like a chameleon changes color.  Before he was the governor of Cloud City, he was a gambler.  Then hes revealed for a traitor who then joins the rebels.  He has a short stint as one of Jabba the Hutts skiff guards and then becomes a general.  After which he become a hero pilot who blows up the Empires most destructive weapon.  And thats before he even gets the chicks.

Theres so many instances when you want to set up a Star Wars display and Landos part of it.  And with this one figure, you can cover all but probably the skiff guard scenario.  I dont count blowing up the Death Star as one of them because 1) he couldve done it in his flashy clothes and cape combo and 2) He was wearing Hans spare outfit! (DVD special effects re-tool, anyone? :P)  But I tell ya, its fun to be Lando!

Oh and I almost forgot, hes the guy that sang Ghostbusters.  You know, "I aint afaid of no ghost."  Ok, just kidding.  That was Ray Parker Jr, not Billy Dee Williams.  When I was younger I used to think they were one and the same.  But BDW did sing Carribean Queen though.  Ok, ok, that was Billy Ocean.  Maybe I just like to think of my Lando as being multi-talented.  Billy Dee did appear on Sesame Street though.  I kid you not.  That was how I learned how to count backwards. Aw Yeah.

Value: 8/10 - Cape, holster, hold-out blaster--hed be worth his weight in gold at the sabaac table! The fun thing about Landos stuff is that you could strip it off him and use it on other figures too--his holster and cape come off easily enough.  But you cant deny a lot of works been put into his new head sculpt and now PoAs, making this guy real value for money.  We dont often get figures who can pose more than they should be able to or have done in the movies/stories but Lando can and thats added value.
Overall: 8.75/10 -Hes a keeper! - Can you say "hold-out blaster?" Its so fun to say and such an apt name for a blaster that a gambler, who would naturally know how to play Texas Hold Em, would use.  Its sneaky.  And so is Lando--Gambler, Governor, Scoundrel, Rogue, and the original owner of the Millennium Falcon--his figure also all of these.  Is also rare we get figures of actors who were hot property in their day and dont act any more.  The figure is a great likeness, has great articulation, great accessories and captures a memorable character so well from one of the greatest stories ever told.  Just as its hard not to like Lando in the movies, its just as hard not to like his action figure.



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