The Rebels had their asses kicked in Hoth by a superior Galactic Empire forces. Number One task was to get their sorry asses out of the icy hell base that was overan by AT-ATs and Snowtroopers and a stomping huffing and puffing Darth Vader hot on the heels. While the rest of the Rebels buddies, that manages to take off, were still working on evading Imperial Destroyers and TIE fighters, our pal Luke Skywalker decide to divert himself (and R2-D2) to a swamp planet Dagobah seeking out a Jedi warrior, Yoda, to further his Jedi training becoming a Jedi Knight eventually. Seeing how his first teacher, Ben Kenobi, fell to the blade of badass Sith Lord Darth Vader, he reckon a much worthy teacher should be seeked. Same sentiments as Ben when he appear in Hoth egging a wampa-traumatize Luke on to Dagobah.
Yoda, he found. Training, he does. Hot headed, he is.
This figure depict Luke Skywalker in the thick of his Jedi Training on Dagobah under Jedi Master Yoda's guidance. Stripped down from the pilot fight suit to a training gear - not track suit though - and no cross trainer shoes too. But the same felt-like boots he dons as a Snowspeeder pilot on Hoth. Body down gear is not really meant as an effective training gear but I digress.
The set was released in 2021 under Hasbro's 6" Black Series lines of figure and it is a Deluxe set with old red spine's box packaging. Aptly put as a Deluxe set - more deluxe than the other DXs, I feel - as this set actually packed with 2 action figures. And a very rare additional posing hands.
It was never a set I had considered buying given the high prices during its initial launch here. It just does not catch my attention at all. I believe this is also the case with a lot of other collectors here in Singapore. That is probably why it was marked down to SGD40/-, which is a retail price of a single standard Black Series figure. I passed it once at this marked down pricing but decided to pick it up the second time round just because I was looking for something (a toy/collectible specifically) to buy for commemorating my birthday. On hindsight, so glad that I did.
Onwards to the itty gritty breakdown review stuffs.
DESIGN - 3/5
It is hard to objectively give score for this figure in this category. This is generally a well designed figure BUT there are always things that we hope it can be done differently.
The BAD
1. "Hi-5" hand does not have articulation. Articulation in a sense that it has a hinge - like all other hands design - to allow a "flipping" up and down movement. This one does not. However the way it was sculpted seem the hinge is there. You would be fooled if you see this through the box window. So if it is not meant to be articulated, why not sculpt it in a more natural way?
2. Absence of waist articulation limits the posing of a hunched back stance with the lightsaber facing off Darth Vader.
The SHOULD'VE BE
1. Backpack that sits the Master would've been better if it is a soft good. Natural creases and folds adds realism. And an additional plus for ease of storage comparing to a fixed shape molded rubber one... this plus maybe just me.
The GOOD
1. Given this Yoda is actually slightly smaller than a standard Black Series Yoda single pack, it is noted that designer put their heart to it to still give small Yoda cloth garb. And to also gives Yoda some standard points of articulations which they can totally ignore.
2. Additional of spares interchangeable posing hands are rare in Black Series which adds playability and also value to the set.
This isn't a set with design breakthrough or special innovation - as most of the Black Series sets.
SCULPTING - 4.5/5
LUKE SKYWALKER
Kudos to the sculptor whom I think captures most of Mark Hammil's features on the face. And also an effort to replicate a scruffy hair resulted from the strenuous training. Clearly deeper thoughts has been utilised by the sculptor here.
Both beautifully sculpted arms shows the physics of Luke with well defined muscle cuttings.
Textured on the vest, sewing lines on the pants and natural foldings are all represented well here.
YODA
Absolutely nothing, NOTHING to pick on this Yoda's headsculpt. It is almost to perfection. Icing on the cake for this set includes not 1 but 2 of it - open and closed eyes. Yoda's face is richly detailed and the toy replicated it into a 1/12 scale work of art. It will be perfect if it has rooted hairs... perhaps this is too much for asking.
Apart from that, Yoda also had nicely sculpted fingers - 3 digits per hand well defined. Although this is to be expected for this modern toy. Same goes to the feet.
PAINTING - 4/5
LUKE SKYWALKER
Except Luke's hair and boots were painted, the rest are with original material colour. Eyes and lips are probably from photoetch screen printed and will not be taken into consideration in this category.
Luke's hair was painted in a few shades that gave it a layered look. lighter yellow on higher points and dimmer below. Comparing 40th Anniversary carded farmboy Luke's hair will reveal a stark improvement here.
A single earth brown shade was painted over the entire boots. Although it really has a different lighter beige shade for the hemmings and straps that secure the boots to the calf. But this may again be too much to ask for a mass market product.
Weathering done on the gear are acceptable but not fantastic. The fact that weathering is applied at all is a well deserved kudos.
YODA
Once again, the impressive work lies in this little guy and gladly so. A good sculpt become better with good paint application and Yoda is one of such example.
Washes with some darker brown shade over the head, face, brings out the detail and let it stands out. It is applied with just the right amount here.
Special highlight on the eyes painting that it gives Yoda soul. It is done to such perfection that it brings out the right mood for Yoda during Luke's training. Truly excellent.
I don't think this Yoda utilizes photoetch printing and I stand corrected.
Yoda's tiny fingernails are painted very nicely. Even the toenails are painted - which should be the least of concern when most collectors will display Yoda sitting inside the backpack.
ARTICULATIONS - 3/5
Both figure's waist does not articulate.
Luke's has a swivel point at the upper portion of the thigh while Yoda's leg swivel point is on the knee.
Yoda's feet articulates swivelling 360° and can tilt up and down ever so slightly. He has a knee bend (cum swivel on the same point) and also elbow articulation.
Both has ball joint for the neck.
Rest of it are standard figure articulation.
What amazes me is that Yoda, being a secondary figure in this set (I reckon), has all the articulation point that one will not fault if it doesn't.
But a shame that Luke's waist I think, should be articulated. This is a figure that need to be very poseable to allow replication of the training scene when he performed all the acrobats.
ACCESSORIES - 4.5/5
Any Black Series 6in set that includes an additional head or hands automatically gets high score in this category. There isn't a whole lot that does so. Sets I own or owned that has these are just Poe Dameron's swap out hands between gloved and bare hands. Nalan Cheel (Cantina Band) spare hands to hold various musical instrument.
Here, we got a spare head for Yoda with closed eyes, Yoda's wooden walking stick, Palm and force hands for Luke, a lightsaber and a Pistol Blaster.
There is actually no need for a Pistol Blaster since Luke did not use one during training. But an inclusion of one is always welcome. But an absence of a belt, with holster, just spoil the party ... just by a little bit. I stretched it a bit here yeah.
OVERALL - 3.5/5
Although the set yielded some really positive things in a few scenarios, it is still not very appealing to collector. Nothing to do with the figure but more for the character and the time frame it depicts. A hero, not yet a hero and is undergoing training. This makes Dagobah Luke neither here nor there.
Yeah, a good toy but in depicting a less than glamorous scene will suffer in popularity. That probably speaks for why the set was marked down.
However this set is nicely executed. Yoda in the sack piggy-backed by Luke achieved a really natural look. Scale wise also accurate ie Yoda's size ration to Luke. Just too bad it suffers from issues not related to the toy itself.
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