Star Wars Black Series Jaina Solo Action Figure Review

"You know what? Being the Sword of the Jedi really stinks."

You can choose to find and purchase Jedi Master Jaina Solo-Fel: daughter of General Han Solo and Jedi Knight Leia Organa Solo; Niece of Jedi Grand Master Luke Skywalker; Twin-sister to Darth Caedus;  Former commander of Rogue Squadron; Former commander of the Twin Suns Squadron; Hero of the Yuuzhan War; Avatar of the Trickster Goddess Yun-Harla - Goddess of Deception; Sword of the Jedi or; you can go look for Rey, daughter of nobody.

While we do not hate the direction that Disney took with Star Wars, we do regret that they did not pursue the rich now non-canon history which began with Timothy Zahn's Heir to the Empire in 1991, especially since it relegated such a strong female character into virtual non-existence.

So we were surprised that Disney acquiesced to creating a 6" Black Series version of her just because she won a fan's survey.

Disney could have easily lied.

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Star Wars Black Series Hera Syndulla Action Figure

If all you do is fight for your own life, then your life is worth nothing.

The Star Wars Black Series Hera Syundulla Action Figure is without a doubt one of the most beautiful action figures we've seen in a while.

And a very, very VERY far cry from her bride-of-Kermit-the-Frog 3.75" version.

You can laugh at that travesty here.

As with the Mandalorian Sabine Wren, this is Captain of the Ghost Hera Syndulla, not yet Hera Syndulla from Season 3 of Rebels - given that she does not bear yet the accouterments of a Rebel Officer. However her blister pack does mark her as Captain of the Rebel Alliance so this is the Season 2 Hera Syndulla - but certainly not General Hera Syndulla from Rogue One.

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Star Wars Black Series Chirrut Imwe Action Figure Review

I am one with the Force. And the Force is with me. 

The Chirrut Imwe 6" Action Figure from the Star Wars Black Series toyline is one of the best articulated and detailed figures to come from the toyline.

Chirrut Imwe is one of the most iconic characters to come out of Rogue One for several reasons:

• He's the first major Star Wars character of Oriental (We're Oriental and frankly Oriental is not a racial slur - Go Iron Fist!) origin. 
• He's sparked debate as to the efficacy of Stormtrooper armor. 
• While there are races and martial arts in the Star Wars Universe that mimic or surpass Force abilities, what exactly is Chirrut Imwe?

Star Wars Black Series Sabine Wren Review

Sabine Wren

Welcome to our review of the Star Wars Black Series Sabine Wren Action Figure.

Now if you follow the Star Wars Rebels cartoon, you know that this look is actually dated. Sabine Wren customizes her armor... and hair... as she goes. Each new mark signifies a major battle or campaign. In essence she's keeping score on her armor - just like Clone Captain Rex did - but in a less morbid manner  (Rex kept a tally of the dead on his armor).

The current incarnation of the Lothal Rebel's ace saboteur and demolitions expert currently sports a silver to violet mane of hair (She had blue to green hair in Season 2), and a much more colorful set of armor. This is her Star Wars Rebels Season 1 incarnation.

Also she now wields the infamous Darksaber - the sword wielded by the late commander of the Mandalorian Death Watch, Pre Vizsla - who wielded the Dark Saber till Darth Maul decided to decapitate him. Darth Maul would wield the Darksaber till he decided to leave it in the Nightsister's lair on Dathomir where it would work it's way back into a Mandalorian's hand.

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Star Wars Black Series Ahsoka Tano Review

Star Wars Black Series Ahsoka Tano

Presenting the failed Jedi Ahsoka Tano from the Star Wars Black Series 6" toyline.

We're not really fans of Star Wars Rebels since they tend to make fun of the Empire and have no respect for canon.

But we do love the fact that they are trying to tie up a loose end left from the very very lovely Star Wars Clone Wars cartoon series: The fate of Anakin Skywalker's failed padawan, Ahsoka "Snips" Tano.

The Clone Wars definitely ended with her fate hanging. We expected her to die at the end of the Clone Wars since Anakin Skywalker did not have a Padawan learner at the start of Episode III.

But no, she's back and still kicking. It's actually a bit incredulous that the Jedi would let a trained Padawan on the verge of knighthood just quit - taking all her skills with her. Isn't that more or less how Sith are born?

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Star Wars Black Series Rey (Jakku) & BB-8

Presenting the Jedi (?) Rey as she appears on the planet Jakku and the droid BB-8 from the Star Wars Black Series Toyline.

Not much is known about the mysterious female protagonist from Star Wars Episode VII. All we know is that she's a scavenger on the planet Jakku (where she drives a Magnum ice-cream bar), and, if we're to believe a spoiler thanks to a game card, she's a Jedi (Or will be one).

So Star Wars Episode VII will feature a gender (Female) and a skin color (Black) that Star Wars, in general, has been criticized for not including that much of, as the two primary protagonists.

No Asians? Sigh.

We don't know much about BB-8 other than he was criticized heavily early on for his design - although we're sure that his critics have recently been silenced with the release of an actual toy that can do what BB-8 does in the films.

Star Wars Black Series Captain Phasma

Presenting Captain Phasma from the Star Wars Black Series 6" Action Figure series.

When King Leonidas told Xerxes that clearly he should have marched his women to the Hot Gates instead of his men, Leonidas had Gwendoline Christie in mind. 

To the uninitiated Ms Christie brought our second favorite Game of Thrones knight (After Bronn who we believe will win the Iron Throne win the end), Brienne of Tarth, to life. In December she'll march out into the silver screen clad again in armor as Captain Phasma, the Commander of the Stormtrooper Legions of the Imperial Remnant known as the First Order, in Star Wars Episode VII - The Force Awakens.

If we discount the existence of the Star Wars Expanded Universe, then Captain Phasma is the first solid example of a politically powerful female in what used to be a male-dominated Imperial army. 

Star Wars Black Series Kylo Ren

Presenting Kylo Ren from the Star Wars Black Series 6" Action Figure series.

Hey it's that creepy nympho serial masturbator from "Girls!" (We really hate that show).

Since Star Wars Episode VII The Force Awakens hasn't happened yet, there isn't much we know about Kylo Ren.

He's not Sith in the traditional sense of the word, he's a Dark Side of the Force user and a member of the Knights of Ren - Ren is not his last name, it's titular. The Knights of Ren are allied with the First Order - the remnants of the former Empire.

Maybe if we talk dirty to him while he's wood-carving, he'll tell us more (If you watched Girls because you love your girlfriend, you'll get that reference). Oh! Apparently that controversial lightsaber is his design and personal creation.

Star Wars Black Series Captain Rex

Presenting Captain Rex from the Star Wars Black Series Toyline.

Captain Rex is Republic Clone CT-7567, commander of the famous - and later infamous - 501st Legion during the Clone Wars. Captain Rex did not finish the Clone Wars in service though of the 501st, so it was another Clone Commander, Appo, who led the 501st - what would become to be known as "Vader's Fist" - in the assault on the Jedi Temple in Coruscant.

Captain Rex's history is almost as colorful as the history of Marshal Commander Cody - who was his close friend. Captain Rex served under Jedi General Anakin Skywalker, while Marshal Commander Cody and his 7th Sky Corps 212th Attack Battalion, serve under General Kenobi.

STAR WARS: Jedi Knight Pablo Jill

Presenting Jedi Knight Pablo Jill from the Star Wars Black Series Toyline.

This is without a doubt, the weirdest looking Jedi Knight - and possible even the weirdest looking alien - in our Star Wars collection.

Pablo Jill was a Jedi Knight who served in the Republic. He's an Ongree - an amphibious species whose eyes were mounted on independently mobile stalks that allowed them to look at objects from multiple perspectives (Which also created a philosophy and mind-set by which the Ongree lived by).

And that's not the only reason why he's weird. Jedi Knight Pablo Jill's mouth is on the top of his head; he's got incredibly long arms; he's hunchbacked; and his legs look like they've been broken (more than birds legs).

Is that F'up'd or what?