So, my Wave 5 thoughts...
First though, I didn't buy Vader. The head popping off wasn't the only reason, but it played a factor. The head popping off + a sculpted-on chain was why. I like the string everyone else hates because it means I can cut it off, and sew on a tiny chain from the craft store... I'll take that all day over the sculpted-on chain for a floating cloth cape.
So I can't say Vader sucks or not. I appreciate extra articulation and if they made those updates to the multi-piece removable helmet Vader, I'd be down for it. As it stands though, the extra articulation wasn't even enough to motivate me.
It used to be all that would motivate me so how's that for time marching on?
Anyway...
-Snowspeeder Wedge... In a way, the snoozer of the lot, he's actually really quite good. He's basically Luke, but it shows Hasbro is acknowledging that Wedge was as short as Luke and so I appreciate that, and it also shows that they like that sculpt. You should too. It's a brighter Orange than Dak is and so he stands out a little? Then again the sculpt helped him stand out so it's not necessary to be brighter than Dak.
If I have a gripe, it's simply that Wedge lacks normal hands. He has the goofy Luke ones. I would've liked to have seen new hands, to match the new "skirt" piece. I don't have Luke to compare to, but besides the new head and skirt, I don't think much is different on this figure from Luke. I've been wrong on that before though without a comparison to look at handy to me.
The gear is great. Helmet with an exquisitely detailed deco, and the rifle is always a nice extra as is a blaster pistol. The pistol they picked is a Rebel one + they put the thought in to include one that when Wedge holds it out the goofy hand pose can hold the pistol straight. There is no trigger finger sculpted separate of the hand though, so he can't grip it totally right. No huge deal, but something of note.
The helmet could've used some wear, and the costume could use a wash... And technically the coat should be a different shade than the pants and the jumpsuit collar poking out. Minor details, but things we used to be able to count on to a degree from the "premium" figures.
-Ree Yees... Or "ole dickeyes" as I like to call him now. The face is really nice. Eye penises aside, he's rockin' the classic Ree Yees grin. This guy looks like the original online troll with that smile. The fleshy bits of him also have a nice wash (Wow, Hasbro still does those?) which highlight what tremendous depth the sculpt overall received. The black for the eyes is a little glossy and that makes them pop too. Likewise his teeth are very nicely individually sculpted, which may be the nicest teeth sculpt in this scale that I've ever seen. A detail I really liked seeing done well.
Ree Yees rocks his classically bland brown padded suit with shoulder pads. Right out of the 80's he's basically running around in a woman's business suit. For the most part the coloring makes it unremarkable but if you look closely it's some of the best bunching and folding scuplt I've seen in a while. Nice detail, right to the turned up cuffs on the sleeve. Again, a paint wash would've helped highlight that stuff.
Articulation is pretty much standard save for two points. First, he's lacking ankle joints which suits me fine on this line in general. I appreciate it when it exists, but don't miss it terribly when it's gone. Plus the way he has spats on of sorts, they may interfere with that articulation point. That said though, $10-$11 for a figure without hyper articulation is irksome. You kind of owe it IMO. You charge a premium price and you're backed into the premium corner. I'd much prefer $7.99-$8.99 and some articulation cutbacks (mixed in angle-cut elbow joints, rare to see ankle joints, sometimes no waist joint).
The wrists, shoulders, elbows, knees, neck... They're the main points, and I'm flexible on the type of joint on the elbows. Angle-cuts work, and look good at the elbows (NOT the knees).
I really liked Hasbro delivering both POTF2 blaster pistols in new iterations with this Ree Yees updates. Smaller, more detailed... It's pretty neat. I just WISH they'd included his original vintage goofy weapon he had. That thing is so absurd looking I wish he had a modern update, just for no real reason.
Oh, and look at the fingertips! Weird suction cuppy looking. I love it! Never noticed it before, but I imagine the POTF2 guy has them too. That figure was pretty nicely detailed for the time and even now.
-Doallyn/Whoever... Now the nitty gritty of the wave, a brand spanking new, never done figure. That's a rarity unto itself and helps him win figure of the wave, however Hasbro did do pretty sharp with him.
The jumpsuit features everything you've come to expect with the wrinkles and detail. Otherwise it's fairly bland. The boots got a little "scuffing" detail painted onto them, and I found that refreshing since Ree Yees has bland one-color shoes (which look good, just colorless). The paint detals on Doallyn are actually numerous. The belt has buttons and a buckle painted which often Hasbro skips at this point.
The stripe on the side of the suit and up the chest is where they can goof up I imagine, but my samples (4 of them) are all crisp and clean. I'm impressed since paint apps are iffy these days. There is a LITTLE skin showing from the character, and it's his neck. Now, depending on your POV, this may be good or bad. Hasbro painted it a light green color... It's ALMOST fleshy looking, but it's really more green and the issue is, this guy's neck is visibile IN the movie, and it's clearly a white guy's skin color under there. Is that bad? Is that inaccurate? Do you give a **** (no you don't)? It was odd to me they acknowledged that his neck is slightly visible but didn't go with the proper color then. Is that good or bad? I dunno. I think some Aliens could be human fleshy colors sure. I kinda like the green, but whatever. Pickin' nits.
The hose is a separate sculpted piece plugged into (and glued?) the figure's torso and his pockets. It runs up around the neck and down into each pocket, and is weird and gives it the sci-fi look it needs. It's also a brighter color, so it pops a little. It appears to be white, which I never really noticed. I love seeing it stand out on the light grey of the jumpsuit though! Well done Hasbro, catching a quite little detail there.
The head sculpt is simply new, different, detailed... There is little way to highlight any of it because in the film the helmet doesn't seem to be anything but clean black, all one color, and simple. Detailed, but no deco to show any of it. So Hasbro replicated that perfectly, and that's what you should hope for.
Accessories are the crummy area... The figure sports a pike (appropriate) and a pistol (nice to get). Unfortunately no holster for said blaster, and both weapons cast in a bronze color with no paint. No silver blade, no detail on the blaster at all. The basic bronze colors are kind of blah, and disappointing. Again, $11 figures deserve $11 detail. Likewise though, would an ankle holster have been a bad idea? Doallyn's feet don't appear to be visible from all angles in the film, and a place to stash his sidearm would be great. I miss that little extra Hasbro USED to include. Ree Yees doesn't seem to have a holster so I'm ok there, but Doallyn I think they could've snuck one on and nobody would've minded (correct or not).
All 3 are easy buys. Most "new" I've had in a while really. Even Wedge, it's been since POTF2 since a Snowspeeder Wedge, so a very new figure.
Love all these, and wish we got more of this in TBS waves... At least always a single never-before-made OT figure, per wave. Even if it re-uses a part that fits the character well enough.
Now I want the ACTUAL Doallyn figure from the Palace. Pair him up with the Snaggletooth from the Palace Hasbro, please.
Fill out the wave as you see fit then!
