The Force Awakens 3.75" 'Armor Up' Assortment

[Jeff]

Looks like these are the $10 armored figures...  pics from JTA's Facebook page and various twitter sources.



Note: Finn (Starkiller Base)

[indysolo007]

That was my favorite scene in Jedi. When the twin Suns of tatooine set, Luke would don his superhero costume and become Banthaman! Can jump a moisture vaporator in a single bound. More powerful than a jawa sand crawler. In the sky! Over the Dunes! It's Banthaman.

Sorry, just delirious from disappointment today...

[Darby]

After soaking everything, some thoughts:

Figures in general: Very, very good. I like the 5 POA. The paint apps seem better for the most part. Seems a few of these at least have ball jointed heads judging from the various pics.

Packaging: This is the best card art we've had since the 30th anniversary, and maybe longer. Leagues better than any of the PT movie cards. Outstanding character art which gives a little nod to the vintage days will still graphically current. Way better than what I expected after they first announced the packaging.

Accessories: Not entirely sure on the armor concept but at first blush a few of these figures are the same as the basic figures (Finn, Flame Trooper) for what I assume is a higher price point. This is the same business model Hasbro employed with TPM 3D when they sold us the same Qui-Gon's and Obi-Wan's various ways at various price points and you can buy some of those to this day at a Wal-Mart near you. I don't think the distinction between the armor bits and the build a lawn mower is so great that you need to have two, or charge a premium for one or the other. Ultimately I don't think it will matter, as I doubt any of the figures will be exclusive to one line or the other, but I guarantee moms and dads will leave that Finn Armor set to die on the vine when they can get the same one with a similar lawn mower doo dad for three bucks cheaper. This is the sort of takeaway you'd think Hasbro would have gleaned from the TPM 3D post mortem, but apparently not.

Anyways, after all that - can't wait!

[Phrubruh]

Whoever is taking these pictures needs to take it off the UFO setting so we can get a clear picture.

[indysolo007]

Whoever is taking these pictures needs to take it off the UFO setting so we can get a clear picture.

You sir have won the internet today

[Jeff]

Just spent way too much time looking at these blurry figures trying to figure out if "Armored" Poe here is just a repaint of Finn with a new Poe head.

Doesn't really look like it to me (I see differences in the shoulder pad/armor and the neckline of the shirt), but I see a lot of people commenting they think they are the same sculpt. 

[GrandMoffNick]

I'm assuming/hoping this armor thing is just a gimmick? Or do we "know" the Force Awakens characters will be wearing armor in the movie?

[Nicklab]

The Poe Dameron figure looks significantly different from the Finn figure.  The jacket looks the same, but the resemblance ends there.  And this take on Poe looks like how we saw him in the behind the scenes video from SDCC. 

[Jeff]

Sounds like Walmart is charging $12.93 for these, which means those $13 price rumors are true.

$13 for a $7 5POA figure and a clip-on armor?  Yeesh.  Those little armors are kind of fun... but not at nearly the price for another whole figure.

Makes sense now why they are in a "box" and not on a card.  If they would have put them on cards next to the $7 stuff at almost twice the price no one would have bought them.

Going to have to think long and hard about buying any of these... probably will only cave for the inevitable Han Solo when they get to him. 

[Diddly]

That's 10 cents more than what they're currently charging for Black Series figures! I'm thinking everything for this line is a "Wait for BOGO/Clearance"

[Scockery]

This the lowest Hasbro has gotten in the 3 3/4" line. Mostly repacks with a new accessory.  Deluxe figures have usually been cash grabs but these aren't giving the buyer much of anything. Giant packs, mini vehicles, big guns...but now it's an accessory no more impressive than  ones that used to appear on basic carded figures.  Even the force Awakens figures with the weapon parts...compared to the these. It's absurd.

Some praised 5 POA as a way to keep costs down, yet these are 5 POA figures with a paltry accessory made to  INFLATE the price. Rationalize that.

[Nicklab]

There was one figure that I had some hope for in this Armor Up assortment, and that was Poe Dameron.  He's in a Resistance uniform other than the flight suit, which I thought looked pretty cool.  But when I actually saw the figure in person yesterday?  Whoa.  Not a flattering portrait of the actor, Oscar Isaac at all.  I'm hoping that we might get another version of Poe in his Resistance uniform down the line that looks SOMETHING like the character.

As for other figures in this assortment?  I was kind of tempted by the First Order Stormtroopers and Flametroopers.  Chewbacca had a decent sculpt.  But Finn and Luke?  Meh.  In essence, these are all still 5 POA figures.  Sure, they've got that armor accessory, but I really don't have any use for those when it comes to displaying these figures. 

There were lots of impulses yesterday to 'BUY, BUY, BUY'!  But I think that I've got a much better long view on things now, and I'm prepared to wait for decent/basic versions of these figures.  The armor gimmick just does not really do it for me.  With the characters like Poe, Finn and Luke I think you've got a little latitude with them in terms of the desing.  But with the First Order characters?  Given the fact that these characters are already armored you get the sense that there might be some armor enhancements available for these troopers.  But what Hasbro came up with for both the Stormtrooper and the Flametrooper just does not fit in with that very strong design aesthetic.

[Brian]

I planned on getting the Poe as well, but ended up passing on the ones I found.  The only figure I got from this assortment for now was the Chewie.  I'd rather have the cheaper version as I don't care about the "armor".

[Dave]

I haven't had the chance to do a comparison yet, but is there generally a difference between the standard figures and the armor up versions, other than the pack-in?  I'm still trying to figure out if I need any of these.

[GrandMoffNick]

Not sure on Flametrooper or Stormtrooper
Kylo's hood is down vs up (both were a must for me)
Finn has snow on him vs not