Words can not describe the joy I now feel after finally being able to put Grand Moff Tarkin on my Star Wars shelf. Some may say he was just an old guy barking orders while others, like myself, feel he was the main villain in A New Hope. And we’re right, smiling face emoji. But Tarkin doesn’t wear black armor or carry a laser sword so he’s just not as cool.
But we know. We all know. Deep down.
Now before getting too far, a correction of something I said in the video review. I state that Tarkin is 100% new sculpt. I was wrong. I was quickly reminded about Krennic, who I had completely forgotten about at the time. I’ve had to separate displays because of the growing number of Star Wars figures on the shelves and Rogue One and the Prequels got shunted to a secondary display. Out of sight, out of mind. Tarkin reuses Krennic’s legs and arms.
But the figure introduces a new point of articulation to the line. At least, I don’t remember seeing it before, but the preceding paragraph proves that my memory is terrible so don’t take my words as fact. The neck is now a dumbbell joint where I only ever remember seeing a hinge with a ball before. The joint simulates most of the old movement, having less range looking up and down but significantly increased tilt. And that can do much more when it comes to shelf presence. A bewildered heavy tilt to the left, a subtle pondering tilt to the right. And all that while not having to burrow out any more of the under-skull plastic. I think I like it.
The ankle detents are positioned wrong while the elbows have one huge click and doesn’t allow the hand to reach the face, but that’s all minor compared to the glory of Photo Real. This nails Tarkin’s look perfectly. It takes away the sting of the one year wait we endured for this figure. Which is not a big deal, it barely registers as a little deal, but all of that is to say…
Damn, it’s good to get this on the shelf.
Still, I’d like more elbow movement to be able to do the below pose, since there is only so much you can do with the trigger finger right hand and no weapon:
But it does work nicely for this:
Oh, and the upgraded Photo Real Death Star Trooper is pretty spiffy too. Until someone commented that it looks a bit like Peter Serafinowicz and now I can’t unsee it. For a full review of the first version of that figure with the bad old school face paints, check out the Death Squad Commander.
Death Star Trooper package:
Loose:
Comparison:
Grand Moff Tarkin package:
Loose:
Accessory:
Comparisons:
Action:
