Is it safe to even talk about Star Wars: The Last Jedi yet? I mean, I know it is a very sensitive topic for some, and I am still basking in the fun and adventure of Solo, so I personally have not given TLJ a lot thought in the last few months. However, with the (near) release of this new Black Series Captain Phasma figure, I am being taken right back to the conflict of the Resistance and First Order (and fanboys everywhere) to contemplate this new release.
While I might be behind the curve a bit, I still have not completely reconciled all of my feelings about the Sequel Trilogy. There are part that I LOVE, parts that I do not, and many in between. For example, I LOVE Rey, and almost everything about her; she is, in my opinion, the strongest addition to the SW mythos via these movies, and most certainly the best part about them as far as a single contributor goes. But then, painfully, I have the other end of the spectrum and Captain Phasma is most certainly a part of that. In essence, I don’t think I have ever been so underwhelmed about a new character in the SW universe.
Granted, a lot of that might be my own fault because I totally went for all of the pre-release marketing that happened for Episode 7. Captain Phasma was a huge part of that, and man, based off of her look (CHROMED STORMTROOPER!!!) and the shots they used in the trailers and commercials, they certainly set her up to be a driving badass in this new series. So excuse me if I fell for it, because in EpVII, she was underwhelming to say the least. She had very little screen time, and then, well, she didn’t exactly do much. So, I was POSITIVE that she would pick up the slack and be awesome in EPVIII.
Well, that didn’t happen and she was not even around for the movie leading up to being promptly taken out by a former sanitation worker who was gravely injured fairly recently. Now, that is not taking anything away from Finn, because I like the guy, but Phasma was supposed to be this amazing enforcer warrior, and, well, no. So there is that. Or more accurately, there is NOT that, and unless something REALLY crazy happens in EPIX, I am not sure if Phasma can be saved at this point, especially considering she is likely already dead.
The good thing about action figures is that, even if the character is lacking in the source material, as long as the toy is cool, new and more exciting/bad ass qualities and adventures can play out in your imagination. Such is the case with the Captain here, and even though this figure documents her untimely demise, it looks greats, is a definite upgrade over the past Phasma figure, and it includes the quicksilver staff she busted out to fight her former subordinate. So, if by chance you are a fan of the character, or just have a need to be as complete with your Black Series collection as possible, at least she does get TLJ representation.
I have to admit that, I enjoyed the first SWB Phasma figure, and she was my top priority for ALL SWB figures initially released to support TFA. That figure has since been upstaged by MAFEX as my default display piece, because, while okay, the figure was a little soft in the sculpt, and definitely lacked the sheen shown off in the movie. While this figure still isn’t as shiny as I would want, the sculpt seems a bit more crisp than before, and since there is some battle damage, there are more details, too. Oh, and a cloth cape if you are in to that kind of thing.
I think, for most people, the obvious selling point for this figure is the battle damage it sports from her Fateful Finn Fight ©, and this is where Hasbro’s new approach to making SWB figures comes through the best. Yes, poor Gwendoline Christie was kept under that helmet for 99% of her time spent in the SW universe, but for those few fleeting moments as she met her doom, her bashed up helmet revealed one of her eyes, seemingly giving Phasma a bit of humanity. This is rendered wonderfully via the photo real technology now employed in the line, so this small detail is certainly a highlight. Additionally, the battle damage on helmet and chest is nice, and the depth provided on the former adds a lot to the figure as you look into the eye of the character.
Additionally, the Quicksilver Staff is a nice addition, and again, might be the driver for many to pick up this figure. I was sad not to have it before, because I was not going to pick up an expensive import just for the staff, but it is nice to add it to the collection because I find it to be more visually interesting than Phasma’s blaster. Speaking of, the blaster is also included here, and it might have a bit neater paint application this time around, but that might be negligible to most.
Overall, I am about as happy with this figure as I can be. The character is such a monumental disappointment for me that only the good Constable Zuvio pulls less weight on the SW shelf for me, but this release does look great. My pal in Canada hooked me up with this and it is still a Toys R Us exclusive north of the boarder, but look for this to be hitting Disney Stores (IIRC) later this year if you are in the States.
