The Set

First, we have to talk about the elephant in the room.  Cave of Evil?  Seriously?  Now the name is not Hasbro’s fault.  “Cave of Evil” is now the canonical name of what we used to call the “dark side cave” on Dagobah. This is the name the LFL story group gave to it.  I know that “dark side cave” is not some Oscar Wilde-esque turn of phrase, but at least it sounds Star Warsy.  “Cave of Evil” sounds like the name of a Scooby-Doo prime time special.  Tune in at eight on ABC to find out if Scoob and the gang can solved the mystery of The Cave of Evil!  I tapped the box to make sure there weren’t some Harlem Globetrotter stickers inside.

Naming aside, this set consists of one 3.75” Black Series repack with PhotoReal, another 3.75” Black Series figure with a new and improved head sculpt (also with PhotoReal), and finally a third 3.75” Black Series figure that is basically a much needed do-over.  That do-over figure, Yoda, is the star of the 3-pack and the only reason most collectors would be compelled to buy this set.  I say the following without a shred of inside knowledge to its veracity:  I would be shocked…shocked, shocked, shocked if that Yoda figure were not released in the 2020 basic figure lineup as part of The Empire Strikes Back 40th Anniversary celebration.  It makes so much sense that it probably won’t happen.  Considering that, at the time of this writing, Target is clearancing the Cave of Evil set for less than the price of a single basic figure, every collector should be on the hunt for this set for the Yoda alone.  Even if it gets released later, you’d still be getting a deal.

Luke Skywalker (Dagobah Training)

So you’re expecting me to tee off on this figure, right?  Well, as I wrote in the original review, I thought the rubbery plastic of the original release was worse than the jarring double-hinged elbows.  The next worst part of the original release was the horrible paint apps on the head.  This release corrects both of those things.  The plastic is no longer rubbery and the PhotoReal provides infinitely better paint apps.  So my two biggest complains from that original figure are corrected.  All that’s left (and it’s big) are the double-hinged elbows.

The greatest coach in the history of sport has an expression that he uses with his scouts.  He says, “Don’t tell me what a player does wrong.  Tell me what he does right, and I will determine if I can put him in position to maximize those strengths.”  In my mind that applies here.  What it basically comes down to is where you fall in the form v. function debate.  This figure can pose like no other figure in the history of the line.  The handstand poses above, to include the one-handed one, are unsupported.  The figure can achieve that on its own.  The only “trick” I had to employ was to cut the foot peg off of a stand and use it to secure Yoda’s foot to Luke’s foot.  I’ve probably just set up CJ for a “if you know what I mean” joke.  Personally I love the posability, and I can overlook the jarring aesthetics in the poses that could never be achieved otherwise.  Furthermore, I like that Hasbro tried something new.  It didn’t work, but it’s better than resting on one’s laurels. 

I’m probably going to catch heck for this, but whereas the original release scores a 1 out of 10, I give this re-release a 6 out of 10.

Yoda

We finally have a super articulated Original Trilogy Yoda.  True the elbows are the dreaded swivel elbows, but super articulation is defined by the amount of articulation and not the type.  The body is borrowed form the VC20 Episode III based Yoda.  It is married to a new, and frankly outstanding, head sculpt. As mentioned above, this figure is the darling of the set.  Its right hand can securely grab the included gimer stick.  Placing the open left hand on top of the right hand while the figure leans on the gimer stick allows the figure to achieve the iconic OT pose.

I can’t bring myself to ever give a perfect score to a figure that employs swivel elbows, even though ball joints don’t offer much mobility on shorter limbs as evidenced with the knees on this figure. Nonetheless, the habit of swivel elbows to pop apart is not acceptable especially when it happens inside the sleeve of a soft-goods robed figure.  Much sighing ensues.  This is close to the definitive OT Yoda, but only manages a 9 out of 10 due to those cans elbows.

Darth Vader

So if you’ve been a loyal customer of the line, this figure in the set likely doesn’t thrill you.  You own a passable enough version from The Black Series release.  The PhotoReal upgrade to the exposed Luke face is nice, but wouldn’t compel most collectors to purchase this figure again.  It’s only a minimal upgrade.  Fortunately, many collectors lapsed during the 3.75” Black Series era, so this is a chance to get a decent niche figure for those who missed out the first time. 

I’m not going to re-review essentially the same figure, so I direct you to the linked review of the previous release.  I also don’t think the PhotoReal upgrade justifies increasing this score, so this figure stays at an 8 out of 10.