There are repaints/repacks/retools, and there are repaints/repacks/retools.  We’ve likely all felt at least a little bit beaten down by the onslaught of Fetts, Mandalorians, and Clones recently.  It seems like these base sculpts have been re-issued, re-painted, and retooled more times than we care to count.  But there are often ways that Hasbro can make use of existing figures.  With a few small tooling updates, some new accessories, and paint changes, Hasbro has the ability to make some very worthwhile releases.  I’ve received 3 items recently from my pre-order list:  The Rebel Trooper (Echo Base) Multipack, the Mandalorian Rescue Set (not yet reviewed as of this writing), and this 3-pack from the Obi-Wan Kenobi series.  All three fall under the latter type of repaint/repack/retool. 

I thoroughly enjoy the Echo Base pack.  Even though the base figure is over decade old and lacks some of the modern articulation we expect, the 4 unique head sculpts, updated paint applications, and removable headgear makes the set successful.  I’ve also already opened the Mando Rescue Set in preparation for our next review, and it falls in the same category of smart reuse of figures.  And then we have the Obi-Wan set, which makes it three in a row.

These 3 “new” figures give us a grand total of 6 that have been released under the branding of the Disney+ series.  The first three (Reva, Vader, and Kenobi) were all newly tooled mainline figures.  In order to help give us a little more depth to our collections, Hasbro went back and gave us 2 new characters, along with Obi-Wan in a new outfit.  We are able to get this set due to the (relatively) minimal amount of production costs needed to bring the figures to market. 

Ben Kenobi (Tibidon Station) takes the base figure from the first version VC245 Obi-Wan Kenobi (Wandering Jedi)” target=“_blank”>Obi-Wan Kenobi (Wandering Jedi), and gives it a completely new paint job to reflect the different coloring of the outfit he wore throughout the majority of the first episode.  The sculpt of the figure itself is unchanged, but the new paint makes it feel significantly different.  The paint on Ben’s face is a bit better this time around, so he doesn’t look like a mouth-breather.  We get the same hilt, blade, and pistol as the original figure, but we get two new accessories.  A new shmata replaces his more familiar Jedi robes, and he also gets an all new backpack.  When you put it all together, it definitely feels like a new figure, and does the job of giving us the right outfit for the first part of the story.

The second figure is a more dramatic change, and we get Teeka, the first named Jawa in the history of the line (I think?).  Again, Hasbro started with VC203 Offworld Jawa (Arvala-7) as the base figure, and gave it a completely new paint job to represent the more familiar brown tones of the Tatooine clans. robe seems to be a slightly different material, and is also sewn differently.  This time there is no opening in the front, so instated of a robe, it actually is more like a big hoodie.  To complete the outfit, Teeka gets a new bandolier that differs from the Arvala-7 Jawa, and also a removable vest.  Although the coloring is a little bit lighter than we might be used to, you could take off the vest, and basically have a generic Tatooine Jawa.  Even keeping the vest, you could also have one of the “Purchase of the Droids” Jawa variants.  Teeka comes with the typical ion blaster, but Hasbro also sculpted two new junk sculpts.  I think I would have liked a new T-16 model, but these 2 pieces are nice little environmental pieces.  I actually struggled to find the exact inspirations on screen, but eventually I saw the larger box in the very last scene of the series when Obi-Wan meets Luke.  Young Luke has the box accessory, for some reason.  I couldn’t find the cylindrical item, but in any case, it makes a nice figure with terrific accessories.

The nicer thing about these 2 figures is that they interact directly on screen.  The third figure does not interact with either, as Obi-Wan change outfits by the time he faces off against these guys.  The Purge Trooper (Phase 2 Armor) starts by using the VC195 Electrostaff Purge Trooper as the base.  It is the only figure of the 3 that has new tooling.  As far as I can tell, there’s the obviously all-new helmet, but it also looks like the upper arms and chest/torso are new.  Additionally, this guy gets a new belt, and the kama is a bit of a different material this time around.  Finally, there is a removable back pack (for some reason) and a pauldron different from the Phase I Purge Trooper (although I can’t tell if it’s new, or just reused from another trooper type.). The coloring is minimal, but effective and reasonably accurate to the source (someone correct me if I’m wrong).  He includes a typical Imperial blaster, but probably should have come with a weapon more similar to the ones used by Death Troopers.  This clone mold, of course, is based on VC45, and the ship has sailed and sunk a while ago on it.  But it’s still a nice figure, and is a welcome addition to our collections.

The figures aren’t exactly mind-blowing, but the smart use of existing figures along with new paint, accessories, and minor re-tooling go a long way in delivering what genuinely feels like 3 new characters that belong on your shelf.  It’s possible this may be it for any Obi-Wan Kenobi branded figures, but they’re certainly far from the worst ones we could have.  It’s a nice set, and I give it an overall 8/10.