Our second figure from The Rise of Skywalker (following yesterday’s Zorii Bliss review) is Knight of Ren.  It’s hard to know for sure, but it seems that there are possibly 6 of these guys in the film, and they all have variants of this outfits, with very different helmets, and a range of weaponry.  If this were the old days, we would have every right to expect that at some point very soon, the other 5 Knights of Ren would be offered in the 3.75” line.  These days, it seems like a stretch.  We’ll have to see how the film turns out, and whether or not these characters capture the imagination of collectors. They’ve intrigued fans of the sequels ever since their micro-scene debut during Rey’s vision in The Force Awakens.  We’ll see if they live up to the hype.  If not, we’ll likely be left with this sole member of the group, which would just add to the sad number of lonely Sequel Trilogy action figures that have little or no context for a display.  At the very least, even before the film is released, we can safely display this figure next to Kylo Ren.  Of course, Kylo probably has an outfit/helmet variation in TROS that makes his TBS/TVC figure inaccurate for a Knight of Ren display.  Maybe we can at least get a Knight of Stimpy figure to help out.

The figure itself is an outstanding sculpt that seems to capture the look of the rogue Sith-ish bodyguard.  The black clothing has substantial texturing and folds to replicate the somewhat loose-fitting nature of the outfit.  It’s somewhat haphazard in nature; definitely not a uniform, but something that just represents the idea of a uniform.  The figure has sinister looking vambraces that give the character a kind of mercenary feel.  He’s also got metallic shin guards and combat boots.  The black gloves essentially cover the entire character in black.  Over the basic clothing is a soft plastic robe.  It’s a separately sculpted piece, but it is glued to the figure’s upper back.

The helmet is obviously meant to be inspired by a combination of Kylo Ren and Darth Vader. It’s got a few paint apps which add depth and interest.  The helmet is covered with a cap, which has long extension which drop down in from of the figure, which add to the robes.  The overall effect is pretty striking.  The dirt wash added to the robes helps complete the effect which almost makes the figure look like a desert nomad Sith.  Like a cross between Kylo Ren and a Tusken Raider.

Included is a large battle axe, which is actually a separate piece from the staff.  It’s well sculpted, and fits perfectly in the figure’s hands.  The paint and detailing of this accessory are excellent.

Knight of Ren is fantastically articulated, with full modernization, including the ball jointed wrists that were not present (but forgivable) in Zorii Bliss.  The figure is also sculpted with a body thickness that should allow for outstanding ability to engage the articulation, which should result in tremendous posability.

Now all that is well and good, but here’s the problem - and it’s a big one.  This figure is made out of some of the softest and most rubbery plastic I’ve ever encountered in a Star Wars figure.  I don’t know what was going on here, because this was not the case with Zorii Bliss.  But the limbs are so Gumby-like, that posing the figure is darn near impossible.  It was an exercise in near futility trying to get this guy to stay in the pose I desired.  After engaging the articulation, the legs kept returning to some initial state, like memory foam.  To add insult to injury, this figure has a very unfortunate center of gravity.  The only reason that I was able to take the photos in this gallery was because the cape was sturdy enough to act as additional support:  A third leg, if you will. If you look closely, you can probably tell that the cape is supporting the figure in about three quarters of the pictures.  So if you’re okay with that, it probably can still work out for you.  But it’s definitely far from ideal.  The ultra slender Zorii Bliss figure was much more posable and sturdy and this relatively thick sculpt. 

This figure could have been a 9, but it is hurt badly by the crappy plastic.  Perhaps if I was in a more generous mood, I’d still give it an 8.  If you just want this figure to “stand there” next to Kylo Ren, it’s a 9.  But if you want your money’s worth out of this TVC offering, it’s definitely lacking.  I’m not feeling all that great after this frustrating photo-shoot, so I’m going to award it a very disappointing (and unnecessary) 7.