If you were listening closely to the foreshadowy music that accompanied the Ezra Bridger TFA basic figure we reviewed yesterday, you would have expected this item as the follow-up review.  One thing to note, this set is a straight repack from TFA.  It was carried over in the Rogue One vehicle assortments for some reason, even though it didn’t seem to be a particularly awesome seller from my point of view.  The images of here are from the Rogue One version.  Only the packaging is different.

The speeder bike is a nifty little vehicle.  There’s not much to it from an action standpoint, but Hasbro added a few hidden features which might bring a smile to the long-time collector.  The sculpt is good, as are the paint applications.  The speeder bike is an imperial model, which Ezra had acquired and repainted himself.  The vehicle features twin canons at the nose, but these do not contain any launching missiles, nor does any other part of the vehicle.  I found this a bit odd, but for me, I can dig it because as a collector, I live in constant fear of losing blast effects and missiles, so I can sleep easy with this particular toy. 

The speeder has some neat bells and whistles.  For one, the foot pedals are adjustable (forward and back), which accommodate Ezra’s short stature as well as taller figures that you might want to pose in the seat.  The handle bars swivel, which will also accommodate different figures.  The back of the speeder has a little door that can flip open, revealing a storage space.  This is awesome.  While Ezra comes with a weapon that can fit inside (more on that in a bit), other accessories, such as his cadet helmet (from other versions) or any other whatnots can fit inside.  Storage for figure accessories is something that is always welcome in the vehicle or playlet line, and this one was done flawlessly.  Finally, there is a notch on the underside of the speeder that allows Ezra’s lightsaber blade to snap in place.  The blade can also fit inside the aforementioned storage space, but this particular notch was added as well.  You can also pretend that the blade is a missile, if you had such. wild imagination.  The speeder is well balanced, sits on the ground firmly, and accommodates a seated figure very well.

The Ezra Bridger figure is different from the previously reviewed TFA basic figure, which itself is a repack.  This figure features a few distinctive differences.  The paint applications are a bit different, which may or may not be preferable, depending on your tastes.  The face has painted battle scars on Ezra’s left cheek, which have been absent from previous incarnations of the character.  He has a belt / ammo pack / weapon hook assembly that is sculpted onto his legs and waist. 

The biggest change, and it surprised me when I took it out of the package for the first time yesterday, is that the lightsaber blade is removable from the hilt.  This is particularly awesome with this figure because the belt hook perfectly accommodates the hilt (while the blade can be stored away in two different ways on the speeder bike).  This marks the first time that an Ezra figure includes the unlit hilt, which as fans know, is unique in design, in that it doubles as a blaster as well.  So once the blade is removed, Ezra can either hook it on his belt, or he can use it in blaster mode.  Beyond these changes, the figure is typical 5POA fare, although it should be noted that even the neck joint is swivel (no ball joint), so this is a very primitive figure.

If this was an SA figure, the changes to the sculpt and the weapon would pretty much make it a must buy for your collection.  For a 5POA figure, it’s pretty neat, if you can get over the insulting combination of both a lack of articulation and animated styling.  The vehicle isn’t anything that will blow your mind, but it is a nice toy, with a few cool features that increase its practicality.  Overall, it’s a nice set for what it is.  Maybe not worth the full MSRP to most, but probably with a look at some point if you can find one at a discount.  I found this at TRU in December, so they’re still around if you look.  I give it a 6, mostly because I’m a big fan of vehicles.  It could have scored a bit higher if it came with Ezra’s cadet helmet (like the basic figure), a backpack, or if it was $5 cheaper.