Earlier this week we reviewed our last TFA basic figure.  But we never said we were done with the TFA line.  Ha!  Consider yourself fooled!  This is from the TFA line, but it’s a Rebels figure with a Clone Wars-ish vehicle.

We get the 27th release of a Kanan figure to pilot a slightly (but importantly) re-tooled and repainted ship from the Shadows of the Dark Side line.  Remember that line?  It was before everything went to ****.  The vehicle was pretty cool: a mini-rig inspired by the design of a full-sized ship.  Mini-rigs normally bring a smile to the collector, as they usually manage to bring fun designs to an action-packed budget vehicle.  They tend to work well as off-screen concepts or background fodder, and they often work great as actual toys.  Imagine that!  I at first assumed this was a nonsense set, but it turns out Hasbro put a little extra effort into an important retooling.

The vehicle is at first glance just a repaint of the SOTD version.  Even if that were the case, the color scheme was well done to match the heroes’ theme, particularly when compared to the Phantom attack shuttle.  But there’s a big surprise with this version, as Hasbro re-did the astromech socket area to turn it into a multi-functional cargo area.  The rear panel is removable, and you can access a small sliding platform that allows for C1-P10 (A.K.A.  The Choppinator) to stand his small self inside the asromech socket and stick his head out like typical taller astromechs would.  Without the platform, Chopper would disappear into the cargo area.  And since the rear panel is removable, you could put weapons, jellybeans, and whatnots in the back of the Y-Wing as well.  The possibilities are endless.  This feature was well conceived by Hasbro, so kudos to them.

Beyond that, the vehicle is is essentially the same as the earlier SOTD release, perhaps with a few cosmetic changes here and there.  It’s a solid little toy, and although it was never on screen, it really captures the spirit of the vintage mini-rigs.  The canopy opens and the cockpit seats a figure.  The nacelles rotate.  There are a pair of cannons that can be mounted on either side of the canopy, or on the nacelles, for different configurations.  The astromech socket has a rotating gunner station.  The nacelles have 2 bombs which can be dropped on unsuspecting targets.  Or suspecting targets.  They might suspect that bombs could be dropped.  Who knows?  Either way, it doesn’t change the vehicle’s capabilities, so let them suspect, okay?

The bummer here is Hasbro’s choice to pack in YET ANOTHER KANAN figure.  By our estimates, there are more Kanan releases than there are people who have backed the Sail Barge.  This time, Kanan comes with a retooled head that includes a sculpted on headset and mic.  Yawn.  He does what 5POA figures do.  He comes with an ignited lightsaber and also has that frustratingly well-sculpted holster with the weapon that you think should be removable, but isn’t.  I hope this Kanan figure suspects that the Y-Wing Scout Bomber will drop bombs on him.  Or let him not suspect.  Either way, the bombs are coming for him. 

Hasbro could have opted to include an all new figure, but they didn’t.  That seems par for the course with the underrepresented Rebels line.  Sure the figures are 5POA, but anything would have been better than another Kanan.  Perhaps a Rebel Pilot, like Dutch Vander.  That would have been neat.

For $19.99, it’s not a bad set at all.  The figure is lame, but at least it’s a retool and not a straight repack.  The effort that went into updating the astromech slot / cargo area is a solid and necessary improvement to an already nifty mini-rig.  I’m feeling pretty good about this, so I’m giving it a 7.