My great debate in compiling this list was whether or not to include the HasLab figures. In consulting some of my consiglieri in the community, I decided that wouldn't be fair. The fan-funded HasLab figures would likely dominate the lists each year, but it doesn't seem right to include such highly firewalled offerings. There's some inherent exclusivity with HasLab figures. Some in the community don't, or can't, participate. These lists should really be about things to which the entire community has access. Just know that if they were included, the Tonnika Sisters would be number one, and there would be a wide gulf between number one and number two.
As I clarify every year, this list is not intended to be based on solely objective factors. It's my list. It's my favorite ten figures of the year, not necessarily the ten best executed figures of the year. Having said that, if a figure absolutely crushes it, it's going to end up on my year end list regardless of whether or not it was on my personal wish list. We'll start off with an honorable mention, and then go in descending order. Are you ready? TO THE PETER-COPTER!
I don't care that the figure isn't based on Zutmore's jumpsuit. I don't care that it's based on the wrong Snivvian. I'm not judging anyone for whom these are issues. It's perfectly valid to feel that way. I'm just saying that I'm willing to overlook it. I'm absolutely thrilled to have a wink to the Sears Cantina Adventure Set blue Snaggletooth in the Vintage Collection.
In comic book collections (and stores), there's the concept of "wall books" for prized items which are displayed on the wall (as the name implies). The carded TVC blue Snaggletooth is one of my "wall figures."
This year is absolutely crazy. It's so strong that I had four figures up for consideration for this spot. Some years I struggle to come up with ten figures total. This year the struggle was whittling it down to ten. I also considered VC358 - Sabine Wren (Peridea), VC365 - Alexsandr Kallus, VC367 - Nightsister Merrin, and VC368 - Moff Gideon (Dark Trooper Armor) for this spot. They're all outstanding figures in their own right, but I also feel none of them packed much "wow" factor when announced (maybe Merrin a little). They all felt expected to some degree. Despite Teva being ubiquitous across the Mando-verse, it seems there was some resistance against a Teva figure. Finally getting it announced was that "wow" moment. Plus, who can forget the staged bickering between Paul Sun-Hyung Lee and Mr. Stevie in the lead up to its reveal.
Finally, the review of this Teva figure provided one of the greatest moments in Bantha Skull history. Mr. Nomadscout deducted a point from the figure because it wasn't the version of of Teva that he wanted the most. I still find that hilarious.
Hey Bob, how would you rate that hot dog?
Well, it's not a hamburger, so it stinks.
That set the precedent that allows me to deduct a point from every figure that's not EV-9D9.
In a lesser year, this is a top 5 figure. I've wanted a Captain Pellaeon for a long time, and his holographic appearance in The Mandalorian Season 3 seemed to provide the final push to get him across the line. It was the perfect opportunity to release a character from well-loved legacy media that also crosses over into new media. To that point, the likeness is based on Pelleon's Mandalorian appearance, and Hasbro nailed it. They also thankfully ditched the jarring removable hat used on previous Imperial Officers. Getting figures from Heir to the Empire was such a huge moment in 2025, and this isn't even the big one. Stay tuned.
This figure could also be named "a childhood restored." I don't hate the Speical Editions. I like getting more Original Trilogy, even if it's in the form a few seconds of film that hit the editing room floor. I just didn't appreciate the narrative changes, and I consider Anakin's Force Ghost going from his aged likeness from when Luke redeemed him on the second Death Star to a pre-fall Hayden Christensen to be pretty big one. I never thought it would happen, but I am beyond thrilled that I can have a Sebastian Shaw Force Ghost Anakin in my Bright Tree Village display.
Hasbro, just give me a non-ghost version on a replica POTF card with a coin please and thank you. As I've said before, make it exclusive to a con in Antarctica and have it cost $100. I don't care. Just put it into the world, and I will freely accept whatever pain must be endured to acquire it.
Once again, in most years, this is a top 5 figure. It's an outstanding figure that poses like a dream, and the character is Sith-adjacent. The reason Baylan landed this far down on my list is that it's simply too far removed from its debut. I'm sorry, but these shows don't stick with me. I enjoy them when they're on for the most part, and then start forgetting about them almost immediately when they're over. In fact, I'll be perfectly honest. My draft Top 10 list didn't have this figure on it because I forgot about it. Only when consulting our menu did I remember to include this obvious entry.
If the fact that this Snowtrooper can't crack my top 5 doesn't prove that 2025 has been a banner year, nothing will. I campaigned with every ounce of my being for a new Snowtrooper. I wrote multiple articles advocating for why the tooling would be a wise investment. It placed at the top of all my fan poll lists. I bought cases of this figure. I gave it a 10 out of 10 when I reviewed it.
So why did it slip to number six? Because I had to pose cases of it. The figure can be posed in dynamic combat poses, but it's not easy. It takes some working. When you have to do that once, it's no big deal. When I had to do it twenty four times, some of that initial luster wears off.
And here we have figure that would be number one on my list in a lesser year. I absolutely love that this one figure can achieve dynamic dueling poses, but also strike the sacrificial pose at the end of Ben's duel with Vader. For the latter, I had been using the TLJ 5POA Obi-Wan Kenobi. No more. We finally have one Old Man Ben to rule them all.
In a year of seismic releases, the Heir to the Empire 3-pack was a 10.0 on the Richter Scale. With so few slots annually for the Vintage Collection, it felt improbable that we would get multiple figures directly sourced to the Legends Thrawn trilogy. Having said that, commitment to a source isn't expressed via repaints, repacks, and partial retools. If that's all we get, it's an insulting token effort. It's expressed with newly tooled (or mostly newly tooled) figures. That's what this Joruus C'baoth is. Even it this wasn't your most wanted Heir to the Empire figure, I hope the statement it makes is still appreciated.
For my money, this is objectively the best figure of the year. The way it poses in extreme dueling stances is unrivaled in the line. This is in part thanks to the fact that BOTH WRISTS HAVE SIDE HINGES. The WBW/Episode III Anakin from the Journey of Anakin Skywalker Special Action Figure Set didn't even make my Top 10 because the left hand has a middle hinge, and it makes too many saber poses impossible. If this figure came out in the last wave of the year, it would probably be number one my list due to recency bias. But as it was in the first wave of the year, too much time has passed to prevent the shine from fading. The Clone Wars isn't one of my favorite sources for figures. In fact, I would argue that TVC 2.0 has focussed on it too much. I much prefer Clone Wars 2D figures from that era. So my love has diminished for the figure since the beginning of the year due to the source.
If the above Anakin is the best executed figure of the year, the Deluxe Hammerhead is a 1B. The two are virtually tied, but the tie goes to the saber-wielder in my opinion, so Anakin nudges him out on the objective scale. Subjectively, however, the Cantina-based figure is going to win 100 times out of 100 with me. So why isn't it number one? Well first, the figure is now stuck in an alcove in my Cantina and I don't get to enjoy it as much as I want to. I know that's a "me problem", and something I could correct, but it is what it is. The second reason is that this year we got a much needed figure of the GOAT.
The 12-back Kenner Luke Skywalker was one of the first two Star Wars figures I got in my life. Despite being only five years old at the time, I still remember getting it (or I remember it as well as notoriously inaccurate human memory allows). This Luke was released in the first wave of the year, and it has been delighting me every day since. The "front and center" display in my collection is the Sarlacc battle. It's right in front of me as I settle in to work. I placed an extra of this Luke on the edge of that display just so it catches my eye every single day. This would be in my Top 10 TVC figures of all time list.
This article takes so long to compile each year that I'm starting to regret it a little bit. It's the reason you had no content yesterday. But it's gratifying once completed. Feel free to post your Top 10 in the comments.
Once again, I demand Bret post his Top 10 article this year.
