Nomadscout’s Top Five Figures That Should Probably Maybe Be Updated

I want new. NEW, DAMMIT! But there are exceptions to every rule...

I've been on a bit of a kick lately complaining about the constant flow of updates to figures, vehicles, and beasts that I already own - and the subsequent dearth of debut items. But even I welcome some updates. I support the mains from OT and PT (and a select few other sources) receiving regular updates to ensure they are up to the most modern standards - or reasonably close to them. I support major troop builders also getting the same treatment. Stormtroopers, Sandtroopers, Snowtroopers, Scout Troopers, Clone Troopers, Battle Droids, Tusken Raiders, Imperial Officers should not be too dated, nor should they be subject to half-measured incremental updates.

Beyond that, my criteria for accepting an update is that I would have to feel that the existing figure either looks silly in modern displays, or is unable to perform its most elemental task. In language that many troglodyte collectors would understand, if a character "just stands there", then the corresponding figure needs to be able to stand there. That example, of course, is so rudimentary, that if any figure can't stand there, then it's a flaw so fatal as to render it a 0/0 score and not worthy of even existing.



That example might be a little unfair. 5POA is not OK because it doesn't have hips, knees, or ankles to allow for improved balance and a wide range of posability. Here's another example:



Most of those figures are just standing there. The problem is they're supposed to just sit there. So they can't perform the basic function necessary to be accurate to their most important respective appearances on screen.

I realize everybody is dying to know where I got that sweet, sweet Death Star conference room table that looks like I ripped it right out of A New Hope. If you must know, I 3D printed the pieces by buying 3 vaguely accurate wood shapes at a Michael's craft store to represent the base, the tabletop, and the globe centerpiece instead of 3D printing them. Then I painstakingly painted each individual piece by hand (mine) using a very large Sharpie. I recommend a the larges Sharpie you can find, because this will reduce the number of passes you need to make in order to get complete coverage. It's a big time saver, and worth the extra cost. Nevertheless, this was the most time consuming step. It took at least 45 seconds cover all the pieces with this black coat. I could have cut some corners and done it in about 35-40 seconds, but I wanted to make sure it was perfect. I gave the table and globe that screen accurate gloss/mirror effect that you are admiring by allowing the wood grain to show through the Sharpie application. And finally, I secured the pieces together by stacking them on top of each other using a combination of (no) glue, (no) screws, and (no) fasteners. The whole project cost about $4.50 in 2006 dollars, which is about $378.42 in 2025, adjusted for inflation and tariffs.

I'll leave those instructions here so anyone can use them in the future.

Anyway, here are 5 existing figures that annoy me enough that I'll take updates.




The Haslab Mos Eisley Cantina has shined a bright light on the dark secret that collectors have known for years. Some of the existing Cantina figures suck. This one is pretty awful. It's got a lot of the hallmarks of figures from the first few years of POTF2, such as rudimentary articulation, a bulky frame with an aggressive stance, exaggerated "C-grip" hands, a distinct lack of sculpting details to the clothing, a hard plastic cape, and an overly large weapon. What's not to love? But the most damning is the articulation, which lacks the most important quality: the ability to sit. The figure pictured above is the repainted version from The Saga Collection in 2006, which used the original POTF2 figure from the 1998 Cinema Scene 3-pack. That set also included Nabrun Leids (which was redone for the Cantina) and Takeel. While Zutton has been resculpted in TVC 1.0, his patchy haired brother, Takeel, is still locked in 1998. Hasbro should do us collectors a solid and release the Zutton sculpt with crappy hair and give us Takeel, who is seen prominently sitting outside Han Solo's booth. I would also give honorable mention to Mosep, Hem Dazon, and Djas Puhr, 3 additional figures that cannot currently sit. The time as come. We need a new Labria.




Uncle Owen is also among the worst figures in the line that looks comically bad on a shelf among more modern figures. Again, he has an overly simplified sculpt with a poor likeness, negligible articulation, simple paint apps, a hard plastic cape, and a preposed pointing hand - which is the wrong hand. You can't properly recreate this iconic image:



Anyway, Owen needs an update. And NO! You absolutely may not, under any circumstances, use the TLC Comic Pack Owen for an ANH Owen. What are you, an animal? He's a different age! NOT ALL OLD PEOPLE LOOK THE SAME, JERK! Honorable mention goes to Beru. If we get Owen, and then have to wait 14 years to complete the crew, there'll be hell to pay.




Klaatu, Barada, Nikto takes us back to a simpler time. Then it became Klaatu, Barada, Vizam. Whatever. The point is, this figure is terrible. Barada is one of the crew members of the neglected second skiff. After we completed the Prisoner Skiff in one of the greatest moments in the history of TVC, we are left with only 4 of 8 figures for the other skiff. And 2 of them are horribly outdated. Barada is a pre-posed mess, and he comes with a big, weird gun instead of a proper vibro-staff. The paint apps are actually a decent effort for 1999, but just about everything else about it is exceedingly substandard. Hasbro repainted/re-released this figure no less than 37 times. It's time for a proper update, as he's an embarrassment to the Sail Barge and skiff escorts. Same goes for Pote Snitkin, that hunk of POTF2 silliness. And then Hasbro needs to make the other 4 crewmembers. Before I die, Hasbro. Please.




At this point, Mon Mothma has transformed from a footnote to a major character across multiple films and television shows. While Caroline Blakiston gave us our first glimpse of the leader of the Rebel Alliance in ROTJ, Genevieve O'Reilly has mainstreamed the character, and given us a reason to truly envision her as Palpatine's political adversary. And while we did get a more modern salt shaker figure for ROTS in 2005, we are still stuck with a terrible representation of Blakiston's portrayal. It's high time Hasbro give us a modern TVC update to the Chancellor of the New Republic. And like they did with Sebastian Shaw and Hayden Christensen, We need alternate Blakiston/O'Reilly portraits for an ROTJ Mon Mothma. And while he's obviously from ANH Yavin, and not ROTJ Home One, I'll take this opportunity for an honorable mention to Jan Dodonna. Another awful figure that is an embarrassment to the other figures in the Medal Ceremony. For that matter, let's get a ceremony dais as a displayset. And we should get a few more Yavin leaders, including Mr. Bob Hudsol, who is completely absent from our medal ceremony displays.




This figure is a special case. Part of the reason I'm including it in my Top 5 is because Chris forced me to sign a contract that requires me to write about EV-9D9. The figure is pretty terrible by modern sculpting and articulation standards, but honestly, it doesn't look bad when it's displayed in the background of your palace diorama, performing her duties as the Director of Droid Torture Operations. It has crappy articulation, the sculpt is simple, and it really doesn't do anything of note, but the paint does have a nice metallic quality to it. EV-9D9 could clearly be made into an incredible modern figure, complete with elbows so she can climb walls and taunt her non-wall climbing co-worker, 8D8. But the real reason she's on my list is because it's possible EV-9D9 is the only modern figure that's actually a downgrade from the original Kenner toy. That one had an articulated mouth. BY GOD, AN ARTICULATED MOUTH! What is this, the TVC Bantha? She was way ahead of her time. I may be wrong, but the 2002 Ephant Mon figure, which is enormous, may have been the first figure in the modern line to have an articulated mouth. So to make me ol' pal Chris happy and to right the wrong of the devolutionary POTF2 figure, Hasbro needs to give us a modern TVC EV-9D9.

I'd still be more excited for debut figures, but I'll allow for these.

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