POTF2 Won’t Die Until All The Figures Are Upgraded

I recently mentioned in our forums that I don't consider the Power of the Force "2" (POTF2) line to be part of the modern 3.75" Star Wars line for two reasons. First is that there was no real attention paid to relative scaling. That's how you end up with Rebel Fleet Troopers standing eye to eye with Darth Vader, or an Ewok Celebration Leia that would be a first round pick in the WNBA draft. Second, the POTF2 line predates Hasbro's attempts to sculpt folds and creases into the fabric. Most figures looks like they're wearing spandex. These two things result in figures that are visually incongruous next to modern 3.75" figures. To put it another way, they stick out like sore thumbs in our displays. For that reason, I feel Hasbro should put an emphasis on upgrading some of these figures.

By my count, there are 19 figures that have not been updated since the POTF2 era not counting the Shadows of the Empire figures and Expanded Universe figures. I'm strictly concentrating on the movie-based figures for the purposes of this article. When you look at some of the names on this list, keep in mind that Malakili was upgraded. If that doesn't stick in your craw, you probably don't have a craw. Also, I don't know what "craw" means. If you follow what I'm saying above, I don't consider that most of these figures even exist in the modern line:

Tier A
Princess Leia Organa (Ewok Celebration Outfit)
Barada
2-1B (external link)
EV-9D9 (external link)
8D8
Jumpsuit Endor Rebel Soldier (external link)
Admiral Motti (external link)

Tier B
Aunt Beru
Uncle Owen
Mon Mothma
Lak Sivrak
Wuher

Tier C
Labria
Nabrun Leids & Kabe
Kitik Keed'kak
Pote Snitkin
Muftak

Tier D
Ishi Tib

Tier Z
ASP-7 Droid

I think everything in Tier A is a no-brainer. They're all either Original 96 figures (the droids, the Rebel Soldier, and technically Barada), a core character (Leia), or an easy upgrade (Motti). With respect to the three O96 droids, it's almost mind boggling that they haven't been updated in a quarter century. I would take everything in Tiers B and C, but the retail viability definitely cools off. With respect to Pote Snitkin, that figure's POTF2-ness doesn't affect it as badly, but I would still take a new one because he also appears in the palace. Tiers D and Z I would leave behind in the POTF2 era. The Home One Ishi Tib is barely on-screen. If we're going to get a new Ishi Tib, I'd much prefer Shasa Tiel. The ASP-7 Droid is just stupid.

I'm probably forgetting some figures that meet the requirements of this article (when I started writing I only had 10 figures listed and kept remembering more). Call them out in the comments if I did. In general, I find POTF2 figures very frustrating, and not because they are bad, but because they have the effect of deprioritizing the characters simply because they exist. If we never got that 1998 Ewok Village Leia, maybe we would already have a figure of her that can't palm a medicine ball.

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