On a normal trip to Toys R Us, I usually cruise all the action figure isles. I like to know what’s out, even for the lines I don’t collect. It helps me keep up on the toy world for boys. The negative side of this is that I sometimes end up buying things that I wouldn’t normally pick up. Transformers, Star Wars, and much more obscure lines tend to make it onto my shelves for the simple fact that they looked cool or interesting while I was perusing the store. This is how I ended up with my latest purchase: Shaak Ti.

I consider myself an average Star Wars fan. I watched the movies as a kid and like them. The new movies have their problems, but I enjoy certain things about them. I liked that we got to see Obi-Wan be a badass, for example. When I was a kid, I always wondered how an old man could make his way around the Death Star without any problems. Now, I know. I like the introduction of the clone troopers. They have interesting characterization, and in the end you feel bad for them, especially the ones that were friends with their Jedi. Speaking of which, I loved that we finally got to see so many cool new Jedi characters. Aayla Secura, Kit Fisto, Plo Koon, and Shaak Ti are among my favorites. So, when I happened by The Force Unleashed version of Shaak Ti, from the Star Wars Legacy Collection, I had to have her.

I haven’t played The Force Unleashed game, so I had to get a little back-story on her character. After Order 66, she fled to the planet Felucia. Trading her Jedi robe look for the more utilitarian and sexy jungle girl look, Shaak Ti began training the Force-sensitive natives in the ways of the Jedi. She even mentored a Padawan, Maris Brood. Eventually Vader’s apprentice, Galen Marek (Starkiller), discovered her location and things. . . changed. I don’t want to spoil anything, so if you want to know what happens, you’ll have to play the game, or look it up like I did.

One thing that amazes me on these new Star Wars characters is the articulation. They put other three inch figure lines to shame (yeah I’m looking at you, Infinite Heroes). Shaak Ti has ball-joints on her head, shoulders, elbows, knees, and ankles. Her wrists, torso, and hips are swivel joints. This gives her great range of motion. The only detractor is that the tendrils on her head and her loincloth hinder some of the movement. The tendrils act the same as hair on any female figure, and we all know that long hair is usually a limiting factor. Her loincloth is a different matter though. Instead of being made out of a highly flexible thin plastic, Hasbro’s given her a thicker, less pliable piece. Thin, rubbery plastics cost a bit more to make, so I understand not going that route. But many Star Wars toys have cloth capes, robes, and various other clothing bits. I’m not the biggest fan of mixed media in my action figures, but an actual cloth loincloth would have been a better way to go in this circumstance.

The detailing on this figure is excellent. If you compare it to the game model, it doesn’t match exactly, but I don’t care personally. This figure looks close enough for me. Her leggings are sculpted to look like torn and wrapped cloth. She has sculpted rope and a segmented belt wound around her torso. Even the jewelry hanging down from her headdress is sculpted to be slightly raised. I also like the two strips of fabric trailing down from her tendrils. Combine these details with the crisp lines on her tendrils and the clean paint job on her bikini top and Shaak Ti has a design that’s much more intricate and eye-catching than her musty old robes. Continue to Page 2…