![\"\"](\"reviews\/swimages\/2015\/kylo01t.png\")
<\/a> “Nothing will stand in our way. I will finish what you started.”<\/em> – Kylo Ren. “Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens” (2015)<\/strong><\/p>\nNormally, I kick off these reviews by talking about the characters behind the toys I\u2019m reviewing. That\u2019s kinda tough to do when the character is basically going to be a giant black hole until the film comes out in December. Moreover, spoiler sensitivity seems to be at an all-time high lately. If I did discuss what we do know\u2026 well, some folks are trying to preserve their original trilogy, five-year old experience by going into the movie super cold. You\u2019d think that would mean that they would avoid this, or any, review like the plague, but you never know. <\/p>\n
So we\u2019ll stick to basics based on unavoidable visual cues. We know Kylo Ren is at least sort of Sithy. He wears black and carries a red lightsaber, even if it\u2019s a little more feral than we\u2019re used to seeing. That about covers it. The trailers review a few more details, but not really that much more. <\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"reviews\/swimages\/2015\/kylo02.JPG\")
<\/center><\/p>\nWhen the figures dropped on Force Friday last month, I didn\u2019t really plan to buy any of the first five. The second, elusive, wave was more up my alley with Phasma and Target-Product-Placement guy. The first wave was around plentifully enough (throw a brick here and you\u2019re bound to hit a WM Supercenter). Characters like Finn & Rey will need to endear themselves to me to get me to buy a figure probably (and maybe even a better version than these first ones). I did get weak and pick up a Stormtrooper early on. He\u2019s cool enough. And then I doubled down and snagged a Kylo Ren. <\/p>\n
That\u2019s not to say I shouldn\u2019t have bought Kylo Ren, he\u2019s got a pretty fun, albeit basic, figure. <\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"reviews\/swimages\/2015\/kylo01.JPG\")
<\/center><\/p>\nThe sculpt itself is entirely new, though it\u2019s largely hidden by soft goods. I really try to like soft goods on figures, I do, and that includes accepting that it\u2019s the better options in certain circumstances. This may well be one of them, his cloaked look would be hard to pull off with soft plastics that didn\u2019t completely compromise the figure. But I\u2019m still not a fan of the robes here. It\u2019s difficult to get the hood to look convincing so I\u2019ve opted to fold it down in back. The length is another issue. Like Vader, the robes run long and bunch up at the feet. This may well be accurate, but I would probably like it better if they were a tad shorter. <\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"reviews\/swimages\/2015\/kylo03.JPG\")
<\/center><\/p>\nI haven\u2019t removed the soft goods because I\u2019m not sure I can get them back on. The \u201cbelt\u201d piece isn\u2019t easily removable and I strangely can\u2019t get Kylo\u2019s head to pop off as easily as the rest of the line. I don\u2019t want to cut it off, so it\u2019s just there. It\u2019s a shame because the sculpt underneath looks great. I love the ribbing sculpted on the arms and that carries over to the chest and a lengthy skirt piece around the otherwise plain legs. Combined with the soft plastic neck piece, I think it\u2019d look fantastic. <\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"reviews\/swimages\/2015\/kylo04.JPG\")
<\/center><\/p>\nOn top of everything is a really nice head sculpt. It\u2019ll be cool to get an unmasked figure later, but Hasbro did a great job on the helmet. I\u2019m fascinated by the various dents and dings up there \u2013 each one represents a story and I\u2019d like to hear them all. I also like the 60s retro black\/chrome look and that\u2019s captured here (though the paint could be brighter). Continue to Page 2…<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n On the subject of paint, who needs it? This figure is black. There\u2019s some gloss on the boots and a little silver on the buckle, but that paint on the mask is pretty much the majority of the paint. Mine could be a little neater, but it does look alright up there. <\/p>\n Articulation is what we\u2019d expect for a 6\u201d black series figure: ball-joints at the neck, shoulders, mid-torso, elbows, wrists, hips, and inverted ankles; swivels thighs; and double-hinged knees. This is where the cloth robes come in handy because all of this articulation is useful! The robes and the soft plastic robes underneath them do a great job getting out of the way when you want to do deep poses. I would like a little more articulation out of the neck and the elbows, but he\u2019s fun to play with and pose. <\/p>\n Kylo Ren included what will be his trademark accessory, his lightsaber. This piece was probably the first big split between fans of the movie. It was either \u201cwhoa!\u201d or \u201clightsabers don\u2019t work that way\u201d as soon as it appeared with very little agreement in between. I thought it looked neat and I don\u2019t really know or care \u201cwho lightsabers work\u201d. I do think it\u2019s funny that they have to keep trying to up the Sith\u2019s lightsaber game in each era. If a lightsaber is the epitome of cool, then how are dual blades and cross guards improving on that? (They manage to do it though). <\/p>\n The accessory seems to be accurate and modeled well. The blade is removable, so that\u2019s cool too, but I would like somewhere on the figure to store it, besides just tucking it into his belt. I\u2019d also like the blade to be a little more\u2026 vibrant? I\u2019m not sure, but it just seems a little dull. <\/p>\n Overall, it probably sounds like I\u2019m knocking this guy down. I\u2019m not. He\u2019s a cool visual and he looks great hanging out with Vader & Maul. He makes me enjoy having him despite being covered in black rags. If I could pull the head and belt off and see how he looks without, I\u2019d prolly love him more. The articulation is strong with him and he\u2019s able to get some great lightsaber poses out of it. He\u2019s a fun figure to have, even if he\u2019s soft-gooded from head to toe. <\/p>\n For more Star Wars Black reviews, check out our <\/p>\n <\/center> <\/center><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![\"\"](\"reviews\/swimages\/2015\/kylo06.JPG\")
<\/center><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"reviews\/swimages\/2015\/kylo05.JPG\")
<\/center><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"reviews\/swimages\/2015\/kylo07.JPG\")
<\/center><\/p>\n
\nStar Wars Black Collector’s Guide<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n\n\n
\n ![\"\"](\"reviews\/swimages\/2014\/wfett00t.png\")
<\/a><\/td>\n![\"\"](\"reviews\/swimages\/2013\/gree00.png\")
<\/a><\/td>\n![\"\"](\"reviews\/swimages\/2013\/solo00.png\")
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n ![\"\"](\"reviews\/swimages\/2013\/xluk00.png\")
<\/a><\/td>\n![\"\"](\"reviews\/swimages\/2013\/maul00.png\")
<\/a><\/td>\n![\"\"](\"reviews\/swimages\/2013\/storm00.png\")
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n