I’ve always admired Sideshow Collectibles and similar companies’ products. They’re expensive, but for years they’ve kind of stood as the gold standard of collectibles to me. Traditional action figures, posters, coffee table books, etc. are all great. However I’ve often felt that these massive figures and statues (which usually have incredible likenesses) were the pinnacle when it came to showing off your love of a franchise or IP.
A few months ago I finally took the plunge with the Obi-Wan 1/6 scale Mythos figure by Sideshow (roughly 12″ tall). The idea behind it is to capture Kenobi when he was hiding out on Tatooine but also a little while before the start of Episode IV. He’s still grizzled and isn’t getting any younger but there’s also a little more life in his limbs and a bit of youth left in the Jedi master.
I thought it was a unique concept and a snapshot from a time in Star Wars that I hadn’t really seen before. (Full disclosure: I am not an expanded universe person much anymore. This could’ve easily been covered before. I’m at least confident in saying it hadn’t been realized in figure form though.) Also his accessories looked too cool to pass up, so I pulled the trigger.
First Impressions
The box these arrive in is really nice. Even without all the accessories it stores, I think most people would be tempted to keep it. It’s somewhat necessary anyways though. There’s quite a few things to lose if left laying around. Plus for the price, keeping everything in good shape is in your best interest. The molded plastic trays that house everything make it that much easier to keep nice, and serves a purpose if you wanted to resell for some reason.
My box came just a tad smooshed, with one large crease in the back. Nothing more than luck of the draw though and it could’ve been far worse. I was happy with the shipment and packaging overall.
What’s In The Box
With most figures at this price point and size, you’re going to get some cool accessories. It varies though. Typically the price will account for this but not always. In the case of this figure, he comes with a ton of stuff. It’s really fun just combing through all the gadgets, hands, and weapons. If you’re into posing figures or even taking some nice pictures, this figure is a great choice. I’m not sure if I’ll ever get into that myself but it’s great to have all these choices and get the most for your money. You can make a figure like this look exactly how you want.
With my figure already open I’m purposely leaving some suspense in the pic above. You get an idea of just how many extras come with the figure though. You can see a few sets of hands as well as other trays for a large number of accessories to go with Obi-Wan himself. The large hexagon represents the stand the figure comes with.
The hands allow the figure to grip (or not grip) depending on what you accessorize him with. Obviously you’re going to go with a partially-closed hand if you want him sporting his lightsaber for example. An open hand makes more sense if he’s posed while using the Force. You get the idea. The point is there isn’t much you can’t do with either hand given all the options you have here. They all pop in and out with just a touch of force and care.
The Figure
He’s pretty awesome right? Tell me that isn’t a great likeness. I personally love it. I think they nailed Alec Guinness right around retirement age! As mentioned above, he’s definitely showing his age but the face represents a transition period between heralded Jedi hero and old, wise teacher.
The macrobinoculars don’t seem to match the ones referenced in the canon but I know I’ve seen them before. It’s been too long for me to pinpoint the exact scene. The dust goggles around his neck are a nice touch. They make sense for a hermit living in a desert wasteland. These can be worn on his eyes like normal, strung around his neck as in the above pic, or removed by popping his head off. Again, just a bit of force and care are all that is needed. These particular hands hold the binoculars nicely and work for “Force poses” as well. The rugged gloves make sense too I think.
The cloth robes and costume underneath are well-done and closely match what you’ve seen in the movies. The brown outer robe has a hood as expected, and is tattered with a few small holes near the bottom. Good detail here. Same with the lighter robes underneath. They have a weathered, off-white color to emphasize the harsh desert environment and again, match the movies. One segment of the stitching on mine was actually coming undone and just slightly ripped. Thankfully it kind of works with this figure. It’s only noticeable if you’re looking very closely, but again I’m glad everything is supposed to look well-worn here. On another figure it might be complaint-worthy.
The Backpack
Now how cool is this? The likeness was one of two big reasons I bought this figure. The other was this backpack. It’s also a big reason the figure is just a smidge pricier than it could be. I think it’s well worth it though. This takes the entire thing to another level. It also does an amazing job of telling the story here. If you were stuck on Tatooine and didn’t want to be found, you’d need to lug just about all of this stuff around to survive.
From the top you have Obi-Wan’s Clone Wars armor. Again, I’m not a big expanded universe person but this is a great accessory. The shoulder pads and main breast plate are made of hard plastic and fit nicely over the pack itself. To my knowledge these cannot be worn by the figure itself, but it’s still cool. The right shoulder pad sets off the silhouette nicely from the front too.
I’m not sure the rifle makes a ton of sense for a Jedi master, but it looks good. Maybe old Ben was just getting into the spirit of his environment. Plus I imagine sometimes it’s easier to shoot your prey than run over to them with a lightsaber or Force push them to death. At any rate, the detail on it is solid and it makes a diagonal plunge gives the whole pack a nice additional angle. Frankly mine came slightly bent and still is, but slung into its holster above it’s not really noticeable.
Just under the pack itself you have two gaffi sticks just like Sand People wield. I didn’t manage a picture but their curved, pointy ends add some flare to the bottom of the pack as they stick out from the side. The rope around them is tightly-wound and I actually had to fix mine a bit. When the figure arrived they were kind of criss-crossed in an ‘X’ shape. I debated keeping them that way but they were just a bit clunky and stuck out a bit too much. Having them both horizontal keeps things tidier.
Underneath those is a cloth bedroll (which could actually roll out if for some reason you wanted to). There are also two loops that house one of the more captivating parts of what is already an amazing piece.
As you can see above we have both Anakin and Qui-Gon’s lightsabers. This is a great little touch, especially since the time period in Star Wars canon allows for some fun stuff you may not have considered. When you think about it, it makes perfect sense that Obi-Wan would have these so why not use them as a decorative piece? It’s a great little detail that could’ve easily been left out, but fans will be thrilled to notice them when viewing this figure. The tassels on mine don’t dangle as much as I’d like but the effect is still mostly there.
On the far left you have two awesome bandoliers which they’ve put in the effort to make unique from one another. The buckles and pockets look great. There’s also a grappling hook underneath which contributes more rope and weathered vibes to the whole piece. A portable moisture vaporator on the right completes what is overall a stunning addition to this figure.
The pack in its entirety is what makes this whole concept really appealing. Without it we would just have a slightly younger-looking Obi-Wan figure. Still kinda cool, but not much to write home about. The backpack not only propels the concept but also does so much to cement the idea of what a wise but aging Obi-Wan would carry as he survived years in the Dune Sea.
Some Minor Complaints
I’ve already mentioned the creased box, dodgy stitch work and bent rifle. Nothing major, and overall I don’t have any huge criticisms. One other thing I would mention though is the molding of Obi-Wan’s blue lightsaber. I was just not impressed with it.
For figures that run around $250 this is not exactly great craftsmanship. I just don’t understand. It’s supposed to be a simple, smooth, rounded piece of translucent plastic. I have no doubt I could find something in the dollar store of similar design that’s machined to be completely smooth. Up close it looks really bad. From afar is looks fine enough, but I don’t understand what the problem is making these look good.
You may think, as I did, that this is just bad luck. I just got an imperfect piece right? It’s bound to happen to someone, and most others are probably fine. The thing is, check out Vader’s saber with the upcoming 1/6 scale of him:
As you can see in the pic as well as the link above, the saber doesn’t even look good in the promo pictures. You know, the pictures that are bound to look perfect in order to entice you to buy? Even in those pictures the saber looks a bit gnarled with some subtle but noticeable notches in it. I am buying the Hot Toys Vader instead (not necessarily because of the saber) so I will have to compare the two. From the pictures it’s difficult to say if the Hot Toys one is any different or better.
Anyways, I was a little bummed that Obi-Wan’s saber just wasn’t up to snuff. If this was a $50 oversized figure I stumbled on at Target, it wouldn’t bother me at all. I don’t think it’s a lot to ask for the lightsaber of all things to be machined properly though.
Lastly, the backpack that makes this figure so cool is also a bit of a conundrum for me. I still haven’t found a pose I’m happy with because I want to show off the portrait AND the backpack. Kind of difficult when a backpack goes……on your back. For now I’ve settled on the below, which I think looks decent enough. Frankly I didn’t want to use the saber though, and I worry about crouching him and effectively shrinking the scale. These 1/6 scale figures probably look best in full profile. I’ll continue to fiddle with it though. It can always change, and that’s part of the fun.
Value Rating and Summary
Despite some small annoyances I am over the moon about this figure. On the whole it is pretty much everything I thought I was getting. The portrait is great and masterfully realized. The backpack sets everything off and completes the piece. It looks heavy, bulky, and cumbersome just like it should. I also love the niche in Star Wars lore that this figure fills.
Costing $260 on Sideshow.com (possibly a little less elsewhere) I think the price point is right on. Many 1/6 scale figures that come with good but basic accessories usually run about $235. The work that went into the (I assume brand new) head sculpt and paint, as well as the fantastic work on the backpack detailing completely justify a small bump in price to me. If you’re a Kenobi fan or you just love Star Wars and want something high-end but unique, be sure to check out this figure. It looks every bit the way it does online, and you’ll have a lot of fun figuring out how you want him to display.