Bio: Helrot is a pilot who transports slaves and spices to the planet Kala'uun. Like all Givin, his outer skeleton can be sealed to survive in the vacuum of space. His ship, the Hinthra, is an example of the superior craftsmanship of the Givin species. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' Cantina playset.

Commentary: With the advent of the Decipher Star Wars Customizable Card Game, fans were given names and brief stories to go along with tons of aliens. Ever since, more and more fans have been able to demand for specific figures that they now wanted, like this freaky skull-faced Elis Helrot, who would probably make a pretty cool Skeletor if he was repainted right. Nearly super-articulated, this figure is loaded with sculpted detail on his bony face and hands. What's more, his tight clothing reveals that he's a very thin guy-- you can see what must be the equivalent of an exoskeletal spine on his back and it's pretty gnarly. This is one of those few figures that it seems Hasbro absolutely went all-out the first time to make sure your first Elis Helrot would be your only Elis Helrot. By today's standards, the figure could only be improved with the addition of ankles and maybe ball elbows rather than swivel elbows. It's just a rung shy of perfection, but the included glass, gun, and bar section make up for any shortcomings. Considering that $6.99 usually just gets you a figure and a gun, this is an amazing value. If you're a fan of the Cantina sequence, alcoholic aliens, or partial playsets, this has something for you. Since Hasbro has been lax in reissuing Cantina aliens in recent years, you should totally go out and get one of these while you can. It's wonderful, and there's just so much detail in his scarf, on his sandals, and on his ghoulish face. I can't ask for much more than Hasbro gave me, which is why this is probably one of the more dull FOTD entries. Hasbro did good, the end.

Collector's Notes: Released in Fall 2007, this item came and went in a hurry, no doubt due to the heat on the Cantina section piece. Sure, it's not really true to the movie, and yeah, it's a little small. But it's cool. You should get it just for the playset component, but the figure is great too.

Day 650: February 15, 2008