Figure of the Day: Day 804
7/18/2008 8:43:50 PM - Adam

QUI-GON JINN Naboo
Episode I Collection 1
Item No.:
Asst. 84085 No. 84113
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, hilt
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: Summer 1999
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy room.

Bio: A wise and powerful Jedi, Qui-Gon Jinn discovers young Anakin Skywalker, proving to be a pivotal event to the future of the Jedi and to the entire galaxy for generations to come. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Commentary: I rarely share stories on buying a figure, but Qui-Gon Jinn and the hunt to get him is quite telling. In 1999, I was roaming the stores, from Sears to Toys "R" Us to Kmart to everywhere, looking for new releases-- but when I found this one, I saw how the eyes were painted, and kept looking. It actually took me several months before I bought one (at the time, I usually bought two of things) and never found a second that I liked enough to buy. The eye paint is typically very off, much like the various Indiana Jones figures this year. As such, while I think the figure is great because I found a good one, you may not.

Sculpted with plastic robes, Qui-Gon can't sit-- but he can stand and look good. The likeness is acceptable, the paint on the hair is pretty good, and the pose is nice. His arm articulation is somewhat limited due to the design of the day, with swivel shoulders, one swivel arm, and one swivel wrist. It's a mixed bag, but it basically gets the job done. Every Qui-Gon since this one has been given a wacky action pose or a soft goods robe which doesn't look quite as good, so I'd advise all fans to track down this Qui-Gon figure, preferably at a convention or in some capacity where you can really examine the face before purchase. It's possible we just got tons of bad ones when I was living in Phoenix and Tucson, but I think it's more likely that a good face on this figure is a diamond in the rough. And just like a diamond in the rough, it's worth your time to seek it out.

Collector's Notes: This figure made an encore appearance in the Original Trilogy Collection-era Jedi High Council scenes at Toys "R" Us.

--Adam Pawlus



Day 804: July 18, 2008


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