Thi-Sen - TCW [R] - Basic (CW43)

Thi-Sen is chieftain of the powerful Talz warriors who inhabit the palnet of Orto Plutonia. Wearing distinctive armor, the fierce leader fights to keep his people free when a representative from the nearby Pantora moon claims jurisdiction over the ice planet.

We have more Talz action figures in our collections now than we probably ever surmised we would. Well, that's how we feel about this at least. And even though only three unique Talz characters to date have been produced, we're sure none of us expected more than the one from Chalmun's cantina! When the POTF2 [FF/TKC] Kabe And Muftak internet exclusive two-pack came out in 1998, collectors really started getting excited because Muftak was the first cantina alien that was significantly larger in size than all others. And then when Foul Moudama stole the show in Tartakovsky’s Clone Wars, Hasbro saw an ample opportunity to revisit the Muftak sculpt and create the first Talz Jedi for the basic line as the 2006 TSC Foul Moudama (SAGA 029) figure. And with a prominent place now established in the Star Wars universe, Filoni decided to have this species the center of his episode from Season 1 of The Clone Wars entitled Trespass. What makes Thi-Sen extra special is that all of his armor pieces and weapons are removable. In effect, you can add an animated version of “Muftak” to your collections now. Thi-Sen is quite a remarkable action figure and he immediately became one of our favorites in The Clone Wars line due to the nostalgia he tickles in our minds from Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. And of course more practically he can serve as a generic Talz warrior as seen in the episode. But clearly Thi-Sen brings a completely new level of energy to the basic figure line on his own merits.

The powerful Talz are a very unique four-eyed species. With a bulky frame that is just slightly reminiscent of a Wookiee, we think they were a great choice for Filoni to use to wage war in the television series. All of these traits and characteristics have translated well into the action figure of Thi-Sen, but thankfully the action figures comes with a little more versatility than anticipated. Complete with 18 points of articulation (just missing ankle articulation really), Thi-Sen cooperates when you want to pose him in various action stances. And since he runs the full gamut of premium articulation in the arms, positioning him with his spear makes this figure a totally worthwhile purchase. You can have him in any pose you’d like defending enemies with that spear. We absolutely love it! While Thi-Sen doesn’t have the mass (thickness) of his predecessors, He does have incredible details and accuracy to his animated counterpart. In particular, we love the facial details and well as the shading on his fur. The final product is quite impressive. His head is easily removed for the placement of his battle gear. And once you place the armor over his body and return his head, his club can be lodge in between the spikes on his back armor and rest as a headdress on the top of his head. (See gallery photos for reference.) All of this coupled with great deco and wonderfully tooled texture make Thi-Sen one of the greatest achievements in The Clone Wars line to date!

In summary, Thi-Sen is one of the most impressive action figures in The Clone Wars line. Even the smallest details are something that we won’t overlook. For example, Hasbro has managed to capture the most perfect stature on him. His ever-so-slight hunched over demeanor is flawless. And it really doesn’t affect his balance to stand unassisted. And you already know we love the paint job on this figure, but we need to express again how wonderfully decorate this action figure is. The paint lines are even and clean and his armor and weapons have a pearly to almost metallic presence about them. It is our opinion that Hasbro really did right by us with Thi-Sen. We would love to see slightly repainted versions get into the line (via Battle Packs or other methods) so we can build a Talz army and fight as they did in Trespass. A phenomenal sculpt has been created here and it deserves to see reuse after reuse. And we hope Filoni and company keep continuing to use the species we have seen in the Original Trilogy and reinvent them for The Clone Wars. Sadly, for reasons unknown, the seventh wave of The Clone Wars [Red] line (twelfth overall) has been nearly impossible for many collectors to find. Interestingly, it isn't even the "last wave" of the line look. As a result, Thi-Sen and the other wave mates are already going for hefty premiums on the aftermarket while the line is still "active." Distribution can't seem to balance itself.