JTA Presents: Evolutions - Shaak Ti

Welcome to another one of our JTA Presents: Evolutions features! Let’s check out how close or far we are from having an ideal Hasbro 3.75″ Shaak Ti action figure. Have we arrived at definitive status yet? Weigh in and let us know what conclusion you’ll come to by clicking through and adding your two cents in the comments!

Shaak Ti is a favorite Jedi Master for many, many Star Wars fans. Visually the diametric opposite of the Twi’lek species, the more conservative Togruta look just as charming as the more scantily-clad Twi’lek people since they wear full robes covering most of their bodies. (Of course, there are exceptions like Shaak Ti’s appearance in The Force Unleashed video game.) But aside from that, Shaak Ti is a beautiful character in the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy. She’s adored by so many fans, and she’s one of the most influential females the Star Wars saga has ever seen. From her unforgettable performance in Tartakovsky’s Clone Wars micro-series to her appearances in Episode I, Episode II and Episode III to her appearances in the old Expanded Universe, this highly-respected Jedi remains a fan-favorite and will likely stay there for years to come.

Shaak Ti (Jedi Master) (’02 #10) from 2002’s Star Wars “Saga” [Phase I] line

Hasbro’s first take on Shaak Ti was in the Star Wars “Saga” [Phase I] lineup. The figure was pre-posed with minimal articulation. But the figure had some excellent play value including blast effects and a metal lightsaber hilt with separating blade. Most importantly, Shaak Ti (Jedi Master) came with one of the most stunning paint jobs ever given to an action figure. Hasbro held nothing back to ensure the deco looked as beautiful as possible. And it was beautiful. Layers of color and precise applications set it apart from other versions of her produced by Hasbro. Sadly, the lack of articulation makes the figure obsolete by today’s standards. So, the figure works as diorama fodder but does nothing if you’re looking for a centerpiece in your collection.

Shaak Ti from 2005’s The Original Trilogy Collection Jedi High Council (Featuring Shaak Ti, Agen Kolar & Stass Allie) (Scene 4) Scene Packs set.

Around the time after Attack of The Clones launched in theaters but before Revenge Of The Sith released, Hasbro put together a collector-friendly line entitled The Original Trilogy Collection. 2004 was the focus of the line, but it also spilled over (without the logo) into 2005 into a transitional period as well. But before 2005 came around, Hasbro was desperate to complete the Jedi High Council sets they started in the Star Wars “Saga” [Phase III] lineup. So they created four new sets in The Original Trilogy Collection line as Toys R Us exclusives to finish up the Jedi High Council. The fourth set contained a revised version of Shaak Ti which looked pretty great. The paint operations may not have been as good as the 2002 figure, but with soft-goods and more articulation added, it became the “go to” Shaak Ti figure for collectors that year.

Shaak Ti (III 21) from 2005’s Revenge Of The Sith line.

We didn’t have to wait long until Shaak Ti received a tremendous update in the Revenge Of The Sith line. With gorgeous soft-goods and fantastic paint job, albeit a little too bright, the ROTS Shaak Ti (III 21) figure still looks great today. Its most significant issue is the inclusion of swivel elbows. And it’s challenging to overlook them. For many, this figure remains their favorite because of the approach. And we understand why so many collectors feel this way. But for many others, the swivel elbows are a huge setback. Still, Hasbro made advancements with this figure’s articulation that it’s hard not to see the merit with this release. Shaak Ti also comes with a datapad and lightsaber, and an environmental display stand and little extras like this make collectors happy people. It’s a shame her death scene didn’t make it to the final cut of Revenge Of The Sith.

Shaak Ti from 2010’s Legacy Collection Shaak Ti/Geonosian Warrior (4 of 6) Geonosis Arena Showdown set

The best version of Shaak Ti, from an articulation perspective, is the one from 2010’s Legacy Collection Shaak Ti/Geonosian Warrior (4 of 6) Geonosis Arena Showdown set. Hasbro finally updated the Revenge Of The Sith tooling to reflect ball-jointed elbows which is a tremendous upgrade for this figure. However, the paint job is lacking, severely in some places, and that’s what prevents this figure from ranking as definitive. Hasbro made many strides forward with this version of Shaak Ti. But ultimately it doesn’t meet expectations.  It’s because the final figure doesn’t have the intricate deco it needs to be a screen-accurate version of Shaak Ti. Collectors love the articulation upgrade on Shaak Ti, but visually the figure looks like it needs a bit of help still.

Shaak Ti Group Shot

Questions for discussion:

1. In your opinion, do we have a definitive version of this figure?

2. If we don’t have a definitive version of this figure, should Hasbro tool a new figure from the ground up again, or should they tweak a current sculpt to perfect it instead?

3. If the figure ranks as definitive for you, do you want to see it repackaged in vintage Kenner packaging (The Vintage Collection) if it isn’t already?

4. Add any other points of note or interest in the comments about any of these versions of Shaak Ti action figures.

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