JTA Presents: Evolutions - Barriss Offee

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″ Barriss Offee 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!

If you missed Tartakovsky’s Clone Wars micro-series, you missed some of the most significant plot points and storylines that surrounded Jedi Padawan Barriss Offee. In the micro-series, we see Luminara Unduli teach her the ways of the Force, and they take a trip to Ilum to acquire the kyber crystals from the ice caves there that make lightsabers function. They battle Separatist Forces and become trapped and are rescued by a familiar friend. You’ll have to watch it to find out more. Because of this short story, Barriss Offee became a favorite character for Star Wars fans everywhere. Her character in the films wasn’t developed too much, but she played a major role in The Clone Wars television show under Dave Filoni’s direction.

Barriss Offee (Luminara Unduli’s Padawan)/Barriss Offee (Battle Of Geonosis) (’03 #12) from 2003’s Star Wars “Saga” [Phase II]/Star Wars “Saga” [Phase III] line.

Hasbro’s first Barriss Offee action figure was released in the Star Wars “Saga” line in two of its three phases. It comes with the same sequence number; the packaging details are quite different. This Barriss Offee action figure is pre-posed and can’t do too much, but if you’re looking for a display piece, you can’t do much better than this. With an angry scowl on her face and penetrating eyes while fighting off the Separatists she encounters, Barriss Offee didn’t win too many awards for its articulation, but aesthetically it’s one of Hasbro’s nicest “action” figures. The paint operations on this release were also beautifully applied. She came with a magnetic feature in her hand and a metal lightsaber hilt to make playtime a little bit more interesting.

Barriss Offee (Jedi Padawan) (VC51) from 2011’s The Vintage Collection line.

When Barriss Offee was announced for The Vintage Collection, collectors rejoiced. At Toy Fair, Hasbro showed off a stunning Barriss Offee action figure complete with luxurious soft-goods (her cape). But when the figure went into production, Hasbro changed the soft-goods cape to a molded one. Because of this change, things got lost in translation, and the action figure was never the same. It would be kind of Hasbro to give this action figure another chance and reincorporate the soft-goods cape they originally planned because everything else about this action figure shines very brightly. With little attention given to the Prequel Trilogy, it’s unlikely Hasbro will ever revisit her. As a major player in The Clone Wars television show, Hasbro made an animated version at the same time as The Vintage Collection release. It’s a stunning action figure too, but in an animated style (Barriss Offee (CW50)), and therefore not eligible for this analysis.

Barriss Offee 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 Barriss Offee action figures.

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