Obi-Wan Kenobi (Naboo) - EI - Basic

The young Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi and his mentor, Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, help Queen Amidala and her forces in their attempt to liberate the planet Naboo from the overwhelming onslaught of the Trade Federation.

The Episode I line is proving to be very diverse with a rich blend of unique characters, but Hasbro has also produced multiple versions of the main characters from the film. Hasbro ensured that they made each figure unique from the last in some way or another. When it came to Obi-Wan Kenobi, Hasbro created three unique versions of him based on how his outfit was, where he battled, and whether or not he came with soft-goods or not. One figure, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Naboo) was another take on this Jedi Padawan as he appeared on Naboo in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Described as Obi-Wan Kenobi dipped in chocolate goo, the Episode I Obi-Wan Kenobi (Naboo) figure may have as much going for it as it does against it. Admittedly, there is something off about his robes. Whether Hasbro intended them to look like he’s just walked out of the Naboo swamp, they’re hanging a little too closely to his body giving it a very clingy appearance and drape. The color of the robe is a bit odd too. It just looks off despite being difficult to explain.

Where the figure does score some points is with the inclusion of the lightsaber as well as a lightsaber hilt. What’s more, the lightsaber hilt plugs into a hole in his belt so he can wear it just like he did in the film. When the hilt is not in the “switched off” position Obi-Wan Kenobi can swing the included lightsaber with the best of them. The robes encumber some of his movement, but he can for the most part move as expected. The robes also make it impossible sit down. The inability to pilot a vehicle is a disappointment, but thus figure just isn’t meant for that purpose. His right arm has been given an extra point of swivel articulation, but it’s not enough to be noteworthy here. Other than that, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Naboo) is as standard as action figures come. The paint operations are alright. We still think his robes look odd. And the accessories are pretty much what we have come to expect from this line. Nothing is out of the ordinary here. It’s interesting to get another take at Obi-Wan Kenobi so soon in the line, but we expect this won’t be the end of new versions of the same characters.

Many collectors have expressed that this is the best Episode I Obi-Wan Kenobi action figure in the entire line. We aren’t so sure if we could fully agree with that sentiment. It isn’t terrible, but it just isn’t too functional as an action figure. As an action figure that will fill a background in a diorama, it’s fine. As with all Episode I basic figures, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Naboo) comes with a CommTech chip that quotes lines from the film (and lines not from the film) by voice actors. This technology was cool from a certain point of view, but ultimately we think it’s a failed marketing ploy. The good news is that these CommTech chips double as display stands for the figures. They looks neat and futuristic and also look like something from the Star Wars universe, so from that perspective they’re pretty cool. But as something to complement an action figure, it’s a pretty sorry pack-in premium. Obi-Wan Kenobi (Naboo) seems like it’s a must-have action figure, but you should know up front that it isn’t one of their greatest figures of all time. It will be interesting to see how well this version of Obi-Wan Kenobi performs at retail.