D-O/R5-2JE/R6-LE5/R2-SHP - Droid Factory

All different types of Astromech droids populate the Star Wars galaxy. Each droid is different and has their own unique personality and colors. These four new droid figures are featured in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

May the Force be with you... and your Droids!

Like clockwork, Disney produced a set of four new astromech-sized droids for the Droid Factory line. This time, the focus is on Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise Of Skywalker, and we’re introduced to four new characters, most of whom we’ll likely not see in the film because they’ll be in the background somewhere nondescript. The action figures on these characters, however, are done well. And if you have all the other figures Disney produced in the Droid Factory line, you have lots of parts to interact with when in your collection. In this set, collectors are treated to D-O, R5-2JE, R6-LE5, and R2-SHP. D-O has already been introduced to the public and is already available in many different scales. This is the first release of the character in 3.75” scale. R5-2JE is reminiscent of R5-D4. We seem to get so many white droids with red detail and trim. They start blending together, but R5-2JE has many differences when compared to R5-D4. And the droid comes with quite a bit of dirt applied to its body as well.

R6-LE5 and R5-SHP are the two standouts in this four-pack in our opinion. Cast in similar colors, they nearly look like twins, and the bright metallic blue coloring applied to them is gorgeous as it is unique to the line. All of the droids have a dirty wash applied to them, but these two astromech droids are especially dirty. Again, we’re taken by the metallic blue paint jobs they received. They reflect light beautifully, and as we look back years into the line, we have never received droid in this color scheme before, so we credit Lucasfilm with attempting to make the droids look very different than their counterparts. The droids don’t come with any fancy or unique accessories or attachments. But they do look great on their own or posed next to the other figures in this set. D-O is a unique first-timed offered sculpt, but R5-2JE, R6-LE5, and R2-SHP all utilize the sculpt presented to us first in the 2017 Droid Factory Collection exclusively available at the Disney theme parks in Florida and California.

The astromech droids still come without foot wires, and this remains a bone of contention to longtime collectors. But at the same time, Disney paints these figures so beautifully; we don’t know how any can criticize them for not having a part or two. These figures are impressively painted. D-O has an articulated main mobility wheel, and the head turns as needed. It also comes with a clear display stand so it can remain upright at all times. All three of the astromech droids come with the same articulation systems as all other Droid Factory figures. And they all break down into five individual parts. The astromech droids come with a swiveling dome, two swivel legs, two hinge-jointed feet, and three rolling wheels to help them move across a smooth surface. We imagine this will be the last four-pack of Droid Factory figures for a very long time. There are no additional movies as far as the eyes can see at the moment, and the merchandising for the Sequel Trilogy has been abysmal at best. Still, we can’t deny how nice these figures are.