Galen Erso - TBS [P4] - Six Inch Figures (RO07)

Galen Erso was coerced into using kyber crystals to enhance energy yields – work then weaponized to create the Death Star's superlaser.

Do you believe a half-decade has passed since Hasbro produced the first Galen Erso action figure? In 2017, as part of the Rogue One toy line, Hasbro produced a 5POA version of Galen Erso that didn’t go over too well with collectors. The simple articulation and shoddily applied paint operations left much to be desired. And with The Vintage Collection becoming more popular than ever, collectors are hoping Hasbro will revisit the character in super-articulated status so we can better represent this fan-favorite character in a 3.75-inch scale in our collections. Whatever happens in the 3.75-inch line, The Black Series 6-inch collectors have a reasonably decent interpretation of Galen Erso for their collections. The Target exclusive figure uses existing tooling, but the final figure turned out well, and the all-new portrait is a lovely rendition of actor Mads Mikkelsen. And if you’re not into Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, that’s fine. You can use this action figure as Hannibal Lector if inclined.

Hasbro thought hard about how to compile Galen Erso with existing parts. The arms, cod section, and skirt are from 2018’s TBS [P3] Grand Moff Tarkin (63) figure. Then they incorporated the legs from 2017’s TBS [P3] Lando Calrissian (39) figure. The head sculpt and the torso parts are new. Hasbro painted all of the parts army green, so they blended seamlessly together, and remarkably, the components from different characters interact well with one another. Galen Erso’s portrait is the best part of the figure. Hans to Photo Real applications, Galen Erso, looks like the on-screen character. We feel they nailed it, but your mileage may vary. The 5POA figure from years ago pales in comparison to this figure for obvious reasons. The tooling of the figure holds up well, and you can pose the figure in various ways. The joints maintain resistance and function well, even if the cuts are odd, especially in the double hinge-jointed knees. The actor’s costume had a holster, but that’s missing on this figure, as is the blaster.

Perhaps the best thing about Galen Erso is the accessory. Hasbro included the Death Star plans on a disc. It’s a small accessory but has incredible detail. It would be fantastic if Hasbro somehow remembers they created this accessory the next time they approach a new R2-D2 figure. We’d love to see a new version of R2-D2 accommodate this accessory in some way that times Rogue One: A Star Wars Story to Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. Still, Galen Erso feels too lightly accessorized, and that’s a long-running issue in the 6-inch Hasbro Star Wars lineup. Galen Erso is an exclusive action figure only available at Target for now, and it will inevitably end up somewhere else in the future. For those who love trivia, you might be interested that 2017’s RO Galen Erso figure averages around $35 on the aftermarket, just five short years after its release. But that could change on a dime if Hasbro adds Galen to The Vintage Collection, and all hope they do that for us soon.