Darth Vader (Duel’s End) - TBS [P4] - Six Inch Figures (OWK15)

As the momentous battle between Darth Vader and Obi-Wan Kenobi nears its end, Kenobi peers past the armored visage of his former apprentice to see what Anakin Skywalker has become.

If there was any saving grace to the Disney Star Wars Obi-Wan Kenobi series, it was the return of Darth Vader (also known as Anakin Skywalker) and the battle with Obi-Wan Kenobi. We see similar elements and storylines revisited. From the climactic fight in Revenge Of The Sith to the finale of one of the seasons in Star Wars: Rebels, we see a partially masked Darth Vader character, which shows the visage of Anakin Skywalker underneath the black helmet. In Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi, the battle of lightness and darkness is personified through Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader, respectively, and in this duel, we learn it’s supposedly one of the final interactions between former Master and Apprentice. However, there are anecdotes that there may be another battle between them elsewhere in the Star Wars storyline. We digress. Hasbro decided to develop a Darth Vader figure for The Black Series 6-inch line called Darth Vader (Duel’s End), and no matter your take on Disney Star Wars, we’re happy to report that this figure tuned out well and likely will offer you some joy in your collection. Hasbro approached this figure excellently, and although simple, it is artful and beautiful simultaneously.

Much like The Vintage Collection counterpart, Hasbro utilized an older Darth Vader base figure, tweaked some details on the body, and then created an all-new portrait. The new head sculpt has a battle-damaged helmet and a portrait of Anakin Skywalker seen through the crack of the black helmet. Even though you can only see a glimpse of Anakin Skywalker behind it, you know who it is, and we believe that’s a testament to how well Hasbro designs action figures these days. Like its counterpart again, you can’t remove the helmet to reveal Anakin’s scarred face, but that’s alright because less is more here. However, you can see the burns on the face, the angry Sith eyes piercing through, and the detailed battle damage the helmet sustained from the recent duel. In the chest box, you’ll also find some battle damage on Darth Vader (Duel’s End). There are also other elements of battle damage in the chest area of the figure as well. Overall, we think Hasbro did an excellent job mixing old and new and developing an exclusive action figure that should appeal to all Star Wars collectors and not a subset of collectors where Hasbro’s focus has been as of late.

Darth Vader (Duel’s End) comes loaded with 27 points of articulation. A figure with this many points of articulation has incredible flexibility in your collection. Moreover, Darth Vader (Duels’ End) has tight joints, and the figure positions it well. As you situate it, it won’t fall over. The rocker ankles are a big part of this figure’s success. For accessories, we expect a lighter amount here. Darth Vader (Duel’s End) has a hilt and a detachable red lightsaber blade. You can hang the hilt on a hook found on the figure’s belt. As you’re likely aware, Hasbro also updated the blade, and thank goodness. Previously, lightsaber blades were too lax and thin, but the thicker blades have been commonplace for a while now. Darth Vader (Duel’s End) returns to the plastic tray packaging, thank goodness, and cobalt blue trim identifies the figure sourced to Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi. We love color coding to help organize the Star Wars action figure line, and we feel it’s an attractive addition to the primarily black and white packaging. Darth Vader (Duel’s End) is a Target exclusive with an MSRP of $27.99, which is ridiculous.