Monday, November 12, 2018

Action Figure Review: Admiral Piett from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

  While this is the first Christmas season in a few years that we don't have a Star Wars movie to look forward to, that doesn't mean that Hasbro is skimping on the toys. 2018 has probably been the best year ever for the Black Series since the line debuted in 2012 thanks to the robust character selection and the newly debuted face printing technology. While Hasbro certainly has delivered a fairly robust Solo line this year, they've also done a fantastic job of filling out the cast of the Original Trilogy. In that respect it's kind of nice to have a large gap between The Last Jedi and Episode IX as it gives Hasbro more time to focus on releases from previous films. There have been a lot of exclusives this year (it's really quite crazy) and one of them is the shared online exclusive I'm reviewing today: Admiral Piett. Appearing in both The Empire Strikes Back and The Return of the Jedi, Admiral Firmus Piett is the commander of the Executor, replacing the late Admiral Ozzel. Other than Grand Moff Tarkin, Admiral Piett is easily the most quotable of the Imperial officers so enjoy having Piett opine on bounty hunters, talk about older codes, or simply respond to Darth Vader. There's no end to the fun you'll have with Admiral Piett! Let's check this one out after the break...



 The Facts:

Height: 6 inches

Articulation: Swivel/hinge ankles, double hinged knees, swivel thighs, balljointed hips, balljointed mid-torso, swivel/hinge shoulders, swivel/hinge elbows, swivel/hinge wrists, and a balljointed head.

Accessories: Officer's cap and DL-21 blaster pistol.

Non-Scalper Price: $22-$25 dollars
 Comparison:


* Here's a quick look at Admiral Piett next to Grand Moff Tarkin. Most of the Imperial officers use pieces from Tarkin and Piett is no exception. While the torsos have been reworked (to account for the code cylinders and plaque) the arms, legs, and waists seem to be the same.
 The Positives:



* Admiral Firmus Piett is a shark looking figure. He's clad in the standard Imperial officer's uniform with rank plaque, code cylinders, and belt breaking up the grey. He's also wearing gloves to complete the look. While most Star Wars Black Series figures are completely unique sculpts, Hasbro had wisely been using the Imperial officer sculpts to crank out more figures in a shorter time. I, for one, am in favor of that.


* The headsculpt looks exactly like actor Kenneth Colley and is definitely a great example of the brilliance of Hasbro's work using the face printing technology. The level of detail on the sculpt, particularly around the eyes, is exceptional.


* Like General Veers, Admiral Piett includes a removable officer's cap. The cap looks great and fits extremely well. Sometimes removable hats don't look all that great in this scale but here it absolutely works.


* The articulation is excellent. While Firmus Piett mostly just stands around talking through viewscreens  or checking out codes, it's nice to know he can join the action if he needs to. Piett is sturdy and well made, so have fun and go crazy with him.



* These officer's boots are shiny and intimidating. The Empire might be absolutely evil but they sure are snappy dressers.


 * Also like General Veers, Admiral Piett includes a DL-21 blaster pistol without the fancy muzzle. It looks great and seems to be the weapon Hasbro is giving to most of the Imperial officers. It's a great blaster design and it is tremendously well sculpted.
 The Negatives:


 * If you look closely, you can see some paint slop on Piett's code cylinders and on his left arm. He still looks pretty swell overall but the work isn't as clean as I would have hoped.

  Admiral Piett is a Good and a 1/2 figure and another solid entry in the Black Series. He's very well made but he doesn't have the cool extras like Tarkin's Interrogation Droid or General Veer's extra armor. He's also a few bucks more expensive since he is a online exclusive, so his price varies a bit. I'm still thrilled to have him and I'm loving having an expanding Empire, but he isn't as thrilling as some of the other releases, though. Still, Original Trilogy fans probably just can't resist this guy, right?



   I do believe this is the first action figure of Admiral Firmus Piett I've reviewed on this site. For more reviews from Star Wars: The Black Series, check out the following:

442nd Siege Battalion Clone Trooper, 212th Attack Battalion Utapau Trooper, Coruscant Guard ---(Phase II), and 501st Legion Clone Trooper 4 pack
4-LOM
Admiral Ackbar and First Order Officer
Ahsoka Tano 
AT-AT Pilot 
Baze Malbus
C-3PO
C-3PO (Resistance Base) 
Captain Cassian Andor (Eadu) 
Captain Phasma
Captain Phasma (Quicksilver Baton)
Captain Poe Dameron
Chewbacca (Target Exclusive)
Chewbacca (The Force Awakens)
Chirrut Imwe 
Clone Captain Rex (HasCon Exclusive)
Clone Commander Gree
Clone Commander Wolffe 
Constable Zuvio
Darth Revan 
Darth Vader (Emperor's Wrath)
Death Star Trooper
Dewback/ Sandtrooper
Director Krennic 
DJ (Canto Bight)
Elite Praetorian Guard
Elite Praetorian Guard (with Heavy Blade)
Enfys Nest's Swoop Bike/ Enfys Nest
Finn (First Order Disguise)
Finn (FN-2187)
Finn (Jakku)
First Order Flametrooper
First Order General Hux
First Order Snowtrooper
First Order Snowtrooper Officer
First Order Special Forces TIE Fighter
First Order Stormtrooper
First Order Stormtrooper Executioner 
First Order Stormtrooper (with Gear)
First Order TIE Fighter Pilot
Gamorrean Guard
General Leia Organa
General Veers
Grand Admiral Thrawn (SDCC Exclusive)
Grand Moff Tarkin 
Guardians of Evil 4-Pack
Guavian Enforcer
Han Solo (Exogorth Escape)
Han Solo (Solo)
Han Solo (The Force Awakens)
Hera Syndulla
Imperial AT-ACT Driver
Imperial Death Trooper
Imperial Death Trooper, Captain Cassian Andor, and Sergeant Jyn Erso (Jedha) 3 pack
Imperial Hovertank Pilot 
Imperial Shock Trooper 
Imperial Royal Guard 
Inferno Squad Agent
Jaina Solo (Legends)
Jango Fett
K-2SO
Kanan Jarrus
Kylo Ren 
Kylo Ren (SDCC 2016)
Kylo Ren (The Last Jedi) 
Kylo Ren (Starkiller Base)
Kylo Ren (Throne Room) 
Lando Calrissian (Solo)
Lando Calrissian (The Empire Strikes Back)
Luke Skywalker 
Luke Skywalker (Jedi Master) 
Luke Skywalker (Jedi Master)- Ahch-To Island
Maz Kanata 
Moloch
Obi-Wan Kenobi (Force Spirit)
Obi-Wan Kenobi (SDCC 2016)
Phase 1 Clone Trooper Commander, Phase II Clone Trooper, Imperial Stormtrooper, and First Order ---Stormtrooper Officer four pack
Poe Dameron
Poe Dameron and First Order Riot Control Stormtrooper
Porgs 
Princess Leia (Bespin Escape)
Princess Leia Organa 
Qi'ra (Corellia)
Qui-Gon Jinn
R2-A3, R5-K6, and R2-F2
Range Trooper
Rebel Trooper
Red Squadron (R2-D2, R5-D8, and R2-X2)
Resistance Tech Rose
Resistance Trooper
Rey (Island Journey)
Rey (Jakku) & BB-8 
Rey (Jedi Training)
Rey (Jedi Training)- Crait
Rey (Starkiller Base) 
Rey's Speeder (Jakku)
Sabine Wren
Sandtrooper Sergeant, Crimson Stormtrooper, Lieutenant OXIXO, and R2-Q5
Scarif Stormtrooper
Scarif Stormtrooper Squad Leader 
Sergeant Jyn Erso (Eadu)
Sergeant Jyn Erso (Jedha)
Snowtrooper 
Stormtrooper (Mimban)
Stormtrooper (With Blast Accessories)
Supreme Leader Snoke (Throne Room)
Tobias Beckett
Tusken Raider 
X-34 Landspeeder & Luke Skywalker (SDCC Exclusive) 
X-Wing Pilot Asty 

4 comments:

  1. The best thing about Piett is that he works well as a generic officer for commanding Stormtroopers in dioramas and displays, until such time as Hasbro gives us such an officer (preferably in black like the guys on the first Death Star or in the bunker on Endor).

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    Replies
    1. I definitely want a black suited generic officer at some point. I specifically want the Death Star Security officer (Shann Childsen). Let's be honest: There's really no such thing as a generic Star Wars character. Everyone has a name!

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    2. I'd prefer Lieutenant Daine Jir or Commander Praji, TBH. Or Lieutenant Renz from the Endor bunker ("You Rebel scum!"). As for gray-uniformed officers, I'm content with the three we've got, but if Hasbro were to do any more, I'd want either Moff Jerjerrod or Lieutenant Sheckil.

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    3. Also, regarding Childsen, he's a good example of an officer that isn't a complete moron. The "officers are idiots" trope seems to have begun with Ozzel and just really stuck, to the point where Childsen actually crops up in Top 10 lists of dumbest Imperial officers, for reasons I can't quite understand. Did people not pay attention to his dialogue, body language and actions?

      Dialogue: "I wasn't notified. I'll have to clear it." He doesn't buy the B.S. about the prisoner transfer, or at least he's skeptical enough to double check it.

      Body Language: His posture and expression suggest dubiousness and skepticism, even a little caution, particularly how he squints his eyes slightly, and the way his eyebrows are positioned. Everything about this man and the way he looks in that moment tell me alarm bells are going off inside his head.

      Actions: Without actually calling the two "Stormtroopers" liars, he goes to do exactly what he said he'd do, and initiates a call to check on the supposed prisoner transfer... but now before motioning two Death Star Troopers forward with guns drawn, just in case. These are the actions of an extremely cautious man. And when the firefight begins, Childsen's first action before drawing his own sidearm (and this is very much a "blink and you'll miss it" moment) is to press a button on the console in front of him, presumably activating the alarm. Then he assumes an unusual but very professional-looking shooting stance (and even turns into a completely different actor, apparently because Malcolm Tierney refused to have a squib put on him) to engage the heroes, showing not a hint of hesitation or cowardice. This is an officer who puts duty first when the Bantha poodoo hits the fan.

      So, I'm not sure why Lieutenant Childsen so often makes "Top 10 Dumbest Imperial Officers" lists...

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