This is actually my fourth review of a 2025 Star Wars: The Black Series release from Hasbro which is way more Star Wars: The Black Series reviews than I've done for a few years now. Why so many this year? Well, I've purchased six Black Series figures this year (I didn't review the updated A New Hope version of Han Solo or the larger R2-D2 on the ROTS card) as four were well needed updates of the original heroes and two are from Shadows of the Empire. That's the case for Dash Rendar here as he was one of the main protagonists for the 1996 multimedia project. I've been awfully bored of the Black Series lately as it feels like Hasbro just really doesn't know what to do with it, but I'm still really nostalgic for the Star Wars of the 1990s. Power of the Force II figures, the Expanded Universe, and Shadows of the Empire were all the rage at that time and I was the prime age for it. I loved my Dash Rendar figure from Kenner and I've been waiting for Hasbro to finally tackle him in the Black Series. How'd he turn out? Do you still need your Han Solo figures if this guy is around? Let's find out after the break...
The Facts:
Height: 6 inches
Articulation: Swivel/hinge ankles, boot swivels, swivel/hinge knees, ball jointed hips, ball jointed midtorso, swivel/hinge shoulders w/ lateral "butterfly" joints, swivel/ hinge elbows, forearm swivels, swivel/hinge wrists, balljointed neck, and a barbell jointed head.
Accessories: Blaster pistol.
Non-Scalper Price: $25-$28 dollars
The Positives:
* From the neck down this is a perfect version of Dash Rendar. While Dash appeared in a variety of different projects as part of the Shadows of the Empire event (the novel, comics, the Nintendo 64 game, trading cards), this is his most standard look (
though the vintage POTF2 figure looked more like this version) and the one that everyone is familiar with. He looks like he fits in to the Star Wars galaxy though he also looks like he could hang out with Cable and the other members of X-Force from the late 1980s and early 1990s as well. He's a sharp looking figure with quite a few unique textures on his outfit including two different quilted textures and a rugged looking flexmetal blast vest with various dents.
* Not only are the shoulder pads pretty cool but the metal looking parts that sit over the top of his biceps are flexible, so they can move easily and naturally with the articulation. That was a smart design decision! The brown pauldron like pads are 19-96 Kinetic Absorption Panels, so they both look fashionable and give him some extra protection.
* The quilted texture is also pretty cool on his lower body and down to the sides of his legs. I'm assuming it provides both comfort and extra protection.
* How's the articulation on Dash? It's pretty good. Pretty, pretty good. I know the more recent Star Wars figures have been receiving some articulation cuts (no thigh swivels) but dash has both swivel hinge ankles, boot swivels, and swivel hinge knees, so there's really a lot of leg movement here. His head, neck, and torso also have a great range of motion for really tweaking your poses. The shoulders are a bit stiff but after working them a bit they're find with a solid range of motion as well. He doesn't have bicep swivels but he does get swivel/hinge elbows and swivel forearms, so his blasting poses all look pretty impressive.
* Speaking of blasting, Dash comes with a DL-44 heavy blaster pistol, similar to what Han Solo carries. It's a nice looking and detailed accessory so I'm not going to knock it, though it's not what we usually saw Dash carry (though I think some of the videogame images did have this style of blaster). So, solid accessory if a bit bland. I really would have liked to have also has his heavy blaster that had a cord attached to it that could have plugged into his belt or something.
* The DL-44 does fit nicely into the holster on Dash's right hip, though, so it's always at the ready when he needs it.
* The portrait is going to be the most contentious part of this figure and I'm going to come back to it in the negatives as it's an odd choice for Dash Rendar, not really looking like any classic depiction of the character. Now, is it a bad portrait? No, not at all. The sculpt is good and Dash isn't a bad looking guy. He kind of reminds me of Jamie Lannister from Game of Thrones. Interestingly, Dash Rendar was often criticized as a bit of a Han Solo clone but this portrait looks more similar to Han Solo than any of the depictions of Dash from Shadows of the Empire. Still, the print is clean and it's a solid portrait, just not my Dash.
The Negatives:
* I've always liked how the Black Series team took characters from animation and comics and translated them into a realistic style to match the majority of figures that are based on live action media. This guy looks like he could be based on a real person but it sure ain't nearly any version of Dash Rendar I've ever seen. Dash has reddish hair that's usually pretty wavy and he's rarely ever clean shaven. I think he usually has green eyes, too. Just Google Dash Rendar. Where the heck did Hasbro's unnamed sculptor get this likeness from?
Dash Rendar is a character I've wanted for quite some time and I really like this figure from the neck down. Again, not a bad portrait, just not one that screams Dash Rendar to me. Heck, it's not even one that suggests Dash Rendar to me. It's like someone cosplaying as a near perfect Dash Rendar but they don't want to grow a beard or change their hair. Now, the figure is solid. It's a very unique sculpt and the costume was done justice for sure. That portrait just brings it down as do the lazy accessories. Or, excuse me, accessory. Just one blaster and it's not even the unique blaster typically has. I preordered Dash and thus only paid $25 for him, though now he's $28. Yikes. One accessory for a $28 dollar figure. C'mon Hasbro, get a little creative. He's a Good figure but only for those desperate for some Shadows of the Empire representation on their shelves. It's unlikely we'll ever see Dash again in the Black Series or, you know, as a Star Wars figure, unless he makes an appearance in a television or film project. I still want more Black Series Shadows of the Empire figures and that's probably one of the few projects that could get me to pay the current price for these guys. Alas, I fear that
Prince Xizor and Dash Rendar might be the only Shadows of the Empire inspired characters we get.
This is the first figure of Dash Rendar I've reviewed on the site. For more Star Wars: The Black Series Phase IV figures check out the following:
Now, I don't entirely love the face either, but I do see a bit or Kurt Russell in there, and with Kurt being one of the many people who auditioned for Han, and probably the second best possible choice after Ford, I appreciate that, even if it's unintentional. Also a bit of Sawyer from Lost. That being said, I think redder hair and a little stubble would have gone a long way to making this figure better. He still looks cool next to Xizor on the shelf.
ReplyDeleteI definitely am glad to have him but, yes, he does need redder hair and to look a bit scruffier. I do see the resemblance to Kurt "America's Greatest Living Actor" Russell in there, too.
DeleteOh, here we go, this is exactly what I was talking about. Wish I had any talent for painting.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.reddit.com/r/starwarsblackseries/comments/1nco1pi/dash_mods/
Yeah, they nailed it. That looks fantastic and is pretty recognizable as Dash Rendar.
DeleteAgreed completely on all fronts. Besides the updated ANH main cast (plus rots r2) and Shadows figures I haven't bought any Black series in years. The Dash head didn't bother me at first, I was just happy to get one! He was my Mary Sue in the mid 90s. Getting it in person it did annoy me more than I thought it would. Still passable but needed that auburn. I am looking forward to Katarn next year, more EU!
ReplyDeleteKyle Katarn is definitely one I preordered along with the re-release of Darth Vader (Duel's End). After that I'm trying to think who I'd be really interested in picking up at the new $28 to $30 dollar price point. Maybe Sidon Ithano, Zam Wessell, an updated Jyn Erso, and a new Princess Leia as Jabba's Prisoner. After that, I'm kind of drawing a blank.
DeleteWell, also a few more from Shadows of the Empire: Chewie as Snoova, LE-BO2D9, and Guri.
DeleteOh, I can quite easily see him calling Bodhi Took 'Al Jazeera' all day long. It's also a character from sacred, sacred Shadows of the Empire and so will automatically be added to my coll...son's inherence.
ReplyDeleteSame, I've completely wound down Star Wars. Only thing that would interest me now is Mcquarrie concepts, or older comic characters, ie Ulic Qel-Droma, Exar Kun, and yes Guri
ReplyDelete