Hassk Thug - TFA - Build A Weapon (Forest)

Hassks are primitive aliens that prowl the shadowy alleys of spaceport towns. The Hassks were ill-prepared for the evils of advanced technology or off-world vices, and many travel with their littermates as roaming thugs, itching to make trouble.

Every time we get down about the state of the Star Wars action figure brand, there’s a figure that gets released that sort of cheers us up a little bit. (Please don’t take this literally as a state of our mental health. These are obviously just toys, but you have to explain things like this to the hypersensitive sadly.) That figure would be the Hassk Thug. The moment you take it out of the package you are jettisoned back to an era where unknown aliens were just as important as the main heroes, villains and female leads. (Back then all of them were just called “figures” and it was a much happier time. We digress.) Remember how you didn’t know too much about Hammerhead, Walrus Man and especially Snaggletooth? Well, this is the modern Snaggletooth for The Force Awakens collections. Fans of concept art noticed the Hassk species’ similarity to early drafts of Chewbacca. They wouldn’t be incorrect. There’s a strong resemblance to those sketches and you feel and see the homage-paying loudly and boldly. This was one of the film’s greatest strengths.

The back of the figure’s card goes into some interesting detail about the creature’s species. In short, the Hassks travel with their littermates, and it’s the reason we see a trio of them in Maz Kanata’s “bar/bistro?” in The Force Awakens. You can tell by the way that the figure is named that these aren’t friendly creatures.But that’s a big part of what makes these creatures so interesting. The Hassk Thug action figure itself has turned out remarkably well. It has a divinely tooled sculpt that accents the figure’s posture as well as its attitude. You can see the annoyance in the figure’s snarl and well as the disapproval in its eyes. He has been posed in a rather simple pose, but it works for the species. He can sort of sit (like you would want him to based on what we saw in the film), but he stands a little bit better. He comes with a blaster rifle that both hands can hold well. The Hassk Thug doesn’t come with a any other accessories, but it feels like he is missing a club of some sort, but maybe that has to do with how he has been dressed.

The paint operations have been terrible on many figures in the Build A Weapon line, but we’re pleased to confirm that the deco on the Hassk Thug action figure is excellent. There are multiple colors used to give the body fur some texture and shadow. But the major details in the face could be applied more cleanly. We’re thrilled with the results. It’s borderline shocking to see such nicely applied paint. With only five points of articulation, the Hassk Thug has a little something extra working against it. His head sculpt is barely able to be articulated on the ball-joint it’s on because the hair that hangs down around the neck basically inhibits it. But then again, five points of articulation just isn’t enough for a Star Wars action figure. We’re not saying every figure needs to be super-articulated, but five points just aren’t enough. The Hassk Thug also comes with a lawnmower like accessory for the Build A Weapon feature. You’re probably tired of hearing us criticize this pack-in premium by now, but we’ll say it again: we’re unable to comprehend what it’s for at all.