Plo Koon - SW [S - P1] - 12 Inch Figures (Exclusive)

Ten years after the fight to save Naboo from invasion, the galaxy is on the brink of civil war. Under the leadership of a renegade Jedi, thousands of solar systems threaten to secede from the Galactic Republic. A courageous Jedi Knight, his impulsive and headstrong apprentice, and a queen-turned-senator are drawn into the heart of the conflict... and the beginning of war.

Plo Koon is a member of the Jedi Council. Special equipment protects his sensitive eyes and nostrils from Coruscant's oxygen-rich atmosphere. A Kel Dor from planet Dorin, Plo Koon is a descendant of a long line of Jedi with an extensive grasp and control of the Force.

In 2002, for the Star Wars “Saga” [Phase I] line, online exclusives became a tad more frequent. But although the internet was burgeoning, communications from Hasbro didn’t make it to everyone in the collecting community, and many didn’t know about many of the promotions exclusively held there. Also, in 2002, Hasbro developed a line of 12 Inch Figures that was their most progressive to date. And within that line they produced members of the Jedi Council, designating them as exclusives to various retail brick and mortar locations such as Toys R Us, in addition to offering some exclusively online. One figure that was part of the online exclusive option didn’t reach the eyes or ears of every Star Wars collector, and a large facet of collectors missed out on it. Plo Koon, also from the Jedi Council lineup, became another Hasbro online exclusive, which included availability at the Star Wars Fan Club in addition to online "etailers" such as Entertainment Earth. What makes the seemingly “limited” and “unknown” availability of Plo Koon so painful is that Plo Koon is easily Hasbro’s greatest 12 Inch Figure of 2002. The work that went into the figure’ portrait is astounding, and the details of the costume are brilliant. Sure, the body is too chunky, but Plo Koon is a gorgeous-looking 12 Inch Figure. Plo Koon quickly grasped the attention of Star Wars fans in The Phantom Menace, and it’s great to see him a little more utilized in Attack Of The Clones. He’s quickly become a fan-favorite character.

Plo Koon is a Kel Dor from the planet Dorin and a member of the Jedi High Council which features twelve members, not unlike the group that made up Jesus’ disciples. He needs to wear a protective breathing apparatus in climates containing high levels of oxygen because it’s a poisonous gas to his species. And bios on Plo Koon explain that he possesses highly developed sensory organs, and they allow him to manipulate molecules in the environment and turn them into weapons. His species, Kel Dor, mimic parts of the alien seen in the Predator films and Plo Koon’s species hails from the planet, Dorin. Released as the “second’ figure in the “Jedi Council series” of 12 Inch Figures, Plo Koon is described as a Fan Club/Direct Market exclusive. In theory, this shouldn’t make Plo Koon difficult to obtain, but we believe getting the “word” out there how this figure is available was the greater issue here. As we’ve mentioned, Plo Koon looks excellent. Based on an older GI Joe buck, Hasbro developed a screen-accurate costume and lightsaber hilt. But the lightsaber blade, which is green here, is inaccurate. During the Battle of Geonosis, you see that his blade is blue. Despite this, we’re still extremely pleased with the final results of this collectible 12 Inch Figure. Plo Koon ups the ante of 12 Inch Jedi Knights and Masters Hasbro produces for the line. It will be difficult to top Plo Koon in our estimation, but hopefully, Plo Koon is just a continuing trend in the improving quality of the 12 Inch Figure line.

Rumors, and perhaps early product lists showed that Jedi high Council mate Saesee Tiin was also planned for this line, but interestingly, that never came to pass yet. That’s sad because there has never been a Saesee Tiin 12 Inch Figure produced in any line, and we’re desperate to see him added to the format one day. In the meantime, collectors will have to continue to enjoy Plo Koon and what he brings to the Star Wars toy line. Aside from the lightsaber hilt and blade, Plo Koon also comes with an undershirt, a dark brown shirt, pants, left boot, right boot, and belt. The clothing looks tailored to the figure, but because of the figure’s bulkiness, at times, Plo Koon’s aesthetics look off in some spots. However, you likely won’t care. The head sculpt alone is impressive and is the focus of this figure. You’ll probably easily overlook the figure’s issues in favor of what Hasbro accomplished with the detail and paint job of the figure’s head sculpt. With moderate articulation, Plo Koon achieves a decent amount of posing and positioning, but balance tends to be a limiting factor with Hasbro’s 12 Inch Figure line. The boots and shoes contain a lot of “air space” in them and don’t provide a solid foundation for the figure's feet to lean its weight. It’s the nature of this line and its approach. Despite Plo Koon’s setbacks and issues, we love the figure. It goes for a premium on the aftermarket today. But that’s expected since many fans didn’t know about it. Regardless, we feel Plo Koon is worth adding to your collection.