Mon Mothma - POTF2 [FF/TKC] - Basic

The senior senator of the Old Republic went underground to form the Rebel Alliance following the rise of the evil Empire. She was instrumental in the Rebel's struggle for freedom.

You can tell when Kenner/Hasbro is focused on collectors by the cast of characters they introduce in the basic figure line. In the scene from Star Wars Episode VI: Return Of The Jedi where there is a Rebel briefing on the Home One, Kenner was quick to produce both Admiral Ackbar and General Madine. But they ignored the beautiful Mon Mothma who surprisingly had about the same amount of lines in the film. In all honesty, not making Mon Mothma back in 1983 wasn’t a huge surprise. The philosophy of the Star Wars brand was a whole lot different in 1983 than it was in 1998. And now we’re getting action figures that just wouldn’t have been a possibility back during the vintage era. Thankfully, as a collector geared line, The Power Of The Force “2” Freeze Frame line approaches Star Wars figures in a different light. And this opens up slots for those “not too popular” and “background” characters that would otherwise not be a remote possibility as an action figure.

Thankfully hardcore collectors didn’t have to wait too long for a 3.75” version of Mon Mothma, leader of the Rebel Alliance. The beautiful redhead had a wonderfully soft-spoken voice, but you could see in her face she was all about conquering the Galactic Empire. Empathetic to all who helped her cause, you could almost feel the pain in her face when she acknowledged the Bothans who died that acquired the technical readout of the second Death Star. Sadly, not too many of her impressive qualities were brought forward that well into the action figure. Sure, it’s mildly reminiscent of Mon Mothma, but we think Kenner/Hasbro could have done significantly better in capturing the character’s essence as a basic figure. The biggest issue we have with Mon Mothma—she is essentially a lop-sided salt shaker. We understand that Kenner/Hasbro believes they don’t have to do much for characters wearing robes to the ground, but it just feels that Mon Mothma is lacking and needs more.

Mon Mothma comes with a paltry four points of articulation. They include a swivel neck, two swivel shoulders, and a swivel waist. But because of her ultra static pose, utilizing any of these joints makes her look “silly” (for lack of a better word. Another way of saying this is that the added articulation does not behoove the sculpt at all. The movements look unnatural and contrived, not realistic in the least. The long outer robes, although solidly designed, do nothing more than imitate what lies beneath it. You'll find a nearly identical outfit minus the ornamenting jewelry. She also comes with a baton, and it looks like she stole it from General Madine quite honestly. Perhaps all Rebel leaders utilize these tools. Whatever the reason, this was certainly not seen in Episode VI. Mon Mothma is an important action figure. But she was released perhaps in a rushed manner. Kenner/Hasbro didn’t think of the best ways to approach her. We hope that they give her another chance in the basic figure line, but we think that’s unlikely. There are too many characters now that need a first chance as an action figure.