Obi-Wan Kenobi (With Force-Flipping Attack) - SW [S - P1] - Deluxe

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.

Using the force, Obi-Wan Kenobi flips into battle against the evil Sith Darth Tyranus. The courageous and disciplined Jedi Knight fights for his life as the master swordsman Darth Tyranus prepares to strike the final blow.

If there is a perfect example of a figure that is riddled with gimmicks that could have actually been a great action figure, we’d likely choose any of the “Force-Flipping Attack” figures from the Star Wars “Saga” Deluxe line. Let’s get it out in the open. The “Force-flipping” feature released on three of the figures in the Star Wars “Saga” line is perhaps the silliest thing we’ve seen to date. We think it was a really bad move on Hasbro’s part to include this magnetic feature in these figures, especially when they function like off-balance cleats. But, save for a few things we don’t like about them, the sculpts are not terrible, if that's any consolation. In the case of Obi-Wan Kenobi (With Force-Flipping Attack), it’s mediocre at best. It has a fantastic body sculpt, but the portrait is off in more than just a couple of ways. These figures have been tooled for one sole-purpose: to accommodate the “Force-Flipping Attack) gimmick that is generated from the energy created in the included base. You do get a great deal of plastic and metal with these figures, and you can combine them with each other for an intense battle, but overall these Deluxe sets will leave any collector feeling a bit cold. Still, for us, the saddest thing is that between the action-oriented pose and the magnets embedded into the figure’s feet, Obi-Wan Kenobi (With Force-Flipping Attack) has GREAT difficulty standing unassisted and his permanent lightsaber needs to function like a cane to assist with this. This doesn’t make us a happy.

You’ll truly notice a distinct difference on how these figures have been approached. Obi-Wan Kenobi’s skin doesn’t appear so opaque and the details in his costuming just feel elevated, no matter how strange that may seem. It's like there is good working against bad here. Also, the paint operations stand out significantly as well despite being very simple. The tans are screen accurate and his belt looks like real leather material thanks to this figure’s excellent paint job. Just keep in mind that these aren’t collectors’ figures and won’t meet out stringent demands. Again, his facial features just look off to us. The width of his face is too narrow and his hair is too light. They didn’t even seem to get his hairstyle right either. Apparently the new digital scanning technology hasn’t worked out too well for Obi-Wan Kenobi. Like the other figures in this style, perhaps the greatest setback to Obi-Wan Kenobi (With Force-Flipping Attack) is that his lightsaber is permanently affixed to his right hand. We’re not sure why Hasbro would ever do this. Having the option to play with this figure independent of his lightsaber is something that collectors of all ages find ideal. It is a tremendous disappointment to see that you’ll always have this figure holding his lightsaber. Plus, the lightsaber is at greater risk for bowing, bending and breaking when placed in storage. You’ll really have to pack him away precariously from preventing the lightsaber from becoming damaged.

Hasbro has included directions on how to have successful “Force flips” with this figure. They liken this skill to how one becomes better and better at the Force and how it requires training. We imagine you didn’t expect to get Jedi Force training while playing with a Hasbro action figure, did you? They advise to ensure that both of the figure’s heels are pressed all the way into the feet indentations found on the launch pad. They also suggest to use the lightsaber as a balancing device for the figure and actually have it leaning against the walkway. (This in and of itself is probably the main reason the lightsaber isn’t removable.) They also suggest to use your fingers to anchor the rounded base close to the surface for the best balance possible. And lastly, they recommend moving the arms and legs of the figure into different positions in an effort to find the best and optimum Force-flipping performance. It seems like too much work. (This all has to do with finding the figure’s best center of gravity.) Again, Obi-Wan Kenobi (With Force-Flipping Attack) is geared towards the kids. We think they’ll get frustrated trying to make the gimmick work, but perhaps they’ll utilize the figure for other purposes instead. No matter how you feel about this set, it certainly has a fair MSRP of $9.99. We hope for the future however that Hasbro avoids this novelty figures. They might be fun for a few moments, but their luster wears off very quickly.