Knight Of Ren - TBS [P3] - Six Inch Figures (105)

An enclave of masked warriors wielding distinct weapons for ranged and close quarters combat, the Knights of Ren are elite, fearsome enforcers of Kylo Ren.

For The Vintage Collection, Hasbro chose Knight Of Ren Ap’lek to join the ranks of the super-articulated 3.75” line. Collectors of this scale became instantly thrilled with the figures released, but this group of collectors won’t be satisfied until Hasbro produced every last Knight Of Ren in the scale to join Ap’lek. Although super-articulated, the bulky costumes of the Knight Of Ren characters make it nearly impossible for the figures to move as their design intended. Ap’lek, or simply, Knight Of Ren (VC155) in The Vintage Collection is a visually striking action figure. But try to pose the figure in more than a few different configurations, and you’re going to run out of ideas pretty quickly, only because the figure has severe limitations. You won’t have the same issue with The Black Series [Phase III] Knight Of Ren (105) action figure. No, you won’t have the same limitations at all. This time, Hasbro chose to develop Vicrul for the 6” line. Although you can tell all of the Knights Of Ren characters belong to the same order, each has unique traits and characteristics, not all that unlike the Elite Praetorian Guards from Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi. Neither Sith nor Jedi, the Knights Of Ren are warriors that exclusively serve Kylo Ren.

Vicrul has the strongest ties to a medieval knight than any of the other Knights Of Ren characters. Whether it’s the chainmail-inspired helmet or the bulky coverings throughout the body, the 6” version of the Knight Of Ren looks a little more interesting and little less like the Grim Reaper than Ap’lek does. The figure also has some characteristics that are the antithesis of what one defines as medieval. Vicrul comes with a blaster and a functioning holster. It makes the character feel more closely related to Star Wars, and it is a cool accessory for a character we know almost nothing about except for what we see in the film. The action figure is pure joy. Hasbro updated the knee joints to standard ball-jointed articulation. This approach enhances aesthetics dramatically and makes for a more streamlined approach when it comes to action figure making. Interestingly, as much as the 3.75” TVC Knight Of Ren (VC155) figure reminds us of the Grim Reaper, so does Vicrul’s other accessory. The figure comes with what looks like a scythe. The blade on it is large and looks as if it could decapitate any enemy that crosses this character’s path. And the design that went into it is nothing short of brilliant. The detail etched into it is gorgeous.

We know that the Knights of Ren are a group of new characters fully introduced in Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise Of Skywalker, and we know that they’re connected to Kylo Ren for obvious reasons. But interest in them seems to have waned. The verdict on Episode IX is all over the place. And it seems that many fans who vehemently disliked Episode VII and Episode VIII have found enjoyment in Episode IX. The product launch for The Rise Of Skywalker went off with very little fanfare. And once the merchandise sold out on Triple Force Friday, very few retail locations restocked the sold-out toys. What we do know and hope is that Hasbro should make the rest of the Knight Of Ren in both scales for the adult collecting body. The characters, at the very least, are interesting, cool-looking, and make excellent action figures, plus or minus a few frustrations. Both The Vintage Collection Knight Of Ren (VC155) and The Black Series [Phase III] Knight Of Ren (105) should prove to everyone that there is still high interest in background characters that are compelling and interesting. There is an untapped pool of characters in the Knights Of Ren alone that can bring Hasbro a lot of extra income. We hope they follow through with that.