“I’m thinking like a soldier”
The final Star Wars Black Series Galaxy Collection Wave of 2024, Wave 19, featured a mix of new figures from across the Star Wars Universe including three figures who would bridge the gap between the first season of Andor in 2022 and the upcoming second season in 2025. To this point, only 9 numbered figures had been released from Andor as well as an exclusive 2-pack. The new additions are numbers 10 through 12 and are the first Andor figures to come in the newer format Galaxy Collection packaging.
The box design remains broadly the same but now removes the angled side to create a squared-off box with a central window. The base colour for the box is black, with an accent colour applied for the text and artwork. For Andor, this is an orange/red tone. Cassian Andor is number 10 in the series, with the numbering now shown on the front as well as the back. The side artwork shows Cassian in his newer Rebel gear and connects directly to the 09 release of Vel Sertha albeit with a slightly darker finish.
The rear of the box is also specific to Season 2 but gives nothing away other than the journey we know Cassian to be on as we head to the events of Rogue One. One additional upgrade in these new boxes is a colour-coded backdrop for the figures and this also features a hint of background although for Cassian this is a very non-descript sky.
At the time of writing there are very few images of Cassian Andor in Season 2 and with the series intending to cover multiple years between Season 1 and the events of Rogue One the outfits and uniforms worn by Cassian are likely to change. The figure is wearing a black undershirt over which is a complex jacket in black with brown trims and panels including multiple pockets and widgets as well as ribbing down either sleeve. This is very accurate to one of the early stills from Season 2 where Cassian is apparently on Yavin - although in that image the undershirt was a cream colour. The trousers are a plain black with sculpted piping and pockets and these are then tucked into a pair of brown ankle boots with painted straps and buckles. The outfit is finished with an individual softer plastic belt complete with a painted buckle, and a side holster that also straps around Andor’s right thigh.
The head sculpt is new and includes a shorter hairpiece than the Season 1 figure and a neater beard. The realism is excellent using the facial printing technology, I am just not sure it is a perfect likeness of Diego Luna.
Cassian comes with a pair of hand blaster options, both seem to be new to the line and specific to the blasters we will see him with in Season 2. The larger of the two looks similar in design to a DL-44 and includes a stocky body with black base colouration and a gunmetal application on the front section and the barrel.
It is joined by a slimmer blaster pistol with the same colouring but with a much sleeker profile and barrel. Both blasters will fit into Cassian’s right hand where the trigger finger is split from the rest of the grip and left flexible to slot into the blaster trigger. The left hand will hold the weapon but lacks the trigger finger leaving the grip awkward and unnatural. Both blasters will fit into the holster, although it is sized and shaped for the larger of the two.
Articulation is 19 points of pinless joints and in the newer configuration for Black Series. This means we have lost the unsightly thigh swivel with the leg swivel added at the knee and to the cut of Cassian’s boots. The arms feature a butterfly shoulder extending their range of motion. And the neck is dual-jointed which gives the head a range of motion without the need for ugly visible peg joints.
The new joints also aid in the overall look of the figure with the joints better disguised within the profile of the costume and also removing areas that used to suffer with paint finish variations such as painting flesh onto the neck or matching the colour between upper and lower thighs. Cassian is easy to pose, with joints that are secure and stable enough for kneeling and standing positions and more dynamic firing poses.
The Season 2 Cassian Andor is a strong release showcasing many of the improvements we’ve seen in the Black Series in recent months with much-improved decor from the 2022 releases of the same character although I am not fully convinced by the overall likeness from certain angles. The articulation improvements also enhance the look of the figures while providing the same level of movement as older releases and in some cases improved articulation, particularly with the arms and neck range of movement. The figure may initially struggle on sale with no direct hype for Andor Season 2 at the point this is released. Depending on how well the Season is received, this may be a shelf warmer for a few months before collectors start to get invested. That is a shame, but of course, Hasbro’s release schedule was likely based on the Season’s original airdate for Autumn 2024.
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About Me : As a child of the 70's and 80's I grew up in a golden age for action figures and in my youth bought and sold myself through collections of Star Wars, G.I. Joe (Action Force) and M.A.S.K. while also dabbling in He-Man, Transformers and Ghostbusters. Roll forward and I am now reliving that Youth with the action figures of today and am a collector and fan of the larger 6-8 inch figures from my favourite movie and TV licences - including the ones mentioned above, but also the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Who and the Aliens. I launched The Mephitsu Archives in 2015 with a view of creating a UK focused site or these figures where fans can pick up the latest action figure news, read reviews and get information on where to buy their figures and what is currently on store shelves. I hope I am delivering that to you guys...
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