“We are the Death Watch, descendants of the true warrior faith all Mandalorians once knew.”
The Star Wars Universe is currently very much dominated by Mandalorians, specifically driven by The Mandalorian Disney+ series. The Deathwatch Mandalorian, released in 2022 as part of wave 7 of the Galaxy Collection, is based on a flashback scene from Season 1 of the show - but equally would fit into a wider display for Season 3 considering the return of the wider group of Mandalorians on screen. The figure is part of The Mandalorian Galaxy Collection and is number 21 in the line.
There are a raft of Mandalorian armour parts now in circulation in the Black Series and the Deathwatch figure utilises a number of these, but also brings new parts to the table which will go on for use on future figures like Axe Woves and the 2024 planned release of the Mandalorian Fleet Captain. The Deathwatch Mandalorian is executed in a similar principle to Clone/Storm Troopers with the base body overlaid with armour panels - each cast in their base colour, and negating the need for large area painting which in turn means cleaner and crisper edges to each part of the outfit. The undersuit is a red/grey finish and over this each of the Deathwatch Beskar panels are cast in a deep blue. These panels are decorated with some additional white markings and are then weathered in places with paint scratches using silver paint.
The helmet features the gloss black T-visor with grey and light blue used on the sides of the helmet. The range finder is moveable on a pivot allowing it to come down over the visor. There is a sculpted, but unpainted, head under the helmet but the helmet is not actually removable and glued in place - “This is the Way”.
The figure comes with a jetpack which connects to the rear of the figure by way of a peg and two shaped brackets. The fit is not great or secure and the backpack constantly falls off which may lead you to do a temporary fix with a 'low risk of damage' material like Blu-Tack, or a more radical fix using glue! The Jetpack is also cast in a base blue and has silver applied to sections. It also features articulated boosters which pivot and they also include a socket which will take some of the rocket effect pieces seen on the recent Dark Trooper release, and on some Marvel Legends Iron-Man figures.
Weaponry includes a single Westar-35 blaster pistol with a painted grip. This fits in the figure's right hand or in the holster provided and is secured by a flexible strap that loops over the top and plugs in place. The Deathwatch Mando then also features a larger Deathwatch Blaster Rifle which is cast in a deep grey with no added paintwork. Details sculpted on the weapon include the sights and some vents on the barrel, but the look overall is quite plain - some may say sleek.
There are 19 points of articulation, all pinless and worked into the look of the figure. While Butterfly shoulder joints appear to exist, they are not overly mobile but the arms are sufficient for battle posing with either weapon including the two-handed grip on the blaster rifle. The shoulder pauldrons are flexible plastic and will move with the arms, but do start to look odd if the arms are moved too far.
The Deathwatch Mandalorian has everything going for it considering it is a general release, with standard RRP and availability for army-building, and is executed to a good standard with three accessories and the only issue of note is the security of the jetpack. He looks great on his own, or as part of a wider group and as mentioned will not look out of place with a wider Season 3 Mandalorian group and backing up the likes of Bo-Katan, Axe Woves, and Koska Reeves.
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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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