"Sometimes one must turn the soil to save the garden"
Momaw Nadon, also known as Hammerhead as per the original Kenner Star Wars toys, was released in the Star Wars Black Series in September 2024 as a Deluxe release. Nadon was a Fan Channel release so there is no direct retailer exclusivity. He is the first Deluxe release to arrive in the updated squared-off packaging retaining the same height as the single figures, but in a box that was deeper and wider.
He is part of the Galaxy Collection for A New Hope, using the established orange highlight colour on the black box to depict the name, numbering and side artwork. Mowaw Nadon occupies number 7 in the series - as now seen on the front of the box - sitting just after the recent ‘Best Of’ release of Darth Vader. The side artwork for Nadon connects to Vader although the Vader colour finish was of a darker tone.
These newly formatted Galaxy Collection boxes now also feature a colour-coded backing card for the figure matching the overall accent colour. The card is not entirely blank but includes faded background images repeating what we see on the side art - for Nadon it's a shot of one of the Mos Eisley Cantina archways.
Momaw Nadon is, as you’d expect from a Deluxe format, a larger and more complex figure than normal standing well over a head taller than your standard humanoid release. He is wearing his brown robes as seen in the brief scenes from A New Hope with lighter sleeves and trouser legs cut off as frayed material at the elbows and knees. There is a belt as part of the lower soft plastic skirt that is painted in brown with a gold buckle and attached into this is a pouch and a twin section of tied rope or twine. If you follow this rope around the back there are a pair of hung pouches and a further pocket.
The lower legs are similar to the anatomy of an element with a thick lower leg with creased skin and a three-toed splayed foot. Here the exposed leg is cast in a sandy brown with a darker wash over the top and painted dull orange toenails. The arms are a similar finish, but slimmer and feature less folded skin - ending in a pair of hands with elongated fingers.
Scaled with other Cantina releases (and customs)
The head sculpt also uses the same colour finish and wash and is shaped as we see the Ithorian on screen with his squinting black eyes on either side of his head and the opening mouthpieces down either side of the head in a slightly lighter brown finish. The head is sitting snugly into a hood of salmon pink with twin-tied ends that sit over his torso.
vs Dok-Ondar from Galaxy's Edge (2023)
Momaw Nadon is not the first Black Series Ithorian with the Galaxys Edge release of Dok-Ondar preceding him from 2023. I was among many who expected Momaw Nadon to be a direct repack of Ondar, albeit without the robes and updated outfit. I was therefore surprised to find that Momaw Nadon is actually a new head sculpt and that the lower arms are also updated - while the rest of the expected re-use including the body and legs is as it was on Dok-Ondar. While Momaw Nadon was never seen in full on screen and was imagined as wearing a one-piece unitard by Kenner, the overall look of the Black Series figures is a combination of designs over the years and it all feels connected and realistic paying homage to the POTF2 releaser that first used the brown robes.
vs Kenner 'Hammerhead' and POTF2 Momaw Nadon
Articulation follows the usual format with 18 points in total across the Ithorian body. Nadon retains the thigh swivel that is being phased out, while also benefitting from more recent concepts including a full pinless design, butterfly shoulders and a waist swivel built into the cut of the costume. While the Dok-Ondar figure hid most of that under his robes, the Momaw Nadon figure is not impacted aesthetically by the joints. Movement is reasonably widespread for the upper torso with plenty of scope in the arms and surprisingly the head. The legs are partly held in check by the skirt piece, but the knees and ankle rockers do allow some options in leg position with the elephant-like feet providing a very stable base.
Momaw Nadon never used a weapon on-screen during the Cantina scenes, but the 1877 Kenner release did pack him with an E-11 Stormtrooper blaster rifle, and Hasbro has used this inspiration for their Black Series release. The gun can fit into the elongated fingers and be held in place - but there are no holstering options.
I was also pleased to find that - as others have done successfully and shared online - the large dual blaster from the POTF2 release in the 1990s also fits the new figure and looks right at home with the larger 6-inch scale Nadon.
Using the POTF2 3.75-inch scale dual blaster
Hasbro have also leant into Momaw Nadon’s role as a Cantina Patron and included the same trio of cups as packed with the Cantina playset and again with Bib Fortuna. For this release, the base plastic colours have been tweaked to give variation. Each of the three cups can fit into Momaw’s hands to give an alternative look for display, particularly if you are adding him to a Cantina diorama.
In Summary, the 2024 Deluxe release of Momaw Nadon exceeds most expectations particularly for not simply repainting Dok-Ondar but for giving us an accurate Momaw Nadon while also drawing on the wider Star Wars universe - including some of the original toys - to bring him to life. The Hammerhead figure is one that has special significance to me as one of the only Kenner toys I never owned - and I am so pleased to now add him to my Black Series collection and to my Cantina display. I was even able to find and purchase a Kenner Hammerhead at the same time to complete the circle.
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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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