"So as you can see, nothing is out of my reach."
The Star Wars Black Series has an established set of figures released over the past few years from the Galaxy’s Edge experience at Disney Parks. These have included sets only sold at the Parks, and other releases inspired by Galaxy's Edge - but released more generally as retailer exclusives. The 2023 release of Dok-Ondar falls into the latter category as a Shop Disney global exclusive as well as being available at the parks. UK stock was dispatched in early July 2023.
The figure comes in an oversized Deluxe plastic-free box that follows the design principles of the Galaxy's Edge merchandising rather than that of the Black Series. The squared box is grey in base colour, with an image of Dok-Ondar, in his Emporium on Batuu, on the cover as illustrated in grey line art. The right-hand-side of the box is a simple panel while the left spine illustrates the contents with an image of the figure and the four accessories.
The first mention of Hasbro and the Star Wars Black series is on the rear of the box with another image of Dok-Ondar holding a couple of the accessories, and a call out on the image to the soft goods robes. The packaging also features an opening front cover similar to the Publishing figures, but this arrives taped shut. Once the tape is cut the flap is unsecured (it could have done with a Velcro fastening) and underneath we don't actually get a look at the figure but rather the same image as used on the box reverse. The inner cover of the flap does give a bit of info about Dok-Ondar, useful for those not overly familiar with Galaxy's Edge in terms of the Park Experience, or the handful of books that have featured Black Spire Outpost.
Inside the packaging, the figure is mummified in the new waxy paper bags and secured in a simple cardboard insert. The accessories are similarly bagged and slotted into a compartment overhead.
Dok-Ondar represents the first Ithorian in the Star Wars Black Series, and as per that species proportions stands at 17cm / 6.7 inches tall. The figure is new in its entirety and captures the specific features of the Ithorians across the elongated hands, elephantine feet, and S-shaped head. Each part is cast in its base colour with a degree of paint application added to pick out details such as the toenails on the feet, and the eyes and lighter skin definition on the head with a darker section on the back of the neck.
The figure uses soft goods robes over the basic body and these are held in place with an outer soft plastic cloak with blue sash and a number of trinkets worn around his neck. These layers work really well in both keeping the soft goods shaped to the figure, and providing details and intricacy to the costume which are then painted as needed with silver and black elements, and even a painted bone tooth or claw.
Articulation comes in at 16 points in total all nicely hidden behind the robes, but pinless and incorporated into the body sculpt where possible. The robes do hinder some movement, but Dok-Ondar is very expressive with his hands in particular and can also tilt and pose his head using the large neck joint. There are only one pair of hands included, with elongated fingers posed into what looks like a weapon grip on the right hand, and a two-finger salute (for want of a better description) on the left. This may foreshadow future use of this body - but for Dok-Ondar the hands do work surprisingly well with the included accessories.
These accessories are all items that are present in Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities at Black Spire Outpost on Batuu. The first is a Phase 1 Clone Trooper helmet, a simple reuse of the existing piece but dirtied up to give it an antiqued finish. The helmet is hollow and can be worn by any of the released Clone figures, although the fit is very very tight.
The second piece is the Sword of Khashyun, a relic created for Galaxy’s Edge but has since been woven into the wider Star Wars legacy. For a Black Series accessory, it carries a good level of detail and an excellent level of paint decor arriving with a painted beige grip with silver section, a gun metal blade, and some bronze infill on the grip.
Finally, we have both a Sith and Jedi Holocron. The Jedi version is the same one included with the Deluxe Cal Kestis from 2021, but this time with a blue translucent colour framed with gold painted edges. The Sith Holocron is new, but of a similar design with a red translucent pyramid edged in gold.
Dok-Ondar is a Deluxe exclusive with an eye-watering RRP of £44.99 in the UK plus delivery considering Shop Disney closed all but one of their physical stores. I can understand the Deluxe status to a degree with the figure size sitting on par with Jar-Jar Binks or the Gamorrean Guard. The price, however, is disappointing and for that level of cost we should have been expecting much more in terms of accessories, or even a simplistic counter from Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities (the 2021 Cantina Bar does act as a half-decent stand-in). The plastic-free packaging will also frustrate, especially when the figure has been given an opening cover - but not a window or even a viewing opening like the SDCC/Hasbro Pulse Exclusives.
The Galaxy’s Edge source material is also narrow for collectors, many of which will give Dok-Ondar a wide berth. The positives are however what he represents, which is the base model for some further Ithorians in the future. This has to include Momaw Nadon from A New Hope, and Major Mok Shaiz of Mos Espa from The Book of Boba Fett. Until then Dok-Ondar does present an option for customisers, albeit a very expensive one.
Keep Track of all the Star Wars Black Series figures from Hasbro at our comprehensive
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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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