"Enemies of the First Order, we will soon snuff out your meager resistance. You chose the wrong side and now you will pay"
The Galaxy’s Edge Star Wars Black Series Multi-Packs were first released in 2019 combining existing figures with a handful of new characters/sculpts and sold solely in Disney Parks. A second batch was released in 2022 expanding the line to six sets in total. These packs were never available in the US and while some figures like Hondo Ohnaka, DJ, and the Mountain Trooper did get single releases - others remained elusive to these sets.
The 2022 First Order Set was themed around the Rise of the Resistance ride at Galaxy’s Edge and included three such figures that were not available anywhere else in this format. They included only the second-ever release for General Hux and the only one to include facial print tech, a Black R5 Droid, and a concept First Order AT-AT Driver. The fourth inclusion was an MSE ‘Mouse’ Droid, a piece that is not as widespread in the Black Series as perhaps it is in the Star Wars Galaxy itself having only ever come with the Exclusive Vice Admiral Rampart (The Bad Batch) the previous year.
The Rise of the Resistance First Order set comes in special Galaxy’s Edge packaging complete with grey-lined artwork on both the cover and reverse - very much like the illustrations we are familiar with from the first 3 phases of the Black Series packaging. There is an opening front cover that features similar images of each character and a short synopsis that doesn't refer to the Galaxy's Edge attraction, but rather the in-world background of the 709th Legion's role on Batuu and Black Spire Outpost. Similarly, the rear of the box and the character background text talks about their role within the Star Wars Galaxy and not their role on the Disney Park ride.
General Hux is the same base figure as released in 2016 wearing his matt black First Order uniform with gloss black boots and a painted plain silver buckle on the belt. Over this is his long coat in a similar colour to the uniform but in a flexible rubberised plastic. Like the uniform, the coat is pretty much left in its base black colour - but it does feature three silver rings around the left arm cuff and a First Order decal on the left shoulder.
The head is a new sculpt and a very good likeness to actor Domhnall Gleeson with photo-real printing utilised to add further realism to the sculpt. The hair too is well executed particularly as it appears to be part of the head sculpt so the paintwork to keep the edges crisp and tidy is top notch. The one issue with the head is the neck peg which is a hangover from the older body that Hux is using. The neck peg is part of the cast black body and while it is overpainted with a flesh tone the colour match to the head is poor and the black lines of the peg are still visible.
vs the 2016 General Hux release (on the right)
Hux comes with a single First Order blaster pistol cast in black with a small amount of silver detailing on just the one side of the main barrel. It fits in his right hand but has no working holster.
Articulation is the 16 points as was standard with figures of 2015/2016 with pinned but double-jointed knees and single unpinned elbows. Hux is reasonably expressive with his arms with or without the blaster, while the legs offer a wide range of movement but are held in check by the base of his tunic and more so by the overcoat.
Hux is joined in the set by two First Order droids, the first of which is an MSE ‘Mouse’ Droid. This is the same droid as included with The Bad Batch figure of Vice Admiral Rampart and has no differentiating parts to that original release.
vs the 2021 Rampart MSE Droid release (on the right)
It is a hard plastic cast piece with a sculpted ridge around the base, side panels and upper component pieces at both the front and back of the droid. It sits on two sets of wheels which are articulated so the droid can be rolled around. Scaling is good, and if you want to use this on an Imperial display rather than with the First Order it works perfectly fine.
The second droid is a First Order R5 droid with no designation provided. It is based on the droid that pilots the Rise of the Resistance ride cars at Galaxy’s Edge. It uses the older R5-D4 sculpt from 2017 as a base so it is the now undersized Astromech sculpt since the reworking of the droid's dimensions in 2023.
The droid body and dome are cast black with painted silver and red components across the legs, body and head including silver photoreceptors and red dome panelling. The dome is finished with a flexible aerial in black.
vs the 2017 R5-D4 (on the right)
The R5 droid is articulated at the dome which rotates and the legs which are pivot hinged at the top and the ‘ankles’. Rotating the dome also extends the third travelling leg out from within the main body of the droid and this also features a lower ‘ankle’ joint to plant it on the floor in the travelling position.
The R5 also comes with the same opening front panels as the original Astromech figures on which it is based. These vertical flaps open to reveal hinged manipulator arms within that pivot up and outward revealing a probe on one side, and a claw arm on the other.
The set is concluded by the First Order AT-AT Driver, a troop variant that never appeared on screen and is seen fleetingly in the Rise of the Resistance ride at Galaxy’s Edge in the cockpit of an AT-AT.
Like many of the First Order Trooper’s the AT-AT Driver draws inspiration from the original Imperial suit with a grey flightsuit over which are white gloss armoured panels. This body is actually the same as used for the First Order Tie Pilots, but it gets a brand new chest box in white with silver, red and orange painted component parts.
vs the 2016 Imperial AT-AT Driver and 2015 First Order Tie Pilot
Two black breathing tubes extend from either side of the chest box and up over the shoulders to connect to the AT-AT Driver’s helmet at the back. This helmet pays homage to the original Imperial version with the face plate of a First Order Stormtrooper and the wider helmet of a pilot. The visor is a dark red colour, while black is used for the front inverted triangle on the helmet crest, and in the lining of the face plate. Two First Order decals are added, in red, on either side of the helmet.
The AT-AT driver features the same blaster as Hux but is devoid of any paint. Like Hux, it fits in the right hand and has no holster options. By using the older 2015 body, the AT-AT Driver includes 16 points of articulation with pinned double-jointed knees and unpinned single-jointed elbows.
The driver can move pretty well with some clever engineering with the shoulder armour that withdraws under the chest plate when the arms move. The lower straps of the belt are also flexible enough to move with the legs while the breathing tubes have enough give to allow the head to move a good distance to either side.
The Rise of the Resistance First Order set is difficult to badge as a four-figure set with the MSE Droid having been given that billing on the packaging, yet is pretty much an accessory for Hux. Out of the three full figures the AT-AT Driver and Hux are fairly even for top billing, predominantly through their exclusivity to the set but also thanks to a good upgrade on the Hux head sculpt and likeness, and the familiarity yet updated design for the AT-AT Driver.
Fans of the Ride can mark their experience buying the set, while others may well update their Last Jedi collection with the Hux and AT-AT Driver, while the droids fit in perfectly well with the Imperials as much as they do with the First Order. The issue for the set is the exclusivity and the price - but I do appreciate the need for park exclusives to give attendees a souvenir of their visit. One for the purists, but certainly a set worth tracking down on the secondary market for collectors of the Sequel Era.
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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