Welcome to my review of the Exclusive "Big Fig" release of Moloch from Solo, A Star Wars Story. Moloch is the second "big fig" released by Hasbro in their new $30 price point (circa £35 here in UK) following on from the successful Gamorrean Guard figure. Moloch is exclusive to Target stores in the states, while for the rest of the world he is what they are now calling a shared exclusive - meaning it is accessible for most independents to order and sell.
Packaging 4/5
Being a new bigger format, Moloch arrives in a larger format box. It retains the same height as the standard Black Series packaging but is deeper and wider to accommodate Moloch's bulk.
The design principles remain the same with the gloss black colouring and red character text and bright red side spine. Being an exclusive there is no numbering for Moloch. The Titus artwork is a little sterile showing Moloch with his mask in place. This image is blown up and made a touch brighter on the back along with a short bio text.
"Moloch wallows in authority over the lesser thieves of his gang. Like all White Worms, Moloch is very sensitive to natural light and must wear special gear when outside his dank lair"
The figure is accessed the same way as normal, through the top or bottom flaps. Be warned that for the first time in a while, Moloch was held in by some elasticated clear ties that need cutting before he can be extracted.
Sculpt & Paint 5/5
Moloch comes out of the box with his head sculpt partially exposed behind the front part of his mask apparatus. The face plate pulls down to reveal that there is a full Grindalid head sculpt under there complete with varying skin tones and devious blue eyes.
Where as the Gamorrean was a bulky figure, Moloch brings the height to this "Big Fig" release and he stands 7 inches tall. The body is a wonderful sculpt starting with that enclosed head piece that then flows down to grey robes. The head piece is beige in colouring with some inlaid darker beige panels. It is then weathered with a grey drybrush. The face plate is gunmetal silver with further beige panels and pipework.
The outer robes are patterned, particularly the lower section, and are also weathered with a grey muddy colour splash pattern. Under these outer garments are a darker grey inner set of robes, also weathered. And wrapped around these are a gunslingers belt and holster and some pipework for the helmet piece. The hands are a black padded glove affair with brown panels.
If you are brave enough to look under Moloch's robes you can see that Hasbro didn't just leave the body as a plain plastic piece and Moloch's lower slug like body is sculpted for quite a way under the robes completed with appendages and skin texturing.
Accessories 5/5
In the movie, Moloch has to don a fully enclosed head piece to venture outside into Corellia's sunlight. The full face mask look is achieved by means of an accessory piece packed with the figure. This cast piece is the visor section that fills the gap between the upper helmet and the lower face plate. It is cast in a softer plastic and painted gunmetal silver with beige panels to the sides.
The two rear sections have a ridge that slots into the gap between the headpiece and the head and then this then slides the whole face piece into place making it look like a seamless single helmet - very clever design by the Hasbro team.
Accessories don't stop there as Moloch is also armed with a blaster and his trusty staff. The blaster is the "Snubble Special" as seen in the movie and is a cast piece with gun metal colouring and brown handle. It fits into Moloch's enlarged right hand really well, with a trigger finger slotting in place. When not in use the gun can also be holstered in the holster on the belt. The fit here is not overly tight and it is easy for the gun to fall out during posing (playing).
The final part is the staff, and this is a wonderful sculpt reflecting the carved handle section from the movie that is depicting writhing scum rats. This top piece is painted in bone colour with darker brown wash that flows into the sculpting to bring out the detail. The shaft is plain brown plastic. The staff arrives perfectly straight, so no warping issues that we've seen on other Hasbro products recently (Marvel mainly).
I thought this staff was a little short at first, but when you compare with the reference images it is spot on. It fits in either hand and really finishes off the look of this character.
Articulation 4/5
The articulation on Moloch is reflective of his character and species, but of course is way less than we'd see on a standard humanoid release. I count 7 joints in total - 6 in the arms and a final ball joint around the waist which affords some upper torso movement. The arms are basic ball jointed shoulders with a rotating single elbow joint. The wrists are then pivoted and can rotate.
I am not sure where else articulation could have been added, and you assume the cost saved on articulation went into the decor, accessories and engineering of that head piece.
Scoring this was difficult but I went with 4 out of 5 for articulation on the basis he gets pretty much what he needs for his body type. If I was being critical then double jointed elbows might have been nice so he could be posed adjusting his faceplate a little better.
Summary
I admit that Moloch was not a character that I was immediately drawn to in the movie, or when announced as a figure. Seeing image of him from other collectors did pique my interest and I am so glad now to add him to my collection. In a line dominated by human and humanoid creatures, Moloch stands alongside Jabba the Hutt as a real point of difference. He is also really well executed from the sculpt to the paint work and the articulation, through to the accessories.
He may be a touch pricier than normal but assuming you can get him for circa £35 I don't think you will be disappointed.
I score Moloch, the White Worm Enforcer, a glorious 5 out of 5
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