“I am just following standard Jedi mission protocol.”
Professor Huyang was one of the stand-out characters from the 2023 Ahsoka Disney+ series. It is this live-action appearance that has seen him finally realised into the Star Wars Black Series with a late 2023 release as part of Wave 14. The wave also features Hera, and Marrok from the show as well as Pre Vizsla from Clone Wars, and a repack of the new R2-D2 figure. As with all the Ahsoka figures within the Galax Collection, Huyang’s packaging utilises the light blue accent colour on the text and artwork. The rear of the box carries the generalised synopsis of the series rather than character-specific info.
Huyang is a full new sculpt for the Black Series, expertly proportioned, and cast in what looks like a pearlescent sandy plastic that is perhaps a shade too dark compared to the lighter colouration of Huyang on screen. The glossy finish also cheapens it a little compared to the promo shots which appeared more matt in finish. Huyang is also too clean for a millennia-old droid and is probably a weathering wash away from reaching that next level. The arms and legs do utilise a darker shade of panels to create some variation on the arms and down the legs. The robotic elements between the joints and under the outer panels are finished in a gunmetal silver while the exposed stomach is matt black with red and white painted wiring.
Huyang’s work belt and apron is an individual softer plastic piece around the waist. This is cast in dark brown with some greyer shades used at either side of the main panel, and a touch more gunmetal silver at the buckle. While all the pouches and pockets are sculpted, no opportunity has been taken to make any of them functional with the included accessories. Huyang is missing the aerial on his left shoulder, but I can understand the decision at this scale - and instead, we get a wider base of an aerial without the actual aerial itself which would either be too big or would snap too easily.
The head sculpt is just as well proportioned but the use of that glossy plastic without any weathering does hinder the overall likeness. The eyes are painted, but the gold uses is very close to the outer shell of the droid which makes them look unpainted until the light catches them. The upper blue ‘cap’ section is a good colour and finish and is trimmed nicely in bronze with his eyepiece sculpted as part of the head.
Huyang comes with his backpack that plugs into the reverse of the figure by way of a single peg and socket. The backpack is a gunmetal grey colour at its core, with painted ivory panels that are probably a closer shade and finish to what was needed on the bulk of the droid's body. Other accessories include a datapad in off-white plastic with metallic blue sections and a silvery grey screen. This fits into either hand, but can't be stowed away in the utility belt which would have been an exciting addition to the figure.
Similarly, the sole training lightsaber hilt included in the pack also has nowhere to be stored. In the show, Huyang wields four of these, but we get just one. It uses the same base plastic as the datapad, with some gunmetal silver added partway down the hilt and again at the far end. This doesn’t fit as well in either of Huyang’s hands where the grip is too loose to hold it overly securely. It also lacks a blade of any kind, whereas a single translucent blade would have replicated the scene on screen.
Articulation is very much built around the same joints we see on the droid himself, with 15 points of articulation across the main body, all single-jointed and with the joint replicating the pins and pivots of the full prop. The shoulder joints are supremely stiff thanks to a robust ratchet, while the elbows feel quite loose out of the box. There are no issues at all within the legs, and Huyang is stable in a variety of poses. The head articulation is through a two-part neck joint which certainly helps with expressing some of Huyang’s mannerisms.
We also get what could be classified as 6 further points of articulation within the backpack with the pair of extendable arms being jointed in three places allowing them to extend up and then over the shoulders. In the show we also see these move out to the side and become four arms when fighting, the figure fails to replicate this rendering these additional arms quite one-dimensional and awkward-looking when extended up but not outward. They also lack any gripping options ending only in three fixed prongs, so even if additional training sabers had been included - the four-arm fighting pose was never an option.
The Star Wars Black Series release of Huyang feels a bit of an anti-climax in hand. While it is still a good figure considering the price point, there are several obvious missed opportunities throughout that could have made him amazing. These range from the choice of base plastic and colouring to the lack of weathering, the eye colour and the lack of any functionality in either the apron or the additional arms. I am sure skilled painters will work wonders with the figure, but for us general collectors he does have a bit of ‘what could have been’ about him when posed on display. Not a bad figure by any stretch, and I’d still recommend him for any Ahsoka (or Clone Wars) Collector.
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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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