“I was always here, Obi-Wan. You were just not ready to see.”
Force Spirit figures have been part of the Star Wars Black Series since 2017 when the first figure of Obi-Wan from the Original Trilogy was released in this spirit format. Since then we have also had figures of Yoda and Anakin Skywalker. And now we can add Qui-Gon Jinn to that list thanks to his latest appearance, as a Force Spirit, in the 2022 Obi-Wan Kenobi series.
Every Force Spirit figure to date has been an exclusive, with this Qui-Gon version exclusive to Walmart in the US and sold via Fan Channel retailers elsewhere. It is the first Spirit figure released in the Galaxy Collection phase and rather than using blue-hued boxes as has happened in the past with Obi-Wan and Yoda, the Qui-Gon figure is packed in the same packaging as all the other Obi-Wan figures although by that definition a blue accent hue is still used on the artwork and character details. Qui-Gon is number 16 in the Obi-Wan series which follows on from the Final Duel Darth Vader and precedes the Jedi Legend Obi-Wan release at the same time.
As with all Jedi Spirit figures, Hasbro has taken the existing Qui-Gon sculpt from 2017 and adapted this into an ethereal-looking Force Spirit by way of casting nearly all the parts in a translucent blue plastic. Extremities like hands, feet and the lower legs are left in this base colour while the closer we get to the core of the body and the head, paint apps come into play gradually transitioning from the blue force spirit glow to a colour more aligned to Qui-Gon’s Jedi robes but applied with a pearlescent finish. This is also applied to the head sculpt and hair, over the face print tech that enhances the likeness of the sculpt and creates a glossy glowing look. This design ethos for Force Ghosts is unchanged since the original Obi-Wan and while not to everyone's taste, it does look closer to the onscreen effects than a more traditional blue see-through figure.
Over all of this sits a soft goods robe of a partially see-through sheer purple cloth. This is aiming to be reflective of Qui-Gon’s robes but is also trying to add to the mystical aura of the figure. While the body looks OK, I am not convinced by the robes which perhaps needed to be two-layered with a brown robe underneath and this sheer fabric on top to create the shimmering effect. The cut of this cloth is not as well-behaved as some of the latest soft goods and it the way it sits is quite awkward in places, particularly around the head where we have a hood section that can be posed either up or down. Up sits a bit too high over the head, while down looks a bit better but takes some work to get the hood to sit and behave behind the head.
This robe piece is also removable if you want to discard it, which then won't align with the way Qui-Gon looks in his appearance in Kenobi, but may suit some collectors who find the purple robes displeasing.
Qui-Gon features no accessories, as expected considering he is a ghost and there is nothing from the scenes that Hasbro could have included. That being said, the figure still retains the socket on its belt for Qui-Gon’s lightsaber as a hangover from the older base figure.
Articulation is pinned due to the nature of the original release used to create this 2023 variant. This means we do get double-jointed pinned knees as part of the 16-point articulation count. The downside of the older body is the single-joint neck with a very visible joint in the neck. While we don’t need Force Spirit Qui-Gon to do much if we are recreating the Disney+ appearance, it is good to know options are there for more dynamic posing if that is your wish including some seated and kneeling positions. It is a pity that butterfly shoulders weren't included back in 2017 and couldn't be sneaked into this variant as the figure can't quite make that iconic Qui-Gon pose with his hands clasped across his waist and inside his sleeves.
The Qui-Gon Jinn Force Spirit Exclusive won’t be everyone's cup of tea and therefore sits fairly well as an exclusive. The execution is probably as good as we can get within the pricing and limitations of the action figure technology and the figure itself works well enough from the translucent legs and arms through to the pearlescent hue to the main body and head. The robes don’t quite do it for me, they seem to be missing a layer to give that heft and weight of the robes we see Qui-Gon wearing on screen while retaining the outer sheer layer for the Force Spirit shimmer. Unlike many recent exclusives, this release has not seen a huge premium on top of the standard RRP and at the time of writing there appears to be a good supply at least here in the UK - US collectors may be experiencing otherwise if other Walmart exclusives are anything to go by.
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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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