A Certain Point of View: Writing, Film and Stuff

Hasbro Star Wars: The Black Series #91 contains Rey and the droid D-O from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Photo Credit: Hasbro, Inc. © 2019 Hasbro and Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL) On October 4, 2019. 11 weeks before the premiere of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Hasbro released a "wave" of eight Star Wars: The Black Series action figures for the company's "Triple Force Friday" assortment of new  Star Wars collectibles and toys. This wave consisted of: Supreme Leader Kylo Ren Cal Kestis Rey & D-O Sith Trooper The Mandalorian Offworld Jawa Second Sister Inquisitor First Order Stormtrooper Although several of the Star Wars action figures in the October 4 wave are based on characters from video games (Cal Kestis is featured in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order ) and Lucasfilm TV shows ( The Mandalorian and Star Wars: Rebels ), four figures represent the then-unreleased final film of the Skywalker Saga, Star Wars - Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker.

Jannah, a former First Order stormtrooper, is Hasbro's 98th Star Wars: The Black Series six-inch scale action figure. Photo Credit: Hasbro, Inc. © 2019 Hasbro and Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL) On December 20, 2019, Walt Disney Motion Pictures Studio released Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (aka Star Wars - Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker ), the ninth and final film of the Skywalker, in North American theaters. Co-written by Chris Terrio and J.J. Abrams and directed by the latter, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker grossed over $1.074 billion worldwide and was nominated for three Academy Awards (Best Original Score, Best Sound Editing, and Best Visual Effects). But even before the film premiered, Hasbro had already released a wave of action figures, vehicles, and other toys and collectibles based on The Rise of Skywalker. These included the 23rd wave of Star Wars: The Black Series six-inch scale action figures, which consists of: First Order Jet Trooper Luke Skywalker (Yavin Ce

Hasbro's #102 Star Wars: The Black Series 6-inch-scale action figure features Wedge Antilles, veteran of the Battles of Yavin, Hoth, and Endor during the Galactic Civil War.  Photo Credit: Hasbro, Inc.© 2019 Hasbro and Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL)  In 2019, in anticipation of the release of Star Wars - Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, Hasbro (originally known as Hassenfeld Brothers) of Pawtucket, Rhode Island released several "waves" of Star Wars themed collectibles and toys. Some, like the Star Wars Vintage Collection's Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Poe Dameron's X-Wing Fighter, were aimed at adult collectors (such as me!) with their retro late-970s/early 1980s-styled packaging and use of the old "Kenner" brand's logo. I received this beauty as part of my birthday gift during a two-day visit to Disney Hollywood Studios' Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge attraction. Photo Credit: Hasbro, Inc. © 2019 Hasbro and Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL) Hasbr

Han Solo's mentor in the smuggling enterprise, Tobias Beckett, is the inspiration for Star Wars: The Black Series' 68th 6-in. scale action figure. Photo Credit: Hasbro, Inc. © 2018 Hasbro and Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL) At the 115th North American International Toy Fair, which was held in February of 2018 in New York City's Jacob K. Javitz Convention Center, Hasbro unveiled a variety of new products at its showroom. Among these was a "wave" of Star Wars: The Black Series 6-inch scale action figures which depicted characters from Solo: A Star Wars Story, Star Wars: A New Hope, and Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.  This initial three-figure wave   consisted of: #68 Tobias Beckett   #69 Rebel Trooper #70 Han Solo (Bespin)  Hasbro shipped these figures, along with other Star Wars- themed toys and collectibles, to stores in the summer, and by July of 2018, they were available in brick-and-mortar stores as well as online retailers such as Amazon, shopDisne

Photo Credit: Hasbro, Inc. © 2017 Hasbro and Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL) In the Spring of 2018, even weeks before its scheduled April 13 rollout, many retailers began selling Death Star Trooper, the 60th figure in Hasbro's Star Wars: The Black Series collection of 6-inch scale action figures. Based on the black-garbed Imperial personnel assigned to serve aboard the original Death Star seen in 1977's Star Wars (aka Star Wars - Episode IV: A New Hope ), Death Star Trooper is a well-made repainted version of 2017's 40th Anniversary figure, Death Squad Commander and was part of a The Black Series wave that included Jawa, Han Solo, Grand Moff Tarkin, Range Trooper, and Lando Calrissian.  Two Death Star Troopers guard the conference room in the Empire's original planet-killing battle station in this scene from Star Wars: A New Hope. © 1977  20th Century Fox Film Corp.  In the original Star Wars Trilogy (1977-1983), the black-clad Imperial troopers are seen primarily a

Hasbro Star Wars: The Black Series #90: Supreme Leader Kylo Ren. Photo Credit: Hasbro, Inc. © 2019 Hasbro, Inc. and Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL)  On October 4, 2019, during the pre-premiere run-up to Star Wars - Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, Hasbro released the 90th figure in its successful Star Wars: The Black Series line of six-inch scale action figures, Supreme Leader Kylo Ren. This figure, which is actually a re-use of the body from 2017's #45 Kylo Ren figure, features a new helmet based on the one reforged by the former Ben Solo after the events of Star Wars - Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, as well as a new cape and two changeable hoods. This figure was one of a fall "wave" of Hasbro Star Wars: The Black Series figures based on characters not just from the final Skywalker Saga film but also from other Star Wars films and TV shows, including Star Wars; Rebels and The Mandalorian. In addition to Supreme Leader Kylo Ren, Hasbro also released the following six-inch sc

Hasbro's 100th 6-in. Star Wars: The Black Series figure is based on Luke Skywalker as he appears in the Throne Room medal ceremony on Yavin 4 at the end of "Star Wars: A New Hope." © 2019 Hasbro, Inc. and Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL) In 2019 ﹘ the year that marked the 42nd anniversary of Star Wars: A New Hope and the release of the final Skywalker Saga film ﹘ Rhode Island-based Hasbro, Inc. rolled out a new wave of figures based not just on characters from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker but from other components of the franchise, including The Mandalorian, Star Wars: Rebels, and the original Star Wars film. Appropriately, the 100th figure in the Star Wars: The Black Series 6-inch scale collection is Luke Skywalker (Yavin Ceremony). It was released in a wave of figures that includes Jannah from The Rise of Skywalker, First Order Jet Trooper from the same film, and Cara Dune from The Mandalorian.  Hasbro's 100th figure in its Star Wars: The Black Series 6-inch co

Star Wars: The Black Series #69 Rebel Trooper. © 2018 Hasbro, Inc. and Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL)  In February 2018, Hasbro unveiled three new figures from its Star Wars: The Black Series collection at its showroom in the International Toy Fair , which was held in New York City at the Jacob K. Javitz Convention Center. Based on characters from Solo: A Star Wars Story, Star Wars: A New Hope , and Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back , the trio was made up of #68 Tobias Beckett #69 Rebel Trooper #70 Han Solo (Bespin) The six-inch scale figures hit shelves in both online and brick-and-mortar stores in the United States, Canada, and Mexico that July, joining the growing number of the coveted Black Series collectibles introduced by Hasbro in 2015, the same year that saw the premiere of Star Wars: The Force Awakens . What's In the Package?  Recently I decided to splurge on a few Star Wars figures of The Black Series collection; in addition to Emperor Palpatine and Thron