Saelt-Marae (Yak Face) - POTF2 [R/G] - Basic

HEIGHT: 2.2 meters
STATUS: Informant
CLASSIFICATION: Unknown
AFFILIATION: Loyal to Jabba the Hutt
WEAPON OF CHOICE: Double-barreled blaster pistol with modified trigger guard

It was a grueling two year wait for Kenner/Hasbro to produce a long-awaited modern update to the elusive 1985 POTF Yak Face action figure. The original was an international exclusive, never making its way to the USA officially. It had to be imported by collectors to get here, although evidence, and not only an urban legend, has proven that Tri-Logo Yak Face action figures made their way to KB Toys in the USA. As one of the most obscure figures from the entire vintage Kenner era, collectors couldn’t wait for Kenner/Hasbro to produce a modern update that would be closer to screen accuracy when it comes to size and appearance. They succeeded. With a name change from the Expanded Universe and a new outfit, Saelt-Marae (Yak Face) enters The Power Of The Force “2” like with a warm welcome from Star Wars collectors everywhere. The figure shares many similarities to 1985’s POTF Yak Face Kenner figure, but also introduces new aspects including more color. Although it’s hard to tell how screen-accurate the new inflections are, we believe they did their due diligence to make the best action figure possible. No matter what, Kenner/Hasbro has done a great job of translating this character into the modern line. Saelt-Marae (Yak Face) is tall without being lanky and colorful without being obnoxious. In short, the figure is a wonderful addition to the basic figure line. So how does the figure stack up?

Saelt-Marae (Yak Face) comes with all of the standard articulation you’d expect any figure from this era to have. There is no difference in articulation between this figure and most others that are part of The Power Of The Force “2” line. A swivel head is joined by swivel shoulders, swivel hips, and a swivel waist. Saelt-Marae (Yak Face) comes with a head joint that is inhibited because of the large surface area the base of the neck takes up in comparison to the top of the body which it sits. Thankfully, Saelt-Marae (Yak Face) doesn’t need that much head movement based on what we see in Return Of The Jedi. The figure’s sculpting is very, very nice. Saelt-Marae (Yak Face) comes with long arms and large hands, yet they’ve been sculpted excellently to allow for holding the included battle staff accessory, and the accessory looks great in the figure’s hands. Saelt-Marae (Yak Face) is very tall and towers over many figures in the line, but this is an excellent detail as the on-screen character is tall in Jabba’s palace and sail barge. The color palette of Saelt-Marae (Yak Face) is a little bright, and some may feel too bright in some instances. Whether it was the dim lighting in Jabba’s palace and sail barge or not, we don’t think Saelt-Marae (Yak Face)’s threads were this colorful. But, we will play it safe by saying that we’re not entirely certain about this. The bottom line is that the outfit doesn’t look terrible. But you should note that it’s noticeably brighter than the vintage Kenner figure.

As mentioned, Saelt-Marae (Yak Face) comes with a long, black battle staff. Again, we’re not sure if the character utilized this accessory in the film. It could be a convention made up by Kenner/Hasbro. Who knows? Whether it is screen-accurate or not is irrelevant. It’s a fantastic addition to this action figure. The other accessory is difficult, and perhaps nearly impossible, to remove. If you're determined, you may have success. Saelt-Marae (Yak Face) also comes with a removable robe shell, but the figure doesn’t look right without wearing it. There are too many gaps around the neck and shoulders, which make the design of the figure appear awkward. Aside from not having nearly enough articulation, Saelt-Marae (Yak Face) is an essential figure to own. The portrait is beautiful. But some may notice that it points upward a little too high. Also, the added white hair doesn’t look fake, but it’s a bit jarring. It feels slightly out of place. Kenner/Hasbro did a thorough job with Saelt-Marae (Yak Face). We’re pleasantly surprised with this release as we didn’t know if they would do justice to this classic Star Wars character. Part of an incredible Collection 2 wave of figures all based on Star Wars Episode VI: Return Of The Jedi, Star Wars collectors will be able to quickly populate their Jabba’s Palace dioramas with remarkable characters from the fan-favorite film. Saelt-Marae (Yak Face) will be one of their greatest sellers of all time. We’re happy we only waited two years to get a modern version.