Grand Admiral Thrawn - TVC - Basic (VC296)

It's rather unbelievable that after 28 years and three different versions, we finally have a super-articulated 3/75-inch action figure of Grand Admiral Thrawn. Now, the action figure may not be based on the Heir To The Empire comics series, but that may not matter since it is a realistic interpretation of the Star Wars: Rebels character. And when Hasbro translates an animated character into a realistic style, it usually picks up nuances from its other Star Wars sources. Although a retool and repaint of the popular 2023 TVC Admiral Piett (VC270) figure, there is much newness here, from new parts to different colors, that makes Grand Admiral Thrawn nearly unrecognizable next to its base tooling. We're comfortable rating Grand Admiral Thrawn as a close-to-perfect action figure. We feel this strongly because of how long we waited to get a version of this action with this much articulation. And the final result is beyond satisfying. It's simply gorgeous. We wish Hasbro would have addressed the character photo a little differently. For example, we would have loved to see them add a realistic interpretation for the card art, but it's not a dealbreaker. We think about 2012's TVC Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Ahsoka based on The Clone Wars. All came with realistic character photos.

Who could forget the first introduction of Grand Admiral Thrawn in the basic figure line? Long before the dreadful Disney Star Wars came to be, longtime Star Wars fans got to enjoy the Expanded Universe through multimedia events like Star Wars: Heir To The Empire, which is where we first saw Grand Admiral Thrawn and the character's unforgettable ysalamiri. Released in the trendy Expanded Universe line during The Power Of The Force "2" era, the figure came with a pop-up display (which Hasbro developed into the cardboard packaging), and although the figure only had five points of articulation, we didn't care because it was a fresh release in the line. The next version of Grand Admiral Thrawn arrived a decade later in The Legacy Collection Grand Admiral Thrawn/Talon Karrde (8) Comic Packs two-pack. This release showcased the first super-articulated version of Grand Admiral Thrawn and still holds up well by today's standards. However, when you compare it to The Vintage Collection version, you cannot help but notice how obsolete it is because technology has come so far. No matter how perfect you feel an action figure is, an all-new release shows us how inferior it is. Regardless, some action figures are evergreen and hold up well throughout the years. But, Hasbro possesses the ability to improve most as the technology improves.

Hasbro also released a 5POA version of Grand Admiral Thrawn in the Rogue One line, based on the character's animated appearance. Grand Admiral Thrawn comes with 27 points of articulation across 17 areas. The figure has a fantastic range of motion and achieves any pose you wish. The lower skirt doesn't inhibit the figure's movement in any way. You'll be able to pose this figure without interruption. Although Grand Admiral Thrawn has a lot of new parts, the previously existing elements borrowed from Admiral Piett are seamless with the new features. You cannot tell where one figure ends and the latest updates begin, which is a testament to what Hasbro can achieve in the line these days. The skin color looks perfect, and we can't help but be impressed with how they did the figure's hairstyle. Yes, there is molded hair on the figure's head, but check out the paint operations that develop the hairline. Hasbro found a realistic and believable way to create this perimeter of a character's hairstyle. We love what they achieved here. For accessories, Hasbro went a little too light here. Grand Admiral Thrawn only comes with a blaster pistol. Despite this, this is one of the best action figures of the year. We commend Hasbro on a job well done! We look forward to more characters like this in the line.