"The nature of our mission is secret. You will understand I am sure"
Character Toys commitment to the Doctor Who Collector line of figures is impressive, despite the line currently receiving limited retailer support - other than B&M - the team continues to develop new sets and figures, with repaints and remedial tweaks heading into B&M sets and the newer developed figures and sets sold directly from Character to collectors. The latest of these Character Toys Exclusive packs is called ‘Ruins of Skaro’ and is based on the 1979 4th Doctor story, The Destiny of the Daleks. The set features a new release of the highly sought-after ‘Bomb’ Dalek from the story as well as brand-new figures of the Movellans.
The set arrives in an outer cardboard sleeve to protect the box. Inside the set features a rectangular window box with a white base colour and blue trim and designs with a TARDIS image at the bottom left. The accent colour of the sets was said to be aligned to different Doctors and eras and the blue here is consistent with the previous 4th Doctor release, the 2023 Deadly Assassin 3-pack. Much of the design principles are dictated by the BBC and this includes the use of the current logo, which is actually very much aligned to the 4th Doctor era with the diamond backdrop. The rear of the box features the now standard, extensive write-up of the story on which the set is based as well as production notes and background info on the props.A central insert shows the figures in a diorama setting. Further diamond call outs are then used around the box to confirm the contents and the 5.5-inch scale.
The original Destiny ‘Bomb’ Dalek was released in 2009 as part of a 4th Doctor Adventure set, and it has not been released since, with Character choosing to include a pair of standard Destiny Drones in their 2022 History of the Daleks set that marked the 1979 story. This 2024 re-release uses the same Classic Dalek base as the original as well as the light grey base colour scheme and painted black trim across the base, roundels, and central panels.
2024 left vs 2009 right
On this version the front oval between the gun and sucker arm is also painted black, it was left grey on the original release, and there is also silver weathering around the base. Both versions are accurate to Destiny and it is a neat way of keeping some level of rarity to the original release while giving others the chance to own the figure.
2024 left vs 2009 right
The bombs are painted in yellow with red caps and are glued into the central mesh in a reasonably regular design. The original had a bit more of a uniform distribution, this 2024 version has a few haphazard placements nearer the front - but again this is by design and in line with the original props. The Dalek features the usual level of articulation with the eye stalk moving up and down within its socket and the gun and sucker arm being articulated with a ball joint with a wider range of movement. The dome also swivels and the figure retains the lower wheels under the base.
The Movellans are brand new figures for the Doctor Who line, and Character have created a base female body which then can be used to create two different Movellan warriors which remains perfectly in keeping with their Android ancestry. The bodies are predominantly an off-white colour with variations of tone and finish, with the use of a pearlescent finish on the legs and around the neck and chest. The belt and boot trims are painted in silver with tools and instruments added to the belt in black with red and yellow switches, and to the shoulders with a yellow and silver finish.
The heads are different in sculpt and skin tone with painted eyes and mouth. This is not the facial printing we see on other lines, but it is neat and tidy and ensures the new figures remain aligned to all those that have gone before since 2005 essentially moving the line to a retro look to match itself circa 20 years earlier. The hair pieces are the same and attached separately to the head, they feature a grey plaited design trimmed in silver.
Each Movellan features the same 15 points of articulation with the first use (as far as I can tell) of non-pinned elbows. These elbow joints hugely enhance the overall look of the figure, but have less movement with a limited bend that doesn’t get anywhere close to 90 degrees. The Movellans also get the newer ball joint shoulders, but lose any waist articulation. Leg joints remain pinned at the knees and there is a thigh cut and pinned hip above them, but no ankle articulation. Despite this, they are simple to pose and hold themselves in either neutral or semi-dynamic stances.
Accessories are a pair of Movellan blaster weapons that include a grey surround and translucent pink cone-shaped emitter. They fit over either of the Movellan hands with the hands gripping onto a central grip within. When not in use a slot on the side of the weapon allows them to be hung on the Movellan’s belt by way of an extended peg.
The last element of the set is a return to the diorama inserts we have seen on some older sets. The box inside is a replication of the Movellan ship and will work as a display piece, although it does feature plain cardboard sides.
The set is another wonderful addition to the Who range and has clearly been created by a fan for the fans. There are also innovations in the line with new articulation options without straying too far from the overall aesthetic we have invested in since 2005. While there have been some price comparisons particularly - and unfairly - to the B&M sets which are a very different proposition in terms of development costs. The £39.99 price tag equates to £13.33 per figure which is not at all out of line with other figures of a similar size and decor, and had the set been split up and single-carded at that RRP there would likely have been little complaint. A worthy addition to the Doctor Who line, and enhances existing figures like the Destiny of the Daleks release of Romana. It also provides us with a new alien species to expand the collection and a re-release (but variant) rare Dalek thrown into the mix.
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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...