The Marvel Legends wave for Eternals, released in the Autumn of 2021, was unusually a full wave of Marvel Cinematic Universe figures. It was a vehicle for Hasbro to give us all ten members of the Eternals, working alongside the two exclusives of Ajak and Thena. Out of the Seven main figures of the wave, six of them would also include parts for an eighth and final figure of Gilgamesh. Only Ikaris was devoid of Gilgamesh parts, the usual way popular characters who are double packed in a case are treated.
Gilgamesh arrives in six key parts, with two further alternative hands included with each arm section. The construction is simple enough with the joints clipping into each other around the central main torso. The legs are the hardest due to the size of the thigh joint and may need a bit of heat from some hot water to ease them into position.
"The strongest and kindest Eternal, Gilgamesh becomes Thena's de-factor partner when the events of the past exile them from the other Eternals."
Gilgamesh has a decent enough likeness to actor Don Lee, applying the face print tech to capture his eyes, the shading of his features, and the facial hair. The skin tone is a good match to Gilgamesh on screen and the hair is also sculpted with a degree of accuracy to the onscreen appearance although it perhaps lacks a little bit of volume.
The body is cast in a bronze plastic with green panels and follows the same pattern as the movie costume with the chest design of the circular celestial icons down to the panels around the skirt and into the arms and legs. The lower torso and skirt piece is one, added as a wrap around the body itself. Unlike Phastos, who lost definition with this addition, Gilgamesh retains the overall body shape and definition of the waist then allows the skirt section to hang naturally around the top of his legs front and back.
The green metallic paint is neatly applied but there is less definition on Gilgamesh vs the other Eternals with none of the lines of the suit picked out or even washed to add definition and battle-worn grime that we see on Gilgamesh. There is also a colour match issue between the upper hips and the thighs and legs with two slightly different tones in play which does show up more when the figure is fully lit.
Gilgamesh comes with two pairs of hands. The first are the gripping hands that come attached to the arms, these can be swapped out for a pair of clenched fists which will be most people's choice for posing Gilgamesh considering his role as the powerful warrior among the Eternals.
As a BAF we are lucky to have these alternative parts, although if I was being greedy some cosmic power effects for the fists would also have been pretty cool.
While he is a build-a-figure, Gilgamesh retains the full set of 18 points of articulation and these are all executed in a pinless body to maintain the overall look of the figure. Everything works as it should and the arms are wide-ranging enough for some dynamic posing ready for battling the Deviants.
BAF's can suffer from loose joints considering the joints are designed to be assembled and may not be as tight as usual, but Gilgamesh shows no signs of this and he holds all poses well and stands steadfast.
Gilgamesh is arguably a little small for a Build-a-Figure, but certainly not the first standard figure to be included in this format after the likes of Okoye, Endgame Thor, and Mantis. While a Deviant may have been the choice of some, particularly from a size perspective, I think the way Hasbro has laid this wave out with a Deluxe Kro to face off against them is well thought out.
My Eternals are now complete and as I thought right through all of my reviews, the beauty of the wave is in the completion and the display as a group of heroes not just as individual figures.
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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...