Review: Star Wars Black Series Dash Rendar from Shadows of the Empire, Galaxy Collection Fan Channel Wave
- Mephitsu
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
“I decided it was time to pay the Empire back."
Hasbro’s first Star Wars Black Series release from the 1995 multi-media Shadows of the Empire project was Prince Xizor, released in the Spring of 2025 as part of a Galaxy Collection Fan Channel wave. The line would be further expanded in the early Autumn of 2025 with the Hasbro Pulse Exclusive Luke Skywalker & Princess Leia SOTE 2-Pack Exclusive, and the figure we will take a look at here, Dash Rendar.
Dash Rendar is another Fan Channel Wave, part of the 3rd wave to be released in 2025 via the Fan Channel route and also including figures of Bariss Offee from Attack of the Clones, a Jedi Temple Guard from The Clone Wars, and The Ronin from Star Wars Visions. The box features the same purple hue as established with Prince Xizor, with Rendar number 02 in the Star Wars Shadows of the Empire series.
The side art for Dash connects directly to that of Xizor, we are waiting to see who will be the next single release to join the line with the Luke & Leia set artwork not being compatible in the wider montage. The artwork itself is its own iteration of Dash and not directly based on the established ‘real world’ artwork seen in the Shadows of the Empire comics or video game content. The back of the box carries a brief overview of his role in relation to his interactions with the key characters of Luke and Leia, starting at the Battle of Hoth. The internal cardback, also in the accented purple colouring, includes an illustration of the Outrider, Dash's heavily modified Corellian freighter.
Like the artwork, the figure is based on the 1990s Shadows of the Empire design principles, with Dash a brand new sculpt from the ground up and wearing his chosen flight gear that includes a blue and brown quilted flight suit, gun metal chest armour, quilted brown shoulder pads, leather brown gloves and black gloss boots. Dash is also sporting a gunslinger's belt, similar in style to Han’s with a standard belt, and lower slung holster belt with a working brown holster sitting over his right thigh.
The likeness chosen for Dash is a new iteration and younger than perhaps he is seen in some of the existing content, including giving him a clean shaven look. It is difficult to say if the likeness is accurate without a direct source for comparison, but it certainly meets the realistic style for the Black Series and looks somewhere between Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Prince Charming from Shrek. While it works and brings Dash into a modern setting, it is perhaps not the older and more rugged stubbly look we may remember.
Dash includes a single accessory, his DL-44 blaster, which is again very similar to Han’s. It is cast in gunmetal finish with no further detailing to either the grip, barrel or the sights. It slots into Dash's right hand where a standard trigger finger locks into place, or it can be holstered snugly in the working hip holster.
Articulation is 21 points in total, all pinless. This is a higher count than usual for a current Black Series format, thanks to two extra simple rotation joints included in the boot cut and the cut of the gloves. Rendar is relatively expansive in the options for posing, with the belt flexible to move with the legs, and the shoulder pads a softer plastic and hinged so they move with the arms. There are plenty of display options in line with Dash’s character, particularly while wielding his blaster or simply looking smug and arrogant.
The fact that we are getting Shadows of the Empire Black Series figures some 30 years after its release is an impressive feat, and Dash Rendar is an admirable addition to the line alongside Xizor and the Luke & Leia releases.
While the likeness may not be to everyone’s taste, it fits well into the wider Black Series aesthetic and behaves very much like his contemporaries in the line, particularly Han Solo, whom he technically stood in for during the events of SOTE while Han was in Carbonite. The hope is that the Shadows line will reach a point of relative completeness, adding Chewbacca as Snoova as seen in the 90s line, but also going a step further and bringing us Guri and SOTE version of Luke, Lando and Leia, not just their disguised versions.
Dash Rendar is available now at Fan Channel retailers with the usual £24.99 RRP.
Keep Track of all the Star Wars Black Series figures from Hasbro at our comprehensive
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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...
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