The Armorer, as seen in Season 1 of The Mandalorian, was released as a Star Wars Black Series figure in 2020. She first appeared in a Convention Exclusive release with soft goods cloak and additional accessories, the same figure was then released in the 2nd wave of the Phase 4 Galaxy Collection in the Autumn of 2020.
The Galaxy Collection categorises figures by source movie or TV, and The Armorer is part of the Mandalorian series with the burnt umber accent colour. She is #4 in the Mandalorian line with the side art panel on each release lining up to create a wider montage - as seen on our Galaxy Collection page. The Armorer sits between the Incinerator Trooper from the same wave, and the Deluxe Din Djarin & Child set.
"The Armorer plays a vital role in keeping the culture of the Mandalorians alive. She forges beskar armor in the ancient tradition on her people"
The Armorer, when seen on the show, was shown in a dimly lit underground area and therefore the figures initial colouring of the figure may appear a touch too bright. The figure recreates the ornate helmet really well in a bright gold colour with black visor and gunmetal horns. The body suit is grey with brown trim and thick padded brown gloves and a skirt section added in a rubbery plastic.
The upper armour piece across the chest is a bronze metallic and paint detail is then added around the figure with a gold control panel on the belt and trim down the trousers and around the arms. The skirt section is washed to give it some weathering and ideally that would have been great across the rest of the figure to give it the worn look.
This standard release of the Armorer presents the short cloak section as a plastic sculpted piece as opposed to the soft goods used on the Exclusive version. The piece is much better looking in terms of the detail of the fur and the colouring which includes a deep wash to enhance the texture.
It is not the best fit onto the figure relying on three short tabs that insert into sections on the back of the figure. The cloak does have a habit of dropping off if not engaged fully and it can also be dislodged if the arms are moved upward.
The accessories for the standard release are versions of the Armorers Hammer and Tongs, both cast in a silver plastic and around two inches long. They are detailed enough for what they are and fit easily in either hand for posing. While the tongs do look like they could be articulated at the pivot, they aren't and trying to open the pincers will just bend the arms.
The Armorer has an articulation count of 19, and includes the new neck joint and butterfly joints at the shoulder. The elbows and knees are single jointed, but there is plenty of movement for the various blacksmith poses you may want to put her in - or indeed clobbering Stormtroopers with the hammer and tongs. All the joints are secure and tight, the Armorer also stands well in both a neutral pose, but also in more dynamic stances.
The Armorer is a fantastic addition to the Star Wars Black Series and the Mandalorian collection of figures. The basic version here, in my opinion, has the better looking cloak but of course the fact it is plastic does mean it looses the flexibility and flow of the soft goods. The Exclusive version does come with better accessories, notably the addition of the larger tongs and hammer and the Mandalorian helmet being cast.
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...
action figures, reviews, review, articulation, star wars, black series, galaxy collection, the mandalorian, the armorer, this is the way
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