Saturday, September 5, 2015

Star Wars Rebels: Kanan Jarrus!

09.05.2015 – Star Wars Rebels has carved its own niche that few would be aware of the series. It doesn’t feature any of the iconic characters from the first six original films, but it has familiar faces which appeared in the said saga.

The Rebels have six prominent characters that were affected by the grip of the Galactic Empire. One of them is Kanan Jarrus the leader of that team considered the ‘Ghost crew’ who has a shrouded past and an interesting origin.



Following The Clone Wars stories, the new Rebels takes place five years before ‘A New Hope’ and fourteen years after that particular animated series. It’s the darkest times that affected everyone as the Galactic Empire strengthens its grip on the entire galaxy that spawned these new characters which would eventually be part of the greater rebellion that everyone has seen in the films.

When you talk about the Ghost crew from Star Wars Rebels series a few characters spring to mind namely the young force sensitive Ezra Bridger and there’s Kanan Jarrus a former Jedi with a story of his own.









The Last Padawan

Kanan Jarrus secret origins is told in the five-part comic book series “Kanan Jarrus: The Last Padawan” published by Marvel comics. It reveals that Kanan is formerly the Jedi Padawan named Caleb Dume a young brash pupil of Jedi Master Depa Billaba.

The former Caleb Dume is the Force-sensitive human who survived the Order 66 and went into hiding he forsook the Jedi ways for some time, swapping his blue-bladed lightsaber for a blaster.





Five-Point Articulated Figure

Hasbro released 3.75 inch action figures featuring some characters from the first six films, The Clone Wars and Rebels, which was also released in two-packs. These where considered ‘Retro Figures’ since they don’t have the joints and articulation of the previous Vintage Collection series that had the old Kenner packaging.

The figures are packed on a bubble that the back card is based from a Stormtrooper’s head that is featured also in Star Wars Rebels. You’ll notice that the character will be part of the series which indicates ‘Star Wars Rebels’ on the card, but if its from another film or series it will show only ‘Star Wars.’

Kanan Jarrus was part of the first wave of the single card mixed with the other characters from the previous films, which also includes Ezra Bridger’s first appearance that doesn’t include his trademark lightsaber and CP-10P Chopper Astromech droid who is also a member of the ‘Ghost crew.’

The aesthetics of the figure captures the appearance of the animation model. But for long time Star Wars fans it doesn’t seemed right that Hasbro had to go back, and do a ‘Retro Figure’ that only featured five-points of articulation. Kids these days are smart enough to know have seen the latest action figures out there to think they’re Star Wars of this generation has been pushed back to the 1980s concept.





The Jedi Cowboy

These present day action figures deserves modern articulations and joints that other properties like G.I. Joe is having. It appears that the current Star Wars Rebels figure appear more than an ‘Art Toy’ rather than action figures what older fans are getting in the Black Series of both 6 inch and 3.75 scale.

There are no issues about aesthetics of the figure translated from animation to plastic form. It’s just that these figures deserves more than just five-points of articulation. Entirely Kanan Jarrus is a great figure its unfortunate his blaster is molded to his hip just like how the old Star Wars figures used to be.



Overall the aesthetics for Kanan captures his entire look from the animation model, but for a figure retailed at PhP 449.75 pesos they could have added more joints for some cool action pose. Making him stand there seemed that there’s something missing what made this character interesting in the show and the comic books.

Kanan Jarrus is part of the new line of Star Wars figures based from the ‘Star Wars Rebels’ animated series produced by Hasbro locally distributed in the Philippines by Playkit, which is retailed at PhP 449.75 pesos. This was acquired at Toy Kingdom where all other Star Wars merchandise is available.

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