Toy Review: ‘Star Wars’ The Black Series Quinlan Vos Is An Earned High Point

by Tony Thornley

Our Star Wars month may be over, but that doesn’t mean the Force isn’t still with us. So as we start June, we got to take a look at Hasbro’s Star Wars The Black Series Quinlan Vos.

Quinlan Vos has a fascinating history as a character.

The character started life in the Dark Horse Comics series Star Wars (later renamed Star Wars: Republic). George Lucas himself was drawn to the character and design, which led to him appearing briefly in the background of Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace’s scenes in Mos Espa. The character would go on to become one of the main stars of Republic, alongside his Padawan apprentice, Aayla Secura (yes, the blue Twi-Lek Jedi famously gunned down during Order 66), and there were plans for further film appearances, including in the battles scenes between the Wookiees and Trade Federation in Star Wars: Episode III — The Revenge of the Sith.

Now, the interesting thing about Vos is that he’s one of the extremely rare characters to be brought from the Legends Expanded Universe to the modern Disney expanded universe more or less completely intact. It’s basically only him and Grand Admiral Thrawn.

Now I really liked this figure right away. I’ve now reached the point with The Black Series that I suspect that Hasbro’s license with Disney dictates the accessories are either extremely limited or the figure needs to come at a premium price point. This figure has no alternate hands, or head sculpts, and the only accessories are the lightsaber and two different blades. The hands I can live without, but a second head with a non-neutral expression would be nice. The lightsaber itself is great, though I’m not convinced I like the triangular “swinging” blade effect piece. Maybe that’s on me though?

As far as design, this figure rocks. It’s very distinctly the hero of the comics and his single arc in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. The shoulder pauldron looks very cool, and the figure captures the spirit of Jan Duursema’s unique character design. The only knock I could give the design is maybe he looks a little too pretty, rather than the grizzled warrior of the comics.

For posing, The Black Series continues to bat a thousand. The joints moved smoothly, and the pauldron didn’t get in the way of posing the right arm. When I started posing him, he looked like a Jedi Knight, through and through. I could have played with him for hours, and honestly, I was having enough fun with him that I didn’t end up snapping many action-oriented poses.