The Good: Costume looks more or less right.
The Bad: Dumb animated look, Giant head, Heavy, No accessories
The Basics: Another Mighty Muggs failure comes with the ridiculous painted bobblehead-like toy of Grand Moff Tarkin.
I loathe Mighty Muggs. There, I've said it. Mighty Muggs are an internet phenomenon (apparently) and many of the biggest franchises in media have their characters being remade as Mighty Muggs toys. One of my interests, the Star Wars franchise has fallen prey to the Mighty Muggs phenomenon and I've been finding several of them at rock bottom prices to review. So far, I've panned the Bespin Luke Skywalker (click here for that review!) and the Emperor Palpatine (click here for that review!). The other day, I found the Grand Moff Tarkin Mighty Muggs being clearanced locally and I finally felt vindicated. The vast quantity of leftover Grand Moff Tarkin Mighty Muggs figures I found seemed to indicate that Mighty Muggs vastly overestimated the appeal of their figures for obscure Star Wars characters.
Mighty Muggs toys look like they might be plush as they feature animated versions of recognizable Star Wars characters. However, the cartoon-like heads atop disproportionately smaller bodies simply revealed that the heads and toys were solid, like ceramic (they are, in fact, made of a super-hard, heavy plastic). This is as true of the Grand Moff Tarkin as it is of other Mighty Muggs figures.
For those unfamiliar with Grand Moff Tarkin, he was the Imperial commander in A New Hope (click here for my review of the classic film!) who essentially kept Darth Vader under control. The arrogant commander of the Death Star, Grand Moff Tarkin was in charge when the Empire lost their space station and probably earned the ire of the Emperor posthumously.
The Mighty Muggs Grand Moff Tarkin figure is poor and anyone who has seen how Grand Moff Tarkin actually looked will recognize this bears little resemblance to the late, great Peter Cushing. This looks like a cartoon version of Tarkin and the only way one might know it is him is from the box. Indeed, outside that, there is little else to distinguish this Imperial Officer from any of the other gray-clad Imperials in the Empire.
Basics
Grand Moff Tarkin is a human Imperial, seen lording over Darth Vader on the Death Star and sneering at Princess Leia. The figure stands 7" tall. Grand Moff Tarkin is dressed in a gray and black outfit that is painted solidly onto the puffy body of the toy. There is the rank insignia painted onto the chest of the toy.
This toy is a poor sculpt which looks like an oversized, fattened up LEGO figure and Mighty Muggs only has the cheekbones which indicated Tarkin’s cheeks, which might possibly make the Imperial distinctive as Tarkin. The hands are open slightly and this would allow Tarkin to hold an accessory if he had one. His hair is painted on in a gray widow's peak.
Accessories
Grand Moff Tarkin does not come with any accessories.
Playability
The Mighty Muggs toy line was designed for no good reason I can find, perhaps just because someone realized Star Wars fans would buy anything. This heavy toy can be harmful to children and is more intended as a display statue. Sure, it’s a ridiculous display statue, but that’s about it.
Grand Moff Tarkin comes with only five points of articulation, all of which are simple swivel joints. He has joints at the groin socket, shoulders, and neck. The elbows do not extend, so all arm posing is straight-armed. To be fair, the figure does stand up.
Collectibility
The Grand Moff Tarkin is part of the Mighty Muggs Star Wars collection, which no one I know would ever spend money on. The value of these is already declining because it’s a ridiculous concept executed poorly. Grand Moff Tarkin was vastly overproduced for the interest in the toy and in the character.
Overview
The Mighty Muggs Grand Moff Tarkin toy is a ridiculous statue toy which looks very little like the villain of A New Hope!
For other Star Wars toy and ornament reviews, please check out my takes on:
Original Trilogy Collection 12" Boba Fett doll
2008 Hallmark Emperor Palpatine ornament
Comic Images Super Deformed Yoda Plush
1/10
For other toy reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!
© 2010 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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