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Look, considering the “Skywalker Saga” (to be clear, you’re absolutely a narc if you call it that) came to a close last December, 2020 was still a banner year when it comes to Star Wars merchandise. Between The Mandalorian merch finally hitting in full force after a slight delay, a whole bunch of killer releases to commemorate the 40th anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back, Sideshow Collectibles getting into the Clone Wars game, and your usual reliable roster of Black Series releases, it’s been a pretty good 12 months if you’re someone who’s generally obsessed with all things Galaxy Far, Far Away.
With the year winding down, The Mandalorian Season 2 having ended, and Disney apparently giving season orders to literally anybody who approaches them with a TV pitch, it seems like a good time to take stock of some of the best Star Wars merch 2020 had to offer. From clothing collaborations to what may go down as a true all-time great collectible, here’s the coolest Star Wars merchandise of 2020.
Hey, we heard you like The Child so we got you a jacket that can turn your child into The Child.
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Any time a Scout Trooper/Speeder Bike combo is released it’s cause for celebration as far as I’m concerned. To this day they remain incredibly rad (even more so after the killer action sequence that heavily featured them in the second season of The Mandalorian). But this one? This one is different. This one is special. Because this Black Series Speeder Bike/Scout Trooper combo pack isn’t just any Speeder Bike/Scout Trooper combo set.
It’s specifically the Scout Trooper played by comic actor/the greatest late night television show host of all time Adam Pally in the Mando Season 1 finale. You know, the one who instantly turned the entire world against him when he punched Baby Yoda? Yeah. There’s an action figure of that guy now.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08B1RR89T?linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
Force FX lightsabers have been the end-all-be-all coolest Star Wars collectible ever since I was a kid. Seriously, I remember when they first came out. A kid up the block got one and me and all my friends gathered in his backyard like our neighbor had gotten the first television we’d ever seen.
2020 saw a ton of great Force FX saber releases (I’m pretty partial to Asajj Ventress finally getting her due) but there’s no question as to what the standout is: Darth Revan’s distinct saber finally brought to life in all the glory it deserves. Featuring two interchangeable kyber crystals to change the color of the blade from red to purple, it’s a really stunning collectible and well worth the wait. This one, unfortunately, sold out pretty quickly, but if you’re willing to pay resale prices it won’t disappoint.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VM23F9B?linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1&smid=A37SYHX13GSHLR
It’s been ages since we got a great dogfighting game set in the Star Wars universe. The jury is still out as to whether or not Star Wars Squadrons quite qualifies as “great” but man, it’s definitely a lot of fun at least. If you need something to get you in the mood for Patty Jenkins’ recently-announced Rogue Squadron movie, this’ll do the trick.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08B6PJDN8?linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1&smid=A3AK7T0WQUY0Q4
Sideshow Collectibles’ 1/6 scale Hot Toys figures are legendary. Definitely occupying the upper tier of collectibles both in terms of price and quality, the craft behind these things is stunning, the sort of thing you can’t help but look on with some awe. The attention to detail is genuinely astonishing and its Star Wars standout this year was easily its first take on Din Djarin, the Mandalorian.
If there’s a downside to this one it’s that it’s the pre-beskar version of the character (there are a number of figures with the beskar armor on the way) but the upside is that it’s still a stunner of a figure and happens to currently be in stock. Not having to wait is always a plus, especially considering these figures are often announced and made available for pre-order something like a year in advance.
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Listen, technically this one came out in late 2019 but hear me out: A lot of us had plans to see Galaxy’s Edge for the first time this year. And a lot of us had to cancel those plans given the, uh, global pandemic. It’s never gonna be possible to capture that experience at home, but for now the Black Spire Outpost cookbook is about as good a substitute as there is.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1683837983?linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
Hey, we heard you like The Child so we got you a little costume that can turn your fur child into The Child.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084TTCLWX?linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1&smid=A36K1QD9WH6XB4
Whittling the magic of Star Wars down to just one thing is nigh impossible but it doesn’t feel like a leap to say that part of what makes it so special is the feeling that just around the corner from any scene you’re watching there could be a story just as interesting—and totally different from the one onscreen—playing out. The From a Certain Point of View books take that concept and run with it, telling a variety of stories that revisit key moments from the original Star Wars trilogy from the perspective of different characters, all written by some of the best authors in the game today. The latest installment doesn’t disappoint, with great short stories from writers like Delilah S. Dawson and Gary Whitta.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0593157745?linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
Admittedly, much of the appeal of The Black Series comes in its accessibility: 6" figures that run $20 or so and can be picked up everywhere from Amazon to Target to your local Walgreens. That said, there are some figures that run a bit pricier than others due to popularity and scarcity. Does this defeat the purpose of the line? Not if we’re talking about an Ahsoka Tano action figure.
The fan-favorite Jedi/Not-Jedi’s merchandise always seems to fly off the shelves, so resale prices tend to be your only option. There’s sure to be a ton of great Ahsoka stuff coming our way with the new Disney+ series being announced but if you need something to hold you over until then, this new Black Series figure ought to do the trick.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084PVD1L4?linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1&smid=A2DAA2XXJJHW4S
Here it is. The grail. The best Star Wars collectible of the year. After a full year of Baby Yoda-mania sweeping the nation, you can now own a photorealistic life-size Baby Yoda (excuse me, “Grogu”) of your own. In fact, you can own two. Right now there are two versions of the figure available on the company’s website, one by Sideshow Collectibles (which is the one currently shipping) and one from Hot Toys (which begins shipping sometime between January and March). The Hot Toys version is fully articulated, which is a huge plus (and also explains the slightly higher price of $410), though the Sideshow version was designed by some of the folks who helped bring the character to life for the show. Whichever one you’re feeling, you won’t be disappointed.
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