As someone who’s been reviewing The Lord of the Rings action figures ever since Diamond Select got the license, I can give credit where credit is due. The company is either listening to feedback or has simply noted some of the same things we reviewers have. With the latest two-figure wave of Samwise Gamgee and Saruman the White, two specific fixes have been implemented on details that annoyed many of us when they occurred on previous figures. That doesn’t mean everything’s 100 percent here — the sheaths that don’t attach to anything continue to frustrate. But given how long it takes to make figures, the fact that any running changes have been implemented is cause for positivity.
Phial Under “Tiny”
The first one is a small one, and can be seen on Sam. Frodo previously came with a phial of Galadriel accessory so small it barely fit in his hand, and looked destined to be lost in carpets the world over. Sam has that same phial — but it’s permanently attached to one of his extra hands. This makes an enormous amount of sense. If alternate hands are going to be a thing anyway, and some of the extras are posed especially to hold a signature item, why not just permanently attach it?
We should note that Saruman’s Palantir looks, in package, like it’s perma-attached to one of his hands, but it isn’t. So you don’t just have to pose him perfectly so as not to drop it, but if you do, since it’s basically a marble, it will fall and roll across the room, possibly somewhere inaccessible, especially if you have a pet who takes a shine to the rolling. We might suggest a touch of glue to make the perma-attachment a real thing.
Another issue earlier in the line came with the Ringwraiths. Because they wear robes with long sleeves, and the robes are sculpted plastic, those long hanging sleeves only look good in one pose, hanging straight down. Gravity doesn’t work so well on fabric in this scale — note the various different fixes Star Wars toys have tried with Jedi robes. But to give Saruman more motion, Diamond has included extra arms so that you can pose him either with arms straight down or bent at the elbow.
Bar Sinister
The articulation at the mid-point of both arms is different for the line — a highly restricted barbel joint that might as well be a simple cut for all the motion it delivers. Yet it offers a bit of assist. It’s not like Saruman is an uber-flexible ninja master anyway, as Christopher Lee was quite old when he played him.
Saruman’s extra arms both have right hands, which is awkward but not an error, as the hands swap out anyway. It’s just something to notice before you put the figure in group photographs (see above for how not to). He simply has more right hand options than left — his only Palantir hand is left, and his only staff hand is right (and a bit loose, but bracing it against his long hanging sleeve helps).
Dis Robed?
Switching out his arms allows complete removal of his longer robe if you so choose — but it’s not the best look for him, especially since it creates a hair gap at the neckline. Still, available if you choose it. The Palantir looks black, but held up to the light — a strong one, like the sun — it’s revealed as reddish brown. The lower skirt has no slits, which really restricts the lower leg articulation, but for what it’s worth, under the robe, all their wrappings are sculpted in detail.
As for actor likenesses, Saruman looks slightly off — I think it’s the eyes, which are painted looking just a smidge in slightly different directions. It’s something a person would have to look pretty close to see, like, say, in a picture for an article like this one. Other than that, It’s clearly Saruman, and the nose is certainly Lee’s.
Sam is more on-the-money as a Sean Astin replica, though if we’re being honest, his hair does look a bit like a bowl of wet noodles. He can be decked out with his shoulder bag and either the Lorien cloak or his massive backpack o’ supplies. To get the cloak on, you’ll have to pop his head off; the backpack can go on the usual way, over both arms, but it’s easier to pop one of the straps open.
Braces, for Impact
Note Sam’s mid-torso articulation specifically. it works well for play, but for pictures, it can very quickly throw off the connectivity of his suspenders and shirt line. Separate suspender engineering would likely up the price, so it’s a trade-off. Something like a Mezco One: 12 figure could make it perfect for $100 or so. For a $30 figure, however (yes, there’s been a $5 price bump, starting with Boromir and Lurtz), check out the detailed color and texture on those pots and pans…
Sam includes two swords — one with blue glowing blade, and another less fantastical, which fits into a nicely detailed sheath. Anyone collecting this line long-term may know what happens next: the sheath doesn’t attach anywhere! (As best we can tell.) Looks great, though.
The figures remain compatible with other 7-inchers, and particularly other Diamond Selects, like Marvel.
Cost Concern
As for that $5 price bump — well, it’s the price we pay in this hobby. McFarlane’s having trouble keeping DC figures at $20 these days, balancing them out with more premium pricing on certain sets. The Star Wars Black Series has some characters now as high as $33 apiece. It’s a matter of time before Marvel Legends go above $25. That’s just how the market is, like it or not. Once the Fellowship is completed with Merry and Pippin, this line’s days may be numbered, though there are still a few key characters outside that group who’d probably have fan support, like Eowyn, Arwen, and Wormtongue.
When it comes to whether these two are worth the price to you, well, take a look through our image gallery and make up your own mind.
