Hasbro's Final Wave Of Indiana Jones Adventure Series Action Figures Is Easily The Best
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With the release of "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" in 2023, Lucasfilm and Hasbro took advantage of the titular adventurer's return to dig back into the history of the beloved franchise with a new collection of toys. Hasbro's Adventure Series action figures would finally give us the detailed yet affordable collectible versions of the characters we've loved in (almost) all of the "Indiana Jones" movies, from "Raiders of the Lost Ark" to "Temple of Doom" to "The Last Crusade." (Yes, "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" was left out in the wind.)
After the first wave threw it back to "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and the second wave dug into "Temple of Doom" with a little bit of "Dial of Destiny," the third and seemingly final wave of Indiana Jones Adventure Series action figures arrived at "The Last Crusade" and included a couple more "Dial of Destiny" figures for good measure. Though I very much enjoyed the first wave of figures from "Raiders of the Lost Ark," I was also a little underwhelmed with some of their features. Thankfully, Hasbro sent over the final wave of Indiana Jones action figures for me to get a closer look at, and I must say that these "Last Crusade" and "Dial of Destiny" figures look incredible, giving us outstanding likenesses and great accessories, even though there are some shortcomings. Plus, the final wave also delivers the best buildable artifact of the entire collection. Let's take a closer look below!
Turning back to the Dial of Destiny
Since the second wave of the Indiana Jones Adventure Series action figure collection only features two figures from "Dial of Destiny (namely, Harrison Ford as the aged Indy himself and franchise newcomer Phoebe Waller-Bridge as his goddaughter Helena Shaw), it only makes sense that the final wave of figures should bring a couple more. In this case, we get Mads Mikkelsen as the film's primary villain, the scheming Dr. Jürgen Voller, and Antonio Banderas as Indy's ally Renaldo (looking a bit like Vincent Cassell), who gives Dr. Jones and Helena a ride on his boat to a key location in their pursuit of the Antikythera, or Archimedes' dial.
While the likeness of both characters from "Dial of Destiny" is fantastic, these action figures struggle to fit the "action" part of the equation. They're great for completists, especially for those who need the necessary pieces to create the buildable artifact that comes from this wave of figures, but otherwise, there isn't much exciting about them. While the inclusion of Voller makes sense as the film's villain, I'm not sure why we didn't get an action figure of Ethan Isidore as Teddy, the young sidekick traveling with Helena who is actually a big part of the movie's action sequences.
Ethan Anderton
On the more positive side, I must say that the glasses included on Voller are considerably better than most action figures that give bespectacled characters their key accessory. They actually fit snugly on the face and the lenses don't look cartoonish at all, which can be difficult to achieve on this scale. At the same time, I'm shocked that none of the "Dial of Destiny" characters actually came with Archimedes' dial as an accessory. That seems like a ridiculous oversight. But at least Voller has a satchel!
I know it sounds like I'm ragging on these particular figures, but if you're going to force fans to buy them in order to build the artifact, then the figures should have more redeeming features. But again, I'd still like to compliment the quality of their sculpts and small details. Plus, the rest of the collection is satisfying enough to make up for it.
'She talks in her sleep'
The next pair of figures deliver two-thirds of an unsettling love triangle that takes shape in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade." We've got Alison Doody as Elsa Schneider, the alluring but double-timing Nazi femme fatale, and Sean Connery as Dr. Henry Jones Sr. Before Elsa became entangled with Indiana Jones, she also swooned his father, giving the somewhat estranged father and son an uncomfortable new connection.
Elsa comes with two different head sculpts, allowing her to appear with both her military-esque hat and her unfurled platinum blonde hair. There's a part of me that wishes they would have included a head sculpt where she has that wild smile on her face as she reaches for the Holy Grail on a cliffside, but maybe that's just me. Also included are the goggles that she wears while traveling through the desert, which can also be situated on her head or around her neck. As with many female action figures, the more dainty legs make dynamic posing a little challenging without a figure stand, though these figures do offer plenty of articulation points to make that easier. But really, Elsa probably looks best when posing next to Indy, embracing him seductively to get what she wants for Germany.
Ethan Anderton
Meanwhile, Dr. Henry Jones Sr. is a fantastic re-creation of Sean Connery in the beloved role. The elder Jones comes with all of his signature accessories, from his floppy hat to his spectacles, as well as his coveted diary, trusty umbrella, and even his briefcase. Honestly, all the figures could have used an equally rich roster of accessories. Yes, the hat and glasses are removable, and much like Voller, the glasses fit well on the figure's head and don't look silly. Plus, I like that the bowtie around Connery's neck is just slightly askew. The only downside is that there's not an alternate head sculpt with a different expression. That's often my wish for a lot of these figures (if only to allow for more genuine action posing).
Personally, I would have loved a two-pack including Indy and his father packed with a motorcycle that has a sidecar, allowing us to have the figures cruising away from their Nazi enemies, but I can't imagine Hasbro is going to give us that. Maybe there's one out there somewhere that could do the trick.
'You must choose'
Finally, we come to the characters who give us one of the most memorable moments in the final moments of the original Indiana Jones trilogy. We have Robert Eddison as the Grail Knight, tasked with guarding the cup of Christ, as well as Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones himself, his usual look changed up slightly with the presence of a black tie and a fully buttoned-up shirt.
The Grail Knight is a magnificently detailed figure, from his chainmail hauberk to his cape and tunic (not to mention an exquisite sculpt of Eddison's face). Though the cape limits the figure's maneuverability, the length allows for more stability when standing so that he can be displayed without a figure stand. Plus, it's not as if the Grail Knight is meant to be a full-on action figure, considering his role in the climax of "The Last Crusade." But even so, as you can see in my images, the inclusion of both his sword and sheath allows for plenty of different posing options.
Ethan Anderton
As for Indiana Jones, this just might be the best version of the character in the entire collection, mostly because of the improved paint job on Harrison Ford's face. There was something off about the "Raiders of the Lost Ark" version of Indy's face. I think it's the more subtle stubble and perhaps a better job on the eyes that makes this version of Indy feel more lifelike. But there's another cool feature that should have been part of the Indy figure from the beginning. Even though Indy's hat isn't removable, "The Last Crusade" version makes it so that Indy's hat can be tilted forward for an intimidating look or backward slightly, perhaps for an action pose with a whip. It makes me want to get another "Last Crusade" Indy to swap out the head for the "Raiders" figure.
Of course, with a couple of upgrades also comes a step back. This version of Indiana Jones doesn't have swappable hands. Granted, the hands from the "Raiders" figure can probably be used just as easily, but it would have been nice to have more options available across the various versions of Indy (of which there are 10 total). At least Indy gets a better gun this time, even though I still wish his whip didn't look like a cheap plastic accessory.
'You chose ... wisely'
That brings us to the buildable artifact that comes together with pieces assembled after you collect all six figures above. Each figure comes with a diagram to piece them together. It seems fairly straightforward, but yours truly was a bit of a buffoon and connected the tabletop to the legs of the table without first putting on the decorative square pieces that sit between the legs and the surface. Once those table legs were snapped into the table, I could not get them off again, so I had to force the square frames (which were thankfully somewhat rubbery) around the legs so the display looked complete. I could not have been more frustrated with myself, so don't make my mistake.
Ethan Anderton
But once you're done piecing it together, you're rewarded with this great setpiece to recreate the climactic moment where Indy chooses wisely and finds the Holy Grail. The display looks phenomenal, but there is one downside. The surface of the table has round grooves that would seem to indicate where you're supposed to place the various chalices, goblets, and cups. However, they don't seem to be specific to each piece, and the official display pictures had plenty of variation concerning the positioning of the cups. Even if you use the film as a frame of reference, the surface grooves still make for a rather clumsy set-up. But once you get a layout that you're happy with, as you can see, it's a fantastic backdrop to pose Indy and the Grail Knight with.
Hasbro
For those who want an even more complete scene, there's also a Walter Donovan figure available. He doesn't come with a necessary piece of the artifact, but he does come with the chalice that ultimately brings about his demise. Furthermore, he also comes with an alternate head sculpt in the middle of his rapid aging and decay after choosing poorly. Combined with the full final wave, this collection of figures offers the most complete scene re-creation from any of the movies, and it will undoubtedly look great on your collectible shelf.
All of the Indiana Jones Adventure Series action figures are available on Amazon and Hasbro Pulse (and various retailers online and in-store) for a retail price of $24.99, though prices may vary for certain figures.