If you’re a fan of Hasbro and a fan of Star Wars, you know that Hasbro Star Wars is a match made in, well, a galaxy far, far away and incredibly appreciated by those of us in the Milky Way. But when and how did that relationship begin, how did it evolve, and where does it stand today? There have been many, many Hasbro Star Wars product lines over the years, and there’s no way we could adequately cover all of them here, but which are the ones we’ve been able to enjoy recently and can revel in today? And how do they differ? Here we’ll attempt to answer these questions as of this moment. But as you may know, it gets murky, with old lines disappearing and new ones appearing almost as fast as new action figures or the Millennium Falcon makes the Kessel Run. So, fasten your harness and hold on tight – it promises to be quite a ride!
The Birth of Hasbro Star Wars
Star Wars The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figures Wave 18 Case of 8
It might seem like Hasbro Star Wars action figures and toys have been around forever, but that isn’t quite true. The origins lie in the well-known and loved, but now defunct, Kenner Products company. RIP.
The Kenner Years
Star Wars Obi-Wan Kenobi The Retro Collection Kenner Action Figures Wave 3 Case of 8
In 1976, Kenner Products acquired the rights to produce Star Wars action figures and toys. Their first such line was action figures in the 3 3/4-inch scale we all know as the standard today. But Kenner wasn’t prepared for the huge demand when 1977’s Star Wars hit theaters, and they had to issue “certificates” avid fans could mail to Kenner to buy the first four figures – Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Chewbacca, and R2-D2. As the years went by and other Star Wars movies were produced, the figures continued to roll out until 1985 when demand slowed and Kenner discontinued its production of Star Wars action figures. Kenner was bought by Tonka in 1987 and then by Hasbro in 1991. The company did produce a new line of Star Wars toys starting in 1995. To this day, fans and collectors covet Kenner and Kenner-style figures and packaging. Don’t you?
Hasbro Takes the Helm
Star Wars The Black Series Obi-Wan Kenobi (Jabiim) 6-Inch Action Figure
Following Hasbro’s acquisition of Kenner in 1991 and in response to renewed interest in Star Wars in the mid-1990s, Hasbro released a new line of Star Wars action figures under The Power of the Force logo. These were similar to but upgraded from the Kenner line of the same name. Products continued to be branded Kenner until the end of 1998 when Hasbro rebranded them to Hasbro. In 2013, Hasbro renewed its deal to produce Star Wars toys. The Hasbro Star Wars relationship and history gets lengthy and perhaps somewhat confusing, partially because lots of products were released exclusively overseas, causing many fans in the U.S. to not even know they existed. But the basic 3 3/4-inch action figure timeline looks something like this:
- The Power of the Force (II) (1995-2000)
- Shadows of the Empire sub-line (1996)
- Episode I (1999-2000)
- Power of the Jedi (2000-2002)
- Star Tours (2002)
- Star Wars Saga (2002-2004)
- Clone Wars (2003-2005)
- The Original Trilogy Collection (2004-2005)
- Revenge of the Sith (2005)
- The Saga Collection (2006-2007)
- Star Wars: Saga Legends (This gets complicated. We believe Saga Legends first appeared about 2007, but also in the 30th Anniversary Collection, The Legacy Collection, and Shadows of the Dark Side below. It overlapped with Movie Heroes at one point as well.)
- 30th Anniversary Collection (2007-2008)
- The Legacy Collection (2008-2010)
- The Clone Wars (2008-2012)
- Star Wars: Shadows of the Dark Side (Never explicitly named on the packaging, this “black and blue” line ran 2010-2012.)
- Star Wars: The Vintage Collection (2010-2012, 2018-present)
- Star Wars: Movie Heroes (2012-2013)
- Star Wars: The Black Series (2013-2017)
- Star Wars Rebels (2014-2015)
- Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015-2016)
- Rogue One (2016-2017)
- Force Link (2017-2018)
- Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017 – This coincided with Force Link above, and very few products were actually labeled The Last Jedi.)
- Solo (2018 – This was Force Link 2.0, and few products had Solo as a movie title on the packaging.)
- Star Wars Resistance (2019)
- Celebrate the Saga (2020
- Epic Hero Series (2024-present)
There’s a lot more history we could include, but you’d probably fall asleep before you read it all. So, for additional information related to the more current Hasbro Star Wars action figure product lines, please see below. And “may the Force be with you!”
The Hasbro Star Wars Action Figure Series
As we said above, there have been a lot of Hasbro Star Wars action figure lines over the years. Some have endured and some have not, but the vast number alone is impressive. Rather than trying to cover them all, below are some of the more recent and probably more familiar series. We’ll include a short synopsis of each as we know it. See what you think.
Star Wars The Vintage Collection
Star Wars The Vintage Collection The Mandalorian (Mines of Mandalore) 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Starting as a one-off wave in 2004, The Vintage Collection blossomed into a highly successful action figure line for Hasbro when it became an ongoing regular line in 2010. And with stars like Clone Troopers, Ahsoka Tano, Anakin Skywalker, Grogu, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Cade Bane, it’s stayed that way, except for a hiatus from 2012 to 2017 (see below). This line is similar to the 2004 “vintage” Original Trilogy Collection and 2006-2007 “vintage” Saga Collection, but this is the first time a Hasbro Star Wars line was entirely dedicated to replica Kenner carded figures. These awesome 3 3/4-inch scale action figures now feature premium articulation, modern sculpting, and retro-inspired packaging reminiscent of Kenner’s original line of the 1970s and 1980s. They span generations and the entire franchise and are very popular with collectors. Look and you’ll see why.
Star Wars The Black Series
Star Wars The Black Series Return of the Jedi 40th Anniversary 6-Inch Luke Skywalker (Jedi Knight) Action Figure
Another very popular Hasbro line is The Black Series, and just because it has the word “black” in the name doesn’t mean it deals solely with the dark side of the Force! This series started in 2013 and has been going strong ever since. Also sold as 3 3/4-inch blister-carded and/or boxed figures from 2013 to 2018 (when The Vintage Collection was revived), it now includes 6-inch scale action figures and vehicles, roleplay helmets, Force FX lightsabers, die-cast metal figures, and more. With extensive articulation and “photo-real” face printing for realistic likenesses, the action figures spotlight a host of characters, including Darth Revan, Grand Admiral Thrawn, Stormtroopers, Luke, Vader, Leia, Han, Chewbacca, Obi-Wan, Lando, Emperor Palpatine, R2-D2, and many others. Most figures are boxed, but others come blister carded.
6″ Value Line
This is a very small, lesser-known figure line that got its start in 2015. The Hasbro 6″ Value Line has only limited distribution in the U.S. and includes single figures and some exclusive multi-packs, but no vehicles.
Force Link
Force Link is a line of 3 3/4-inch figures that features Luke, Leia, Han, Supreme Leader Snoke, Finn, and many others. It also includes what some fans might think of as “The Last Jedi” or “Solo,” which is Force Link 2.0. Like we said above, it gets complicated.
Star Wars Resistance
2019’s Star Wars Resistance is a toy line manufactured by Hasbro for the 2018 Lucasfilm animated series Star Wars Resistance. The line premiered in October 2018, just days ahead of the series release on October 7, 2018. The premier event in New York City showcased the collection’s first wave of 3 3/4-inch action figures and two-packs.
Star Wars Mission Fleet
Star Wars Mission Fleet is a line of cool 2 1/2-inch scale figures and vehicles Hasbro introduced in 2019. The 2021 Hasbro Star Wars: Mission Fleet TV series is based on this toy line. There are shuttles, starfighters, TIE fighters, X-Wings, speeders, and walkers, as well as the appropriate action figures to go with them. Some include nifty features like projectile launchers or an opening cockpit, and many figures include accessories. Unfortunately, we don’t believe there will be any future releases in this fun series. Too bad. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”
The Retro Collection
Star Wars The Retro Collection Darth Vader (The Dark Times) 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
The Retro Collection of action figures also began in 2019. It brings you favorites such as Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia, The Armorer, Bo-Katan, Darth Vader, and Death Troopers in that popular 3 3/4-inch scale we all know and love. Some of these are remakes of figures dating as far back as the original 1978 Kenner line, while others are new but match that same timeless aesthetic. Included are characters from the original trilogy, the prequels, The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and Ahsoka.
Celebrate the Saga
Celebrate the Saga was a short-lived line of multipacks in 2020. It featured old molds but new paint deco.
Young Jedi Adventures
Star Wars Young Jedi Adventures Fuzzy Force Nubs Plush Toy
You might be familiar with the Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures animated children’s TV series on Disney+ and Disney Junior. There’s also the Young Jedi Adventures toy line inspired by the show. Like the series, Hasbro launched this line in 2023. Your kids will probably enjoy both the animated series and the toys. The action figures and vehicles are in 4-inch scale (3 3/4-inch if you squint), and there are roleplay lightsabers, plush toys, playsets, and even art prints as well. Check ’em out for your aspiring young Padawan.
Epic Hero Series
Star Wars Epic Hero Series 4-Inch Action Figures Wave 1 Case of 6
January 2024 saw the debut of an enticing new kid-focused line of low-articulation 4-inch action figures, vehicles, and other products from Hasbro. The Epic Hero Series is just getting started, with figures of Paz Vizsla, Sabine Wren, Ahsoka Tano, Luke Skywalker, The Mandalorian, Grogu, Darth Vader, and a Stormtrooper leading the charge. But don’t worry, there are many more racing across the universe in your direction. Stay tuned… and enjoy!
Beyond Hasbro Star Wars Action Figures
As you might have guessed from the above, there’s so much more to the catalog of Hasbro Star Wars toys and collectibles than action figures. There are Hasbro roleplay and prop replica items like lightsabers and helmets, vehicles such as starships and speeder bikes, mini-figures, games like Clue and various versions of Monopoly, plush, playsets, and so much more. With Hasbro and Star Wars, the fun never stops – it just gets better and better. So, get in on the action now! As Master Yoda says, “Do or do not; there is no try.”
Thanks for your attention!
