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Roy's Toys Shelf
Aragor with Real Arrow-Launching Action; LOTR-The Fellowship of the Ring, ToyBiz
Meat and Potatoes; 5.0
Perks; 5.0
Homer Factor; 5.0
Description; Another version of Strider with LOTS of stuff. 

The amazing Ranger is back in the next wave of LOTR figures.  This time he's fully equipted for the quest to destroy the Ring of Power.. or at least try to.  The figure is approximately 5" tall and comes with sword, bow, arrows, and removable bed-roll, quiver, and knap-sack.

In addition, the figure has an arrow-launching action. 
'Funny how some genres just don't make it to movies.  Westerns, drama, sci-fi, all fine.  But fantasy... why not?  Ok, 'Conan the Barbarian' with Aaahhhhhnald wasn't bad, but let's see: 'Beastmaster,' 'The Sword and the Sorcerer', the recent 'Dungeons and Dragons.'  Hmmmmmmmmmm... I think we're beyond B-movies, folks.  So when 'Lord of the Rings' was announced, I winced.  'Oh god...'  Visions of reeeeeal bad stop-motion effects danced through my head.  Well, $300 + MILLION LATER... we finally have a winner.  Ok, actually TWO since 'Harry Potter' is still kicking serious butt as well.  Just the same, it's about time someone came up with a VERY good fantasy piece; the always ignored combination of special effects AND good story.  Naturally, it's time to cash in with merchandice.  Hehehehehehehehehehehehe.  Fortunately, as befits a epic like 'LOTR', ToyBiz pulled out ALL stops on creating a killer line.  Case in point, this incredible version of Aragorn, AKA Strider.

The meat and potatoes on Aragorn are out of this world; LOTS of articulation and very, very detailed sculpt.  Ankles, wrists, basically everything bends very well.  And fortunately the arrow-launching action doesn't get in the way of posing the figure in whatever way you want.  The sculpt is first rate; the folds of Aragorn's coat are reproduced very well, and the use of soft-plastic on the 'tails' of his jacket make it almost like a cloth accessory.  The only problem I have is the head; Aragorn looks rather constipated.  Granted, the guy wasn't exactly the most happy camper in the picture, but Viggo Mortenson may want to have a few words with the sculptor.

The perks are very good over-all.   Aragorn comes with his long sword, bow, arrows AND a knap-sack, quiver, and bed-roll that are removable.  The figure could have easily come with these options either molded on or just left out, but I'm so glad ToyBiz opted to add more goodies to the figure.  The arrow-firing action also works very well; you just press the button the back and the figure really does move it's arm back just enough to launch an arrow. 

Ah, but nothing is perfect; although the sword is well sculpted, the plastic it's made out is the same soft stuff that makes up the tails in Aragorn's uniform.  Please, keep the 'limp-sword' comments to yourself.

Homer factor?  Oh, this is sweet.  I've never even SEEN the first-wave Strider figure.  However, from the clips I saw, I was rather 'eh' about it.  Ok, so he's got a cloak, his sword, and a torch.  And... your point is....?  Granted, this is what he had through the first half of the film, but I would hope for more then a Jedi-knight look-alike.  Lowe and behold, ToyBiz decided to load-up the next version of Aragorn with the gear he uses in the second half of 'Fellowship of the Ring.'.

All in all, ToyBiz continues to put out some incredible work.  It would have been very easy to simply cash-in on the wave of 'LOTR'-mania and put out simple figures; 5" with mediocre sculpts and just put the character names on them.  Instead, they opted to create very detailed work that is still fun to just mess with.  And just think... still two more movies.  Hehehehehehehehehehehehehehe.