Staff Strike Sif

Although I liked the Thor: The Mighty Avenger toyline, I’ll admit that alone the figures aren’t that impressive. The soft, rubbery plastic, the unfeeling look of the figures, silly accessories, and uninspired paint are all points against the figures. But Battle Hammer Thor, Secret Strike Loki, and the Warrior’s Three are all still keepers in my book because I was so impressed by the movie that I wanted representations of the characters in my collection.

Because of that, it’s no surprise that the decision to make picking up a Staff Strike Sif a priority was one that was made pretty fast. As soon as I saw that procuring one around my area was a lost cause (Ortigas malls are among areas that re-sellers have staked out in case of new arrivals), I let it be known that I was looking for it. The reply came pretty fast and I was able to get one at retail price in a set with some G.I. Joes (Thanks, man!).

The packaging of the Thor: The Mighty Avenger line is one of those that suffers from lack of verve. Like the figures, it is largely done in warm earth tones that don't stand out from the other product on in the stores. It just doesn’t pop on toy shelves and that means that there aren't a lot of casual shoppers who pick these up.

Instead of the overly large and stupid looking missile launcher or the silly "transforming" weapon gimmicks that the rest of the line has to deal with, Sif comes with a second sword/staff combo thing. Her 1/18th scale weapon is an odd looking sword. Neither is nicely designed and neither fits in her hand particularly well, though she'll hold either securely enough.

Articulation, however, is decent:

Like Loki, her skirt doesn't really restrict her movements and can serve as a third leg to hold her in some positions. Double-hinged knees are very welcome, as are relatively large boots for a female figure. She's not as hard to stand as some of the female Marvel Universe toys.

I also like her swivel-hinge hips, which are well hidden by the skirt:

The skirt itself, though, is pretty lame. Despite the nice touch they gave Battle Hammer Thor with the flowing ribbons, most of the rest of Hasbro's product line still suffers from capes and clothes molded in static positions. Really, they should start sculpting these pieces to give maximum effect when the figure is posed in action poses, as any action figure should be. Even when you pose these standing still, some cloth flowing in the wind really gives a figure life.

Sif's costume doesn't do that. It hangs there limply.

The best thing the figure has going for it is the detail. I love the costume‘s individual plates and the corset-like shape of the bodice. It’s a great change from the vintage Scarlett (“mannish” is not enough to describe that figure). As female figures go, it actually is a very nicely sculpted toy.

The figure’s face is a bit of a disappointment, but it’s nothing I didn’t expect going in. I’m not sure if it’s a blanket Hasbro directive or just due to the limitations of the scanning equipment they use to ape the actors’ faces, but there’s zero expression on the head. Then again, none of the toys in the line have been any different, so that’s par for course.

 

Objectively, I’d have to give this figure a thumbs-down. The crappy accessories, the blah face, lack of a stand, dull colors, and boring coat really kill the fun factor of this as a standalone toy. The fact that Sif is utterly useless in the movie is a factor also destroys much of the demand for the toy. Like the Warrior’s Three, Sif was basically there so Thor had someone to save.

However, the fun in these toys really comes when you have the whole set and can start putting on stupid skits of the Tales of Asgard! Hogun goes to a comedy club, Fandral goes to a gay bar, Volstagg goes on a diet! What will our heroes do? Will Loki’s scheme’s finally win him the crown? Honestly, once I completed the set and change their ridiculous accessories for some slightly less silly ones, these toys easily became one of my favorite sets to display.

Would I recommend paying scalper prices for Sif? No, I wouldn’t. But if you can get her at Php 500 (local suggested retail price, about $11 US), she’s not a bad pick up.