Last January, we told you about an upcoming The Mandalorian-inspired life-sized Baby Yoda (yes, yes, we know, The Child) replica from geeky collectibles maker Sideshow. At $350 (now $375), there was simply no logical reason to buy a mostly static figurine. But I did it anyway, and now that Baby Yoda is in my home, I have zero regrets.
Sideshow initially promised the Child would arrive on our doorsteps between August and October, but mine didn’t arrive until late November. Apparently, the company went on just as many sidequests as the Mandalorian in his journey to find the Jedi (next stop, Ahsoka Tano).
He’s about as tall as a HERO BB-8 Toy Josh HendricksonBut now that it’s here, the Child proves to be worth the wait. Sideshow did an excellent job of recreating the original puppet. That does lead to an initial surprise—some very rosy cheeks.
The actual puppet used in the show has pink cheeks as well, but it doesn’t show after the special effects team color corrects each episode. So this figurine is more accurate to the prop than screen accurate. If you don’t like it, you can use water and a paper towel to blend some of the pink away, but I’m opting to leave it for now.
Josh HendricksonThe other surprise is just how tall he is. It’s hard to get a sense of scale in the show. Baby Yoda seems larger in some scenes than others. But the life-sized replica easily stands taller than a two-liter soda pop bottle. The company nailed attention to detail; the eyes are lifelike and adorable, the wispy hairs look real, and the skin and finger and toenail paint jobs are excellent.
I have no reason for this picture. But it’s adorable and you know it. Josh HendricksonIf I have a major complaint, it centers on Baby Yoda’s poncho robe thing. It looks too pristine, and it’s too long. Again, that length is accurate, but I wish they would have chosen aesthetics over accuracy in this case. That’s because it covers up Baby Yoda’s feet and hands.
That latter part is especially a downer because Sideshow included a shift knob from the Razor Crest for Baby Yoda to hold. It attaches magnetically, so it’s easy to remove but won’t fall off. It’s a brilliant little touch that evokes a great scene from the show that’s unfortunately covered up by his poncho sleeves.
The shift knob is magnetically attached. Josh HendricksonBut with some quick adjustments, you can make it better at least. A tug here, a slide there, and it looks disheveled and reveals the Child’s hands and feet, fitting for the show. I do wish he was a little more poseable, you can turn his head, but that’s it. Unless you’re crazy and want to rip him apart like Adam Savage.
Another nice detail the company snuck in is the artwork on the bottom of the stand. The stand is supposed to resemble parts from the Razor Crest, and to be honest; it doesn’t really. It looks something more akin to a metal bottle cap at first glance. But I don’t mind; you’re not here to look at a stand.
Josh HendricksonUnless, of course, you want to look at the bottom. The bottom features gorgeous artwork from the show from the scene where the Mandalorian discovered Baby Yoda. It’s completely unnecessary yet looks good.
And “completely unnecessary, yet looks so good” is an apt description for this figure overall. At the current price of $375, he costs an obscene amount of money. You could buy an Xbox Series S and a game to play for that money (well, if you could find one in stock).
The hair is so delicate. Josh HendricksonBut I don’t care. I have zero regrets. Every time I look at this adorable Baby Yoda, I smile like an idiot. How can you not? He steals every scene he is in on The Mandalorian, and now he’s in my office on my desk. He steals the scene from all the geeky stuff I have in here, from a Zelda-inspired Ocarina to a Doctor Who LEGO Tardis. Even as I write this, he’s on my desk and I’m smiling at him. It’s dumb, and I don’t care because I’m happy.
You know you want to read the Child a good bedtime story. Josh HendricksonI have an Xbox Series X, yes the $500 one, and it doesn’t make me smile this much. So for all the happiness and joy it already brought to my home I say it’s worth every penny. I’d buy him again, without hesitation. You can order your own life-sized The Child replica today, though Sideshow says they won’t ship out until early next year. If you have the cash to spare, do it. You won’t regret it.
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