The MCU iteration of Valkyrie is a drastic departure from the main Marvel comic book version representation of that same character, but I think this is an instance where the mainstream movie iteration makes a traditionally mildly successful character worlds more popular and marketable. As such, it seems appropriate that MCU Valkyrie will now surpass her comics self in ML editions, as the new (and pretty great) Thor: Love and Thunder Marvel Legends King Valkyrie figure is now shipping out to fans…

[If you’re a glutton for punishment and want to suffer through watching 8 minutes of me semi-blindly unboxing and giving my first impressions/review of Hasbro’s Thor Legends King Valkyrie action figure, you can find my video upload of that above. If you prefer my more thoughtful and analytical written commentary on her, read on…]

Although Hasbro doesn’t have a perfect track record of releasing supporting characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (where’s my Agatha, Hasbro?!), they have done pretty well for themselves. So we’ll, in fact, that this is Hasbro’s third Tessa Thompson Valkyrie action figure on shelves so far, with previous releases in a Target exclusive Ragnarok 2-Pack with Gladiator Thor, and an Endgame singles figure in the Bro Thor BAF Series (that never hit some regions at all).

While both those previous Valkyries were decent, I think Hasbro has really upped their game and made the 3rd time the charm with their new King Valkyrie 6” figure.

I don’t think we should ever expect Hot Toys-level portraits at a scale that’s half of 1/6th, but I think Hasbro has given us a reasonable and well-executed Tessa Thompson portrait here. It’s not perfect, but it’s easily identifiable as Tessa atop the body, even to my impaired eyesight, and doesn’t have any egregious offenses at all that I can see.

Perhaps my favorite aspect of this whole toy is the hair, which is wonderfully sculpted with textured braids that look tremendous. I rarely find an action figure’s hair worthy of discussion, but King Valkyrie’s braids are so well-implemented that they’re the exception to that rule.

 

The King Valkyrie Marvel Legends figure is (obviously) dressed up in her new costume from the upcoming Thor 4 movie, which feels like a sort of amalgamation of her prior looks. I think this works really nicely, and is my new favorite look for this character.

To pull off this appearance in toy form, Hasbro had to bust out the big bucks and give us tons of new tooling. Everything seems authentic to the very little reference available right now, and there’s ample sculpted details to bring this figurine to life.

From stripes decorating her boots to studs on her hip straps (which can be utilized to stow her sword in a pinch), King Valkyrie has clean and neat paint applications all over her costume, helping to make her feel like she’s worth modern action figure prices.

And speaking of “modern”, ML King Valkyrie is blessed with new-age pin-less arms and legs, making her look terrific without all the articulation hurting her aesthetic at all. Her complete articulation scheme includes:

• Ball-Jointed Head and Upper Torso
• Pin-less Double-Hinged Knees and Elbows
• Swivel Biceps and Thighs
• Swivel-Hinge Wrists
• Hinged Feet with Ankle Rockers

Her arms and legs have fantastic ranges of motion and flexibility, with her head/hair and cape being the prime obstructions to perfect poseability.

Her bright blue cape is permanently affixed to her upper torso armor ‘s front, but has a peg that can pop in and out of her back to allow some poses that otherwise would not be possible. The bright blue complements the black/white/silver color palette beautifully and makes King Valkyrie pop a lot.

King Valkyrie gets 3 accessories, but only one of them is for herself: her Dragonfang sword (weapon of choice for the Valkyries), along with the Korg Build-A-Figure head and Korg’s club accessory. I’ll talk about the latter two pieces if and when I review the Korg Build-A-Figure, but I do want to give the sword its due in this review.

While Hasbro has produced this sword in 1:12 scale toy form three times now, this is easily their best effort. Rather than being cast in cheap, rubbery plastic that quickly bends and goes limpy, this Dragonfang has a nice solidity to it and should retain its shape and stiffness indefinitely. With a lovely metallic light blue blade and a painted hilt, this intricately decorated version is the Hasbro Dragonfang of choice for sure.

I’m a little miffed that we don’t get any interchangeable hands this time out, but the sword itself is obviously the most essential item to include with King Valkyrie. I do think her permanent “Force push” open left hand is a mite awkward, though.

Overall: Maybe I’m getting soft as a reviewer in my old age, but this Marvel Legends King Valkyrie feels like the most “can’t miss” toy of the movie universe character to-date. The costume and Dragonfang sword look excellent, the Tessa Thompson portrait is as good as I could ask for from a $25 six inch scale, I downright love the braided hair, and the pin-less articulation works superbly when not foiled by the cape. I didn’t expect to like this King Valkyrie Legends toy nearly as much as I do, but I’ve ended up thinking this is an outstanding movie figure and a strong recommendation for MCU collectors.

GRADE: A