Jumping back to my series of X-Men Marvel Legends Age of Apocalypse wave figures, today I’m going to check out the token female figure in the series! In one of her most unique looks ever, it’s the Marvel Legends X-Men Age of Apocalypse Jean Grey figure that’s available online now! AOA Jean Grey comes with a whopping zero accessories of her own, but also one of the biggest Build-A-Figure parts ever—does it even out and make her a worthwhile purchase?

In the all-time Classic X-Men Age of Apocalypse story arc, Jean Grey lived a very different life, but was still one of the first members of the X-Men (under Magneto, mind you, but whatever). She fell in love with Weapon X, and her capture by Cyclops led to Logan losing a hard and Scott losing an eye (and becoming a real Cyclops—ha!).

AOA Jean Grey was a rare character who straddled two different series during the storyline (Factor-X and Weapon X), and featured a totally fresh and different look from any character design we’d seen before for the character. So is this Hasbro Marvel Legends action figure of this version of Jean a winner…?

In some ways yes, in some ways no. While I generally talk about a figure before its accessories, it’s kind of hard to discuss this Jean Grey figure in that manner when she is literally crammed into the side of her package in order to accommodate the pieces of another figure.

I’m not at all a fan of the way this poor Age of Apocalypse Jean Grey figure was packaged. Having her turned sideways in the box looks awful and wrong. Not sure how Hasbro could have done things much differently and still included the Sugar Man’s humongous head in the series, but this is one of the worst-looking Marvel Legends figures ever for packaged collectors.

The size (and likely cost) of the Sugar Man BAF piece also meant that the ML Jean Grey AOA figure got bupkis accessories of her own. No alternate heads/hands, no psychic effects pieces to attach anywhere, no psychic aura (like Songbird’s)… nothing.

Jean’s hands are thankfully sculpted in such a way that it looks like she’s manipulating something telekinetically, so she’s not totally passive, but the lack of any kind of effects is a monumental blow to the display potential for this figure.

The articulation on Jean is pretty standard as far as female Marvel Legends action figures go: decent, but inferior to the amount of articulation the male figures are given. Her complete articulation set scheme consists of:

• Ball-Hinge Head, Shoulders and Elbows
• Ball-Jointed Upper Torso and Hips
• Swivel-Hinge Wrists
• Swivel Thighs
• Double-Hinge Knees
• Hinged Ankles with Rockers

The articulation is still eons better than we got on Marvel action figures in the 90s (the last time an Age of Apocalypse Jean Grey action figure was made), but it’s getting rather old how the male figures in the ML series almost constantly have vastly better articulation than the females. The range of motion is still “good” here, though.

Where this figure does really excel is the looks department. This costume is utterly different from any Jean wore prior to the Age of Apocalypse, and the sculpt here is a near-perfect representation of it.

The short red hair and blue jacket are defining elements of this costume, and I think Hasbro did a bang-up job with the sculpting and colors on the costume as a whole. The neck wrap looks good as well, and I actually like the no-nonsense expression etched on Jean’s face.

I’m not sold on the blue tattoo on AOA Jean Grey’s face from when she was Sinister’s prisoner—I think it’s meant to be black or at least a much darker blue—but I’m glad the detail is there nonetheless. It definitely gives her portrait a distinct look.

And… well, that’s really it. I don’t have a lot to say about this figure, as it’s rather plain besides looking cool and giving fans a unique version of the X-Men’s iconic founding female member.

Overall: If this X-Men Legends AOA Jean Grey figure had slightly improved articulation and came with virtually anything as an add-on accessory to spice up display, I could probably feel okay about giving her a low ‘A’ grade. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Basically, all Jean can do is stand around, dressed to kill and looking sharp. Sculpting and paint-wise, I love the snot out of this ML Jean Grey figure.

Alas, with no alternate hands, no alternate head, no psychic energy effects, no flight stand, no nothing… this figure feels very basic. I gave the Sugar Man Build-A-Figure top marks, but that doesn’t help poor Jean. With few display options and limited potential poses, this ends up being a sweet-looking but boring figure that falls short of greatness.

GRADE: C+