Hey, a 50th anniversary doesn’t roll around all the time for a movie, especially for one as beloved as Disney’s Robin Hood. 2023 marks just such an anniversary, and I cannot think of a better way to celebrate than with more ULTIMATES! figures from Super7. Oo-da-lally it’s time for a wish list!
I haven’t been shy about the fact that Robin Hood is one of my all-time favorite Disney movies. I know I share that in common with Super7’s Brian Flynn, so maybe my personal need to get that entire core cast in ULTIMATES! will be met with a sympathetic ear. We are already off to a good start with Prince John and Robin himself, but I think that if Super7 wanted to celebrate, we could knock out the rest of the main characters in a couple of ULTIMATES! waves. I love what we are getting so far in terms of the Disney line, but it can take a bit of time to really flesh out a cast, so why not take advantage of anniversary and indulge a bit?
I would not ask for Robin Hood to dominate the main Disney ULTIMATES! line for two whole waves (there is SO MUCH to do overall), but with a little planning, maybe we can celebrate with a bit of a sub-line. I have learned over the course of the last year and and half or so that there are lots of RH fans out there, so I don’t think it would be too pointed to do a little something like this, and gosh, it would be fun. I am keeping it simple here, and of course there are more characters that would personally take, but I think this list covers off the most important characters.
So, here is what I would ask for in two dedicated Robin Hood ULTIMATES! waves. Each would stick with the core tenant of having four figures per wave, and I am trying to stay as balanced as possible. Remember, this is just for fun, so here goes:
ROBIN HOOD ULTIMATES! WAVE 1
LITTLE JOHN
Probably my favorite character from the movie, Robin needs his literal partner in crime to stand with him on the shelf. He would need to be an oversized figure to keep the scale consistent, but I think the tooling dollars would be worth it. If you have him a soft goods tunic, much of the base body could be used for a figure in wave two, as well as a possible Baloo figure down the road. Maybe even others! I can hear him singing “The Phony King of England” already.
MAID MARIAN
Of course we need the kind and lovely vixen Maid Marian. An obvious and essential character, I am positive she is on the top of many want lists for fans of Robin Hood. Like a few of the figures in this line-up, I think that due to her stature and not needing to have a ton of required accessories, a pack-in smaller figure would be great to along with her. In this case, it must be Skippy as he is just as essential as any other figure on this list.
TRIGGER AND NUTSY
These vultures crack us up, and as the incompetent minions of the Sheriff, they are most certainly required for our shelves. They are smaller in stature, so maybe this could be a two-pack? Or, barring that, I think it would be possible to get the parts for both of them (they would obviously share many) in a single release, so if you wanted to have both (I mean, duh) then you can order two and get what you need. Just keep safety on ol’ Betsy.
CAPTAIN CROCODILE
I could have gone with King Richard here, or even a Robin variant, but I wanted to up the villain count a little bit instead. Plus, the Captain’s voice is so memorable from Candy Candido, you can pretty much hear him talking now. He was essential for the pivotal Archery Tournament scene, and if you Sis the rabbit to this set, it makes for a strong release.
ROBIN HOOD ULTIMATES! WAVE 2
THE SHERIFF OF NOTTINGHAM
He’s coming for your taxes, and to lose in archery tournament. The literal big bad of the movie would need to be oversized just like Little John, and he might even be able to borrow some parts from him, hence the wave separation. I love (attempting) to mimic Pat Buttram’s voice handing out proclamations or instructions to my kiddos, so seeing this Sheriff come to life in plastic would almost feel like a mascot of sorts around these parts.
FRIAR TUCK
This low-key spark plug is another favorite of mine from the movie. He is kindly, of course, but if you take a step on the sinister side, he will let you have it. He would need the poor box, as well as his Prince John puppet, but let’s get Father Sexton and Mother Little Sister the church mice included as well to help bolster more of the cast.
LADY KLUCK
What a delight this bird is. From her memorable introduction (make sure we get that badminton racket) to her football charge through the king’s guard at the archery tournament, Lady Kluck just makes for a fun figure. Like Friar Tuck, she has a very strong sense of right and wrong, so you Marian figure needs a devoted Lady in Waiting. Oh, and let’s include Toby the turtle as well.
ALAN-A-DALE
The narrator and minstrel is most certainly a fan favorite, and for an action figure collection, he can help present the scene on your shelves, just like he does in the move. His lute is a given, but he can also come with young Tagalong, too, so then we have the primary kid cast completed as well. What the heck, let’s hide a voice chip in the lute of just the whistling from the Whistle Stop song to really set the scene.
Bam! That make for two pretty good Robin Hood waves if I do say so myself. I realize the titular character is not included due to his upcoming figure in the Disney ULTIMATES! wave, but maybe he could be re-released alongside these. I would hate to sacrifice a character from above, that is for sure. Again, this is just for fun, and even still I would take King Richard, Otto, Widow Rabbit, and all the elephants, rhinos, and archers they want to give us. Oo-da-lally, golly what a collection it would be!
*Images courtesy of the Disney Wiki
Source: Fwoosh