Welcome to Figures & Speech, Nerdistâs regular column by, for, and about grown-ups who still play with their toys but might want to know more before they buy.
I know what you’re thinking. Prometheus figures? Now? The movie came out five years ago, and even though I was one of its initial fans, much of the nerdosphere has ragged on it ever since. Presumably, part of the thinking behind releasing these figures now was to cash in on Alien Covenant…but NECA might have waited a month too long to catch that fever.
Nonetheless, here they are, and they include figures of actresses who I’m pretty sure have not had official plastic replicas before, though Charlize Theron more than deserved it for Mad Max: Fury Road and The Fate of the Furious, and Noomi Rapace deserved it for the “Girl With…” Millennium Trilogy. Sean Harris, best known for TV’s Red Riding trilogy, arguably lucked out to be in such company. It’s hardly sexist to say he’s the least attractive of the three in this set…
NECA originally intended this set to continue their original Prometheus line, with Fifield reusing the body created for Michael Fassbender’s David, and a new female body to be shared by both Theron’s Meredith Vickers and Rapace’s Elizabeth Shaw. Initial sales of the previous figures didn’t merit a continuation, and for months fans pestered NECA on Twitter with questions about finally releasing these figures if a sequel to Prometheus were ever made. NECA initially said a whole lot of no’s…then finally answered in the affirmative last December. And now here they are.
Shaw comes with her wonky-handled ax, and the severed head of David, while Vickers has a flame-gun thing. The handle snapped off when I was trying to pose it in her hands…
This isn’t the first time I’ve had that happen with a NECA figure–I’d love for them to consider pop-off handles that help get the accessories in hand, or at least a softer, less snappy plastic on the weapons. Anyway, Fifield’s head pops out to get his helmet on and off easier, and that can make for some interesting swaps.
As you can see, it’s the David body, but with more black staining and a shiny finish to emulate the alien goo. Also, David’s head is articulated at the neck, so he can look at you cockeyed.
The female body for Vickers and Shaw is shinier, has brighter colors, and, well, let’s just say it looks like the sculptors were more interested in their bodily contours than on the men. I do not remember glutes like that on the movie suits (and I also know people who would love to see Fassbender’s in better detail, so this feels unfair).
Don’t dismiss the small plastic bags inside the included space helmets–they contain tiny, snap-on shoulder lights.
…as seen here:
Likenesses are good–I think the paint job on Theron makes her classic neutral expression looks sterner than usual, but at the right angle, it’s perfect.
Articulation is also fantastic, with hidden ball joints everywhere.
Now, in Alien: Covenant, David was joined by a lookalike named Walter, who looked more like David used to now that the former had gone native and donned a Jedi robe. NECA won’t be making the robed version, but you can cheat with McFarlane Toys’ Fassbender figure.
It might not end well.
Just remember that figures are for fun, kids.
The Prometheus wave featuring Vickers, Shaw, and Fifield is available in very limited quantities in stores and online, so if you see ’em and you want ’em, act fast. And let’s see some Lisbeth Salander and Furiosa customs come out of the deal.
Images: Luke Y. Thompson
Luke Y. Thompson is Nerdist’s resident toy maniac–talk plastic with him on Twitter @LYTrules
Xenomorph biology completely explained! (Maybe)