Darth Malak — Star Wars The Black Series #GG 20

Overview

Darth Malak at #GG 20 is the Gaming Greats Collection’s primary KOTOR antagonist figure — the Sith Lord and former apprentice of Darth Revan, the central villain of the 2003 BioWare RPG considered one of the greatest Star Wars games ever made. Released July 2023 as a single-boxed mainline release. Non-exclusive — the second mainline-distributed Gaming Greats figure after the Cal Kestis (Jedi: Survivor) at #GG 17. MSRP $24.99 (the standard mainline pricing). Four accessories: a lightsaber hilt, a detachable red lightsaber blade, and two face mask pieces that connect to form a single mask covering Malak’s jaw. 21-joint articulation including butterfly shoulders and a ball-jointed waist (rare in the Black Series line). Year-imprinted 2022, released 2023.

The Mainline Distribution Continues

Following Cal Kestis (Jedi: Survivor) at #GG 17 in April 2023, Darth Malak is the second consecutive Gaming Greats Collection figure to ship as a mainline non-exclusive release rather than a GameStop exclusive. The pattern signal is clear: Hasbro positions the most narratively significant Gaming Greats characters (protagonists and primary antagonists) as mainline releases for broader retail availability, while keeping enemy classes and squad members in the GameStop-exclusive distribution channel.

For collectors, this means the most important KOTOR character in the line ships at standard wide-retail availability — Amazon, Entertainment Earth, Target, Walmart, hobby shops, GameStop included but not exclusive. The $24.99 mainline pricing is also $2-$3 lower than the typical Gaming Greats $26.99-$27.99 GameStop-exclusive pricing, making the figure the better accessory-per-dollar value despite the more substantial accessory engineering.

The Outstanding Head Sculpt

The figure was sculpted nicely, especially the head looks outstanding. Hasbro committed to capturing Malak’s specific KOTOR character design with sharp definition — the bald cranium, the specific facial structure, the clean expression that distinguishes the character from the broader Sith Lord roster. The head sculpt is the figure’s strongest single feature, and detailed reviewers have flagged it as a standout among 2023 Black Series releases.

For collectors who care about how figures capture video-game character designs, the Malak head sculpt is among the better Phase 4 implementations. The character is recognisably Darth Malak rather than a generic bald Sith Lord, which is the test the head sculpt needs to pass.

The Two-Piece Face Mask

The figure’s most distinctive accessory engineering: two face mask pieces that connect to form a single mask covering Malak’s jaw. The back of Darth Malak’s head has two holes on each side where the two face mask pieces can be plugged in. This works well — the mounting mechanism is secure, the mask sits cleanly when assembled, and the two-piece configuration supports both the masked and unmasked display states.

Malak’s character design includes the prosthetic jaw mask as a defining visual element — the character lost his lower jaw in combat with Revan, and the metallic prosthetic mask is part of his standard combat configuration. The figure supports both the with-mask (canonical Sith Lord combat appearance) and without-mask (rare reveal configuration showing the underlying head sculpt) display options. For collectors who want display flexibility across the character’s visual states, the two-piece mask design is a meaningful engineering positive.

The Lightsaber and Storage

Darth Malak came with a lightsaber which has a detachable red blade. The saber can be stored in a holster on the back of the belt, and the figure can hold it well in both hands. The detachable blade supports both saber-on (deployed combat) and saber-off (stowed) display configurations. The back-mounted holster lets the figure hold the saber on the belt when not in use, supporting the standing-at-rest display configuration where the weapon is carried but not deployed.

The dual-state weapon configuration (saber on belt vs saber drawn-and-ignited) is meaningful display flexibility. For a $24.99 mainline figure, the four-accessory loadout (saber + blade + 2 mask pieces) is genuinely generous — substantially more than the standard mainline accessory count.

The Ball-Jointed Waist

A specific articulation positive: in addition to having a ball-jointed upper body, the figure was also given a ball-jointed waist. The dual-axis torso articulation (upper body + waist) is rare in the Black Series line — most Phase 4 figures have only one ball-jointed torso point, with the upper-body joint serving the rotational function and the waist serving as a fixed connection. The Malak figure adds the second torso joint, supporting more dramatic combat poses where the figure’s torso twists across multiple axes for screen-accurate Sith Lord combat configurations.

For collectors building dynamic-pose displays, the ball-jointed waist is a meaningful articulation upgrade. Combined with the butterfly shoulder joints (also present on the figure, supporting two-handed lightsaber poses), Malak has more torso flexibility than most Phase 4 lightsaber-wielding figures.

The Permanent Soft-Goods Cape

The soft-goods cape is attached underneath the silver neck-armour and is non-removable. Same design pattern that affects the Andor Krennic Dress Uniform (#AND 16) — the cape is sewn-in fabric rather than swap-out plastic, supporting natural drape across posing but limiting display flexibility for the no-cape alternative. For Malak specifically, the integrated cape is the right choice; the cape is part of the character’s signature visual identity, and removing it would have undermined the visual reading.

The Belt and Permanent Configuration

The belt is part of the sculpt and can’t be taken off. Standard integrated-equipment design pattern — the figure ships in a single configuration with the belt as a fixed element. The lightsaber holster on the belt’s back is the only meaningful interactive feature; the belt itself is a permanent display fixture.

The Paint Critique

The only downside to this figure, and that’s an issue with many Black Series 6” figures unfortunately, is the lack of weathering or applied dirt on the boots and the outfit. Without an added wash, the figure is a very simple-looking application. The recurring paint critique that affects most Phase 4 releases.

For Malak specifically, the impact is moderate — the character’s KOTOR design isn’t heavily weathered in the source material, so the clean paint reads as more screen-accurate than it would for Republic Commando or Fallen Order figures. But the figure could still benefit from a wash application across the boots and lower outfit to differentiate sculpted detail from undifferentiated mass-coloured plastic. As shipped, the Malak figure is the sharp version of the standard Black Series paint approach — clean, functional, but not elevated.

Articulation

21 joints. Ball-jointed top neck, ball-jointed lower neck, butterfly joints in the shoulders, ball-jointed shoulders, ball-jointed elbows, ball-jointed wrists, ball-jointed upper body, ball-jointed waist, ball-jointed hips, swivel thighs, ball-jointed knees, ball-jointed ankles. The combination of butterfly shoulders, dual-torso articulation, and ball-jointed knees-and-ankles provides strong dynamic-pose flexibility for a lightsaber-wielding character. Malak looks great overall and the figure keeps its balance very well even in more dynamic poses — the figure didn’t fall over once during photography testing despite multiple combat-pose configurations.

The KOTOR Source

Knights of the Old Republic is BioWare’s 2003 RPG set roughly 4,000 years before the Skywalker saga. Darth Malak is the game’s primary antagonist — the Sith Lord whose campaign of conquest drives the narrative. The character’s relationship with Darth Revan (the player character whose true identity is the game’s mid-point reveal) is the game’s central thematic conflict. For collectors who played KOTOR, Malak is the figure that anchors the game’s primary villain in plastic form.

The Gaming Greats Collection covers the broader KOTOR character roster across multiple releases — Zaalbar at #GG 04, the Jedi Knight Revan at #GG-E02, Darth Nihilus at #GG-E03, Bastila Shan at #GG 21, Darth Malgus at #GG 24. Malak joins this ensemble as the primary Sith Lord representation, complementing the protagonist Bastila Shan and the Wookiee party member Zaalbar with the game’s defining antagonist.

The Mural Collection Position

Darth Malak sits at the twentieth position in the Gaming Greats Collection mural display. For loose display, the figure works best alongside the other KOTOR figures (Zaalbar at #GG 04, Bastila Shan at #GG 21, Darth Malgus at #GG 24, the Jedi Knight Revan at #GG-E02) for a comprehensive KOTOR-era ensemble. The figure also works alongside the various Black Series Sith Lord releases across the broader catalogue for a Sith Lord roster display.

Secondary Market

Single-boxed mainline release, non-exclusive, July 2023. Available at MSRP through standard retail and the secondary market with broad availability. The mainline distribution and the $24.99 MSRP keep the figure accessible. Verify the lightsaber hilt, the red blade, and both face mask pieces are all included. The mask pieces are the small parts most likely to be lost in transit. No production variants documented.

Verdict

Darth Malak at #GG 20 is the right figure for KOTOR collectors and Sith Lord completionists. The four-accessory loadout (saber + detachable blade + two-piece face mask) provides meaningful display flexibility, the outstanding head sculpt captures the in-game character cleanly, the dual-axis torso articulation (ball-jointed waist + upper body) supports dynamic combat poses, and the mainline distribution at $24.99 makes the figure the strongest accessory-per-dollar value in the Gaming Greats Collection alongside the Cal Kestis (Survivor) at #GG 17.

The lack of outfit weathering is the figure’s only meaningful negative — the recurring Phase 4 paint critique that affects most Black Series releases. The non-removable cape limits display flexibility but is appropriate to the character’s visual identity. The integrated belt is a standard design choice without significant impact on the figure’s display reading.

Buy this figure if you collect KOTOR, if you build Sith Lord displays, or if you want the best accessory-per-dollar value in the Gaming Greats Collection. The $24.99 MSRP with four meaningful accessories is genuinely strong, and the mainline distribution makes the figure accessible through any retail channel.

The KOTOR primary antagonist. The Sith Lord with the prosthetic jaw mask. The figure with the outstanding head sculpt and the ball-jointed waist. Mainline distribution, July 2023.

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Part of Star Wars The Black Series | Phase 4 Gaming Greats Collection. Related: Bastila Shan P4-GG-21 | Zaalbar P4-GG-04 | Darth Malgus P4-GG-24.