Darth Malgus — Star Wars The Black Series #GG 24

Overview

Darth Malgus at #GG 24 is the Gaming Greats Collection’s most ambitious Sith Lord figure to date — the legendary Old Republic-era Sith from the 2011 Star Wars: The Old Republic massively-multiplayer online RPG, towering at 7 inches tall over the line’s standard 6-inch scale. Released September 2023 as a single-boxed Fan Channel exclusive (the first Gaming Greats figure to ship through Fan Channel rather than GameStop or mainline distribution). MSRP $33.99 (year-imprinted 2022). Three accessories: a removable breathing mask, a lightsaber hilt, and a removable red blade. 18-joint articulation with butterfly shoulders and a ball-jointed waist. Voted into the Top 5 Black Series figures of 2023 by Galactic Figures’ community vote — the only Gaming Greats figure to receive that distinction across the year.

The Top 5 Recognition

The 2023 Galactic Figures community vote ranked Darth Malgus in the top five Black Series 6-inch figures of the year — a notable distinction across the broader Hasbro line, not just within the Gaming Greats Collection. The recognition reflects the figure’s impressive scale, the screen-accurate SWTOR character configuration, and the deluxe-tier engineering Hasbro committed to the release.

For collectors evaluating the figure on objective community-recognition terms, the Top 5 ranking is meaningful authority. Within the Gaming Greats Collection specifically, Darth Malgus is the only figure across the 30-figure numbered run (and the broader GG-E early entries) to receive this distinction. The figure represents the collection at its most ambitious moment.

The Fan Channel Distribution

Darth Malgus ships through Fan Channel — the specialty toy and hobby shop distribution network that includes Entertainment Earth, Big Bad Toy Store, and similar specialty retailers — rather than through GameStop’s Gaming Greats default channel or mainline wide retail. This is the first Gaming Greats Collection figure to use this distribution channel, breaking both the GameStop-exclusive default and the mainline-non-exclusive pattern that Cal Kestis (Survivor) at #GG 17, Darth Malak at #GG 20, and Bastila Shan at #GG 21 established.

For collectors, Fan Channel availability typically means: more limited initial distribution than mainline releases, more reliable specialty-retailer stock than GameStop exclusives, and slightly higher pricing than either alternative. The $33.99 MSRP positions Darth Malgus as the most expensive Gaming Greats figure to date — $5 above the typical GameStop exclusive ($26.99-$28.99) and $9 above the mainline $24.99.

The pricing is partially justified by the figure’s 7-inch scale (taller than standard, requiring more material), the deluxe-tier accessory engineering (removable breathing mask, dual-state weapon configuration), and the broader engineering ambition (butterfly shoulders, ball-jointed waist).

The 7-Inch Scale

Darth Malgus stands an impressive 7 inches tall (17.8 cm) and towers over other figures in the 6-inch scale. This is the same scaled-up approach that distinguishes Zaalbar at #GG 04 (the 7-inch Wookiee) — figures where the source character’s screen-accurate proportions exceed the standard 6-inch baseline. For Malgus specifically, the scale-up is appropriate to the character’s source material; SWTOR depicts him as a physically imposing Sith Lord whose presence dominates standard human-scale characters.

For collectors building scale-accurate displays where character height matters, the 7-inch scale is the correct design choice. For collectors building uniform 6-inch shelves, the figure breaks the visual rhythm — but breaking it correctly, because the source material calls for the larger scale.

The Removable Breathing Mask

The figure’s most distinctive accessory engineering: the breathing mask can be taken off, simply unplug the head first and remove it. The mask covers the mouth and nose area nicely. The two-state mask configuration (with-mask vs without-mask) supports both the canonical SWTOR Sith Lord combat appearance and the reveal-state display where collectors can show the underlying head sculpt.

The disassembly requirement (unplug the head before removing the mask) is similar to how the Riot Scout Trooper’s pauldron removal at #GG 14 works — the mask is held in place by the head’s mounting structure rather than direct face attachment. For collectors who plan to display the figure in a single configuration, the mask sits cleanly without intervention. For collectors who want display flexibility, the head-removal step is acceptable but slightly more complex than ideal.

The Lightsaber

Darth Malgus came with his signature red lightsaber. The blade can be detached from the hilt, supporting saber-on (deployed combat) and saber-off (stowed) display configurations. The figure is able to hold the hilt well in both hands.

A specific accessory engineering miss: there is no peg on the hilt and there is no hole in the belt where the saber could be attached to. Most Black Series Sith Lord figures include either a hilt-belt mounting peg (allowing the saber to clip to the belt) or a holster-pocket configuration (letting the hilt slide into the costume sculpt). Darth Malak at #GG 20 includes a back-of-belt holster; Cal Kestis at #GG 17 includes a belt-mounting peg. Darth Malgus has neither — collectors must hold the saber in the figure’s hand or display it separately on the shelf.

For a $33.99 deluxe-tier figure, the lack of saber storage is a meaningful engineering oversight. The character class needs a place to mount the weapon when not in use, and Hasbro didn’t tool one.

The Permanent Soft-Goods Robes

There are no removable parts on Darth Malgus, the chest armor and the soft-goods robes are permanently attached. The cape, the tunic, the chest armour — all integrated as fixed elements that ship in a single configuration. Standard Black Series design pattern for Sith Lord figures with cape configurations, consistent with the Andor Krennic Dress Uniform at #AND 16 and the Darth Malak figure at #GG 20.

The integrated approach is appropriate to the character’s source material — Malgus is canonically depicted in this specific configuration, and removing components would have undermined the visual reading.

The Soft-Plastic Shoulder Bells

The shoulder bells are made out of very soft plastic, which lets you raise the figure’s arms more than 90 degrees. Same engineering positive that distinguishes the Old Master Maul at #GG 23 and the better-engineered Republic Commando line — soft plastic shoulder armour accommodates full arm articulation without forcing the bells to dislodge.

Articulation

18 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, ball-jointed knees, ball-jointed ankles. The combination of butterfly shoulders and dual-axis torso articulation (upper body + waist) provides strong dynamic-pose flexibility for the lightsaber-wielding character. The ball-jointed knees throughout (rather than the more typical swivel-pin configurations) support the deeper-bend combat configurations.

The Loose Ankle Problem

The figure’s most defensible negative: the biggest flaw which this Black Series 6-inch Darth Malgus figure has are the ankle joints, which in the figure pictured here were extremely loose, so much so that the figure wouldn’t stand up properly during the photo shoot. This is the recurring loose-ankle pattern that affects multiple Phase 4 releases — Cassian Aldhani at #AND 01, Vader Duel’s End at #OWK 15A, KX Security Droid at #GG 15, and now Darth Malgus.

For a 7-inch scale figure with a back-heavy cape configuration, the loose-ankle problem is more significant than for standard 6-inch figures. The added weight and height make the balance challenge more demanding, and ankle joints that don’t hold the figure’s weight reliably are structurally problematic. Whether the loose-ankle behaviour is consistent across all production runs or unit-variable is unclear, but the reviewer-tested figure couldn’t stand reliably during photography testing.

For collectors who receive a unit with loose ankles, the standard nail-polish-in-the-joint workaround applies. For a $33.99 deluxe-tier figure, the quality-control variance is a meaningful disappointment.

The Paint Critique

There is no wash or dirt to be found on the armor, and the fairly large lightsaber hilt looks rather plasticy with a dull grey and black paint application on it. Same recurring Phase 4 paint critique that affects most releases. For Malgus specifically, the lack of weathering is moderately impactful — the SWTOR character isn’t heavily weathered in the source material, so the clean armour reads as more screen-accurate than for combat-grime-heavy figures. But the lightsaber hilt’s plasticy appearance is a more meaningful negative; a deluxe-tier figure’s primary weapon should carry more paint detail than the dull grey-and-black application Hasbro shipped.

The SWTOR Source

Star Wars: The Old Republic is BioWare’s 2011 MMO set during the Old Republic-era Sith vs Jedi cold war (and subsequent open conflict). Darth Malgus is one of the game’s most prominent Sith Lord characters — a Human-Sith hybrid antagonist whose character arc spans multiple expansions and storyline events. The character’s specific appearance (the breathing mask, the cape configuration, the imposing physical presence) is iconic among SWTOR players.

For collectors who played SWTOR, Darth Malgus represents the game’s most prominent villain in 6-inch plastic form. The Top 5 community vote ranking suggests broader collector recognition of the character’s significance — both within the SWTOR fan base and across the wider Star Wars collector community.

The Mural Collection Position

Darth Malgus sits at the twenty-fourth position in the Gaming Greats Collection mural display. For loose display, the figure works best alongside the other KOTOR-era and Old Republic-era figures (Darth Malak at #GG 20, Bastila Shan at #GG 21, Zaalbar at #GG 04, Darth Nihilus at #GG-E03, the Jedi Knight Revan at #GG-E02) for a comprehensive Old Republic ensemble. The figure also works alongside other Black Series Sith Lord releases for a multi-era Sith Lord roster display.

Secondary Market

Single-boxed Fan Channel exclusive, September 2023. Aftermarket prices on the secondary market have generally tracked at or above the original $33.99 MSRP, with the Top 5 community recognition and the Fan Channel distribution keeping demand firm. Verify the breathing mask, the lightsaber hilt, and the removable red blade are all included. The breathing mask is the small part most likely to be lost in transit or during disassembly. No production variants documented.

Verdict

Darth Malgus at #GG 24 is the most ambitious Gaming Greats Collection figure to date. The 7-inch scale captures the character’s screen-accurate imposing physical presence, the removable breathing mask supports dual-state display configurations, the butterfly shoulders and ball-jointed waist provide strong dynamic-pose articulation, and the Top 5 community recognition reflects broader collector validation of the figure’s quality.

The loose ankle problem is the figure’s most defensible negative — a 7-inch back-heavy figure that struggles to stand reliably is a structural display issue. The lack of saber-belt mounting is an unexpected engineering oversight for a deluxe-tier figure. The plasticy lightsaber hilt finish undermines the figure’s deluxe positioning. The Fan Channel distribution at $33.99 makes this the most expensive Gaming Greats purchase to date.

Buy this figure if you play SWTOR, if you build Old Republic-era Sith Lord displays, or if the Top 5 community recognition signals figure quality to you. The $33.99 MSRP is the highest price point in the Gaming Greats Collection, and the engineering ambition justifies most of the premium — though the ankle quality-control variance and the saber-mounting oversight deduct from the value proposition.

The SWTOR Old Republic Sith Lord. The 7-inch tall Top 5 figure of 2023. The Fan Channel exclusive that breaks the Gaming Greats distribution patterns. Fan Channel exclusive, September 2023.

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Part of Star Wars The Black Series | Phase 4 Gaming Greats Collection. Related: Darth Malak P4-GG-20 | Bastila Shan P4-GG-21 | Zaalbar P4-GG-04.