Exo-6 has really been churning out figures in 2023 after a little bit of a break for 1:6 collectors wallets during the first couple of months of the year. With Seven, Chakotay, Archer, Kim, The First Contact Captains chair, Shran and now Locutus landing on people’s doorsteps so far with at least 3 more figures currently slated to ship before the end of the year (Data/Kira/Quark).
Today’s review focuses on one of the ‘premium releases’, the Exo-6 Locutus, referred to in that manner due to the higher quality packaging that the figure ships in compared to the standard slip and window box affair that most figures so far have shipped in.
The Packaging
Speaking of the packaging. It delivers a premium experience. Locutus ships in the 1:6 standard brown box shipper to protect the artwork box. The box itself is made from thicker cardboard than the standard releases. It also features a magnet fastening mechanism for the ‘tri-fold’ front cover.
Within the box itself, we have the credits on the back of the cover featuring the sculptor and other credits. These are also included with every Exo-6 figure on the back of a standard box. It’s great that the artists are getting more prominent credits with these premium releases.
We then have a Borg Alcove-themed card cover over the dense foam used to encase the figure itself. This again feels extremely high quality, I have no doubt that a significant number of Locutus owners will attempt to convert this cover into some form of backdrop (until the teased Exo-6 Borg alcove releases at least)!
The Sculpt
A key aspect to keep in mind when reviewing Exo-6 figures is that unlike many of the larger/more well-known 1:6 creators, they don’t have access to 3D scans of the actors and props/outfits for most of their figures. This is especially true of figures recreating the likenesses of episodes and movies that were produced decades ago.
As a result of this, you’ll typically find that the sculpts of these characters will resemble the character’s appearance in a certain scene, set of scenes, or set of publicity images. In this case that makes the best point of reference how Locutus appears in the latter scenes of The Best of Both Worlds Part II, given that he’s featured with the arm prosthetic.
But oh my, this is an outstanding sculpt. While others and indeed myself would have some critique of some other Exo-6 efforts, this one truly nails Patrick Stewart as he appeared back in the early 90s with the various Borg ‘enhancements’ applied by the makeup. From the pale, metallic-esque skin, to the various scarring prosthetics that he wore to imply the horrors of the assimilation process. Fantastic job Exo-6!
The Body
The quality doesn’t let up with Locutus’ body. This figure reveals elements of Patrick Stewart’s costume that many will have been entirely unaware of. An example that surprised me was the detail on the left knee armour and the boots!
There are a number of ‘hoses’ that crisscross across the figure as well. But not just that. You can also see that there are also a number of unused hose ports (including one on the head) that really sell that this is a cybernetic life form that’s been put together in a bit of a hurry compared to the more refined Borg outfits that we see in First Contact and indeed throughout TNG.
As the pictures above will hopefully show there is also a variety of subtle finish differences across the different pieces of armour. These really make Locutus stand out when under the light as well.
Accessories
Locutus doesn’t come with a huge amount of in-the-box accessories. Included are a couple of alternate left hands and well… That’s it. Unfortunately for Exo-6 the TNG producers weren’t thinking about the 1:6 market for 2023 back when they built this outfit.
But what it doesn’t have in accessories, it makes up for in unique features. Locutus is the first figure from Exo-6 to feature a built-in electronic function. You can (gently) pop the head armour off to access the battery compartment. After installing said batteries, you’ll be greeted with a red LED. Replicating the laser seen on the side of Locutus’ head. This actually caused a fair amount of trouble for Exo-6. They had to produce two versions of Locutus. One without the battery compartment specifically for Australia, due to their laws around small batteries and products that require them.
You also have a prosthetic arm. In the episode, Data rips it off after Picard is brought on board the Enterprise. It may have been easier for Exo-6 to mould the prosthetic and upper arm as a single piece, or attach it to the arm armour. However, they’ve gone to the effort of making it removable, depending on your display preference, through the use of a magnet.
Conclusion
Locutus is by a margin the most impressive figure from Exo-6 that I have seen so far. While some others have spoken of the high quality of their TMP Admiral Kirk and Kolinahr Spock I opted not to get those figures, so this is the first premium box figure to make it into my collection.
The sculpt is perfect, the costume has been recreated in immaculate detail and while the movement of the figure is somewhat constricted by the armour, the removable arm and light-up headpiece provide a nice variety of display options for collectors.
Locutus retailed for $245 but is now sold out from all 1:6 stores, you can however still join the waitlist over at Sideshow if you want to try your chances at getting hold of the figure. There is also a slim chance that a limited number of cancelled orders may be made available directly from the Exo-6 website at some point over the coming months. So keep an eye out on those socials! Otherwise, unfortunately, the secondary market is going to be the only place to find this figure from now on.
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