It’s been well over a year since I’ve had some new McFarlane Toys Halo figures to review, but the day I wasn’t sure would ever come finally has! The distribution on Halo 4 Series 3 hasn’t been the best, but after ordering Jul ‘Mdama for $14 shipped online, the Didact’s Hand is now in the house! But should this McFarlane Jul ‘Mdama figure be in your house too? Read on for my review…

The Right:

When I read the outstanding “Halo: Glasslands” novel by Karen Traviss, I fell in love with the Sangheili insurrectionist, Jul ‘Mdama. I had no idea the character would exist outside the Halo books, as I assumed that Jul would be yet another complex character introduced in the books and then never mentioned–ever–in the video games. So when Jul actually did appear in Hal 4, I totally marked out.

And now, the leader of the Covenant Remnant has hit the big time with the McFarlane Toys Halo 4 Jul ‘Mdama figure!

I cannot understate how much I appreciate that McFarlane Toys has gone back and given us the three most important characters missing from the Halo 4 era of video games. Lasky would be nice some day as well, but if we never get him, I’m happy with the characters we did get. Thumbs up.

McFarlane Toys has long been the master of paint applications, and to this day there’s no company that makes better-painted figures than McFarlane Toys at such a low price-point.

My favorite part of the entire figure is life-like freckled texture on the Jul Mdama’s figure’s skin, which looks far more convincing and authentic than you would expect from a $15 action figure!

All of the little crevices and panel lines on the Jul ‘Mdama action figure are filled in with a very nicely-executed paint wash, and the purposely imperfect Didact’s Hand logos painted on Jul’s chest and shoulder armor look perfect. Solely looked at from a paint perspective, this figure would be an ‘A+’.

The Halo 4 Series 3 Jul Mdama action figure comes with two accessories: a newish removable helmet and the same over-sized Covenant Energy Sword that we got with the Halo 4 Series 1 Elite Zealot figure. While there is an issue with the Energy Sword (which I’ll be kvetching about shortly), I loved the electricity effects on the sword three years ago, and I still love them now.

As it’s one of the defining features of character design for Jul ‘Mdama, it was really important to get his helmet–with holographic emblem on it–right. Thankfully, McFarlane Toys does. The translucent plastic used on the emblem definitely pops, and makes Jul ‘Mdama stand out amongst all of the other Sangheili figures that McFarlane Toys has released over the years.

And underneath the helmet, I was pleased to see the minute paint detailing on Jul’s teeth, mouth and eyes! McFarlane’s paint department probably could have gotten away with cheaping out on the paint deco under Jul’s helmet, but they took the high road instead and it is much appreciated.

I like what a stark contrast Jul’s light skin is to the dark-colored Sangheili we’re used to having figures of. I’m so used to looking at my dark-skinned Elites that it’s a bit shocking to have a nearly albino one on my shelf!

And although this figure is basically a repaint of a figure designed three years ago, the sculpting on Jul is still top-class. From front to back, every centimeter of this figure is covered in texture and sculpting detail. It’s really a thing of beauty.

The Wrong:

The McFarlane Jul Mdama figure is a repaint (with some slightly new tooling) of the Elite Zealot figure that I reviewed… two years ago. At the time, I was totally in love with that figure. Three years later… not as much.

Other toy manufacturers have really upped their game in the past three years, so the Halo 4 Elite Zealot figure feels a little bit antiquated now. The appearance of the figure stills holds up, but the articulation scheme doesn’t hold up to popular lines like SH Figuarts that I’ve become accustomed to.

Though the Jul Mdama McFarlane Toys figure has 28 points of articulation built in, Jul just does not feel very poseable–particularly in his hips and lower body. I really hope McFarlane ups their engineering for the Halo 5 figures, because the figure design that was acceptable years ago simply isn’t inpressive anymore.

In addition, the Halo 4 Series 3 Jul ‘Mdama figure has the same immensely frustrating issue as the Elite Zealot–he can barely hold his Covenant Energy Sword at all.

Every time I get the Energy Sword into his hand, I nudge Jul the slightest bit and it clatters to the ground. By the time I was done taking photos for this review, I was ready to snap the Energy Sword–and maybe Jul himself–in half.

Given that McFarlane Toys has had almost three years to revise this mold and make the hands grasp the sword properly, it’s lazy and ludicrous that they didn’t even attempt to fix this issue.

Overall: I am altogether thrilled to own an action figure of Jul ‘Mdama, and this is generally a solid one. The new helmet looks terrific, and the paint applications and sculpting detail on Jul are excellent. That said, the articulation on this figure feels stiff and dated, and the continued inability to hold the Energy Sword properly is infuriating. Recommended overall, especially for those who know and love the character of Jul ‘Mdama.

GRADE: B+