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Review of White Walker, The Hound, Ned Stark
Game of Thrones action figures

Funko
Date Published:
Written By:
Overall Average Rating: 3 out of 4

Game of Thrones Hound, White Walker, Ned Stark action figures by Funko

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Introduction

I don't know about you, but I had some serious Thrones withdrawal symptoms this last weekend. With only 3 episodes left and a whole lot to pack in, we're in for a great ride!

To help satiate my GoT need, I'm covering the back half of the first wave of figures from Funko. In previous reviews I've looked at Daenerys, Tyrion and Jon Snow, and tonight I'm wrapping it up with Ned Stark, the Hound, and the White Walker.

These are currently available at a number of online retailers, as well as a few brick and mortar stores. You can expect to pay around $20 each.

Click on the image below for a Life Size version
Game of Thrones Hound, White Walker, Ned Stark action figures by Funko

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Packaging - ***1/2
These boxes are really growing on me. They are collector friendly, although you do have to ditch a few twisty ties. They are attractive as well, and for the MIBers, they show off the figure nicely.

Game of Thrones Hound, White Walker, Ned Stark action figures by Funko

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Sculpting - White Walker ***1/2; Stark, Hound **1/2
So far this line has been a real mixed bag in this category. I really like the White Walker...for the most part. The rather stiff hair does sit oddly when you're tilting or posing the head, and the seam line where it joins the head is much too obvious. The saving grace is the texturing on the decaying flesh and overall detail work, all done well. He's a big dude too, coming in at 6 3/4".

The Hound is big too, also about 6 3/4" tall. The work on his armor is terrific, and it doesn't restrict the excellent articulation. He stands great on his own, but the hands are made from very, very hard plastic, making it tough to insert the swords. Be very careful!

His biggest issue is the portrait. The key feature - and life changing factor - for the Hound is his burned face, a present from his cruel brother, the Mountain. On this sculpt there's a slight impression that something might be up with his face, but it's slight at best. The eye does droop a bit, and there's a little more roughness to the skin, but it's very minor. They've glossed over his key feature, and the overall look suffers big time.

Ned Stark also has an excellent costume, but a weak portrait.  He comes in at 6" tall, which makes him about average in this series, and he has the same issues with his hands as the Hound (and the White Walker, to a slightly lesser extent). In fact, I managed to break one of the wrists trying to work with the swords, due to the hard, brittle plastic.

The Ned head sculpt is closer to reality than the Hound, but it's still more cosplayer quality than accurate to the actor. The work on his clothing (including the cool Hand of the King pin) makes up for it a bit, but can't completely pull him out of a lower score.

Game of Thrones Hound, White Walker, Ned Stark action figures by Funko

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Paint - White Walker ***1/2; Ned ***; Hound **1/2
Of the three, the best paint job easily belongs to the White Walker, where a nice dry brushing brings out the frosty evil. The detailing on the skin really pops, and I love the use of translucent plastic for the spear tip, making it look like ice.

Ned is decent enough, although the work on the face is a bit slap daisy and rough.  The paint ops on the clothing are much better, and once again there's some nice attention paid to the smaller details.

The Hound has some real trouble in this category, and it links back to the Sculpting section. Part of the issue with the scarring is actually a paint problem. The eyebrows are painted on straight and even as though his face were never burned, throwing off the asymmetrical appearance he has on the show. The skin tone is also super consistent across the face, hiding any sculpted damage.

Game of Thrones Hound, White Walker, Ned Stark action figures by Funko

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Articulation - ***1/2
One of the best features of this series - and what really sets it apart from the slightly larger scale figures from Dark Horse - is the excellent articulation.

They all start with ball jointed necks that work quite well, even with the long hair. The have ball shoulders that were once called "NECA style" since they were the first company to really make them popular. The elbows and ankles are the pin/disc style ball, which allows for both forward and backward movement as well as turning 360 degrees.

Even though the ankles don't have a true rocker joint, the way the ball is designed you can get the feet flat on the ground even in deep stances.

There's also ball hips with a cut thigh, double pin knees, and cut wrists. The Walker adds to all this with a great rocker ab joint.

I would have gone four stars, but I do find that the posts in several of the joints (like the ankles and elbows) are awfully short, making it pretty easy to pop the limbs free. They pop back on, but it's still an annoyance when you're posing the figure.

Game of Thrones Hound, White Walker, Ned Stark action figures by Funko

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Accessories - Hound ****; Ned ***1/2; Walker ***
Here's another category where these figures shine, particularly the Hound.

The White Walker has just one accessory, but it's a nice one. He comes with a deadly looking spear, tipped by a translucent ice-like blade. While he has the same hard, tight gripping hands as the Hound and Ned, the shaft of the spear fits better between his fingers.

Ned has two swords, a smaller one that fits within a scabbard on his belt, and his huge blade named Ice. Both look terrific, and you should be able to get him to hold them with some care.

Finally, there's the Hound. Sandor Clegane also has two swords, and both fit perfectly in their intended scabbards. One scabbard is permanently attached to his back, while the other is another accessory that fits within a loop on his belt.

But that's not all - he also comes with his dog's head helmet! The soft material will allow you to place it over his head, which is not such a bad look for him, considering the head sculpt.

Game of Thrones Hound, White Walker, Ned Stark action figures by Funko

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Fun Factor - ***1/2
While the sculpting is a bit of a disappointment, these are still really terrific toys due to the articulation and accessories. It's a bit of a surprise, considering this isn't a show intended for kids, but if you're first and foremost a toy collector (as am I), then these play right into your soft spot.

Game of Thrones Hound, White Walker, Ned Stark action figures by Funko

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Value - **
Twenty bucks a pop is a lot to pay for a 6" scale action figure. Sadly, most are now running $15 - $17, but that extra couple bucks you're paying here hurts the completist. And let's face it, with a line like this most collectors will want the entire universe of characters released.

Game of Thrones Hound, White Walker, Ned Stark action figures by Funko

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Things to Watch Out For -
The big issue here is the hard, hard hands. I broke the wrist on Ned's right hand trying to fit the sword within its grasp, and damaging the hilts or fingers is another distinct possibility. Take care, and work slowly.

Game of Thrones Hound, White Walker, Ned Stark action figures by Funko

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Overall - White Walker ***1/2; Hound, Ned ***
The best things about this line so far are the accessories, sculpted outfits, and articulation.  They really shine in these areas, and make it tough to be too disappointed.

But disappointed I am. The head sculpts and paint need to be improved, particularly considering the price point. This is Funko's first real foray into collectible action figures, and they get points for trying hard...but that's not enough, not if they want to get through several more waves.

I'll be buying them all, but then regular readers understand that I have a problem. For the general fan of the show to keep shelling out the green, Funko needs to tighten up the quality overall.

Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ***1/2
Sculpting - White Walker ***1/2; Stark, Hound **1/2
Paint - White Walker ***1/2; Ned ***; Hound **1/2
Articulation - ***1/2
Accessories - Hound ****; Ned ***1/2; Walker ***
Fun Factor - ***1/2
Value - **
Overall - White Walker ***1/2; Hound, Ned ***

Game of Thrones Hound, White Walker, Ned Stark action figures by Funko

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Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- has them in stock for $20 each.

- comes in at $21 each.

- Entertainment Earth has them for $20 each.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
I covered the first half of this wave earlier, including Daenerys, and Tyrion with Jon Snow

I've also covered several of the recent Dark Horse figures, including their Daenerys, as well as Drogo, Ned Stark, and Tyrion Lannister.

Other Game of Thrones collectibles I've covered include the Daenerys action figure from Funko, the Daeny bust from Dark Horse, the Hand of the King pin, and the Catspaw Blade from Valyrian Steel.

You should also hit the Search Reviews page, in case any other applicable reviews were done after this one was published.

Discussion:
Want to chat about this review?  Try out one of these terrific forums where I'll be discussing it!

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Game of Thrones Hound, White Walker, Ned Stark action figures by Funko

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This product was purchased for the review by the reviewer. Photos and text by Michael Crawford.

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