Sectaurs - STELLARA!

Sectaurs: The Warriors of Symbion - Wave 1 - Stellara - Nacelle Co 2023

For years Stellara has been an unobtainable holy grail for me. I have seen prototypes of her unreleased vintage figure pop up for sale numerous times, mostly in the range of several thousand dollars. (Although once I learned of a completed eBay auction with her just listed as "unknown purple girl" - the lucky bidder had major bragging rights for that score). She seemed unobtainable but not necessarily out of reach (if that makes sense) which made her all the more desirable in my eyes. Sectaurs was one of my favorite 80s properties. Nature and fantasy were my favorite genres and it was an added bonus that all the characters looked somewhat creepy with their stern faces and large insectile eyes. When Nacelle announced this figure I quite literally shrieked. I would finally add this elusive member of the Ladies of the Eighties club to my collection. She is perfection to me. Her articulation and sculpt is modernized, but in a way that is a love letter to the classic line (similar to the aesthetic of MOTU Origins). 

In a year full of amazing toys, I think Stellara may be my favorite. Kudos to Nacelle for making her available in the first assortment. I hope there are many more figures to come. I will buy them all. (I also purchased three of her for potential customs - like my favorite, Medicine Beetle the healing ladybug). Stellara is perfection. Buy her for everyone on your holiday list! Let's check her out below!

The cards are super sturdy. I might even say they are thicker that the Marvel Legends Vintage line.

Stellara comes with a Vengun, a Shield, and a Skall Dagger.

FYI the Skall Dagger only seems to fit in her hip sheath from the bottom up.

If you put in in from the top it hinders her arm movement and doesn't nestle snuggly in the sheath.

Took me a while to figure this out.

Her chest harness appears to be removeable. There is a soft rubber peg holding it closed at her side, but mine wasn't easily unpegged so I didn't force it. There is a possibility it is glued, but I think it's just really tight.

Stellara (and Dargon) have improved articulation over the vintage Coleco figures.

Head: Swivel

Shoulders: Hinge & Swivel

Elbows: Hinge

Forearm: Hinge (yes, hidden second hinge under the gauntlet)

Wrists: Swivel

Waist: None

Hips: Hinge & Swivel

Knees: Double Hinge (ratcheted)

Ankles: Swivels.

I couldn't find my vintage figures, but analyzing online photos I think they were lacking any elbow, wrist, and ankle articulation. 

And their knees were single-hinged. These Nacelle figures are a significant improvement without disrupting the aesthetic.

Stellara's knees have a very interesting ratcheting articulation. You can see the grooves on the center discs of the joints. 

They click and gently lock into position as you progressively bend them.

The first images from Nacelle looked very different from the final product.

I think the in-hand final product is a great improvement. Interesting that Stellara has a completely different harness and weapons. The axe appears to be Pinsor's and the shield is Skulk's. Perhaps the new weapons weren't tooled yet and these are actual vintage accessories used as stand-ins (orrrrr perhaps this is a clue to upcoming figures!)

The toy design (both the modern figure and the vintage prototype) are based on Stellara's appearances in the 5-episode animated mini-series from 1986.

Stellara was a also a prominent character in the 8-issue Sectaurs comic series from Marvel (1985-86).

However, she was visually a very different character.

The original 1985 Sectaurs toyline from Coleco would have included a Stellara figure in the final cancelled assortment. This new Nacelle figure is an unbelievably faithful homage to this unreleased rarity.

Time for some Group and Comparison Pics!

Here is Stellara with her wave-mate, Dargon.

And here she is alongside some of the other iconic 80s Ladies: She-Ra and Cheetara.

Cheers!