Tron Kubrick - YORI!

Kubrick Disney's Tron - Set (A): Tron, Yori, & Orange Light Cycle - Medicom 2002

I've had this set for ages but finally got around to opening it last week. I frankly don't remember purchasing this, but when I was moving house four years ago, I found it buried in a closet encased up in bubble wrap with zero recollection of how I got it. I probably paid a fortune and blocked out the memory over guilt. It was funny to mark it off my "must have" checklist by accidentally discovering that I already owned it. I also found multiple Planet of the Apes Kubrick sets in the same box so it was a thrilling discovery. This figure is notable for being the first toy of Yori ever. As the token female of Tron (1982), and a pretty significant character, she was criminally neglected in the merchandise department. So far I have three Yori items, but hopefully there will be momentum for more in the future, but I definitely would love to see more. I think a company like NECA should take the reigns and give us a full vintage line (hopefully with characters unmade in the DST line). Let's check out Yori below!

POP Funko - TRON'S YORI!

POP! Movies #1855 - Disney's Tron (1982) Vinyl Figures - Yori - Funko 2025

When most people hear about modern movie sequels or reboots of classic pop culture films, there is a mixed bag of reactions. There is always an initial pang of nostalgic excitement, usually followed by the creeping dread that these things very rarely turn out well. But a third reaction I always have is speculative excitement about the potential classic product to ride the wave of renewed media interest in the property. When I first heard about Tron: Ares a couple years ago, my overriding reaction was that we might finally get more Yori products. Tron is a classic movie from my youth. It was one of the only VHS rentals my siblings and I could agree on. We frankly didn't understand the plot too well, but the visuals were mesmerizing and we loved it. The token female character, Yori, has been criminally under-merchandised. While the male characters got multiple vintage (and modern) toylines, Yori didn't appear in plastic for 20 years with a small Kubrick figure, and then another 20 until the next (Super7 ReAction). 

Super7 ReAction - TRON'S YORI!

ReAction Action Figures - Disney Parks Exclusive Tron Series - Yori - Super7 2023

Tron is such an iconic movie from my childhood. In a decade of amazing barrier-breaking movies, I always thought that Tron (1982) was the most visually inventive of them all. The backlit animation and film overlay created an effect that still mesmerizes me today. I find of fell into collecting Tron figures by accident. I was working on some customs about 15 years ago and needed 3.75" translucent bodies. At the time you could get beat-up vintage Tron figures cheap on eBay. But when I got them I found I liked them more than I expected and became a fan. A glaring omission from the major toylines was the token female character, Yori. (She had a Kubrick block figure released, but that was it). This ReAction line is really great. They fit in well with the classic figures, but have a cinematic deco that differentiates them from all the candy-colored transparent figures before. The issue is they are hard to get and prohibitively overpriced (like everything at Disney parks). It took almost a year for me to get her at a decent price.

Tron Legacy - QUORRA!

Tron Legacy - 3.75" Action Figures Series 02 - Quorra - Spinmaster Toys 2010

Very few properties have quite the same nostalgic punch for me than Tron does. I watched the original movie countless times in my youth. I found it mesmerizing, confusing, and even scary. But still, every time it would come on TV, I would be glued to the set. And I would always try to slip the tape into our basket at the video rental store, despite having taped if off the TV. There was no rhyme or reason, I was just drawn to it. When the 2010 Tron Legacy movie was announced, I was very excited. But when I finally saw it, I found it forgettable. Fun, but forgettable. I fully plan on watching it again soon with an open mind, but at the time it just didn't capture my fancy. In fact, the 2008 Speed Racer film seemed more in the visual spirit of Tron than Legacy did. It's on my Disney+ list so I will revisit it shortly. Spinmaster had the main toy license and put out a decent number of 6" and 3.75" figures. The only merchandized female was Quorra in the second wave of the 3.75" figures. Let's check her out below!

Tron 2.0 - MERCURY!

Reel Toys: Tron 2.0  Action Figures Series 01 - Mercury - NECA 2003

Tron 2.0 is a first-person shooter game from 2003 originally released for Mac/PC. It is not official Canon to the Tron film franchise and features new characters and unique designs. As a video game rube, I had never heard about Tron 2.0 until I game across these action figures clearanced at FiveBelow a decade ago. I was immediately drawn in by the Mercury character and her sculpt which I could tell right away was by Sam Greenwell. He was my favorite DC Direct sculptor at the time so this discovery was exciting. In reading about the game, it's my understanding that Mercury is a non-playable character (voiced by Rebecca Romijn) who is the primary source of game objectives and information but who ultimately gets fridged. Still, it's great to have another female in the Tron franchise. They are pretty scarce indeed and this is by far the best action figure representation so far. One of my biggest wishes right now is for a Diamond Select Yori. Fingers crossed! Let's check out Tron 2.0 Mercury below!