Disagree completely. A good diorama invites the viewer's eye in to the story being told, and figures can be superfluous; either adding nothing or getting in the way. If all the right elements are there, we see and interpret what has happened, or is happening. I make the comparison of a diorama to the still-life painting. You've seen classic paintings, for example, of food on a table, a lighted candle, a partially filled wine glass, a chair pushed back, and NO people at all pictured. It's all about the arrangement, the composition, that draws our eyes all around and into the picture as we place ourselves into the work. It's a human experience, but without the annoying human cluttering things up! There's a diorama posted on here now, called Mud Trap, that shows a heavy truck sunk beyond hope in a mud pit. It is simple and beautifully executed. There is no figure standing there scratching his head or pointing at the truck. There is no Wile E. Coyote sign saying "Caution, Mud". None of that is needed. We see it, we get it. The viewer is not insulted by overstating the obvious. Tell your story without figures, and use the right elements, and we'll get it. Bad figures have ruined otherwise good dioramas. I look forward to seeing what you come up with! Good luck.