Figure of the Day: Day 104: R2-M5

R2-M5 Astromech Droids Series #2
Saga Collection Entertainment Earth Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. 87055 No. 87057
Number: n/a
Includes: n/a
Action Feature: Turn the figure's head, and the third leg retracts/extends
Retail: $39.99
Availability: January 2006
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: Loyally serves the Naboo royalty. (Taken from the figure's box. Short, ain't it?)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: You want droids? You got droids. I've always got a kick out of robot toys, so when given the chance to make figures like R2-M5, even though I'm still not entirely sure if that's the correct name for him as he'd also been identified as R2-D1 elsewhere, well, how could I say no? As one of the many droids from the prequels, this guy is basically little more than R2-D2, but where he's blue, now he's red. There are a few other panel lines and details drawn in, but this repainted R4-G9 mold tends to work really well as everyone's basic astromech unit.

There's not a lot you can do with an R2 unit toy as far as articulation, but this figure manages to cram in everything you could hope for at this scale. It sports a rotating dome, articulated feet, and articulated legs. I suppose you could articulate the holographic projector, but at this 3 3/4-inch scale, that seems a little unrealistic. The figure also has wheels so he can roll instead of the traditional foot holes on most figures, as R2-M5 really has no use for a display stand.

Collector's Notes: This figure (and the whole droid pack series) caused a bunch of arguments, although not the ones I expected. A few minor details on each figure were incorrect, but most of the complaints/concerns came from a) where the figure appeared in the movies and b) how we had the audacity to release figures as repaints of R4-G9 and not using the "superior" molds for R2-R9 or R2-Q5. In the case of this droid, he appears in a lot of publicity photographs (which is why I wanted to have one) as well as the hangar on Naboo and in images of the Queen's starship. And, of course, you can use your imagination and use him in any situation you wish.

Day 104: August 18, 2006