Figure of the Day: Day 926: Yoda

YODA Spinning Attack!
Revenge of the Sith Collection 1
Item No.: Asst. 85172 No. 85273
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #III-26
Includes: Cane, lightsaber hand, hand, action base
Action Feature: Wind-up figure and let it spin to hit things
Retail: $5.24-$6.99
Availability: March 2005
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: Yoda suspects that Palpatine is behind the evil events that are destroying the Republic. On Coruscant, Yoda and the Emperor meet in the ultimate confrontation between the galaxy's most powerful masters of the Force. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' living room.

Commentary: Of the entire saga, Yoda is one of the few characters that appeals to absolutely everybody. I knew girls in high school that were crazy about her. One of my pals in college dated this chick who was bonkers for Yoda. And of course, there are fans and collectors and kids who love the tiny green Jedi master, a character who managed to go under a bit of a reinvention in 2002 with Attack of the Clones from wise old guy with cane to insane, whirling dervish (or general baadasssss.) Hasbro built this figure for modern kids who want a figure that jumps around and slashes things. Collectors will no doubt admire its authenticity-- it has a great head sculpt and a wonderful costume, but it's meant to be used as a toy more than a collector's piece. The figure has a swivel head, swivel elbows, a swivel waist, and one swivel wrist. This limited articulation was designed to allow the figure to "attack" when you futz with the figure's internal mechanisms. You twist the figure at the waist a few times to wind it up, and when the figure's feet are tilted the right way, he starts spinning around like a crazy person. The platform included with the figure makes it slightly easier to make him perform his little trick, but it's still a little touchy. The mechanism is really the reason to buy the figure given there are so many Yodas out there, so if you want a figure you can use to amuse or attack your cats, this is the one for you. Otherwise, you might be better served by a figure with more articulation or the increasingly popular animated style.

Collector's Notes: A common figure in 2005, this is one of many Yoda figures sold over the past few years. Because of this, the figure doesn't command a premium price. The figure was reissued in 2007 without his action base as part of the Target exclusive Order 66 packs, bundled with an exclusive original design of a Kashyyyk Clone Trooper.

Day 926: December 31, 2008

Figure of the Day: Day 925: TC-14

TC-14 Protocol Droid
Episode I Collection 3
Item No.: Asst. 84105 No. 84276
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Tray, drink container, CommTech Chip (2000 only), Coin (2007 only)
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: Spring 2000
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: Silver-plated protocol droid TC-14 serves her Trade Federation masters well when she suspects the Jedi identities of Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: One of the first characters that appear in the saga, chronologically speaking, is TC-14. Since seeing the movie, fans quickly identified the figure as an easy repaint for Hasbro, and brought this up in hopes that the company would repaint a C-3PO and sell it to us. Not satisfied to stop at a mere repaint, Hasbro tooled up a brand new figure as its prequel line was on its way out. The figure is stunning-- she has golden eyes, a silver body, greasy black joints, and a fairly suggestive looking beverage dispenser. With only 6 points of articulation, the figure didn't offer fans too much in the way of movement. Still, she could carry a tray and look cool, which is really all one might expect from a figure of this nature in the year 2000. As far as protocol droids go, this was one of Hasbro's best. Ever. Seriously, some of the C-3PO figures look pretty good, but TC-14 stands out as particularly striking with her shiny metal eyes differing from her silver coverings while most C-3PO figures are gold through and through. Also, very few protocol droids were sculpted with hands to hold an accessory-- this is another point in her favor. If you're a droid fan, I'd suggest getting this one just because it's a solid release. Yes, even though it's Nute Gunray's droid, and from a generally disliked film in the series. It's a fine figure, and good sculpting and engineering trump issues of the character's own questionable value to the story.

Collector's Notes: In 2000, the figure had a CommTech chip and was phased out in a hurry. I saw it at retail about five or six times. The 2007 reissue was more common. The figures looked essentially identical, so if you just want one to open get whatever is cheaper. For quite some time, this figure qualified as "hard to get," although last year's reissue has changed this. The figure was quickly repainted in white and sold as K-3PO in the early Power of the Jedi line. (A new, more articulated K-3PO was released in 2008.)

Day 925: December 30, 2008

Figure of the Day: Day 924: Super Battle Droid

SUPER BATTLE DROID with Obi-Wan Kenobi (Force Jump Attack)
Revenge of the Sith Deluxe Figure
Item No.: Asst. 85182 No. 85431
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Obi-Wan Kenobi figure
Action Feature: Falls apart when hit
Retail: $9.99
Availability: April 2005
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: As a General in the Clone Wars, Obi-Wan Kenobi leads clone troopers into battle against the droid armies. He uses his skill as a Jedi Master and his control of the Force to defeat the deadly battle droids. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: For Hasbro's deluxe figures, the company often pairs figures together so one figure takes some form of action on the other. This Super Battle Droid exists solely to be sliced and diced by Obi-Wan Kenobi. You can pose its arms and legs, and you can also tear off a chunk of him at the hip. Thankfully, Hasbro decided to make it slightly more interesting than just to act as a prop. There's a lot of dirt and detail, plus a few dents here. The hands are posed in a pleasing way, and despite not having any foot pegs he has the ability to stand on his own. (This, of course, is an important feature.) It isn't super-poseable, nor does it have any particularly striking accessories to make it extra fun. So what's the point of having these? Armies. There are so many unique Super Battle Droids that, if you bought one of each unique version, you'd have quite the army. This makes unique poses important, and this one is particularly notable in its distinctive pose. Be sure you get one if you build armies. If you don't, well, I can't really give you much reason to get this one.

Collector's Notes: In 2005, this figure sold really well. In most areas, he sold through long before the clearance sales, probably in part because it looks like a two-pack, and two figures for ten bucks ain't bad. For $10 or less, it's probably worth getting, if for no reason other than to add to your droid stash. It's pretty cheap on eBay.

Day 924: December 29, 2008

Figure of the Day: Day 923: McQuarrie Concept Darth Vader

Darth Vader McQuarrie Concept
30th Anniversary Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 87500 No. 87302
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #3028
Includes: Coin, blaster, lightsaber, alternate helmet
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: September 2007
Appearances: Art of Star Wars books

Bio: Darth Vader was not originally supposed to wear a facemask. Ralph McQuarrie's concept drawing of Vader boarding the Tantive IV was based on the idea that Vader would fly through space to reach the ship, requiring him to wear a breathing apparatus. The facemask remained and has become a modern-day icon of chilling doom. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' couch.

Commentary: Back in the 1990s, Kenner had a poll on its site for future non--movie line expansions and McQuarrie concepts were on the short list. As such, fans have been crossing their fingers for a McQuarrie Concept Darth Vader action figure for ages, and now we got one! That's the good news. It's also good news that it was made in the modern era, where the figures are way better than they were in 1995. Sadly, Hasbro took a shortcut or two here and the final figure isn't as cool as it could have been, or as the Kotobukiya statue was. The main downer comes from the awkwardly posed arms and the swivel (not ball-jointed) elbows, which restrict movement. The figure's pose is a little gimpy too, plus the figure isn't exactly black. Parts of him are, but others are more of a very dark brown/grey color. This isn't to say it isn't a great figure-- far from it. Its cloth cape is cool and Batman-like, the decision to leave the blaster and holster in is superb, and the bonus interchangeable heads? Genius.

It's fun to futz with, but a little frustrating in that it's just a smidgen stiffer than other concept releases with even less articulation. Pose is important, and the figure qualifies as good enough. Not perfect, there's certainly room for improvement, but it's better than no McQuarrie Vader at all and the price is right.

Collector's Notes: This is one of those figures that adult fans loved, and so did the various flea market buyers. Hasbro's decision to make the packaging blue tinged (rather than red) set the McQuarrie figures apart. Even though they were made in good numbers, a lot of misinformed buyers assumed they were all shortpacked collector's items. They weren't. Today you can pick up this figure at or below original retail, and some out-of-the-way retailers still have them, in addition to some online ones.

Day 923: December 26, 2008

Figure of the Day: Day 922: R3-Y2

R3-Y2 Astromech Droid Pack Series II
The Saga Collection Entertainment Earth Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. 87055 No. 87057
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: n/a
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $39.99
Availability: January 2006
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: Assists the Rebels during their escape from Echo Base on the planet Hoth. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' slab of cardboard.

Commentary: Of all the droids done up by Hasbro, R3-Y2 is one of the most obscure that reportedly exists on film. Sure, some were made up just for the sake of toys, and others eventually showed up in The Clone Wars, but this one actually appears in The Empire Strikes Back and may or may not be on model. I expect the coloring on the panels is off, and the dirt isn't quite right, but it's not like I can prove this. Authenticity really isn't important when a figure is basically unseen by the audience, all that really matters is that the final figure looks good. And this one, for its time, was certainly decent. It just wasn't quite a slam-dunk. The figure used the now-old astromech body, which is a little long and thin, with less detail than that used on most current figures. The third leg is retractable, and the feet are articulated, but other than that there's not much to write home about here. The figure's main function is as scenery, and as such it will look great in any Hoth playset you might decide to buy. Of the figures in these exclusive sets, I'd say this might be the dullest.

Collector's Notes: It took a while, but these sets are (seemingly) totally sold through. Your best bet is eBay and various collector shops.

Day 922: December 25, 2008

Figure of the Day: Day 921: MB-RA-7

MB-RA-7 Death Star Droid
The Legacy Collection Build-A-Droid
Item No.: Asst. 87535
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: n/a
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: November 2008
Appearances: Kenner's action figure line

Bio: MB-RA-7 was an RA-7 protocol droid. It had silver plating and black optics. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' floor.

Commentary: A recurring theme in collecting is fans wanting Hasbro to update all the old Kenner action figures, accuracy be damned. MB-RA-7 is inspired by the original Kenner Death Star Droid from 1979, which itself was a slightly distorted version of the Sandcrawler droid. Which was eventually released in 2004. Now this droid is notable because it's fairly well-articulated, and it's also a repaint. For some reason Hasbro opted to release this droid and the black version of the mold back-to-back, but at least both are pretty slick. This version has silver paint on its body, big black eyes, and a decent amount of articulation. Given that these droid parts exist as a cheapo pack-in, it's nice to see Hasbro included elbow and knee joints on the limbs as well as a waist joint. The figure is also poseable at every "connection point," and you can swap out parts with other droid figures. Yes, even the build-a-droid Astromechs. (The head is a tight fit but it fits.)

Overall, the figure is not as moveable as C-3PX, but it's still pretty good. One of the things I thought was neat about this figure-- and you will likely not agree-- was that the elbows have this weird articulation that hinders movement. You can still twist the forearms, but it's a very stiff overall movement. In other words, he moves like you might expect a robot to move. Since he looks good, and is a genuine remake of a vintage 1979 Kenner toy, I'd say you should all run out and get one of these-- even if it's as a completed loose figure on eBay. I'm not a huge fan of the figures you have to buy to get the parts, but I'd probably have dropped $15 or so on the droid as an exclusive just to say I have it, so buy as your wallet permits.


Collector's Notes: The pieces to make this figure ship only in revisions of what is known as Wave 4 of the Legacy Collection. At press time, you can find the six pieces with such figures as Bail Organa, Breha Organa, FX-6, Commander Faie, Jodo Kast, Kashyyyk Trooper, Felucia Clone Trooper, General Grievous, Stass Allie, Saleucami Clone Trooper, Coruscant Landing Platform Clone Trooper, and Darth Vader. It is not expected to come with any other figures. The figure ships in six pieces, and cannot be purchased fully assembled at this time. In other words, this figure doesn't exist unless you open your toys. This figure is a repaint of 5D6-RA-7, which was the build-a-figure from the previous wave.

Day 921: December 24, 2008

Figure of the Day: Day 920: Obi-Wan Kenobi

OBI-WAN KENOBI Mustafar Redux
30th Anniversary Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 87500 No. 87541
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #0801
Includes: Lightsaber, display stand
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: January 2008
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: Obi-Wan holds onto hope that he and Padmé can turn Anakin back from the dark side. But on Mustafar, he realizes that all is lost and Anakin has been consumed by evil. Obi-Wan is vicously attacked by Anakin and battles for his life in a climactic duel surrounded by molten lava rivers. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' TV tray. The Mustafar base isn't included with Obi-Wan, rather he sports the typical rectangular grey display stand.

Commentary: It's rare for Hasbro to take a popular figure and reissue it with more articulation and a new head. That's exactly what they did with this Obi-Wan Kenobi, making it one of several significantly different releases of the mold over the past three years. The main differences between this one and the others are its head, its partially cloth "skirt" piece, and its ability to swing its legs out to the sides. Kenobi's new head is presently exclulisve to this release, and sits a little higher on the neck than others. It's a little off-putting at first, but you get used to it. He also looks a little sweatier, which works. He's still super articulated, and generally has the same range of movement as all the descendants of the 2005 "Pilot" figure aside from the extra hip movement.

It would have been really cool to have a lightsaber hilt included with the figure, but Hasbro opted not to throw one in. As such, you'll need to raid your stash. The lightsaber is fine, as is the display stand. This particular Obi-Wan exists mostly as an upgrade and as a double (ha-ha) dip on the mold and character. If you only get one Kenobi from this movie, it may as well be this one.

Collector's Notes: This is one of several Episode III-specific Kenobis, and is also one of several Mustafar-specific versions of the character. Hasbro isn't shy about being redundant, but articulation fiends will note that this is the best of them so far. It's unlikely we'll see one much better than this, but hey, Hasbro is known to surprise.

Day 920: December 23, 2008

Figure of the Day: Day 919: Sio Bibble

SIO BIBBLE Exposition Enhancer
Episode I Collection 2
Item No.: Asst. 84095 No. 84257
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster pistol, CommTech chip
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: Spring 2000
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: Naboo's governor, Sio Bibble, remains on his besieged planet while Queen Amidala travels to Coruscant. Meanwhile, the Trade Federation's invasion begins. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' couch.

Commentary: For a while, this figure had a rare distinction of being actually worth something. As we approach 1,000 figures in this column, a recurring theme is that few figures from the modern era are "worth" more than their SRP within 1-2 years of release. Sio Bibble still commands a slight premium, but he used to be worth $25-$30, while today you're looking at about $8. Which is fair, the figure is actually pretty good. A tail-end Episode I product, the Naboo governor has a decent sculpt and a distinct purple color. The head sculpt, while not perfect, is pretty good and manages to nail the facial hair just right. It would be nice if his robes had more detail and his arms had more joints, but the fact that this figure exists is essentially enough to warrant the purchase. For someone who doesn't do much but deliver additional plot, it's great to see Hasbro actually made this figure during the movie's initial run. Even if it was during the final assortment of Collection 2 right before the line got pulled.

Articulation is weak, even for his era. Because of his robes you barely even get six places to move the figure, and if he can sit it's not like his outfit will let him have his rear on the seat. This figure is squarely for collectors and diorama makers, as he doesn't really function well as a toy. He does have a blaster, though, which gives it limited play value if you're so inclined to use him for such purposes.

Collector's Notes: As stated above, the figure's claim to fame is that he was really hard to get. He's still hard to get, it's just that fans have largely moved on which helped drive auction prices down while fans spend their money on other collectibles.

Day 919: December 22, 2008

Figure of the Day: Day 918: ARC Trooper Commander

ARC TROOPER COMMANDER and Obi-Wan Kenobi
30th Anniversary Collection Order 66 Target Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. 87356 No. 87666
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: 1 of 6
Includes: Blaster pistols, blaster rifle, Helmet, Obi-Wan figure
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: Spring 2008
Appearances: Clone Wars

Bio: Obi-Wan is assisted on many of his missions during the Clone Wars by an ARC Trooper Commander and his elite supercommandos. (Taken from the figure's box.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' TV tray.

Commentary: This ARC Trooper Commander is apparently not Fordo. Ah well. Hasbro hasn't quite perfected Fordo, but this figure serves as a pretty good substitute as it actually has a rangefinder on his helmet, in addition to some armor bits that look pretty slick. The commander's armor is recycled from the Clone Trooper Alpha figure from the 2007 comic pack, as is most of his body. His crotch, thighs, and kama (skirt) are recycled from the 2005 Clone Commander figure, and the end result is actually pretty great. And I'm not just saying that because the grey and red seem to match 16bit.com quite nicely. Heck, Hasbro even retooled the helmet to have a little tab under it to better sit on the figure's head-- this appeared on other ARCs too, but it's still nice to see. Aside from telling you what it's made from, there's not a lot to say about this figure other than it's the best red ARC Trooper money can buy today. This may change, but right now this is your go-to figure for all your red ARC needs. Plus it's kinda cheap given fans didn't exactly embrace the second round of Order 66 with open arms, despite it being a great value with mostly good figures.

Collector's Notes: I expect a reissue at some point in the distant future, but there's no reason you can't get one on eBay. It's long gone from stores in North America, so contact your trading buddies for more here.

Day 918: December 19, 2008

Figure of the Day: Day 917: Yarna d'al' Gargan

YARNA D'AL' GARGAN "Fat Dancer" in the movie's credits
The Legacy Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 87535 No. 87678
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #BD05
Includes: Droid piece, knife, glass
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: July 2008
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: Yarna is a dancer in Jabba's palace, entertaining the Hutt with a graceful ballet that soothes the irascible gangster when nothing else can. Yarna stays behind at the palace on the day of the planned execution at the Pit of Carkoon, a decision that saves her life. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' TV tray.

Commentary: Hasbro has been surprisingly successful with what are essentially "joke" figures. By knowing what the "magic" number is, the company can afford to crank out astoundingly obscure or kid-unfriendly figures like Yarna d'al' Gargan (better known as "Gargan" to vintage-era fans like myself, "Yarna" to modern-era fans). Why would anyone want this figure? Well, Expanded Universe fans will tell you it's because she's actually a hottie stripper lady under layers of makeup. Movie fans will likely tell you it's just because she's distinctive. And there's vintage figure fans, who know that this figure was in pre-production and that prototypes have existed since the original Kenner era. So the character has a surprising amount of history endearing it to multiple fan groups beyond the "ha ha look it's the fat dancer with six boobs" crowd.

Her fairly simple design translates well to a toy. Hasbro got the skin tone right, and added the wart makeup to make the face look surprisingly authentic for a small human figure. She probably looks more pleasant as a toy than she looked in the movie because she isn't squinting and showing her teeth. Yarna's brown garments are colored in brown, just like you'd expect, with a little light brown thrown in for detailing purposes. In short, Hasbro nailed it.

Knowing the need to get it right the first time, Hasbro basically went all-out making this one. She's super-articulated to a fault, as you can see joints tend not to look as good on an arm or a leg as they do on a shirt. It's a little disturbing to see a big ol' cut in a lady's ankle, but it's nice that Hasbro went out of their way to meet fan demand for an over-articulated version of a figure who is going to spend most of her time either in a package or standing in a diorama. Actually, that's the main reason to get this figure. If you love Jabba's palace as a reason to collect figures, you simply must buy Gargan. If you have that cardboard Jabba's Palace diorama, you also must buy this figure. And if you have this figure, you should probably go and get the diorama.

Collector's Notes: Depending on where you shop, you might actually be able to find her. She shipped in the early Legacy cases and if I don't miss my guess, that's going to be it for this one short of a hypothetical battle pack down the road. You may as well get her now, I suppose you could wait for clearance but the assortment in which she ships is apparently scheduled to continue through most if not all of 2009. So if you think she'll be around in 2010, go ahead and wait for clearance.

Day 917: December 18, 2008

Figure of the Day: Day 916: Keyan Farlander

KEYAN FARLANDER Rebel Pilot Legacy
The Legacy Collection Evolutions
Item No.: Asst. 87504 No. 87653
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, helmet, more figures
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: July 2008
Appearances: X-wing

Bio: Farlander participated in many of the early battles of the Galactic Civil War, including the attack on the Death Star I at the Battle of Yavin. He would later survive the Imperial attack on Echo Base and fought in the Battle of Endor which saw the death of Emperor Palpatine. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' TV tray.

Commentary: The big question on most collectors' lips since 1995 was "When, oh when, would Kenner get around to updating all the original Star Wars action figures?" 13 years later, we're still wondering-- but Hasbro managed to cross another figure off the list with Keyan Farlander, the character from the PC X-wing game in the outfit of the original B-wing Fighter Pilot action figure. So it's like they killed two birds with one stone here. Old figure fans should admire Hasbro's attention to detail, from his blaster to his chest console. Not only does it look great, but it's basically super-articulated too. It's almost a crying shame there's no vintage-style B-wing on the market now to go with this figure, and that there's no individually carded version of this guy either. It's great! Well, I admit its greatness comes largely from being an update of one of the vintage line's most distinctive and least valuable action figures, but it's fantastic to see Hasbro finally get around to making the red-suited pilot complete with bulky brown helmet. As the kids say, "win!"

Collector's Notes: It seems that these pilot sets are pretty popular in some markets, so while it's in circulation you might not immediately stumble on them in your toy journeys. You should totally get this set, though, and yes mostly just for this figure. It's the same body used to make the Dagger Squad pilot and the new Ten Numb, but this is the best use of the mold. Easily. Get two if you can.

Day 916: December 17, 2008

Figure of the Day: Day 915: Naboo Royal Guard

NABOO ROYAL GUARD Trooper
Episode I Collection 2
Item No.: Asst. 84095 No. 84083
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, removable helmet, CommTech Chip
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: Spring 2000
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: Their freedom threatened by the invading Trade Federation army, the Naboo Royal Security were forced to go underground before readying their defense. With help from the Jedi, they emerged to take back their beloved capital city of Theed. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' desk drawer.

Commentary: Another one of Hasbro's finer Episode I figures, the Naboo Royal Guard featured a tremendously detailed sculpt and had a top-notch pose. Sadly, he didn't have as much articulation as he'd need to be to stay awesome, nor did Hasbro take advantage of the design to release head variants to make an "army." A shockingly good interpretation of the face on the packaging, this specially trained guard has everything he needs to defend the Queen or anyone else on Naboo. Which is to say, a steady hand and a gun. Both hands rotate forward to come together to better "aim" his firearm, and this is the only articulation you'll find in his upper limbs. Overall, he only has six points of articulation which was basically acceptable for his time, although other releases did find themselves with more moving parts. The attention to detail here is superb, as there's a lot of bunching and ribbing in his outfit to replicate. His helmet also received a lot of work, with some of the finest coloring Hasbro did on a piece of removable headgear.

By today's standards, it's still an excellent figure to look at, although it could use more moving parts and the jacket should be a slightly darker shade of red. I still find this to be a great figure, and I assume you will as well-- if you're still buying Naboo-based figure from the first prequel. Here's hoping for an upgrade some day, but if this is the only one we ever get, it's still quite good.

Collector's Notes: This figure was in somewhat short supply, but eventually saw rerelease in 2004 in a Toys "R" Us exclusive figure gift set-- which you should also get. This particular Naboo Guard also came packaged with the formerly obscenely rare bonus Pit Droids in Europe and Asia in 2000.

Day 915: December 16, 2008

Figure of the Day: Day 914: Snowtrooper (Target Exclusive)

SNOWTROOPER Ultimate Battle of Hoth
30th Anniversary Collection Ultimate Battle Packs
Item No.: Asst. 87565 No. 87566
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, removable helmet, backpack, other figures
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $49.99 (part of a set)
Availability: November 2007
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: Snowtroopers, also known as Cold Assault Stormtroopers, were Imperial stormtroopers trained to operate in arctic climates. Some snowtroopers were deployed under Death Squadron's Blizzard Force, as well as other arctic forces. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: Last year, the Snowtrooper proved so obscenely popular that Hasbro went back and did up cases of the vintage figures that were 50% Snowtroopers-- and then later in the year, included two more with new dirt markings in Target's Ultimate Battle Packs. As you can see, it's the same mold as the original 2007 "vintage" figure, complete with blaster, cloth kama, and removable helmet. It's a wonderful release, and now you get to have even more of them. The figure can sit, stand, (more or less) crouch, and be posed to fight Rebels, wookiees, or whatever you'd like. Based on the generic troops and not the commanders, the figure has all the details you might hope for. Really, the only thing the figure doesn't have is some form of holster for his blaster, but that's OK-- he can carry it, he's a big boy now. While it's always a little unsettling to see a prequel character's head under the helmet of an original trilogy trooper, it's not like it's the end of the world. The end result is a figure that looks a little muddy, but is largely Hoth-accurate and should work just fine in any AT-AT cargo hold you're looking to fill. Nice job! (Especially for the original price of the set.)

Collector's Notes: If you decide to get the Ultimate Battle of Hoth Battle Pack, you'll enjoy this figure. It's not really all that more special than a regular Snowtrooper, but it's an excellent addition to the set and the set itself is neat enough to warrant your money.

Day 914: December 15, 2008

Figure of the Day: Day 913: Commander Faie

COMMANDER FAIE Expanded Universe
The Legacy Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 84035 No. 84061
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #BD24
Includes: Helmet, hood, blaster, poncho, droid part
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: November 2008
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith concept art

Bio: Faie has received specialized training from ARC trooper Alpha, equipping him with the necessary skills to lead an elite battalion during the Clone Wars. He is part of task forces sent to Saleucami and Kashyyyk under the command of Jedi General Quinlan Vos. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' carpet.

Commentary: To say Commander Faie was a highly-requested figure is something of an understatement. Despite never appearing in the movie, enough fans saw his concept art and proceeded to log on to their favorite forums for Hasbro to (eventually) take notice, resulting in this figure's release nearly three years after the demand started. The good news is that it's a partially new sculpt. The bad news is that Hasbro gave him a really nice rack, which you'll see if you ever take off his cloth bits. (I advise you to not do this.) The figure is actually pretty nice overall, and not merely Commander Keller with a new helmet as some think. He has a new chest, a new human head with a crew cut/flat top, new shoulders, and new calves. Color me surprised!

He's basically super-articulated, meaning that this figure should please everybody not concerned about his massive armored mammaries. Just leave the cloth part on, and you'll probably enjoy the figure a great deal. He will fit in with your Clone Engineer and various red-dotted troops from Revenge of the Sith just fine, but since he isn't in the movie you could probably skip him if you really wanted to. Although odds are the included silver torso for the RA droid will prevent that from happening.

Collector's Notes: As a new release, there's not much to say at this time beyond the fact that the figure is quite popular. If the past is any indication, he'll ship for several waves with varying droid pieces until Hasbro moves on to some other clone commander figure.

Day 913: December 12, 2008

Figure of the Day: Day 912: Klaatu (Skiff Guard)

KLAATU Jabba's Skiff Guards
Power of the Jedi Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 84035 No. 84061
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Pike, 2 more figures
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: 1999
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: Jabba the Hutt always enjoyed the thrill of using the lives of others as tokens in his games of peril and doom. Years ago he presided over the dangerous Tatooine Podraces where dozens of pilots put their lives on the line as crowds screamed and cheered. He now hoped to surpass that drama by escorting his prisoners Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Chewbacca to their end in the Great Pit of Carkoon. But the captives quickly overcame the skiff guards Klaatu, Nikto and Barada, and brought Jabba himself to a fitting end. (Taken from the figure's box.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' desk.

Commentary: This figure is the first (and so far, only) modern Klaatu action figure. It's based on the second Klaatu from the original 1980s Kenner line. Also, it's about as good-- which is no faint praise, as that was a fine figure. With 6 points of articulation, the release manages to capture the unique look and feel of the costume with a slightly smaller head. The best thing about the figure is that Hasbro made sure the figure could sit which, in case you haven't noticed, is kind of a big deal to me as a toy fan. While somewhat lacking in articulation and paint applications, it still looks great. Hasbro put extra detail into his face, with two shades of green and black eyes that really look incredible. (It's the kind of thing they tried to pull of with Barada, and failed miserably in his first two modern incarnations.) While not super articulated, the figure is more than capable of standing around on a Skiff, looking menacing, while holding on to his pike and pointing it at Luke. As diorama fodder, it's a great figure. Heck, even for his day this was an impressive release. It's just that today's fan expects every figure to have more than six points of articulation, and with that in mind this is a pretty dull release. Still, he's standing around in my Jabba's Palace cardboard diorama and is right at home-- I assume you'll enjoy the figure if you're the kind of fan to set up displays.

Collector's Notes: First sold in the late 1990s, the figure was repackaged and sold in a Toys "R" Us exclusive figure gift set (before the term "Battle Pack" was coined) with no real changes. So if you want this one, you've got options-- the TRU set is arguably better because it has an exclusive Han Solo and cost about the same. The first set was a real pain to get, but time and a rerelease helped to drive the price down. Oh, and there was a clearance apocalypse in 2000, too.

Day 912: December 11, 2008

Figure of the Day: Day 911: Mas Amedda

MAS AMEDDA Scenery
Power of the Jedi Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 84455 No. 84136
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Force File
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: August 2000
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: Mas Amedda is the stern, Chagrian Vice Chair of the Galactic Senate and is responsible for keeping order during debates. Amedda temporarily takes over when Queen Amidala submits her vote of no confidence in Chancellor Valorum. (Taken from the figure's Force File.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' desk.

Commentary: After Episode I as a toy line ended, a few figures were shuffled off into its sequel, Power of the Jedi. Of those, Mas Amedda was one of the most colorful. Why? Well, look at it. There are blues, yellows, reds... it's a distinctive figure with horns! By the way, those horns bend easily to avoid breakage, meaning if you store this figure in a less-than-careful way it's sure to become distorted over time. He's posable at the shoulders, neck, waist, and that's about it. Basically, he was designed to stand around and call for order, and with his total lack of accessories he's not going to be a lot of fun. Fans did ask for this one, and Hasbro delivered, but he's a figure while will make you happy if you don't open your toys or just have them standing around. There's not a lot to play with here (unlike the 2005 version), so if you like what you see in the picture, that's pretty much exactly what you'll get. It's a well-sculpted figure with lots of detail and color, he's just not going to be doing a lot of vehicle piloting or enemy-blasting.

Collector's Notes: The first Mas Amedda, and arguably the best. The 2005 version was much bulkier and uglier, this one seems a little more vintage-like. It wasn't too popular, so you should be able to get it cheap.

Day 911: December 10, 2008

Figure of the Day: Day 910: Breha Organa

BREHA ORGANA Scenery
The Legacy Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 87535 No. 87822
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #BD27
Includes: Droid part
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: November 2008
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: Queen Breha Organa is Alderaan's Minister of Education and the wife of Senator Bail Organa. Having longed for a child of her own for many years, Breha eagerly accepts one of Padmé's motherless twins and adopts her as the daughter she always dreamed of having. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' boxes.

Commentary: Fans ask for a lot of figures, but as time goes on it's starting to get painfully obvious that as a group, we have stopped asking for things we want, and are largely asking for things we don't yet own instead. Breha Organa appears in the closing montage in Revenge of the Sith when Bail Organa shows up on Alderaan with baby Leia, and she doesn't really do much of anything. And to make matters worse, the figure itself doesn't seem particularly well-engineered. Her ball-jointed head is extremely loose to the point where it wobbles if you pick it up. Her flowing head... scarf thing makes it easy to move her head on a display, but it also helps keep it roughly in place due to the wonderful force that is gravity. Also, at least on mine, the body under the dress is positioned in such a way that it's difficult to get her to stand. Under her dress, she's just one piece-- you can't position the individually sculpted legs. While I admire the attention to detail, why not just make it a solid piece for stability? It's not like removing the dress will allow the legs to move or anything.

Speaking of the dress, underneath is quite the little hidden surprise. Aside from her shoes and underpantiethings, she's pretty much naked. No shorts, no tights, she's just kinda out there. The sculpting is fine, and the articulation is as expected for a figure of this nature (ball shoulders and elbows, swivel wrists and waist, ball neck) but she still doesn't do much of anything. Wasn't she sitting in the movie? Well, the figure can't sit. At all. There's no way short of cutting her apart and re-sculpting parts of her. It's a shame that after the killer soft goods dress pieces on the Revenge of the Sith Shaak Ti and Luminara Unduli that we're now left with hard plastic pieces which prevent movement. Perhaps it was for the best, but it's a little frustrating to see a minor character released who does nothing in the movie and whose figure can basically only stand and point. Perhaps it's evidence that it's a really good thing Hasbro has a new cartoon series on which to develop toys, as we're slowly running out of second-, third-, and fourth-rate minor background characters to make in plastic.

Collector's Notes: As the first version of the character, it seems likely it will also be the last. As such, get it while you can. The main reason to buy this figure is for the MB-RA-7 leg she includes.

Day 910: December 9, 2008

Figure of the Day: Day 909: Probe Droid (Probot)

IMPERIAL PROBE DROID Hoth Recon Patrol
The Legacy Collection Battle Packs
Item No.: Asst. 87752 No. 87789
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Firing rocket, 4 additional figures
Action Feature: Spring-loaded rocket, head "ejects"
Retail: $19.99
Availability: July 2008
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: Used for reconnaissance and deep space exploration, Imperial probe droids gather data and transmit it over long distances. (Taken from the figure's box.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' table.

Commentary: It took over 10 years, but Hasbro finally released an Imperial Probe Droid with paint more or less accurate to The Empire Strikes Back. Way back in 1997, Kenner cranked out a deluxe Probe Droid figure which had a grey body and a big orange missile-- which was actually accurate to some Lucasfilm photography, just not to the droid we saw in action. The figure has a jointed head, five jointed limbs, an articulated blaster, and a hidden cannon under its neck-- just push it up, and there you go. The set didn't include a manual, but the droid does feature two spring-loaded features. One is a firing rocket in one of its eyes, the other is a "self-destruct" lever right under its body. While there certainly are ways Hasbro could improve this figure, paint isn't one of them. Its silvery finish complete with dusted snow makes it fit in with any Hoth diorama, although it may look strange next to a bunch of non-snow dusted figures. While it would be nice to see one with a better range of articulation and maybe some sort of display stand one day, this is actually a pretty solid figure. Especially in a $20 boxed set, you really can't go wrong.

Collector's Notes: This is the best modern probe droid money can buy. Unless you decide you want the vintage Kenner one from the 1980s, you should go get this one and be secure in the knowledge that, most likely, this is probably as good as it's going to get for a very long time. Oh, and the video below? Yeah, that's me doing this. I'm a firm believer in zero budget marketing.

Day 909: December 8, 2008

Figure of the Day: Day 908: Watto

WATTO with Datapad
Episode I Collection 2
Item No.: Asst. 84093 No. 84095
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Torch, datapad, CommTech Chip
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: May 3, 1999
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: The owner of slaves, Anakin and Shmi Skywalker, and a notorious gambler, Watto is a Toydarian junk dealer who supplies the denizens of Mos Espa with all manner of mechanical odds and ends. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' table.

Commentary: Arguably the best-sculpted figure in the early days of the Episode I action figure series, Watto has really only one thing going against him, and that's his paint job-- which is also good. Most fans were so taken by the incredible detail on his skin that nobody realized the portly green Toydarian should have actually been blue. There's not a lot to the figure, beyond looking good. His tiny, thin arms are strong enough to not easily bend out of shape, and the same can be said about his legs. He has simulated suction cup-like feet and more wrinkles than you'll see on pretty much any figure that doesn't have "the Hutt" as his last name. Each body part is loaded with textures, making this figure look like it stepped off a model shop desk more than an action figure aisle. It shows that a tremendous effort was spent on its creation, especially when compared to some of the other figures of his day. Also, those that would come later. Even though he can only move at the neck, shoulders, and hips, he's pretty much perfect as it is. Additional articulation would hurt his look-- so if you like what you see, odds are you'll enjoy this figure. Oh, and his torch plugs into his belt, making him one of the very first figures to have such functionality with his accessories.

Collector's Notes: Like most Collection 2 figures released in 1999, this figure was a slow seller. If you want one, odds are you can probably find someone to give you one for essentially nothing. It's just that common. I'd suggest getting the blue version from 2008, which came with a droid as a Wal-Mart exclusive, if you're just simply looking for the best version.

Day 908: December 5, 2008

Figure of the Day: Day 907: Clone Trooper Coruscant Security

CLONE TROOPER Senate Security
The Clone Wars ShopStarWars.com Exclusive
Item No.: No. 87952
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster Rifle
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $15.00
Availability: July 2008
Appearances: The Clone Wars TV

Bio: These elite and highly skilled clone troopers are under the comand of Commander Thire. They are assigned diplomatic escort duty for high-ranking officials in the Senate. During the Clone Wars, they also defend the capital city from Separatist Attacks. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' table.

Commentary: The Clone Trooper (Senate Security) shows just how some retailers do exclusives in a painful, unpleasant way. For $15, you got one figure and one gun. Wal-Mart's exclusive 501st Trooper came with a blaster rifle, blaster pistol, membership card, firing rocket launcher, and oh yeah-- was $7. Making an army builder an exclusive, especially early in the line, is a terrible idea and as such hopefully someone benefitted financially, as this is one of the first convention exclusives I figured I'd just buy one of and call it a day. This isn't to say it's a bad figure-- far from it, my scorn is largely from its high price and relatively poor distribution. Odds are this figure would have been a huge retail success.

So what is it? Well, it's the basic animated Clone Trooper with added dirt and some and red markings. That's it. There's nothing special about this piece beyond the red coloring and package (and clamshell if that floats your boat), but as toys go it's pretty unremarkable. It's one of those figures with extra wrist articulation, so if you get it, I'm sure you'd be pleased with it-- it doesn't disappoint, except for how it's sold. The detail is good, the paint apps are clean, and it seems pretty authentic to his appearance on the first episode of the TV show. If you like clones and the color red, odds are you'll basically enjoy this figure.

Collector's Notes: This figure debuted at Comic-Con 2008, and did not sell out. It eventually found its way to the official Star Wars shop, and is now on markdown for about 30% off, like almost all of their exclusives since 2006. Why they continue to do expensive single figure exclusives is somewhat beyond me, but if you want one, it's like ten bucks.

Day 907: December 4, 2008

Figure of the Day: Day 906: Barquin D'an

BARQUIN D'AN & Droopy McCool
Power of the Force Wal-Mart Exclusive Max Rebo Band Pairs
Item No.: Asst. 69670 No. 84019
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Wind instrument, Barquin D'an figure
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: Fall 1998
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: Barquin D'an was a Bith member of the Max Rebo Band who played the kloo horn. He was the older brother of Figrin D'an, leader of the Modal Nodes. He was also a gambler. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' computer.

Commentary: For some reason or another, every Bith action figure has been an exclusive-- shared or otherwise. Barquin D'an was the first one sold at a retail store. Unlike the previous Cantina Band figure, this one has only 6 points of articulation. His arms were designed to hold his kloo horn, and the figure is pretty worthless at doing much else beyond standing and sitting. (This puts him above other figures in worthwhile-ness.) Really, the main reason to get this is to flesh out dioramas, or if you're inclined toward alien musicians. (Both are excellent reasons to buy this.) Overall, it seems to be slightly better than the generic Cantina Band Member figure, mostly because it was designed specifically to hold one instrument. The sculpting on the head is excellent, and the outfit was good for 1998. For today, it's decent, but nothing too spectacular. Given that it's a black costume, it's not like you're going to be seeing a lot of details in a diorama setting anyway, so you may as well get it, stick it on a shelf, and enjoy.

Collector's Notes: This figure was rereleased in late 2007 as a Wal-Mart exclusive yet again, but in a figure 5-pack. No changes were made, or at least no significant ones were. It's pretty cheap either way, so buy it and enjoy.

Day 906: December 3, 2008