Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,256: IT-0 Interrogation Droid (with Darth Vader, Epic Hero Series)

IT-0 DROID, DARTH VADER | Stormtrooper, MSE Droid - Interrogation Pack
Epic Hero Series Deluxe Target Exclusive Figure 2-Pack
Item No.: No. F9374
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Darth Vader, Stormtrooper, blaster, lightsaber, cape, MSE droid, IT-0 droid with display stand
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99 $14.99
Availability: August 2024
Appearances: Star Wars
Bio: The Galactic Empire ruled for years through fear and intimidation with a mighty military force including stormtroopers and spy technology like Imperial probe droids. (Taken from the packaging)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: Last year, we saw a flurry of multi-packs for Epic Hero Series. Some I bought, even though I knew the prices had to be wrong - I'm kind of stupid that way. Others I waited on, because I was willing to bet that they would be marked down. This was the latter category. Darth Vader, Stormtrooper, Interrogation Droid, and the MSE-6 droid all came in a set for $19.99. Individual Stormtrooper and Darth Vader were already available (and in my collection), selling for $9.99 or $7.99 each. I didn't want to throw down the extra cash for their sidekicks alone just yet, and I waited until March of 2025 when the stars aligned with a 40% off sale on a $14.99 price drop. $8.99 for two new sidekick guys? That seemed fair.

So, how's that Interrogation Droid? Pretty good. The black ball is molded in color with a red dot and a silver equator. The various gray tools are molded in color, and they can rotate. Some pop out fairly easily, too, so keep an eye out for all five gray appendages and a clear, short base if you ever see it in a second-hand shop. The sculpted details are fine, and arguably better than the 1999 CommTech version. The paint is inferior to that 1999 version, and there are some rough spots in the black plastic of the Epic Hero Series version. It's good enough for your needs, most likely, but it's not the best version we've ever got. Given that $6.99 got us a talking chip display stand and a Darth Vader figure 25 years ago, as inflation goes, it's not a bad set - but I find the short display stand to be a knock against it, too.

But only in terms of display. If I were a kid, I'd prefer this one as it has more moving points, and the wider base on a shorter stand makes it a more stable toy. In terms of engineering, it's pretty impressive and satisfying.

Unless I'm mistaken, the last time we got the IT-0 droids were in 2003 (Toys R Us Imperial Forces set) and 2002 (Target Death Star Accessory Set), both of which were rereleases of the CommTech droid. You'll no doubt correct me if I forgot a Battle Pack somewhere. If I'm right, that means this is the first Hasbro 3 3/4-inch/4-inch-scale version of the droid to see release in 21 years. That's an extremely long time, and something I really need to consider when griping "oh gosh, this again?" Five years is kind of soon, ten years is a pretty long time, but twenty years? That's multiple generations of kids and new fans never having a crack at an item. The Darth Vader in this pack is allegedly identical to Darth Vader (FOTD #3,128], I noticed the figure stands up better and doesn't flop over. It's probably just some sort of batch variation or the tray not warping the legs, so I'll just say I like this one slightly more if I had to pick.

The whole pack at $19.99 is a pretty good deal, and comes recommended to people who appreciate toy-style toys at $14.99 or less. Only this set has the droid buddies. Yes, both Vader and the Stormtrooper have five joints each - but you get two whole figures and two nice sidekick droids for less than the price of a single The Vintage Collection figure. It is possible that you can find single-carded Vader or Stormtrooper from $3-$6 on closeout shelves - but if you want all of the parts and accessories, don't buy those.

It is my assumption that some adults are still eye-rolling the "toy" stuff despite our entire hobby being born out of plastic toys for little boys, and I hope people give these a shot. Vader's a perfectly fine figure, and the bang for the buck seems to be there.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Target.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,256: July 8, 2025