Star Wars Droid Factory - Shop Disney/Park Exclusive
Item No.: ???
Manufacturer: Disney
Number: #361
Includes: 4 figures, drink harness, drum harness, salad harness
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $44.99
Availability: May 2025
Appearances: The Book of Boba Fett
Bio: All different types of astromech droid populate the Star Wars galaxy. Each droid is different and has their own unique personality and colors. These droids can be found in Garsa's Sanctuary on Tatooine. May the Force be with you... and your droids! (Taken from the packaging.)
Image: Adam's photo lab.
Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!
Commentary: While super creative and a great idea, R0-1N6 is not accurate. Does it matter? The droid figure itself seems roughly where it needs to be in terms of color. If it reminds you of The Force Awakens R0-4L0, it should! The body has more painted black panels, but the dome is pretty much the same with some gear. But not necessarily the correct gear.
Wild prediction: you'll see this drum kit part again for Christmas, be it in an advent calendar or by itself, as a Little Drummer Droid. Let's see if it happens.
The droid mold seems to be heavily modified and made with the future in mind. The torso was reopened with panels open (or missing) with arms, each of which was given a drumstick. They're delicate, and probably something that any kids would lose. The side panels are particularly interesting because, while doors were removed, there are multiple connection points. You can see where other arms or gadgets might wind up in a future figure, whatever they may be, which could be exciting. If you need a drumming droid that looks great and has so much potential for expansion and customization, this is it. It looks cool as-is and I bet we'll be excited to see it deployed later.
And on the other hand, I don't like the drum parts as much. The hi-hat on the head is fine - but if you reference the show, there's a problem. The droid in The Book of Boba Fett doesn't wear a harness - he seems to have a drum kit set up in front of him with additional pieces. What Disney did here was create something that works as a toy, but a freestanding accessory would probably have been a better idea as this doesn't seem to be an easily reused part. Given that Disney went through the trouble to make a new part, it would be nice if it matched. Were this released in 2021 or 2022 I'd say "Hey, it's probably based on concept art so good try! Thanks for getting it out early!" Instead it's three years late so I have higher expectations unless the error is part of the bit.
In and of itself, this is a neat robot. Just having a drum droid is fun - if this existed as some whimsical Disney idea and not something from a show, I'd say "my dudes, you must buy this." Accurate toys are awesome. Wildly creative and wrong toys are awesome. Toys that are kind of right and kind of wrong need to swing harder to hit the sweet spot, because what you want is the bonkers 1979 Walrus Man and maybe not the "try again"-ness of a number of Return of the Jedi Luke figures in the early 2000s. I'm going to strongly recommend this figure for droid fans who don't like Disney+ content, or people who just want a droid that's trying something new and special. But if accuracy is your game, you're probably going to be fine to get the figure, and ditch the harness if a fan makes a better 3D printable drum kit.
Collector's Notes: I got mine from Disney. It was posted on May 4, and abruptly sold through. Check the theme park or eBay for this one. I hate directing people to eBay, but given the cost of admission (and parking, and a plane ticket, and a hotel) it might be your least worst option. At this point in my life I'd pay a small mark-up just to not lose 1-2 days of my life across state lines for a shopping trip with paid parking.
--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,258: July 15, 2025

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