Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,977: Bespin Security Guard (Isdam Edian, The Vintage Collection)

BESPIN SECURITY GUARD (Isdam Edian)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: No. F6371
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #239
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $13.78
Availability: October 2022
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

 Bio: Isdam Edian was a human male who worked as a security officer in the Bespin Wing Guard, which was based in Cloud City on the gas giant Bespin. (Stolen from Target. There is no bio on-pack.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: Offered for the first time in a new figure format since 1982, the Bespin Security Guard (Isdam Edian) has been demanded by fans for quite some time. Since the line rebooted in 1995, old-school fans wanted an update of the original 96 carded figures, also Blue Snaggletooth, plus the Max Rebo Band, the Dianoga monster, and I could go on - there's a lot of stuff, but not that much considering Hasbro has produced literally thousands of Star Wars action figures. They just seem hesitant to remake the originals. After years of asking, Hasbro delivered the goods. Sort of. Kind of. This is the figure you asked for, but like a smart kid phoning in a term paper, Hasbro isn't living up to their considerable potential.

The head is brand new, and looks excellent for stand-in with a fuzzy photo on a cardback. The sculpted detail looks more or less like the cardback photo - that's admirable! It has that double-jointed neck that gives him a lot of range, plus the hat is a separately sculpted (but not removable) piece. It's superb. This is why the figure is frustrating to me - the mid-torso joint is ugly, and if you're going to make a new torso anyway, why not joint it at the belt region where it won't look as bad? Maybe you couldn't reuse the legs with that style of torso, but I just happen to have a very good solution to that problem.

Reusing Solo: A Star Wars Story Lando's figure's arms was a good idea in that they're incredibly good. You get bend-and-swivel wrists plus elbows with a pretty deep bend. They're not as good as a 2022 figure, but they're the next best thing and largely excellent. But Hasbro cut some corners. It's not a bad figure, but at first glance you can tell that the guard is based on existing molds. It's not obvious, but you've seen those legs used for Bespin Han Solo and General Lando Calrissian before - the lack of rocker ankles and the 2010ish hip joints are a dead giveaway. (As is the old copyright date.)

It's weird to have a long-desired figure finally delivered, with the new parts looking completely excellent and the old parts looking - to me, at least - like old parts. I love the blaster and that it fits in the holster. I'm enamored with the fact that we got an obscure background human figure, because Hasbro seemed almost totally against doing that sort of thing for the better part of a decade. It ticks a box, and if I gave it a letter grade it'd be an A for effort/cleverness and a C for satisfaction. It's good! It could be a bit better, painting over the shirt sleeve sculpt is pretty corny and the legs feel very old-hat on a shelf of 2022 figures. But for some fans it's not about the figures - it's about the packaging, and we definitely got the packaging. (I have high expectations for a $14-$15 super-articulated figure that I've waited decades for them to remake from a 42-year-old movie. Whereas a Kenner-style figure can be the wrong colors but if it can sit down and look vaguely right, I will sing its praises, because it doesn't have to be great to meet expectations.)

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Walmart. As far as I can tell this exclusive figure never arrived in actual stores, and was offered by Entertainment Earth less than a month after Walmart fulfilled my order.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,977: November 15, 2022

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,458

CLOUD CITY WING GUARD Sgt. Edian, or "The Black One"
The Legacy Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 87535 No. 88338
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #BD50
Includes: Blaster, hat, baton, droid part
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: Late 2009/Early 2010
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: The elite Wing Guard is in charge of security on Cloud City, working as police officers, customs officials, and crisis controllers. Troopers such as Utris M'Toc and Sergeant Edian handle these crucial duties with honesty and efficiency. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' former apartment's pool's water pump thing.

Commentary: It's always a little sad when Hasbro makes a high-quality figure and fans don't buy it-- especially when it's an army builder produced in low numbers that turns into a pegwarmer. The Cloud City Wing Guard's first release-- the human with the dark skin-- didn't do so well. The figure was in the final wave of basic Droid Factory figures shipped to all major retailers, and unlike the other figures in the case just sorta floundered despite having an exceptional sculpt with great accessories. Some have speculated that due to his features, Hasbro had initially planned on doing a white guard and just changed his skin color but I can't say for sure if this is true-- it's an interesting assumption and I can see where it comes from if you look at the figure up close-- his features don't quite match the card photo, although this may be more the hairstyle and the deco on the face. The actual human has a little more color in his features than the figure does, so the toy does feel just a smidgen off. Also, his hat doesn't fit perfectly well, you're likely to knock it off if you touch the figure.

When it comes to the body, this figure shines like no other-- good hands hold the accessories, his holsters work well, and the sculpt is just stunning. The amount of wrinkles and detail in this clothing are just about perfect, plus it's nice that everything is set up properly. No longer do we have baby blue accessories, or a jacket that for some reason is hanging open, or a substandard head sculpt. The legs are able to stand or sit with no problems, and this figure really should have been an honorary vintage release-- except for the hat not fitting on the head, the engineering is as good as or better than your average collector-driven release. The added gold details on the coat look great, the white undershirt collar is visible, and he just looks like he belongs on some awesome Cloud City playset that Hasbro will never actually produce. This is one of the greatest figures that the fandom at large failed to embrace, so be sure to snag one (or more) if you can on the cheap.

Collector's Notes: The tail-end Legacy figures were tough to find but this one rotted on the shelves something fierce, just like the Power of the Jedi release at the beginning of the last decade. People just don't like this trooper. I picked up a few of these for about fifty cents a pop. In 2010, Hasbro released an alien-faced variant of this figure with a different head sculpt which only shipped in cases with the Expanded Universe wave. (In other words, Toys "R" Us and online retailers.) The initial release was available everywhere and may even still be there now since it was a bit of a slow seller. It's seeming unlikely that we'll ever get the vintage 1980s moustache variant remade in the modern line now that we've had four Bespin Guards and the only ones that had any heat were hard-to-find exclusives.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,458: January 14, 2011

Figure of the Day: Day 303: Bespin Guard

BESPIN GUARD Cloud City Security
Power of the Jedi Collection 2
Item No.: Asst. 84455 No. 84638
Number: n/a
Includes: Hat, baton, blaster, handcuffs, Force File
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $5.99
Availability: 2001
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: The blue-clad Bespin guards commonly known as "Wing Guards" are the law enforcement officers of Cloud City. Under the supervison of Baron Administrator Lando Calrissian, they protect the floating metropolis from criminals and Imperial forces. (Taken from the figure's Force File.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' floor.

Commentary: Almost perfect. Hasbro's first true modern Bespin Guard is an awesome feat of toymaker know-how, with one major flaw. The figure has lots of accessories, a fantastic sculpt, great paint, and one baffling design choice-- his coat is open. Nowhere in the movie do I recall seeing his coat open. Is this supposed to represent a Bespin Guard extra getting dressed? Perhaps a Bespin Guard at the bar after a long day's work? I try not to harp on things like this, but this is just a bad decision on the part of Hasbro to make a nearly perfect figure with one big giant flaw staring you in the face. If the figure sucked, it wouldn't matter-- but the figure is really good.

The accessories for this figure are proof that, when they so choose, Hasbro can wow us. The figure has a removable hat, handcuffs that plug into his belt, a baton that plugs on to his belt, a blaster, and a holster. That's like everything you could ask for. (Except a closed jacket.) The accessories are a weird baby blue color, but that's easy to get past when you see all the detaling in the costume, in the face, and in the decoration. This is a high quality item, without a doubt, and one that every collector should pick up as an example of how Hasbro can do many, many things right on a figure.

Were Hasbro so inclined, it would be great to see this figure with a retooled torso and variant heads. I'd buy a few.

Collector's Notes: Along with Ellors Madak and Ketwol, in some areas this figure was a poisonous pegwarmer, sticking around for years after his initial shipments. For an army builder, this is very uncommon. It's not entirely certain why this figure didn't click-- was it the coat? The lack of desired ethnic variants? Bad timing? The lack of a good Cloud City playset? We may never know. Still, it's a very good figure, so go buy a couple. If you can get past authenticity, this is one of Hasbro's finest figures as far as looking good and being fun to play with goes. It's a toy, and it's a collector-quality figure all in one.

Day 303: March 5, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 261: Bespin Security Guard

BESPIN SECURITY GUARD Carbon-Freezing Chamber
Power of the Jedi Playset Figure
Item No.: Asst. 26296
Number: n/a
Includes: Freezing Chamber playset
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $24.99
Availability: 2001

Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: The Bespin Wing Guard, informally known as the Bespin Security Guard or Cloud Police, was the primary security force of Cloud City on Bespin. Wing Guards dressed in dark blue uniforms with red and gold trim with dark blue helmets. They also carry silver blaster sidearms. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: While there's a really awesome Bespin Security Guard figure in the Power of the Jedi line, this is not it. This is the crappy (by comparison) one, as his arms are based on an existing Jedi Luke with the legs and lower body belonging to a Han Solo in Carbonite figure. This may sound ridiculous, but it's sensible-- the playset was designed to "freeze" Han Solo, so any figure that would come with it should, in theory, be able to interact with it if the fan doesn't have the Han. So that's the construction-- the head is new, and the upper body is new enough. It looks like a very primitive figure next to the other figures released at its time, but it's the only modern Bespin Guard figure that doesn't have the jacket sculpted in a weird, opened pose. So this one is the most authentic to the original 1980s Bespin Security Guard figures and, in many respects, the film. It's worth tracking down for now, but if Hasbro ever makes a new, closed-jacket Bespin Guard, you can probably skip this figure and never look back. There's not a lot of detail to be seen here, and it just looks... well, like it was rushed. And it no doubt was.

Collector's Notes: As a playset pack-in, it's a little cheesy. But what do you expect? The playset was first announced in 1998 and released several years later, hence its... very 1998-esque aesthetic, covered in guns. Oh, and don't miss the newer guard, which is well worth grabbing.

Day 261: January 22, 2007