Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,898: Passel Argente

PASSEL ARGENTE Separatist
Revenge of the Sith Collection 1
Item No.: Asst. 85173 No.  85690
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #III-61
Includes: Mustafar display stand
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $5.24-$6.99
Availability: Late 2005
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: This humanoid senator once served the Galactic Republic. Argente later committed the forces of the Corporate Alliance to aid the Separatists in battle. He is instructed to go to Mustafar and await the arrival of Darth Sidious’ new apprentice, Darth Vader.  (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo hole.

Commentary: Why have one Passel Argente when you can have two?  The first release from 2003 wore green, and this redeco is orange.  As an added bonus, this figure has a small lightsaber slash in the chest which is a fun wound as wounds can go.  OK, so maybe it isn't so much fun but it is very orange.  He has limited articulation and was a part of a once-proud tradition: the obligatory year-end repaint wave.  (These are pretty much gone now.)  It has no special articulation to speak of, and he stands best with the support of the firey Mustafar display base.  The base itself is a PVC fixture which sort of bends out of shape funny.  As such, it may not be ideal.   It's a decent figure, but not one that was too impressive in 2005 and today starts to feel a little bit older.  It's still not bad.

Collector's Notes:  Not all "last wave" figures are rare and valuable.  This one came out at the very end of Revenge of the Sith's toy run and came out at one per case, in few cases.  Being unpopular can work wonders on keeping figures affordable, and this one still is pretty cheap.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,898: September 21, 2012

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,854: Lava Reflection Darth Vader (Anakin Skywalker)

DARTH VADER Lava Reflection
Revenge of the Sith Target Exclusive
Item No.: No. 85922
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber hand, display base
Action Feature: Squeeze legs for slashing action
Retail: $12.99
Availability: Fall 2005
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio:  Anakin Skywalker was a heroic Jedi Knight who became seduced by the dark side of the Force.  Now a servant of the Sith, Darth Vader turns his lightsaber against his former master in a duel for the ages!   (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' photo area.

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,786: Grievous' Bodyguard

GRIEVOUS BODYGUARD vs. Obi-Wan Kenobi
Revenge of the Sith Battle Arenas
Item No.: Asst. 85241 No. 85456
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Display stand base, electropole, Obi-Wan Kenobi figure
Action Feature: Dueling action, sort of
Retail: $19.99
Availability: Summer 2005
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: Battle as Obi-Wan or one of General Grievous' bodyguards, as they face each other on the sinkhole planet Utapau! One remains - the other falls! (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' photo area.

Commentary: I'm generally pretty happy when Hasbro gets a new "trooper" made and does a few versions of it, but for some reason this Grievous Bodyguard figure stayed in its packaging (or at least its insert) until March 2012, at which point I finally removed it because I had a deadline to meet and I had to review something. The interesting thing about waiting to open a figure like this one is you get to see just how poorly modern packaging ages. You know those little clear rubber bands? They crumble like a cookie. Seriously, look at some of your older, well-taken-care-of packaged figures. Those clear bands are now slowly turning opaque and some of them are crumbling even though you've never even touched them. He's surrounded by some plastic which is sealed around his person, and you have to basically rip it apart. It works, but it's some of the more annoying packaging I remember ever having to deal with.

The figure itself ain't bad. Well, the sculpt ain't bad. As a figure it's terrible, but as a statue it looks really cool. He is jointed at the neck and shoulders... and that's it. He has some difficulty standing and may need to be heated or tweaked in order to get the legs in a more normal pose, because I think he's gonna faceplant if I sneeze. This is why leg (or ankle) joints are essential-- no leg articulation may mean a figure can't stand, and since this one can't sit either, it's worthless without its action display base. You can basically use it like a Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robot, but he doesn't seem to like staying on the stand all that much.

As a sculpt, I actually quite like it. The chest has some big gashes and dents, and a few subtle ones can be found on the legs. The paint job seems a lot better than the other 2005 Magnaguards, and it feels thicker and sturdier than the other releases. It just can't stand particularly well and his arms give new definition to "awkward." The figure can assume a pretty good "dead on the ground" pose, and if you take him out of the arena display stand that's probably what you'll be using it for. Still, I hate to knock it because the sculpt and deco are so nice, but given the price it's almost shameful that Hasbro released this. When this 2-pack came out at $20, single figures typically sold for $5.24-$6.99 and had a minimum of six or seven joints. Three just plain isn't cool unless we're talking about Padme or something so small it wouldn't even make sense to give it a joint. This is a release you get if you're a completist only because the Vintage 2010 figure is so much better overall, but I'd be lying if I said the figure didn't have a certain charm. I don't think most of you are going to find that it has enough charm, though, so don't go chasing it down unless it's cheap.

If this were released today for about $10-$15 I think you might be happy with it, as the figures are fun but not fantastic. If you just want little plastic men to hold and smack each other with, you'll like this set. If you want to pose a figure or put them in a ship? Avoid.

Collector's Notes: A boxed sample sold for $3.94 before shipping on eBay recently, and I'd say that's about right. They're not overly common on eBay, but it wouldn't stun me if you could trip over these at the right flea market for $5 a whack. And it's worth at least half that. If memory serves this set came out after the other arenas.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,786: April 18, 2012

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,727: Vulture Droid

VULTURE DROID Brown Variant
Revenge of the Sith Deluxe Figure
Item No.: Asst. 85182 No. 85774
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Rocket, buzz droid
Action Feature: Firing rocket action
Retail: $9.99
Availability: Late 2005
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: Vulture droid starfighters are highly maneuverable and effective in battle. When not in flight, they can change into a walking mode allowing them to be used in surface patrols. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' desk.

Commentary: This Vulture Droid figure was one of few figures I was unable to find at retail during the first go-round. It started showing up, but why? Why would Hasbro take a mold from one movie and paint it up as the version from six years prior out of the blue? I have no idea, and until a couple of weeks ago it, too, sat unopened in a box. Now that we're on the verge of a Phantom Menace reboot, it's neat to look at this older mold and say that, yes, it still looks pretty good. The detail inside the wings is quite striking, and there are numerous sculpted panels and cannons. It's smaller than the "super" mold we'll see returning any day now, but at 7-inches from tip to tip of his wings, it ain't bad.

This is a repaint, the previous version had blue stripes and bright green eyes. This one is mostly a greenish brown, with some metallic bits and bright red eyes. The size is small enough to fit in kid hands without feeling puny, although the only moving parts are its firing rocket and the two articulated wings. A pop-up "head" would have made this a slam-dunk. Still, as deco goes this as (at this time, anyway) my favorite toy Vulture Droid in terms of overall realism. The Revenge of the Sith blue one is cool because of its freaky colors, but this one just seems right to menace the Naboo on behalf of the Trade Federation.

As a bonus it comes with a small, non-articulated Buzz Droid. It's slightly different than the mold with the Tri-Fighter, and has a little bit of paint bringing it to life. There's some yellow on the shell of the robot, plus red "eyes. You'll also notice a grey plastic body and a painted dark gunmetal grey on the arms and shell, too. For ten bucks it's a nice item, and I'm happy that after having hunted it down for five years-- and waited for the price to be right-- I now finally have one.

Collector's Notes: I bought this figure off eBay for about ten bucks roughly a year ago, which helped to cap my modern movie collection off nicely. I saw a few at toy shows over the years but they were always $20-$25, or as I like to say, on the "kindly choke on it" price range. It's not common on eBay, but it's also not really worth anything.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,727: January 26, 2012

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,726: Obi-Wan Kenobi

OBI-WAN KENOBI vs. Grievous Bodyguard
Revenge of the Sith Battle Arenas
Item No.: Asst. 85241 No. 85456
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Display stand base, Magnaguard figure
Action Feature: Dueling action, sort of
Retail: $19.99
Availability: April 2005
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: Battle as Obi-Wan or one of General Grievous' bodyguards, as they face each other on the sinkhole planet Utapau! One remains - the other falls! (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' desk.

Commentary: This Obi-Wan Kenobi figure has sat unopened in my toy stash for over seven years. Seven years. For some reason, this Battle Arena just never got opened up, most likely due to my having several other fine and/or dandy Obi-Wan and Grievous Bodyguard figures from other parts of the line. I never felt I was missing anything, and this is as someone who feels a need to get his mitts on damned near every action figure Hasbro makes. While it's an interesting figure in terms of construction and its purpose, it does prove one of the things I keep saying in the Q&A column-- collecting is best done when a line is older. The perspective you gain from being a few years removed from a product line often helps you make better decisions and, in this item's case, results in cheaper pricing. It also can show the benefits of being obsessive about this-- Obi-Wan Kenobi just might be Hasbro's best take on the character as an actual plaything for kids.

The figure itself is not a good stand-alone action figure. It's acceptable-- but given its price at the time, it wasn't much of a deal. Obi-Wan has a bizarre swivel thigh joint, a waist joint, a right wrist joint, jointed shoulders, and a moving neck. This is actually enough to get the figure to be able to stand up without the support of the included display stand which effectively turns action figures into a low-rent copy of the Mattel Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots game. As a figure to hand a kid to play and fight with, though, this is actually a good example of Hasbro correcting its mistakes from Attack of the Clones figures. This time around, the lightsaber is designed to hold up to more abuse rather than just snap if it falls over. It is, unfortunately, embedded in his hand but that means you'll never lose it. The lightsaber, I mean-- if you lose his hand you're out of luck. The limited articulation prevents use in vehicles, but he's actually damn near perfect for holding up and slashing other action figures. It's somewhat remarkable really-- as collectors we rarely examine this sort of thing, but few if any Jedi figures can actually fight your other toys. If you take your average Vader figure, put a lightsaber in his hand, and have him start mowing down Rebels, the lightsaber will fall right out of his gloved hands. (There are exceptions, but most of them weren't designed for battle.) Obi-Wan here will never drop his lightsaber, I had him "fight" a bunch of figures on my desk a I write this and you know what? It works. It works very well.

The sculpt is good, as is the paint job. You can see a darker shirt inside Obi-Wan's sleeve, his lightsaber is painted in three colors, and his outfit is, on the whole, devoid of dirt. The face sculpt is vintage 2005 and could use a little more personality, paint could probably beef up his eyes and add some excitement to an otherwise bored-looking toy. Since his right hand has a dedicated lightsaber, it's no surprise his left hand was posed with looks in mind and won't be able to hold many (or any) accessories. His fingers are sculpted separately, and that's a nice touch. His outfit is nicely textured, but again, this is a figure from 2005-- it looks pretty great, but things have evolved since then and I doubt many (or any) of you will find this satisfactory after having bought so many Kenobi figures with over 12 points of articulation.

This figure-- indeed, this entire Battle Arena segment-- does show that you can make figures designed for play but certain kinds of play will cost you niceties like articulation. Having said that, his lack of joints is oddly refreshing and I think he will make a good display piece. While this likely will never be your go-to Obi-Wan from Revenge of the Sith, I can't deny that it was fun to pick up a figure and have him row down a couple of small Transformers and M.U.S.C.L.E. men without feat of snapping the blade off at the hilt. Oh-- the figure also comes with a big, bloated arena accessory. I can't say I'm particularly fond of it, but I'm old and it wasn't meant for me anyway.

Collector's Notes: A loose sample of this figure-- sans arena-- sold for $1.25 on eBay. Complete samples with the companion figure go for closer to $10. I'd say it's worth at least half that. Off the top of my head the figure was not reissued, although if it appeared in one of the many forgettable Wal-Mart exclusive DVD packs, my apologies. I might suggest tracking this down if you have children who are more likely to make their figures fight than to pilot vehicles. While I dislike figures that can't sit in vehicles as a rule, I will say that this one was extremely well designed when it comes to its function-- this shows a kind of thinking we rarely see from Hasbro since the end of the prequels, and depending on how the new "Movie Action" figures go, this could be a lost art. Which is a shame, I would totally buy a Darth Vader made like this. In the world of action figure collecting, a "toy" is a novel thing.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,726: January 25, 2012

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,683: Cat Miin

CAT MIIN Separatist
Revenge of the Sith Collection 1
Item No.: Asst. 85173 No. 86700
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #III-62
Includes: Mustafar display stand
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $5.24-$6.99
Availability: Late 2005
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: As adminstress and chief aide to Commerce Guild President Shu Mai, Cat Miin oversees the distribution of raw materials to the Separatist Droid Army. She accompanies Shu Mai when the council is instructed to go to Mustafar and await the arrival of Darth Sidious’ new apprentice, Darth Vader. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's desk.

Commentary: You know it's a good sign when you do one of these and draw a blank. Cat Miin is a figure from one of Hasbro's token repaint waves-- for several years between 2005 and 2007, we were treated to one or more assortments where all of the new figures were effectively just repaints with different accessories. It was a great way to get some weird characters in a hurry, but when you get right down to it nobody wanted Cat Miin and her lowered production proved it. She may be one of the shortest-run figures from the Revenge of the Sith era, and today commands seven bucks. Give or take a few pennies.

The figure is based on a 2003 Shu Mai mold, painted in far less colorful clothing but with one really neat added feature-- a chest wound. It's subtle, but there's a yellow burn in her chest which I believe has to represent Anakin's little killing spree near the end of the movie. I like the idea, but I don't know how many people were buying these figures to use as corpses. Her outfit is painted well, and the silver looks pretty good. There's even a paint wipe on her wrinkled head, which is nice because the figure isn't much to write home about.

Cat has three points of articulation: the neck, and the shoulders. The original sculpt came from when Hasbro was just starting to put ball jointed necks all over the place, but the arms merely swivel and with no weapons, there's not much she can do. The plastic skirt and legs are a hard plastic, and there's zero chance of her standing. Due to her own unique leg design, getting her to stand is difficult without assistance, and this is one of the main reasons articulation can be really important. Those hip joints aren't just there so she can pilot a ship, but they help a figure balance so she doesn't faceplant and effectively serve zero purpose on a collector shelf or toy box. I'm glad she has a stand, but even as a collector figure it somewhat disappoints. Hasbro did a nice job dolling her up, but ultimately it's sort of a snooze.

Collector's Notes: She's scarce but cheap, because nobody cares. That's an interesting side effect of this line: it's so vast, that just because something is rare doesn't mean it's expensive.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,683: November 25, 2011

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,586: Clone Pilot

CLONE PILOT White Variant
Revenge of the Sith Collection 1
Item No.: Asst. 85173 No. 85423
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: III-34
Includes: Blaster, cannon, projectile
Action Feature: Firing red rocket
Retail: $5.24
Availability: April 2005
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: Clone trooper pilots are specially trained for the skills needed to fly attack and troop ships. As part of the Grand Army of the Republic, the clone pilots engage the Separatist forces across the galaxy. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' patio thing.

Commentary: In addition to troopers, pilots tend to do really well. This Clone Pilot was hugely popular at first and then started to hang for a bit in 2005 for reasons I'll never quite understand. At the time of his release, there was the ARC-170 fighter plus the Republic Gunship, and simply filling their driver and gunner seats would take at least 5 pilots. And if you wanted one out on display? Well, that's six right there. (I bought a bunch of them.)

The figure is, depending on who you ask, a disappointment or a success. In a movie year, with kids as a big part of the focus, the smart toy company will start to figure out where they need to be a little more economical with articulation. Given that a pilot really only needs to sit in a ship and look good to be a success, it's almost a surprise that we got a figure with 12 points of articulation. While I prefer the ball joints at the elbows-- and really, who wouldn't?-- the swivels more or less get the job done. The figure accurately replicates the "costume" in the movie, as it existed only as a lower-resolution digital model inside the ships. You didn't see a lot of these guys walking around, but some were floating among space debris. The figure is reasonably simple, mostly wearing white and grey with a little color here and there. The skin tone seems overly bright and a little peachy, but aside from that it's pretty much just another clone in a new outfit. The lighter uniform looks good, if a little chunky, but he has absolutely no problems taking a seat in most Republic vehicles.

It's a nice piece, and if you just need butts for the seats of your vehicles be sure you get this one. It's reasonably cheap and you aren't going to see much below the neck once the figure was stored in the ship. (Or in the case of many Republic Gunships, you might not see the figure at all the tinting is so dark.) I wouldn't consider this the definitive essential Clone Pilot for your collection but it positively is the ideal figure to have sitting in your Revenge of the Sith-era Republic vehicles.

Collector's Notes: The figure was retooled in 2008 with more articulation, and this exact mold was repainted black later in 2005. The current value of the first 2005 release, as outlined in this review, is close to $2. So if you can find a lot of them for market price, go crazy, you'll be glad you have them handy for your many vehicle purchases.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,586: July 13, 2011

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,580: Neimoidian Warrior

NEIMOIDIAN WARRIOR Neimoidian Weapon Attack!
Revenge of the Sith Collection 2
Item No.: Asst. 85173 No. 85460
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #III-42
Includes: Helmet, projectile, giant rocket launcher
Action Feature: Spring-loaded launcher, spring-powered waist
Retail: $5.24-$6.99
Availability: Summer 2005
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: Neimoidian warriors are specially trained members of the Neimoidian Gunnery Battalion. They are armed with special Neimoidian weaponry that is being mass-produced for use in the Clone Wars. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's patio thing.

Commentary: Back in 2005 Hasbro let us know they were putting the "action" back into action figures with a few releases sporting more spring-loaded or other kinetic actions. While these are things collectors view as highly unnecessary, kids (and sometimes parents) eat this stuff up so you end up with a figure like the Neimoidian Warrior which does a pretty good job trying to appeal to both crowds. When you get right down to it, this figure exists mostly to stand around in a collector's diorama so as long as he can be posed, a spring-loaded waist shouldn't really hurt the figure's ability to perform its chief function: to guard a room until he gets stabbed by Anakin Skywalker. I like weird figures, especially army builders of minor races. This one is a really slick figure, because the armor is well-sculpted, the detail on the skin is good, and you can knock off his helmet if you want to. Under the helmet is a tiny head that looks like he suffered some developmental issues, but with the hat on he looks just fine.

For 2005 standards, this was a pretty good figure with 12 points of articulation, making him almost perfect. There are no knees, and the elbows are cut joints rather than ball joints, but he can still guard a room and carry a large rifle just fine. (And how ridiculously huge is that rifle? Yeesh.) The figure itself is way better than his accessory, but that's pretty good if you look at it as its own thing. (And why would you?) It's a big, menacing weapon and a little comically oversized for the warrior, but it does have a lot of sculpted detail and multiple colors. I like this figure a lot because his armor reminds me of some of the unused aliens of the Return of the Jedi sketchbooks, like he's some reject from Jabba's palace. Odds are you don't much care for Neimoidians, and the lack of them in The Clone Wars seems to show they're trying to keep this race out of the line. But hey, at least you can get this one.

Collector's Notes: This figure was repainted in silver in late 2005, and that's been it as far as Neimoidian Army Builders go. Like many figures from 1995-2005, on the secondary market, he's worth a couple of bucks. Don't pay more than $5 or $6, try to get him in a collection or in a lot at a buck or two if you can swing it.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,580: July 5, 2011

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,558: Aayla Secura

AAYLA SECURA Jedi Knight
Revenge of the Sith Collection 2
Item No.: Asst. 85174 No. 85360
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #III-32
Includes: Lightsaber hit, blade, display stand
Action Feature: Hilt plugs into Jedi belt
Retail: $5.25-$6.99
Availability: March 2005
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith, Attack of the Clones

Bio: Aayla Secura is an empathic and highly intelligent Jedi Knight with impressive fighting skills. During the Clone Wars, she leads a battalion of clone troopers against the Separatist forces on the planet Felucia. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: My kitchen.

Commentary: This 2005 Aayla Secura action figure is so close to perfect it's infuriating. Hasbro did a wonderful job here, especially considering what it cost and what her peers looked like. The figure's sculpt is excellent-- her arms seem a smidgen thick but still great. Her blue skin has a little schmutz on it, and her shirt looks a little bit like leather. The texture is really nice, as is the sculpted fabric on her pants and... that flap in front of her crotch. What is that, a tabbard? Tabard? I don't know. I'm writing this on an airplane and can't check. Damn you, reliance on Google.

The figure is, on paper, super-articulated and a massive upgrade from the 2002 release. Her legs are about as perfect as you can get with ball-jointed knees and ankles, the waist pivot is right where the shirt meets the belly. It's perfect. The only shortcoming here is in the arms, as the ball-jointed shoulders and swivel wrists are slightly marred by the lack of ball-jointed elbows. The head sculpt is pretty great, and my favorite feature on this one is the lightsaber hilt which can plug into her belt. Awesome. The only better Aayla figure to date is the animated Clone Wars one, because she has a ton of articulation and space gear.

Collector's Notes: First released in 2005, this figure got a few releases in future Battle Packs. But without the cool stand. The stand is unique to this carded release, and the deco of this base was not used on any other releases of this display stand.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,558: June 3, 2011

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,555: Clone Trooper

CLONE TROOPER Super Poseable
The Clone Wars Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 84851 No. 84724
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #0350
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $4.99
Availability: Late 2003
Appearances: The Clone Wars, Attack of the Clones

Bio: At the time of their introduction, the Republic Clone Troopers represented the future of galactic warfare. Far superior to the battle droid armies of the era, the Clone Troopers formed the backbone of the Republic's new military initiative that battled against the forces of the Confederacy of Indepenedent Systems. Accelerated growth allows them to reach maturity quickly, and they are constantly trained in fighting techniques, vehicular skills and battlefield tactics, creating superb soldiers molded mentally and physically for battle. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' desk.

Commentary: Hasbro probably has the release of this Clone Trooper figure on a calendar as the day Star Wars collectors got spoiled rotten. Prior to this figure's release, 10 or maybe 12 points of articulation were really something, and we typically got swivel joints and not these ball-joint things. Just a month or so before this figure came out, our Lt. Dannl Faytonni figures were pretty fancy with their swiveling wrists and bending knees. And then this Clone comes along and beat the crap out of everything we ever bought up to that point, kicking off what we now take for granted as a bare minimum in some cases. But the really funny thing about this figure is that Hasbro has just rendered it obsolete in early 2011 with its new "Vintage" Clone Trooper which is the most spectacular thing I've ever seen so far.

Collector's Notes: In 2003 this figure was basically impossible to get. In 2005, Entertainment Earth got reissues (and repaints) of this mold, and after that this figure was packaged along with Anakin Skywalker in a gift set with a Darth Vader carry case. The figure has since been reissued numerous times in Saga Legends so if you want one, there's really no excuse for not being able to get one. It only took Hasbro about four years to put it in regular rotation at retail.

Day 1,555: May 31, 2011

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,414: Palpatine

PALPATINE Lightsaber Attack
Revenge of the Sith Collection 1
Item No.: Asst. 85173 No. 85424
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: III-15
Includes: Lightsaber hand, lightning, spare head, spare hands
Action Feature: Push down for swinging attack
Retail: $5.24-$6.99
Availability: Spring 2005
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: The Supreme Chancellor encounters questions about his ultimate motives. During a confrontation with Mace Windu, he uses his deadly powers and experiences unexpected and frightening results. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' desk.

Commentary: This Palpatine mold was used for multiple releases despite not being particularly fantastic. It is neat because it transforms and has an action feature without being too bulky, but the toy only has meaningful articulation in the arms and neck. In movie years Hasbro tries its hand at honest-to-goodness "toy" figures, and this one fits the bill nicely. If you push down on the figure's feet, his right arm goes up and "slashes" his weapon. If you're using the alternate accessories, he can also raise lightning at people. It's pretty swell to play with it, and the head sculpts are both pretty good. Just remember if you get this one, it's an action figure-- the sculpt is nice, but it's meant to be played with. This is somewhat amusing because the figure was the result of a running change which came out of Lucas re-editing the film-- the very first figures have Anakin's blue lightsaber, while the standard release had a red lightsaber (also with Anakin's hilt). Some later releases dropped this weapon because, obviously, he should be holding his own weapon based on how the film was edited. I would classify this figure as fun and worth owning, but due to all the rereleases, collectors are probably sick of it by now.

Collector's Notes: The first release had a blue lightsaber, which was "corrected" to red-- it's still an incorrect sculpt. The figure also appeared in a Battle Pack (with a modified hand and accessory), and in Target's Order 66 packs-- which is technically wrong because it had the "normal" head and not the "Sith" one. Ah well. It's still a nice figure.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,414: November 15, 2010

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,391: Clone Trooper (Pilot)

CLONE TROOPER Clone Wars
Revenge of the Sith Evolutions
Item No.: Asst. 85553 No. 87050
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, pilot helmet, trooper helmet, additional figures
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: Fall 2005
Appearances: Attack of the Clones

Bio: The evolution of the galaxy's most powerful army is captured in these figures! The clone troopers fight for the Republic, to try and save the galaxy from chaos. But secret plans change their loyalties, and they help the evil forces of the Sith to take control! No longer known as clone troopers, they are now stormtroopers, the loyal soldiers of the Emperor, enforcing his harsh will throughout the galaxy! (Taken from the figure's box.)

Image: Adam's desk. Both figures are the same figure-- one figure includes both helmets, I just happen to have two of them there.

Commentary: Going through my boxes it's amazing to see what figures I missed in this column-- this Clone Trooper being a prime example. Back in 2005 Hasbro positioned its "Evolutions" line as a successor to Vintage with a better bang for your buck, incorporating prequel characters, and (generally speaking) a vastly superior number of accessories. The first few sets pulled it off nicely, particularly the Clone-based ones. With this Attack of the Clones figure, the company took one step forward and one step back. The big improvement was the decision to make it two different troopers in one, as both "pilot" and "trooper" helmets were included on a nicely battle-damaged body with yellow Clone commander stripes. The result may not be a perfectly authentic clone pilot, but it is indeed a pilot-- a figure that, on the whole, has been in shorter supply since 2002. (AOTC-based movie pilots were available in 2002, 2005, and in 2009. And weren't always easy to get.)

Rather than just put a new head on an old body, Hasbro created an all-new sculpt here (which it later repainted). In a departure, Hasbro removed a joint-- there's no waist joint here, so the figure has super articulation minus that one spot. Considering most pilots stand or lean in their vehicles, which at the time consisted of Republic Gunships mostly, the extra joints weren't necessarily a requirement. The sculpt was very good, but the deco is remarkable. Hasbro has tried a lot of experiments in battle damage, and this one has a pretty striking pattern. Before this one, "battle damage" usually meant black dots or a sticker, or some iffy spray job. These looked like dents and blast marks, which was a step in the right direction. While not the best jointed Clone ever, the deco (and helmets) make this one absolutely worth owning twice over-- it'll add a little variety to your army which, I assume, is pretty big by now.

Collector's Notes: These sets were incredibly hot in 2005, so much so that two of the figures from this very set would be rereleased and repainted a few times. The Sandtrooper had a variant, a repaint, and an individually carded release. The Star Corps trooper saw multiple repaints in several sets, plus a few redesigns. But this Clone? Just a couple of repaints, and the yellow-striped version is exclusive to this set. eBay pegs the value of the entire Evolutions set this Clone comes from at about $10 before shipping, which, really, is pretty sad. Any one of those three figures could probably sell just fine in Saga Legends.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,391: October 13, 2010

Figure of the Day: Day 1,313: Chewbacca

CHEWBACCA Early Bird Kit
Early Bird Kit Wal-Mart Exclusive
Item No.: No. 85868
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Bowcaster, display pegs
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $29.99
Availability: Fall 2005
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Chewbacca - with his special laser rifle and ammunition belt across his chest. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' place.

Commentary: While the vintage 2004 release was widely regarded as the best sculpt of the character, the Early Bird Chewbacca from 2005 is considered by many the definitive version of the Wookiee. Not only does he have the standard super-articulation of 14 points, but Hasbro put in additional waist joints to make him one of the more flexible figures ever created. The sculpt is spot-on, the head is more or less specific to the original Star Wars. The hair is back a little, the arms are shaggy, and the expression is less ferocious than most of the earliest Chewbacca toys. Heck, pretty much all of them until 1998 seemed pretty angry. This one? Clearly a better interpretation of the characterization as a spin on the family dog. He's a happy fellow, large, and unlikely to stab you in the eye with a spork. (Look at the 1979 one. Clearly a spork-stabber.)

If you buy only one Chewbacca figure ever, this is a good candidate to track down. The Early Bird Figures may not be everyone's cup of tea, but there's a lot to like there for long-time figure fans or even new folk who want a good set to start off with. If you can get the pack cheapish (under $30) I'd say get it just for Chewie-- but keep it for the others.

Collector's Notes: You probably won't be paying $30-- more like $6. For these four figures, that's a freaking bargain, and a sign of how much of a failed concept this was in the eyes of the collector market. Not all Wal-Marts had the kits (which required you to send off for the figures which, initially, were not named on the box), and some that did had a hard time selling them off. So this is a set that, for those who weren't able to get it, is now available for prices that make you a bad collector if you don't buy them. Also-- an added bonus-- the "display pegs" this set comes with are compatible with modern and vintage cardboard playsets.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,313: June 25, 2010

Figure of the Day: Day 1,294: Anakin Skywalker (Battle Damage!)

ANAKIN SKYWALKER Battle Damage!
Revenge of the Sith Collection 1
Item No.: Asst. 85173 No. 85562
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: III-50
Includes: Robe, alternate arms, lightsaber, alternate head, removable legs
Action Feature: Figure can be dismembered
Retail: $5.24-$6.99
Availability: Fall 2005
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: Anakin loses his battle with Obi-Wan Kenobi on the volcanic planet of Mustafar. Gravely wounded, Anakin falls into a burning lava pit and is left for dead. But the galaxy has not seen the last of this powerful former Jedi. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' desk.

Commentary: This Anakin Skywalker is a high point in Hasbro toy engineering. They succeeded in making a figure that looks good, has a great pose, sports a useful action feature, and comes with pretty much every accessory that's reasonable for a figure with this sort of action. You can make a regular, hood-up, dark side Anakin Skywalker (or Darth Vader) or you can remove the outer garment and transform him into the burned, shriveled, disgusting and forsaken husk that crawls out of the fires of Mustafar.

While some fans may lament the traditional knee joints, sacrifices have to be made when making a reasonably cheap figure with all these extra parts, so I'd let it slide. With 8 points of articulation (the standard 6 plus rotating knees) he's not exactly a hugely articulated release, but you'll have a lot of fun ripping off his legs at the knee or swapping out his arms with hacked-up stumps and burned-off flesh. The head sculpts are pretty good, Anakin's is pretty pale and the shriveled bald and scarred Darth Vader noggin is downright ghoulish. Burned, tan, and with dark circles around his eyes, it's pretty remarkable for a basic 2005 figure. I keep forgetting how great this figure is, particularly for its initial retail price. I'd suggest getting two of it so you can keep one permanently set up as a horrible scarred and beaten half-a-man in your Mustafar playset.

Collector's Notes: Collectors often point to Hasbro not making figures for being too grisly or violent. To them, I say do you even pay attention? This is a figure where you can cut off his arms and legs (by his best friend, no less) and then burn him and leave him for dead. This is pretty horrifying when you get right down to it, so don't think that a torched building or a damaged creature is an unrealistic thing for Hasbro to do. Heck, Amanaman even comes with a dead humanoid corpse. It's worth noting that this specific release of Anakin qualifies as "worthless" on the secondary market now, so do make sure you seek him out and buy one.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,294: May 31, 2010

Figure of the Day: Day 1,278: Sandtrooper

SANDTROOPER in Muddy and Dirty Flavors
Revenge of the Sith Evolutions
Item No.: Asst. 85553 No. 85726
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #BD30
Includes: Grenade launcher
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: Summer 2005
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: The evolution of the galaxy's most powerful army is captured in these figures! The clone troopers fight for the Republic, to try and save the galaxy from chaos. But secret plans change their loyalties, and they help the evil forces of the Sith to take control! No longer known as clone troopers, they are now stormtroopers, the loyal soldiers of the Emperor, enforcing his harsh will throughout the galaxy! (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's yard.

Commentary: This figure was unique because Hasbro generally doesn't make significantly new Sandtrooper sculpts. From the ground on up, this was released in 1995 not as a modified Stormtrooper, but as something new and different. The most obvious change from previous figures is a lack of a waist joint, but a bizarre addition of a fully-removable belt. It looks good, but it's not perfect-- there are all sorts of little differences between Stormtroopers and Sandtroopers which it seems not everybody knows about just yet. The figure has a good range of movement with 13 joints, and has little problem posing with his gun-- although his hands are quite stiff, so getting it in there could be tricky. He looks excellent in either version, so I'd definitely suggest picking up one or both. It's fun, and I'd say better than the ones that came with the prod later.

Collector's Notes: This figure has been on the market for a while, on and off from 2005 to 2008. The lighter brown version came first, by the way. The Evolutions pack came first, and later samples shipped in the Saga Legends assortment, creating quite possibly the most variants ever on a single SKU-- but I could be wrong. This mold would be repainted with a grey pauldron as a super-dirty release, and a few years later would be released sans sand gear as a plain white Stormtrooper.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,278: May 7, 2010

Figure of the Day: Day 1,267: Darth Vader (Battle Pack)

DARTH VADER Rebel vs. Empire
Revenge of the Sith Battle Pack
Item No.: Asst. 85554 No. 85725
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Cape, helmet, lightsaber, additional figures
Action Feature: Removable helmet, push button for lightsaber-swinging action
Retail: $19.99
Availability: Summer 2005
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: As dark lord, Darth Vader seeks to show young Luke Skywalker the true power of the dark side. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's yard.

Commentary: "Just different enough to make you mad." This Darth Vader is a mix and match "new" figure, using various existing parts. The 2002 Saga "Cloud City" Darth Vader's body is used (which is actually based on the original film's armor) and the head is that of the 2003 Death Star version. Put 'em together, and you get another "different" Darth Vader. Since this Battle Pack was designed with kid sales in mind, it seems only fair to treat the figure accordingly. It sucks. The helmet won't stay on, and neither will the cape. The push-button mechanism causes the figure to pivot at the waist, and it's pretty awful especially when you consider the fragile lightsaber can easily snap off from inside the hilt-- such is the danger of a plastic blade in a metal shell.

On the bright side, the sculpt is OK and the paint job on the unmasked face is pretty good. He does feel more expressive than some other Vader heads, but still, it's a crappy figure. For completists only.

Collector's Notes: This set was pretty popular at the time, and the packaging is nice-- but the figure itself is nothing special. It's worth noting that this is basically the only new figure in the Rebel vs. Empire Battle Pack, so if you don't yet have one I wouldn't advise you to do so just to get this one character.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,267: April 22, 2010

Figure of the Day: Day 1,226: Darth Maul

DARTH MAUL The Sith Return
Revenge of the Sith Evolutions
Item No.: Asst. 85553 No. 85727
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, Cloak, Sith Probe, Stand, Binoculars
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99-$29.99
Availability: Fall 2005
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: After thousands of years, the Sith reveal themselves to the Jedi. Witness their evolution with these Sith figures! Darth Maul attacks the Jedi, revealing that the Sith are still a threat to the galaxy. Then Count Dooku, a former Jedi, comes out of hiding as a Sith Lord to attack the Republic. Finally, the Emperor, who should be fighting to save the Republic, is revealed as the most powerful and menacing Sith of all! (Taken from the figure's Evolutions box.)

Image: Adam's front yard.

Commentary: To date, this is arguably the best Darth Maul money can buy. It is by no means perfect, but it's really good. This all-new sculpt debuted in 2005, and was the most poseable version of the character yet with 14 joints, although there were a few snags. For starters, his super-stiff robes prevent his hip joints from being much good, and his elbows were swivel joints at a time where that sort of thing was starting to be regularly frowned upon. He looks mean, he has a great sculpt, and he's not too tall-- so he looks right, and he comes in that reasonably neutral pose that most fans seem to enjoy. If you put this figure on a Vintage cardback, it would look about right. As a collectible, or desk decoration, this is a great figure but since he can't make much use of his vehicles, he's a bit of a wonky release. (To date, the 2007 Saga Legends Darth Maul is arguably the best "toy" version due to knee joints and extensive use of cloth parts to keep the knees unrestricted.)

His gear is really why you'll want to buy this figure. Want his binoculars? They're here. A Sith Probe on a clear stand? Also here. Plastic cloak? Here. Really, the figure is just barely touching perfection, as the lightsaber is the 1999 version (no flared blades), and there's no wrist droid caller either. It's rare that Hasbro manages to make a figure with everything it could possibly ever need, but this one came really close and should probably provide the basis of any other new Maul Hasbro does. Because, you know, being like how we are, we really do still expect some ball-jointed elbows someday soon, and since it's 2010 some lateral hip joints would be nice too. (And a new Lightsaber.)

Collector's Notes: This figure has been repackaged a few times, including a "30th Anniversary" Evolutions box exactly as he appears here, and in the 30th Anniversary Tins, but without some of his accessories. No other figures have been made with this as a base, yet anyway.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,226: February 24, 2010

Figure of the Day: Day 1,219: AT-AT Commander

AT-AT COMMANDER with AT-AT
Power of the Force Vehicle Pack-In
Item No.: No. 69733
Manufacturer: Kenner
Number: n/a
Includes: AT-AT, AT-AT Driver
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $79.99
Availability: Summer 1997
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: The stern and polished General Maximillian Veers is completely loyal to the Empire. He launches an invasion to destroy the Rebels' shield generator protecting the base from attack. (Taken from his Assault on Hoth Bio.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' yard.

Commentary: For some reason, figures were really growing tall in the 1990s. This AT-AT Commander (later, General Veers) was huge, towering over other figures to the point of ridiculousness. On the bright side, he looked pretty good, and was primarily designed to sit inside the AT-AT. Since he was made before Hasbro started experimenting with skirts more, he has no trouble sitting in an AT-AT canopy and should be your go-to figure for all your pilot needs. After, of course, you use the drivers. The facial detail is nothing special, although it did look better than many other human figures released around the time. The armor and limbs are perfectly fine, and do look a lot like those of Grand Moff Tarkin and Piett.

13 years on it's not going to win any beauty pageants, but it gets the job done and it certainly holds together well. The 1997 release with vehicle has no blaster, but the 2005 release in the battle pack does include a chunky POTF2-era Stormtrooper rifle.

Collector's Notes: First released in 1997, the figure was packaged with the first modern release of the AT-AT. In 2005, he was repackaged in the Toys "R" Us exclusive Assault on Hoth Battle Pack. While he was essentially unchanged, it's notable that the diorama on the back of the box showed the 1982 AT-AT Commander rather than the modern figure-- a rare instance of Hasbro using a vintage Kenner figure in modern packaging photography. The 2006 General Veers figure has removable armor and more articulation, but is not capable of sitting quite so easily-- so get either, as each is better in different ways. Yet another AT-AT Commander figure is coming in or around August 2010.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,219: February 15, 2010

Figure of the Day: Day 1,208: Wookiee Warrior

WOOKIEE WARRIOR Light Brown Variant
Revenge of the Sith Collection 1
Item No.: Asst. 85173 No. 85461
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #III-43
Includes: Bowcaster, red rocket, shield, blaster, bandolier
Action Feature: Wookiee Battle Bash!
Retail: $5.24-$6.99
Availability: Summer 2005
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: The Wookiees are intelligent, fiercely loyal and exceedingly strong. When their peaceful home planet of Kashyyyk is enveloped by the Clone Wars, these ferocious warriors fight the Separatist incursion. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' desk. Note the native Kashyyyk flora, which is in no way a Playmobil Christmas Tree.

Commentary: This Wookiee Warrior was the second "generic" mold released in 2005, and this light brown color was the first of two releases-- a dark brown one shipped at roughly the same time but it seems this color hit first. The main downer of this figure, especially five years later, is the knee joints. Why Hasbro made them swivel instead of bend, I'll never know-- a stiff leg would have been pretty much just as good. I guess points for adding a point of articulation but there isn't one time since I first got this figure where I was particularly pleased that it had this kind of joint here. The arms are pretty good, even though the elbows are just swivel joints, plus the battle action from the waist joint works quite nicely.

The fur sculpting is good, the deco is just fine, and if Hasbro wanted to they could easily repaint this one again with a different pattern and color and pass it off as "new." It's decent enough to buy a few of, although the odd knees really do seem worse a few years on. Oh well! It's still worth picking up for your armies.

Collector's Notes: For whatever reason this figure was never reissued, but it's a nice one. A dark brown variant exists, as does a black repaint under the name "Wookiee Commando." Get 'em all, build your armies, etc.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,208: January 29, 2010

Figure of the Day: Day 1,156: Mace Windu

MACE WINDU Force Combat!
Revenge of the Sith Collection 1
Item No.: Asst. 85173 No. 85283
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #III-10
Includes: Lightsaber, Sith lightning
Action Feature: Squeeze legs for swinging action
Retail: $5.24-$6.99
Availability: March 2005
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: Mace Windu is a courageous fighter and respected member of the Jedi Council. In a desperate attempt to save the galaxy, Mace leads a daring confrontation against Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's back yard.

Commentary: For whatever reason, Hasbro has struggled a little with Mace Windu. Sure, the 1998 mail-in figure looked great, but most of them since have been all over the place. This particular one had great arm articulation-- the best-ever for the character when released-- plus a great costume sculpt, which, of course, Hasbro had plenty of chances to nail down. Unfortunately, there seems to be a bit of difficulty making it look like Samuel L. Jackson's head, outside of being black and bald. This figure looks a little bit like him, but due to his exaggerated shoulders and very thick neck, doesn't really do the actor justice. The super-articulated version from 2007 is different, but doesn't exactly fare significantly better overall.

This figure's best selling point is its action feature. You can put some Sith Lightning on him, and squeeze his legs so he swings his arms and can shake it off. It's pretty neat, not necessarily useful in displays, but a fun little way to mess with the figure when you're bored and have one on your desk. Despite having a plastic "skirt" blocking his legs, the plastic is generally quite flexible, and can sit in some vehicles. Overall, this figure works well as a toy, so if you enjoy action features and unique accessories, it's worth picking up if you can get one for cheap. And most likely, you can.

Collector's Notes: This figure sold in 2005 and was repackaged in 2006. The same figure was reused for the Mace Windu's Attack Battalion Battle Pack for Target, but it swapped out the lightning for a cloth cloak.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,156: November 18, 2009