Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,739: Pit Droids

PIT DROID Red Crouching Deco
30th Anniversary Collection Saga Legends (also Episode I bonus figure)
Item No.: Asst. 85770 No. 84190
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Box, extra figure
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: Early 2000/Late 2007
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: Pit droids help repair and maintain podracers with zealous efficiency. Small yet incredibly strong, pit droids often dash onto the racetrack before the vehicles have stopped, risking their mechanical lives in their eagerness to get to work. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' desk.

Commentary: One nice thing about Hasbro is that they're pretty good at slowly dismantling the secondary market of the modern Star Wars figure line, with few exceptions. At one point, the Pit Droid figures like this one were overseas exclusives, a replacement for the CommTech Chips around the year 2000 in Europe and Asia. We wanted them-- and we didn't get them. Which is totally uncool, being the biggest market for this stuff. (It would be like US-exclusive Zoids. It makes no sense.) These figures were in short supply, got expensive, and the fan outcry was surprisingly low. Heck, even I didn't complain about it all that much-- current distribution woes were more of a big deal than these six little droids which were absent from the US collector market for nearly 7 years, while some climbed to triple digits. Thankfully Hasbro had mercy on us and released them with minimal changes, in 2-packs, around 2007. This little red droid was basically the same as the one packaged with the Naboo Guard and Holographic Emperor figures overseas, except this time it didn't require you buy duplicate figures to get a set of them. (Well, aside from the droid itself-- they came in pairs.)

Being a product of 1999 design aesthetics, the little guy has jointed shoulders and hips, plus a ball-jointed head. Being wiry, he may have difficulty standing if you aren't careful. He doesn't have foot holes either, so prepare for a hassle there. He has no trouble sitting, or looking cool. Since these guys are best displayed fidgeting with your Pod Racer vehicles, you can probably have them leaning or pretending to grab things. The sculpt is unremarkable, but that's OK-- the design isn't very complicated, so there don't need to be too many exposed wires or other elements here. I'm sure Hasbro could do an entirely new sculpt and blow us away, but they did a good enough job 10 years ago where I don't expect to ever see an all-new Pit Droid ever again. These are fine, they're cheap, and frankly I'd rather they keep reissuing figures (so I can skip them) than making new, different versions anyway.

Collector's Notes: You should be able to score this figure off the secondary market at or under its issue price, which is great. These little guys are cool and not the kind of thing that should be a bazillion dollars. An alternate sculpt of this toy in the same colors was also sold, as were 2 other recolors of the toy using this same mold. All 6 different flavors of Pit Droid were sold as 2-packs in the same SKU.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,739: February 13, 2012

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,738: Darth Maul

DARTH MAUL Really New
The Vintage Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 37499 No. 37509
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #VC86
Includes: Plastic hood, cloth cloak, two-piece lightsaber, lightsaber hilt, binoculars
Action Feature: Lightsaber splits down the middle
Retail: $9.99
Availability: January 2012
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: Celebrate the legendary Star Wars saga that changed the universe forever! This collection brings to life the incredible story of good versus evil that captured our imagination and took us to a galaxy far, far away. Iconic Star Wars heroes and villains are captured with incredible detail and premium features to commemorate each epic tale in the Star Wars saga. May the Force be with you! (Taken from the figure's packaging. No specific character information.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' photo area.

Commentary: An upgrade of Darth Maul was a long time coming, Hasbro's last attempt to "perfect" the figure was in the 2005 Evolutions packs, and fans said back then that Hasbro came up short. They were right. The new one manages to make a Darth Maul with the bulk of the important features of the day, but it still isn't quite perfect-- it's very good, but it could still be improved. For starters, he's assembled with his belt backward.

The figure's articulation is as good as Hasbro will likely be able to do with today's technology. He has ball-jointed everything, except for his wrists-- they merely swivel, which is something they could probably have improved upon. I know it sounds nitpicky, but this isn't a vintage Mon Mothma, it's Darth "Cash Cow" Maul, the figure you know you can sell forever and keep repackaging long after fans claim they're sick of it-- there is always a new crop of kids and fans who want Darth Maul. He can hold his lightsaber fairly nicely, but I feel the range of movement should be improved still-- it's good, and certainly the best Maul has ever been. But "the best it's ever been" isn't necessarily good enough in the age of $10 figures.

I still feel the best 3 3/4-inch scale Darth Maul, visually, is the Tatooine Showdown release. It's over 10 years old, significantly cheaper, and has a less-impressive weapon. But for my money, there's no finer Darth Maul to have on display-- his plastic robes look significantly better than the tattered robes of the new release, which, functionally speaking, are quite nice.

New Maul's accessories are pretty good-- Hasbro seems to have made peace with the concept of plastic hoods and cloth robes, which gives the head a decent look while allowing for a good range of movement. I don't think the robes accurately represent the costume in the movie, though-- they were pretty funky, with huge sleeves and other swell patterns completely ignored by this one. The lightsaber finally has a flared blade, which has only happened on one other release-- the 2002 Sith Training Robes version, and that had a metal hilt. It splits in two, which is nice for any Jedi Dueling you may do. The unlit hilt can plug into his belt, and the Macrobinoculars look like they should plug into something but they really don't do much interesting. Other than, you know, holding them.

Carded collectors: get this figure. Loose collectors: you'll probably want to get this figure, as his ball-jointed hips and cloth bits are nicely poseable. But in most respects, I don't feel that it's a vastly improved piece... it's good, no questions there. The droid control gauntlet is a nice touch. But the head is merely OK, the hood doesn't look quite right, and all of these things add up to (I'm assuming) unsatisfied fans demanding a revised version of the character, which we'll probably see in a couple of years. Maul is a cash cow that Hasbro hasn't milked much since the 2006 Holographic Darth Maul.

Collector's Notes: This figure will be shipping with at least 2 waves, beyond that we actually just don't know yet. I assume this figure will be in steady distribution for most of 2012, because like Darth Vader or General Grievous, to not sell it would be to leave lots of money on the table. Nobody wins when you make one of the most popular characters hard to find. Hasbro has done some pretty senseless things when it comes to distributing popular characters, but this is the Darth Maul To End All Darth Mauls. Basically.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,738: February 10, 2012

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,737: Aurra Sing

AURRA SING Bounty Hunter
Discover the Force Walmart Exclusive Wave
Item No.: Asst. 38601 No. 38604
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #1 of 12
Includes: 2 pistols, 1 rifle, lightsaber case, 3 lightsabers, display stand, card, die
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $8.96
Availability: February 2012
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: Aurra Sing is a Force-sensitive bounty hunter, mercenary and assassin. She is willing to work for anyone who can meet her price. Many aspiring hunters seek her out for training despite her reputation as a cold-hearted taskmaker. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' photo area.

Commentary: I am now quite happy Hasbro waited 10 years to really tackle The Phantom Menace again. Over the past decade we got a lot of figures again, and again, and again-- be it repacks, resculpts, or repaints that didn't do much to upgrade the original releases. But this new Aurra Sing and the whole massive launch of new figures is a breath of fresh-- or at the very least, less stale-- air. The last new movie Aurra Sing was nearly 12 years ago, and other versions of her have been inspired by the comics and TV shows. A new, super-cool movie edition has been held off for quite some time and now that we have it, I'm glad to say it's unquestionably superior to the Power of the Jedi release.

2000 Aurra had 5 points of articulation. This new one has 12 joints, plus a few of the minor quibbles of that older release have been fixed. Only one of her pistols were removable from the holsters before, and now both are. She had an awkward stance and couldn't aim her sniper rifle-- and now s he can. Her proportions are better, the sculpt is a little more bony, the coloring seems a little better, and oh yeah-- she has her antenna now! She didn't back in 2000. Her long fingers have black nails, there are all sorts of straps and buckles on her costume, and it's almost ridiculous how much better she is now. It's sort of like comparing a legit vintage Kenner figure to the Hasbro releases of the early 2000s-- the difference is remarkable. Heck, Aurra even seems nicer than a lot of other current Vintage 2012 releases-- it's surprising they didn't kick the assortment off with her!

I could quibble over minor details, but why bother? The creative higher torso joint is mostly hidden by her vest. Her hair has tons of painted beads in it. She's skinny. She is colored correctly. The only thing I can whine about is Hasbro hasn't yet perfected arm articulation to do some superbly cool sniper poses. I love the lightsaber "collector case" with the bonus weapons, which are molded in a silvery plastic rather than painted silver. It seems distinctive and different from other hilts, even though the molds look pretty familiar. As a fine example of what Hasbro can do in 2012, it's hard to find something more perfect than Aurra Sing. Short of giving her a vehicle, or a lightsaber of her own, I couldn't imagine improving her all that much. Hasbro should be proud. That's the good news. The bad news is that the bar for the new Darth Vader is set so high that I can't imagine being anything but let down, but overall this has been a good batch of figures so far this year.

Collector's Notes: This figure is scheduled for a release on a Vintage cardback if the NYCC 2011 presentation is any indication. Due to some items being shuffled, delayed, or flat-out not shipped in the USA I would be wary of any item you can buy today. Why wait? If you miss it, you'll be angry later. (Plus this version has a stand, the vintage version won't.)

Wave notes: I found this figure-- and several more-- in a large in-store display with dozens of these exclusive figures. I have also heard reports that they ship in cases of 12, but my store had tons. The wave has 12 figures. 4 of which are new, and are said to be appearing on Vintage cardbacks later this year: Aurra Sing, Naboo Pilot, Mawhonic, and Gungan Warrior. Two of these are said to be exclusive to this wave: Ric Olie and G8-R3. Six of these are repacks or being sold as Movie Heroes right now: Darth Maul, Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Destroyer Droid, Yoda, and a Tusken Raider. Why all the repacks? The main characters statistically sell better, so it's in Walmart's best interest to have more Mauls to move than more Ric Olies.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,737: February 9, 2012

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,736: Bomb Squad Trooper

BOMB SQUAD TROOPER Republic Clone Troopers
Discover the Force/The Clone Wars Battle Packs
Item No.: Asst. 37822 No. 37827
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, stand, game cards, Cutup, Hardcase
Action Feature: Lightsaber hilt plugs into belt
Retail: $22.99
Availability: January 2012
Appearances: The Clone Wars

Bio: Clone troopers train for comb at on the planet Kamino. Kamino is not only the place where the clone troopers are engineered; it is also where they are trained in battle tactics, fighting techniques and explosives. Seasoned clone troopers push the cadets hard to turn them into the toughest and most skilled fighters in the galaxy. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' risers, which I'm not sure if I'm feeling for this display.

Commentary: Before we talk up the Bomb Squad Trooper, let me address a couple of things. First of all, I don't know what this line is really called. I believe it's being dubbed "Discover the Force," which is what I'm going to use until someone else comes up with something. (I think the name comes from the Wal-Mart exclusive product packaging.) There is no branding other than merely "Star Wars" on the box. I'd also like to talk up the packaging of the new Battle Packs, which I think is a high mark for efficiency and style. It's gorgeous, and there's not a lot of wasted material-- there's some, but not as much as we've had in the past. Gone are the 3D cut-out backdrops, the set is basically a really, really wide carded figure with a big bubble and an insert. I think Hasbro could shrink it down another 20% in materials, but I don't think it would look very good at that point. This feels very spartan, I'm glad they made something that doesn't take up a lot of room or waste a lot of material.

...having said that, it screws up Cutup's leg-- you'll need to heat it so it resets itself into a position which is more conducive to standing. Anyway, let's get on to this neon orange figure, which is great but doesn't seem to be a part of a thematic whole. This is just Hasbro repainting 3 molds in a box.

The Bomb Squad Trooper, also known as a Clone Ordnance Specialist, is incredibly bright. Preposterously neon orange paint has been applied to the now-standard clone body, while it seems the TV show is just a smidgen more reeled-in. I love the bright colors, but I wish they had used the revised mold which had slightly more range of motion in the hips-- as it is, this is not a figure designed for sitting. He can stand, sure. He can hold his guns, no problem. But not much else, so he'll be standing around on a shelf until I've got enough figures to do some sort of Blue Shadow Virus tableaux.

Collector's Notes: The set is new and is the best-selling set of the 3 new Battle Packs. Why? It's the only one with 3 new figures. Hasbro has said these sets are geared more to kids, but kids probably have some sense of awareness of what's new and different-- they may have Han Solo or Jango Fett, but they definitely don't have a blindingly bright orange Clone Trooper.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,736: February 8, 2012

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,735: Geonosian Warrior

GEONOSIAN WARRIOR Arena Battle
The Legacy Collection Target Exclusive Geonosis Arena Packs 2010
Item No.: Asst. 97645 No. 97649
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #4 of 6
Includes: Staff, Shaak Ti figure
Action Feature: Lightsaber hilt plugs into belt
Retail: $12.99
Availability: October 2010
Appearances: Attack of the Clones

Bio: The Jedi Knights rush to Geonosis to rescue Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Padme from execution. The Jedi brandish their lightsabers against the Geonosian warriors and the massive army of battle droids, super battle droids, and droidekas. All hope seems lost that any Jedi will survive this battle, then Yoda arrives with an army of clone troopers. Although many Jedi are lost that day, others survive this climactic battle that ushers in the Clone Wars. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' Geonosis backdrop, which was tossed out months ago.

Commentary: Figures like the Geonosian Warrior are sort of the ideal multi-pack fodder-- it's a decent enough mold and a trooper, so you won't feel like a chump if you get stuck with two or three more of them. It's an upgrade of the 2006 Sun Fac mold, with new deco and all-new knee joints in the legs. This is good because, as a rule, more joints are better than fewer joints. This is bad because heat and gravity are not kind to figures with bizarre leg configurations, so you may need additional support (read: doll stand) to hold this little guy up. With all the articulation you could want and gritty green detailing, he looks super-cool but does not match his fellow Geonosian figures. Actually, Hasbro's been pretty bad about making them similarly colored since their debut in 2002, and the figures have a history of being difficult to stand and display. Having said that, this is one of the better-looking ones and if life allows you would be well-served selecting it as the one you troop-build. Even for a Sun Fac redeco with new legs, it's pretty awesome and would have made a great "vintage" figure were it packaged that way.

Collector's Notes: The set came out during a pretty big dump of exclusives-- over a dozen hit Target over the course of days, as opposed to 2011 when the chain had something like 4 total exclusives for Q4 representing quite a slowdown. The set was marked down quickly and for some reason Target continued to get more of the 2009 arena sets in 2010 after this wave shipped, meaning these ones are, relatively speaking, in shorter supply. This means that it is entirely likely that there could be some out there in the woodworks waiting to hit a closeout store near you. Also notable, these sets were slashed in price nearly immediately after they came out-- I believe they were about $8.99 for several weeks.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,735: February 7, 2012

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,734: Anakin Skywalker

ANAKIN SKYWALKER Firing Lightsaber Launcher!
The Clone Wars Basic Action Figures
Item No.: Asst. 37290 No. 37293
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: CW1
Includes: Lightsaber, display stand, launcher, projectile
Action Feature: Launching lightsaber disc
Retail: $8.99
Availability: January 2012
Appearances: Clone Wars TV series

Bio: Anakin defeats battle droids with a whirling Lightsaber attack. Using the Force, Skywalker launches into combat with lightning-swift maneuvers. The droids are no match for this powerful Jedi and soon fall under the spinning strikes from Anakin's blade. (Yes, this press release was taken from the Hasbro web site.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' photo area.

Commentary: I was actually quite surprised Hasbro cranked out another new Anakin Skywalker sculpt after having just released a very good one in the 2010/2011 range. Why not just keep using the same sculpt? After all, he has no new articulation-- the figure continues to lack ankles, and while thinner, he doesn't really look significantly better than the last release. He's still good-- don't get me wrong, but it's an overall lateral move. It's not better, it's not worse, it's just different.

The biggest change to the design is the addition to some cloth bits which allow for improved use in vehicles. He can sit better, although not significantly so. The range of motion is improved somewhat, but the deco is really what's visually different. The robes are a darker brown, with an almost grey piece hanging over them. He seems thinner and a little more rounded, his face isn't quite as angular as his predecessor. If anything, the head sculpt reminds me more of the 2008 versions of Anakin.. a little rounder, a little paler, a little less harsh. A tiny detail that I'm quite happy to see added is a communicator on his left wrist, which has been lacking from most previous releases. Bravo!

His new lightsaber launcher is an interesting but wonky piece of equipment-- it's charming in that it reminds me of the Kenner of old, in that it's too big to carry (ala Jurassic Park weapons) and the "lightsaber" part really doesn't look like a lightsaber. The launcher itself has a swordlike silhouette, and a teeny-tiny clip which can be positioned on Anakin's arm. At first glance, I thought it was designed to hold his lightsaber. That's how small it is.

Overall I would say it's an acceptable figure. It wasn't an essential release, and it looks marginally closer to the animation model than the previous one-- and the previous one looked a little more heroic with a thicker build and a harsher face. However, this 2012 Anakin can hold a weapon with either hand, so I guess that's an important evolutionary step forward. I'd much rather have seen an entirely new character (or outfit for Anakin), but it's a perfectly acceptable figure for kids and, I assume, most collectors.

Collector's Notes: New! And common. Anakin, Commander Cody, and the Clone Trooper were the only overwhelmingly new figures in this wave, with a refreshed Cad Bane and a repainted Chewbacca rounding it out in terms of potentially interesting releases. Given that this makes up 10 of the (alleged) 19 figures we're going to get this year, and we just saw another 5 pop up in a preview, I have a hard time believing that this will truly, honestly be all we see this year.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,734: February 6, 2012

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,733: Saesee Tiin

SAESEE TIIN Commemorative DVD Collection
Clone Wars Cartoon Network / Tartakovsky Animated Series Action Figures
Item No.: Asst. 34542 No. 34576
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, display stand, Anakin Skywalker, Clone Trooper figures
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $14.99
Availability: Spring 2005
Appearances: Clone Wars 2003 series

Bio: Through the creative vision of Lucasfilm Ltd. and the Cartoon Network, the Clone Wars are brought to life in an exciting new series of short animated chapters. A unique animation style captures the drama of this epic period in galactic history along with its outstanding heroes and adversaries. Noble Jedi warriors lead Clone Troopers into battle against the evil Separatist forces and their droid armies. Anakin, Obi-Wan, Yoda and their comrades struggle against the rising power of the dark side and confront personal challenges against a backdrop of war-torn planets. (Yes, this press release was taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' desk.

Commentary: I did not pass on, but missed Saesee Tiin as part of the Wal-Mart exclusive, supposedly-had-a-street-date, DVD-companion figure sets. I was livid-- I checked several stores for days before, during, and after the release and there was no real sign that they had ever been there, which is the kind of thing that toughens you up real quick when it comes to having to search for stuff. Since the sets were basically repaints or retools, I waited and I'm more or less glad I did. Secondary market prices spiked quickly, and the figure, while good, isn't really worth the insane attention that it got for a while.

Based on the animated version of Obi-Wan Kenobi, the figure has the same articulation (and body) as the other Jedi. A new head was created, new deco was applied, and presto-- new figure. Even the same ribbing sculpted on the forearms is present, giving-- at first glance-- the illusion of this being a new figure. The package art shows Saesee's amazing armored outfit, which sadly did not get an animated figure, but at least this nifty design retained the broken horn and did a bang-up job capturing his scowl. The articulation is particularly strange, given the figure's statue-like appearance. His waist and neck joints are perfectly normal, but his left arm swings from the left to the right, as opposed to rotating up and down like most figures. He can hold a saber with both hands, and the squared-off, stylized sculpt does a great job of replicating the look and feel of the animated series. I like this collection of figures as a subset, and while it's a terrible toy it makes for a nice display piece.

The head is the neatest thing about the figure, with his distinctive head markings and horns giving him the bulk of his personality. I wish it was in his clone armor, but well, sometimes Hasbro's desire to release something quick and on the cheap trumps something being superbly cool. As it is, it's just OK-- a nice piece of a good set.

Collector's Notes: Today, this set sells for about $15-$25. I got mine at a comic shop for $13, which was about as good as I could hope for. As a subset, the animated Clone Wars line is one I'd suggest new collectors jump on-- not only is it gorgeous, but it's small and relatively cheap. Roughly 17 figures, including Grievous and Clone variations, should set you back about $100 if not much less. There are various packaging variations and multipacks, but just getting a set of the figures to crack open is fairly cheap and, most importantly, this is a dead line. You can get 'em all and rest easy that, according to Hasbro, they will not be making any more in this style.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,733: February 3, 2012

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,732: Saesee Tiin

SAESEE TIIN Jedi High Council
Original Trilogy Collection Screen Scenes
Item No.: No. 32162
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: Scene 3
Includes: Base, extra base, 2 chairs, Anakin Skywalker, Adi Gallia
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: 2004
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: The Jedi High Council is the main interface between the Jedi and the government of the Republic. The twelve High Council members are chosen from the ranks of the Jedi Masters and represent a gathering of great minds who have proven themselves and their abilities in the service of peace and justice. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo hole.

Commentary: I bought Saesee Tiin and the other Toys R Us exclusive Jedi High Council sets in 2004, and they stayed in their boxes until now. Heck, some of them are still sealed. Why? Because they are sort of boring, only good as display pieces, and not particularly good in the figure department. It was nice seeing Hasbro bow to fan demands to complete the scene, which started in 2003, but sometimes it's nice when they wait a few years-- better sculpts, better technology, or less miserly management may yield a better product, and at the time reissued or repainted figures were around $4.99 each. This set at $19.99 each, with no weapons and few newly tooled parts other than an occasional knee joint, felt more like an obligation than a purchase of joy. But I wanted the "playset," so I bought it.

Saesee Tiin makes use of the 2002 sculpt. You get no lightsaber, no weapon. The toy has jointed hips and no knees, so getting him to sit properly is quite difficult-- I took several photos trying to not make him look too awkward, and I don't think I succeeded. As of 2004 this was arguably a better figure due to its swell soft goods allowing for more movement, but with no lightsaber and a really half-assed ability to sit, it was weak. The figure itself has only 7 points of articulation and if it weren't for his accessories, I probably wouldn't have bought this set. I basically paid $20 for some chairs and a tile floor. The chair is nice, molded in a blueish hue with red fading into orange, and it seems like it would be an ideal place for another, better figure to sit. Since the 2005 Saesee Tiin is one of Hasbro's finest figures, perhaps you'll want to buy this set just to use with that figure.

Collector's Notes: The set is worth about $30 on eBay, but sellers in China are selling the base and chairs for a few bucks. I would like to say "go buy it," but there's an added floor panel included with this boxed set which does not seem present in the auctions-- so if you want to complete the council chambers, do not buy the bases without the additional floor panel piece. (It's under the floor in the boxed item.) All six sets will probably set you back $10-$30 a pop, so you should be able to complete the scene for $100 or less... just remember, you'll want to replace (upgrade) the figures included with most of the sets.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,732: February 2, 2012

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,731: Nute Gunray

NUTE GUNRAY Geonosian War Room
Saga Screen Scenes
Item No.: Asst. 84997 No. 84711
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: 2 of 2
Includes: Table, Shu Mai, Passel Argente
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: Fall 2003
Appearances: Attack of the Clones

Bio: In a conference room on Geonosis, leaders of the Confederacy of Independent Systems watch Republic and Separatist forces engage in what will become the first batle of the Clone Wars. unscrupulous opportunists who will do anything that will benefit them financially, they ally with Count Dooku to advance their own interests. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo hole.

Commentary: I like Nute Gunray. Not as much as I like Admiral Ackbar, but it's a neat character and an easy target for making jokes-- specifically, doing Taco Bell ads in his voice. Trust me, good times. Anyway, this figure-- which I believe is the most recent version of the character in action figure form despite being about 9 years old-- is actually a redressed version of the 1999 figure. (He even has a 1998 copyright date on his foot.) The head and coat is new-- the body and arms are old. I'm willing to bet most fans didn't notice, in part because the set comes with a swell half of a table and I would assume everybody's first reaction to buying this set would be to assemble the table and ooh and ahh over it. It's a nice table, with clear red surrounded by some yellow, covered in little yellow holographic vehicles. It's a nice little decoration.

Nute Gunray has only 3 meaningful points of articulation, with the neck and shoulders getting a decent range of movement. His hips and waist are articulated, but due to the robes they're really quite worthless. Thankfully the sculpt is good-- his head looks a lot like the mask in the movie, and the hat is a nice touch too. His face is quite colorful, with shiny eyes giving him a smidgen more soul than your average alien action figure. The robe sculpting is sharp, with lots of folds and detail-- it actually looks significantly better than the figure in the robes, because of the time difference in their creation.

Hasbro could do a better version of the Trade Viceroy, but probably won't-- which is a shame, because Nute makes for a nice figure. As this is the best Nute to date, you may as well buy it--if Hasbro doesn't announce a new one at Toy Fair, I have a feeling that this character's window may have permanently shut.

Collector's Notes: The Geonosian War Room and Jedi High Council sets were highly anticipated, and these first 4 "Saga Scenes" were dumped at Kay-Bee for half price. You should be able to get this set for $10 or so-- the set-- not just one figure. I give it a strong recommendation for ten bucks.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,731: February 1, 2012