Figure of the Day: Day 493: Destroyer Droid (Battle Damaged)

DESTROYER DROID Battle Damaged
Episode I Collection 1
Item No.: Asst. 84085 No. 84126
Number: n/a
Includes: CommTech Chip
Action Feature: Exploding action
Retail: $6.99
Availability: January 2000
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: Unrelenting in their attack, destroyer droids bear down on the armies of Naboo, sustaining damaging hits yet still carrying out their mission. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: At first, this version of the Destroyer Droid looked identical to the 1999 release-- but if you keep looking, you can see some metallic blue damage markings that look somewhat like bullet damage or blaster bolts. Oh, and the whole thing blows up in the middle when you push in his back leg. Neat! Action features were almost totally absent from Star Wars figures since the beginning, with a few exceptions like the 1985 EV-9D9's moving mouth, or the bizarre rocket in 1996's R5-D4. This figure manages to use a common feature and use it well in a proper play pattern. Surely droids must explode, so why not make a toy that does it? The figure has somewhat poseable legs, moving arms, and a moving head. They each pivot just a little, but the design doesn't really lend itself to massive amounts of articulation that would be meaningful on a figure of the size-- all you really want it to do is stand up and look cool, or transform into a ball, and it ain't gonna do that. It's fun to have a figure that blows up, although it isn't as accurate as later figures would be-- the middle eye on the head, the coloring, the sculpt, all had minor changes and newer releases look a bit more fun-- especially the one coming late in 2007. Still, if you're looking to build an army, you should get this one because even though it isn't perfect, I have to say I prefer some variety on my shelf armies.

Collector's Notes: The figure was actually considered somewhat difficult to get when it first hit, as the later run figures from the first prequel were in short supply due to the figures from early in the run being in big supply. They eventually showed up on clearance in limited numbers, but if you blinked, you missed them. Today they can be had fairly cheaply, and new collectors will probably want to pay $7 or less.

Day 493: September 11, 2007