Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 522: Emperor Palpatine (Holographic)

HOLOGRAPHIC EMPEROR Toys "R" Us Exclusive
Revenge of the Sith Toys "R" Us Exclusive
Item No.: No. 85992
Number: n/a
Includes: Force lightning, Force blast, lightsaber, removable hood
Action Feature: Spring-loaded firing projectiles
Retail: $9.99 or gift with purchase
Availability: Fall 2005
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: A scheming, cold, and calculating Sith Lord, Emperor Palpatine rises to power and all but eliminates the Jedi Knights. His pupil, Darth Vader, communicates with his master via holographic image transmissions. Together, they strive to crush anyone who stands in the way of their new Galactic Empire. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's toy room.

Commentary: One thing particularly interesting about this Holographic Emperor figure is the name-- on the front of the package, it just says simply that. No "Palpatine," no "Sidious," just simply "Holographic Emperor." The figure is nearly identical to the 2005 Emperor figure released just months prior, but this one is completely clear and devoid of paint-- in other words, a great way for Hasbro to make a buck off of us with little to no new development costs. The figure has decent articulation, and so far, it's been fairly sturdy. I haven't seen any discolored figures (which does sometimes happen with clear figures, especially Kenner's Ambush Predator mail-in) nor have I heard of much in the way of breaking. It's a solid product, but it's also the third holographic Palpatine. Hasbro did one in 2000, another in 2004, and this one in 2005. The detail is decent for a holographic figure, although some painted details couldn't hurt-- those holographs weren't totally transparent and without definition. There were dark spots and light spots, too, and a little paint could have made this a totally awesome figure. However, let's not kid ourselves-- holographic figures exist mostly to be a cheap, quick-to-develop product which is both "new" and uses no new tooling. For that, Hasbro did a great job here-- but yeah, as always, it could've been better. And there's the issue of price.

Collector's Notes: This was both an excellent deal and a crappy deal. If you're a collector who is patient, this was a good one-- if you spent about $20 at a Toys "R" Us store, and these were in stock one week, they'd give it to you for free. You also had the option of paying $9.99 for it, or ordering it through Amazon back when they were paired with Toys "R" Us. It's more or less worth tracking down, as you're going to want this character in one of his holographic forms for your collection. This one has the added bonus of having a strong sculpt and even an action feature with weapons, although it's unnecessary for the fact it's an electronic transmission. Snag one if you're so inclined!

Day 522: October 10, 2007