Figure of the Day: Day 870: Super Battle Droid

SUPER BATTLE DROID with fire
30th Anniversary Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 87500 No. 87241
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #3008
Includes: Fire bits, coin
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: March 2007
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Image: Adam Pawlus' TV tray.

Bio: After the introduction of the massive clone army, the Trade Federation revisits the design of its battle droids and decides that a slightly smarter, more independent and more heavily armed droid is needed. The result is the much more powerful and deadly super battle droid. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Commentary: For years, fans have been asking for a new Super Battle Droid-- and while they kept getting new ones, few were particularly great. Some had better poses, but flimsy legs. Others had great deco, but no articulation. Would Hasbro ever make a better version of this heavily armed blue robot? Of course! It just took several years for them to do a pretty good (but not yet perfect) version. He has jointed knees and elbows, which is great. He's even got the ability to rotate at the elbow, but unfortunately not in a way that lets him assume the pose from the film where he holds his arm up with his weapon at the ready. Still, for battle scenes, this figure is pretty much perfect-- especially since it adds to that growing subset of figures which can be referred to as "on fire." Oh, and he has a waist which can pivot, which is a first for the character.

The real selling point of this particular figure is his snap-on flames. They stay on to a somewhat acceptable degree, and may require you hang on to some clear rubber bands to keep them in place despite grooves and tabs which are designed to hold it in position. The figure can also be posed with an R2-D2 shooting out flames, to make it look like R2-D2 started the figure. I personally didn't care for this "combination" in that it didn't fit together as well as I would have liked, but the figures are awesome by themselves, and this is arguably the best Super Battle Droid. Unless you don't like the flames, of course, but you can just pop those off and throw them away. It has the best deco, the best damage, and the best overall greasy-ness. Truly, this is a well-designed little toy that should be fun for collectors and, if the flames work properly, fun for the kids too.

Collector's Notes: The first figure to use this mold, numerous Super Battle Droids have been made based on this design. A comic pack repaint was made in a gold-ish color, a silver repaint appeared in a Toys "R" Us exclusive battle pack, a stripey version was put into the Battle on Mygeeto battle pack, and the same deco was retooled without the holes for the fire and released under Saga Legends in Summer of 2008.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 870: October 14, 2008