Figure of the Day: Day 977: C-3PO (Deluxe Droid Factory)

C-3PO and Battle Droid with Droid Factory Assembly Line
Saga Deluxe Collection
Item No.: Asst. 84859 No. 84899
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, removable limbs, assembly line, Battle Droid figure
Action Feature: Use accessories and magnet in head to "swap" droid heads!
Retail: $9.99
Availability: Spring 2002
Appearances: Attack of the Clones

Bio: Departing Tatooine on his first adventure, C-3PO joins Anakin, Padme, and his new counterpart R2-D2 on a rescue mission to save Obi-Wan Kenobi. The worrisome droid gets into trouble while helping them investigate a mysterious droid assembly plant. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Commentary: This C-3PO became the definitive mold for Episode II versions of the character. As the very first use of that mold, it's notable not only for historical reasons, but because it has a feature later releases did away with. What do I speak of? His head. There's a magnetic plug in the top of his skull which lets you "remove" the head with the use of the included crane or the 2003 R2-D2 with rockets and magnets and whatnot. Either way, this figure was designed for play in mind. You can swap his arms with any of the removable arm Battle Droids (one was included, more came out from 2006-present) and he even has a hole for a backpack. He's pretty wonderful, plus he was painted so well that subsequent issues of this particular version of ol' goldenrod looked pretty much the same. Hasbro nailed it, with a great pose and a lot of personality shining through his muddied face. Get this one, it's definitely a great plaything and a nice collectible to boot.

Collector's Notes: For whatever reason, I found tons of these on clearance for super-cheap. For $10, it was a great deal. Today it can be found for less, making it a true steal. If you're a playset fan, get this, a Geonosis Arena, the Padme with the conveyor belt, and a deluxe Super Battle Droid with the factory bit, and set yourself up a grand old time. The body with a modified head and a few Battle Droid parts was sold in basic packaging on and off from 2006-2008, and we treated this as a separate release.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 977: March 12, 2009