Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,492: Luke Skywalker

LUKE SKYWALKER Jedi Legacy
30th Anniversary Collection Evolutions Figures
Item No.: Asst. 87480 No. 87562
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, additional figures
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99-$25.99
Availability: February 2008
Appearances: Legacy Novels

Bio: Luke Skywalker was a legendary war hero and Jedi who helped defeat the Galactic Empire and helped found the New Republic, as well as the New Jedi Order. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' Playmobil Africa set. The clearance racks are good to me.

Commentary: Hasbro knows there are only so many versions of Luke Skywalker you can sell before plumbing the books and comics, which is why in 2008 we got this version. A version which, I must confess, I am not totally familiar with as there isn't a lot of art from the Legacy-era novels. The outfit and weapon were the subject of some debate, as Luke rarely wore a lot of bright colors, and his lightsaber didn't quite match what we usually saw-- specifically, the same one he used in Return of the Jedi. No, this release had a hilt similar to the first two films, and a green blade. There may be some story behind this but, again, this is a detail I'm not all familiar with here. Like most Evolutions figures, Luke is all-new parts and has the full range of 14 points of articulation which was, and essentially remains, the high standard of most figures out of the company these days.

The interesting thing here is that Hasbro effectively aged Luke about 20 years. His hair color is a little different, his skin is a little more wrinkly, and his expression is a bit more stern. Granted, most Luke figures look pretty serious, but this one seems to be gunning for "grimmer" from the get-go. The hard plastic used for his robes have a little give in them, but it's pretty obvious this figure was not meant to sit or be posed at any extreme angles-- this one was meant to stand around or be left in the package. With his arm articulation, you could have him fighting Lumiya or Jacen Solo if you'd like, or perhaps squaring off with Boba Fett in some hypothetical grudge match. While not essential to fans of the films, this one might appeal to people who would play with their toys, or adore the Expanded Universe. For a segment that fans lament gets no respect, the EU has an astonishingly large segment of figures made from it. (There's a lot of source material, but still, compare it to The Phantom Menace or something.)

Collector's Notes: This was a body that saw some reuse. In 2009, it was repainted and given a new head, sold as Joclad Danva. In 2010, the body was reused (and given new hands) for an unnamed Rodian Jedi Knight action figure. This boxed set was available in both 2008 "30th Anniversary Collection" packaging as well as "The Legacy Collection" packaging, neither of which is worth more just yet. The figure by itself sells for about $5, and the boxed set should be had for $15 or less these days. There aren't too many figures meant to be from the later New Jedi Order books or the various Legacy novels, but this one made the cut-- so if you enjoyed those, be sure to pick up the figure or the set.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,492: March 3, 2011