PADME AMIDALA Naboo Senator30th Anniversary Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 87500 No. 87458
Number: #3056
Includes: Glass, scarf thing, shawl, coin (or stand)
Action Feature: Removable shawl, scarf
Retail: $6.99
Availability: November 2007
Appearances: Attack of the Clones
Bio: After Padme's life is threatened, she is placed under the protection of the Jedi Knights to ensure her safety. Anakin escorts Padme back to her homeworld of Naboo, where the two rekindle their friendship -- and begin to fall in love. Padme is delighted by Anakin's playful use of the Force during a quiet meal they share together. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)
Image: Adam Pawlus' old desk.
Commentary: Back in 2002, when fans heard George Lucas designed some weird sexy leather dress for Natalie Portman fans went "wow, neat!" In 2007 we got this Padme Amidala figure and well, it's obviously based on the likeness of Natalie Portman but it's not particularly pretty. The sculpt is more or less there, and I think this is a time we can blame deco-- she needs paint on her face, be it additional color to bring out the flesh or some form of colorful make-up to really sell the onlooker as to who this is supposed to be. The dress is basically fine though, and the tiara is well... I don't get it. But I don't get hoop earrings or nose piercings either. The texture on her costume is quite good, a feathery shawl tops off a leathery gown with lots of sculpted detail. Hasbro gave her no articulation below the waist-- her legs are basically just one piece-- but she has ball-jointed shoulders and elbows plus swivel wrists, a swivel waist, and the ever-popular ball-jointed neck. In terms of engineering, Hasbro did this one right-- sure they could have made her dress out of cloth, but odds are it wouldn't look nearly as good.
This is a nice figure, and I'm sure a good customizer could do a great job bringing her portrait to life with some paint. Or Hasbro, if they'd reissue it, and I'll bet they never will.
Collector's Notes: Basically worthless. You should be able to get one for $5 or less. There's also a variation-- the 2007 release had a coin, the 2008 release had a display stand. Most figures from 1995-2008 are pretty much worth retail or less.
--Adam Pawlus
Day 1,595: July 26, 2011
Although I'm happy to get any Padme figure, I was disappointed by this one. Something about the face seems ... wrong. Plus that "scarf thing" ... inside the bubble of my Padme figure, it doesn't hang straight down. It's kinda twisted off to the right. It's annoying, but there's nothing to be done.
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