Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,861: Naboo Royal Guard

NABOO ROYAL GUARD  Take Two
The Vintage Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 37499 No.  37503  
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #VC83
Includes: Helmet, blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: January 2012
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: Celebrate the legendary Star Wars saga that changed the universe forever! This collection brings to life the incredible story of good versus evil that captured our imagination and took us to a galaxy far, far away. Iconic Star Wars heroes and villains are captured with incredible detail and premium features to commemorate each epic tale in the Star Wars saga. May the Force be with you!  (Taken from the figure's packaging.  No specific character information.)

Image: Adam's closet.

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,766: Ric Olie

RIC OLIE Hated Pegwarmer Reborn
Discover the Force Walmart Exclusive Wave
Item No.: Asst. 38601 No. 38603
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #/ of 12
Includes: Blaster, helmet, duster, display stand, card, die
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $8.96
Availability: February 2012
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: Naboo pilot Ric Olie battles droid starfighters in the Battle of Naboo. The pilot of Queen Amidala's Royal Starship, Olie leads Bravo Squadron in the attack that destroys the Droid Control Ship and stops the Battle Droid Army. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' photo area.

Commentary: It's bizarre to write about remakes of figures that I bought "new" over ten years ago, but here we are again with Ric Olie. Back in 1999-- and 2000, and in some areas, 2001-- he was a figure that tended to sit for a very long time. I think I even saw some in grocery stores in 2002, which is why I was really surprised Hasbro decided to mine this character for another go. According to the data I have now, this figure will not be on a Vintage cardback but the Naboo Pilot may be. (I say "may be" because it wouldn't stun me if Hasbro decided the current distribution was sufficient.) But Ric Olie? This is probably going to be his only appearance this year, and I would probably consider assuming this would be his final action figure appearance period.

Olie turned out well, and this is going to be the definitive figure. He shares tooling with the Naboo Pilot, with really only the head and helmet being different. Olie's goggles are down over his eyes, and his blaster now fits in his holster. As I type this, I do not have the new 2012 Naboo Fighter so I don't know if he'll fit. The quality of the sculpt is excellent, and obviously 14 points of articulation trumps the original's 6. However, 6 was sufficient for the pilot figure, the quality of the sculpt was pretty good, and this wasn't a character anyone was demanding. I'm glad Hasbro made Naboo pilots for 2012 and the Starfighter's reissue, but their exclusive status is interesting-- why does Walmart have all the pilots for the non-exclusive vehicles this year?

Ric Olie's duster is a cool accessory, and Hasbro did do a nice job updating him for the modern age of action figure collecting. Still... your old one is probably just fine. I buy these things due to deep emotional scars which can only be healed with plastic. If you're in this boat too, or if you missed the first Ric Olie, go ahead and buy this new one. Ralph Brown thanks you.

Collector's Notes: You may be able to find this at a store near you right now. Surprisingly, this entire wave seems to have been stocked at even the smaller, shall we say awful Walmarts in my area.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,766: March 21, 2012

Figure of the Day: Day 1,346: Captain Typho

CAPTAIN TYPHO Episode II
The Legacy Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 87535 No. 87981
Number: #BD47
Includes: Blaster, hat, comlink, droid part
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: June 2009
Appearances: Attack of the Clones

Bio: Gregor Typho is Senator Padm:eacute; Amidala's head of security and an able starfighter pilot. He is diligent and capable in the performance of his duties, yet he is up against devious enemies who will stop at nothing to eliminate Padme. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' Big AT-AT.

Commentary: If you were to make a list of like twelve characters fans never asked to have redone, Captain Typho would likely appear on the list. In 2002 we got a version of him in a pilot-esque outfit, and this version adds his hat and coat for a more formal Naboo security officer look. Hasbro went all out making this an excellent figure, which seems goofy given that it just isn't a character fans care about much one way or another. He is indeed super articulated, plus he has some cloth around his waist so you can actually move his legs a little. His hat is removable. His head sculpt is excellent. His blaster is even painted up, for heaven's sake. Why on Earth would Hasbro put so much time and effort into a non-character with such features as a removable communicator? Or am I answering my own question? The amount of work put into this figure is incredible, and the craftsmanship is above and beyond what you expect from a Hasbro Star Wars action figure. Still, it's Captain Typho, and that one strike is likely to make most fans skip it. Which is a shame, because as I said, it's really a well-done figure.

Collector's Notes: Some regions of the country received ample amounts of this wave-- the vocal regions did not. As such, he's a little hard to get and his inclusion of an HK-47 part makes him slightly more desirable than he should be.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,346: August 11, 2010

Figure of the Day: Day 1,192: Padme Amidala Naboo Pilot

PADME AMIDALA Coruscant Attack
Saga Collection 2
Item No.: Asst. 84851 No. 84904
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #0241
Includes: Exploding radar, blaster, helmet
Action Feature: Push button for quick-draw action
Retail: $4.99
Availability: Fall 2002
Appearances: Attack of the Clones

Bio: Senator Amidala, the former Queen of Naboo, returns to Coruscant to vote on the critical issue of creating an army of the Republic to assist the overwhelmed Jedi. As her Naboo Cruiser arrives, an explosion tears apart the ship. Fortunately, Padme, disguised as a Naboo pilot, eludes danger, but her decoy Corde, disguised as Senator Amidala, was not as lucky. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's yard.

Commentary: She's a pilot! One of the great things about Star Wars is that they have the foresight to give the female lead something to do other than look hot and/or wear a dress, so this Padme Amidala figure is an honest-to-goodness action figure. She's a pilot, so you can put her in your Naboo Fighter. This means she has a removable helmet, too. Her blaster plugs into her belt, and the articulation is pretty good. She even has an exploding piece of scenery to simulate the assassination attempt. Really, this is one of Hasbro's finer figures in the Saga-era, because Hasbro hit it right on the nose.

The head sculpt is good, but the deco on the face is iffy. The rest of the costume is pretty much perfect, it's almost a shame there aren't too many more female pilots from Attack of the Clones to do because this one would be a great place to start several other figures. Ah well. As Padme figures go this is probably the best in terms of toy qualities, to snag her if you can.

Collector's Notes: Plans existed for her to be in a Kay-Bee exclusive gift set with a Naboo Fighter, but these were wisely put on hold when someone realized that putting out a figure that exists with a ship that exists is a pretty lame collectible item. Gift set, sure, but unless you're a sucker for package variant vehicles, it's a real drag. The figure was released just once, and the demand isn't what you might call big.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,192: January 7, 2010

Figure of the Day: Day 919: Sio Bibble

SIO BIBBLE Exposition Enhancer
Episode I Collection 2
Item No.: Asst. 84095 No. 84257
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster pistol, CommTech chip
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: Spring 2000
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: Naboo's governor, Sio Bibble, remains on his besieged planet while Queen Amidala travels to Coruscant. Meanwhile, the Trade Federation's invasion begins. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' couch.

Commentary: For a while, this figure had a rare distinction of being actually worth something. As we approach 1,000 figures in this column, a recurring theme is that few figures from the modern era are "worth" more than their SRP within 1-2 years of release. Sio Bibble still commands a slight premium, but he used to be worth $25-$30, while today you're looking at about $8. Which is fair, the figure is actually pretty good. A tail-end Episode I product, the Naboo governor has a decent sculpt and a distinct purple color. The head sculpt, while not perfect, is pretty good and manages to nail the facial hair just right. It would be nice if his robes had more detail and his arms had more joints, but the fact that this figure exists is essentially enough to warrant the purchase. For someone who doesn't do much but deliver additional plot, it's great to see Hasbro actually made this figure during the movie's initial run. Even if it was during the final assortment of Collection 2 right before the line got pulled.

Articulation is weak, even for his era. Because of his robes you barely even get six places to move the figure, and if he can sit it's not like his outfit will let him have his rear on the seat. This figure is squarely for collectors and diorama makers, as he doesn't really function well as a toy. He does have a blaster, though, which gives it limited play value if you're so inclined to use him for such purposes.

Collector's Notes: As stated above, the figure's claim to fame is that he was really hard to get. He's still hard to get, it's just that fans have largely moved on which helped drive auction prices down while fans spend their money on other collectibles.

Day 919: December 22, 2008

Figure of the Day: Day 915: Naboo Royal Guard

NABOO ROYAL GUARD Trooper
Episode I Collection 2
Item No.: Asst. 84095 No. 84083
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, removable helmet, CommTech Chip
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: Spring 2000
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: Their freedom threatened by the invading Trade Federation army, the Naboo Royal Security were forced to go underground before readying their defense. With help from the Jedi, they emerged to take back their beloved capital city of Theed. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' desk drawer.

Commentary: Another one of Hasbro's finer Episode I figures, the Naboo Royal Guard featured a tremendously detailed sculpt and had a top-notch pose. Sadly, he didn't have as much articulation as he'd need to be to stay awesome, nor did Hasbro take advantage of the design to release head variants to make an "army." A shockingly good interpretation of the face on the packaging, this specially trained guard has everything he needs to defend the Queen or anyone else on Naboo. Which is to say, a steady hand and a gun. Both hands rotate forward to come together to better "aim" his firearm, and this is the only articulation you'll find in his upper limbs. Overall, he only has six points of articulation which was basically acceptable for his time, although other releases did find themselves with more moving parts. The attention to detail here is superb, as there's a lot of bunching and ribbing in his outfit to replicate. His helmet also received a lot of work, with some of the finest coloring Hasbro did on a piece of removable headgear.

By today's standards, it's still an excellent figure to look at, although it could use more moving parts and the jacket should be a slightly darker shade of red. I still find this to be a great figure, and I assume you will as well-- if you're still buying Naboo-based figure from the first prequel. Here's hoping for an upgrade some day, but if this is the only one we ever get, it's still quite good.

Collector's Notes: This figure was in somewhat short supply, but eventually saw rerelease in 2004 in a Toys "R" Us exclusive figure gift set-- which you should also get. This particular Naboo Guard also came packaged with the formerly obscenely rare bonus Pit Droids in Europe and Asia in 2000.

Day 915: December 16, 2008

Figure of the Day: Day 454: Ric Olie

RIC OLIE with Helmet and Naboo Blaster
Episode I Collection 2
Item No.: Asst. 84095 No. 84109
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, helmet, CommTech Chip
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: May 1999
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: Ric Olie is the pilot of the ill-fated Naboo spacecraft carrying Queen Amidala on Coruscant, the capital of the Galactic Republic. Their quest is to recruit help for the besieged planet of Naboo. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' figure boxes.

Commentary: With Episode I, Hasbro decided to make tons of figures so new fans could collect them all and old fans would have new, never-before-made movie figures from the first new movie in over 15 years. Some of them were huge hits-- and some were Ric Olie. The figure is, on paper, a good one. After all, he piloted two different vehicles-- the Royal Starship, and the Naboo Fighter. He has a removable helmet, and was fairly well articulated with the standard six joints. His likeness was good. His outfit was colored properly. His gun was neat, and his helmet wasn't too small (although it was a snug fit.) Ultimately fans just said "I'd rather buy another Darth Maul" and the rest is toy history. There's really nothing wrong with this figure-- sure, his legs are slightly restricted by his coat, but the figure can still sit down and pilot most vehicles. It just goes to show you that doing a minor figure and doing a good job of it doesn't always translate to sales. Heck, Ric could be considered a troop builder-- I bought a few myself for current (and hypothetical future) vehicle piloting needs. No additional Naboo pilot figures were ever announced, fans aren't requesting them today, and by and large, this is a figure most collectors (and likely Hasbro) prefer not to think about.

Collector's Notes: How does Hasbro spell poison? "R-i-c O-l-i-e." This figure was part of the problem that resulted in a lot of stores realizing that they shouldn't have carried Star Wars in such big numbers. The reason for the figure's poor sales are all over the place-- everybody had a story. In some cases, he shipped in higher numbers. Some sources indicated he had a greater role in the movie which was cut down because his acting wasn't up to George Lucas' standards. And of course, there's the issue that he's a balding guy who didn't do much other than sit in a spaceship and bark exposition. For whatever reason, the figure was good, but unsold units could be found at grocery stores, toy stores, and drug stores for a couple of years after the entire Episode I line was phased out. Nothing's more fun than seeing this one when you're hunting post-Attack of the Clones product, let me tell you. Hasbro did the right thing by making this figure for us, and I'm glad they did-- because there's probably zero chance of a new Naboo pilot ever being made due to this one's record at retail.

Day 454: August 3, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 257: Naboo Soldier

NABOO SOLDIER Battle of Naboo
The Saga Collection
Item No.: Asst. 85770 No. 87085
Number: 050
Includes: Big Freaking Gun
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: Fall 2005
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: Though Naboo is a peaceful world, the people of the planet understand that peace comes at the price of vigivlance. Outnumberd and outgunned by the Trade Federation, many of the humans of Naboo step up and volunteer when it comes time to rise up against the occupying droid armies and retake their cities. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's toy shelf.

Commentary: Keeping the names straight of all the various Naboo Soldier figures can be a real trial, so I prefer just to identify them by color or hat. This particular release has an unusually bulky costume with an unusually small head, which makes it a very amusing figure to look at. It has a peculiar knee joint that (in my findings) has been very stiff, but hey, that's just one of the figure's dozen points of articulation. It's a little generic, but that can be a good thing with figures like this-- Hasbro could recolor it and give it a different head next year, and it might make the basis for any of countless comic- or novel-inspired action figures. There's very little detail here, so once you get past the fact that the figure is practically super-poseable, it should fit in nicely with the figures Hasbro made from 1999 for the first prequel. Also, the weapon is reused from one of the Naboo Soldier figures from 1999, so it's unusually large and has two grips. At least I think it's a second grip, as I do not know a lot about guns.

Collector's Notes: Fans love army builders. Fans hate Episode I. What happens when you have a figure that combines both? Well, it depends on where you live. Where I shop, the Naboo Soldier was quite tough to find, although I have seen email complaining he's a real pegwarmer. I think I've seen close to a half dozen, two of which were on some sort of freak clearance when the figure was still new. It's a nice addition to you growing collection if you like prequel toys, otherwise skip it. For customizers, the figure is nicely generic-- you could probably make something really cool out of this one. Kudos to Hasbro for having the guts to revisit Episode I again, as you can count the number of waves focused on the first prequel since 2001 on one hand.

Day 257: January 18, 2007