Use the link to SideShow at the top of the page and order yourself the looooong-awaited ANH Darth Vader with exclusive force-choke hand. Then in a few hours, hang around for the Stormtrooper exclusive pre-order. I got mine ordered, how about you?
Well, we may be a day late, and by “we” I mean “me”, but click through for our inaugural edition of Bantha Skull Strikes Back which asks the question why, after 13 years, are we still waiting for a definitive version of a ROTJ Emperor Palpatine.
Well sort of. Click through to see pics of the Assault on the Shield Generator Battle Pack and the Animated Battle at the B’Omarr Monastery Battle Pack. Even though checking in store inventory may show these as available, that does not mean that these specific battle packs are in stock. In fact, it’s pretty certain that these are not in stock. Due to Target’s inventory system, it simply means that any battle packs are in stock and would probably indicate the recently released Hoth BPs. To see the pics of the B’Omarr set, click on the See Larger Images button.
He’s the only character in the entire Star Wars saga to be directly referenced in the title of one of the movies (The Phantom Menace) since Luke Skywalker was the New Hope. He’s one of the best villains in film, who is so seethingly evil and deliciously scheming. He’s the guy most responsible for giving us arguably the greatest cinematic bad guy, Darth Vader. In fact, every Star Wars villain is pretty much a result of this guy. He faced down Master Yoda, Luke Skywalker, AND Samuel Jackson. Decide for yourself which is the most impressive, but of course we’re speaking of Emperor Palpatine, aka Darth Sidious.
So, with all that in mind, how come after 13 years of action figures, we’ve yet to really get a definitive version of this character from his ultimate appearance in Episode 6, Return of the Jedi?
Let’s go through the offerings from Hasbro thus far:
-1997 gave us the basic carded Emperor Palpatine. He was really good, at the time. But all we had to compare him to was the old Kenner figure from 1983 (remember when they used to mail us free figures for trading in proofs of purchase? Man...) ultimately though, this figure would be embarassed to be standing on your shelf next to the Evolutions Darth Vader or the Legacy Luke Skywalker. Unfortunately, he’s also still the best Hasbro has offered.
-That year we also got the Electronic FX version. Pretty much the same figure, as far as quality is concerned. But he does come with a cool base and lightning bolts!
-The last one we got in 1997 was again the same quality, but he was seated in his throne. He has a horrible spinal issue, but still has a cool chair! This remains the only Emperor that I display, but I assure you that it’s only from a severe lack of
options.
-1999 saw the release of all the Episode 1 figures, among them Darth Sidious. Now, for the layman, he is a pretty good substitute for a ROTJ Emperor figure. But if you really know the character, you wouldn’t dare put him up in your Throne Room diorama.
-No new Emperor figures until 2003, and man did they give us a lemon. The best part of this figure is his cane. His face looks constipated, and his legs look like they’re buckling under the weight of his massive hood. He also looks like a kid wearing the Emperor’s cloak, since the hood is clearly not resting on his head at all. It’s more just floating up over him. Horrible sculpt that would have been ripped apart if submitted in a fan-made custom contest. Of course this is the version they released a few more times. The latest was in 2006 with the Saga Collection.
-In 2005, Hasbro started releasing the Evolution sets. One was for the Sith, with Darth Maul, Tyranus, and Sidious. He’s actually called Emperor Palpatine, but is representing the character as he appeared in Episode 3. Can’t say many bad things about this figure, but he is certainly no ROTJ Emperor. Great articulation, accessories are cool, and the face is pretty awesome and scary, even if he doesn’t really make it in the film. Actually, it looks like Palps is still pushing to overcome that constipation problem he developed in 2003. Still...can’t sit him on a throne and have him taunt young Skywalker while his dad watches.
So, basically we’re left with very little from Hasbro that will really work. You can have an outdated sculpt with the chair, a weird and completely non-threatening old man with an oversized hoodie, or try to substitute a figure meant for another film. My skeptical side tells me that Hasbro builds in room for improvement with each release of a core character so that there is justification to purchase the same character in a future release. If that is the case, I hope our favorite license holder realizes that once you come up with a definitive sculpt, we’ll purchase it over and over given the chance. Heck, we’re chomping at the bit to buy more VOTC Solos, which might be fodder for a future issue of Strikes Back.
But, before you give up hope, I have found a wonderful alternative. While Hasbro has completely dropped the ball on this incredibly necessary figure, Hallmark is offering a great figurine in the form of a Holiday ornament.
Each year Hallmark puts out a Star Wars ornaments, and 2008 is dedicated to a set to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Return of the Jedi’s theatrical release. Luke’s second duel with Vader, the Imperial Shuttle (with folding wings), and lastly...the Emperor seated in his throne. Great sculpt on the face, robes, and chair. He’s even got that languid slouch he is doing for most scenes in that movie. And the best part is he’s almost to scale with your favorite Hasbro 3 3/4 inch figures! No, he’s not posable at all, but come on, how much action do you need from this figure?
We all know that Hasbro will eventually get around to an ultimate sculpt of this figure. Probably after several stutter stops, but still. Until then though, why not go over to the Hallmark website, or even a store location, and check this ornament out for yourself. If you’re desperate for a truly great version of Emperor Palpatine, I assure you that you’ll be popping out that credit card as soon as you see it in person.
Hallmark’s Emperor Palpatine Keepsake Ornament
Edit from Chris: Hasbro, please stop dragging your feet on some of these core characters.
Please feel free to leave feedback for today’s Strikes Back in our forums
Please click through to read about an exciting new feature that will be coming to Bantha Skull.
The staff at Bantha Skull is pleased to announce a new feature that will be coming soon. The feature is called Bantha Skull Strikes Back. For two years now, we’ve watched Toy Fair and Comic Con come and go, and we’ve felt underwhelmed, but we’ve also kept the displeasure to ourselves. We’ve watched EU run amuck on our beloved hobby, but we’ve kept the displeasure to ourselves (please note that we are not anti-EU). We’ve watched a vocal minority make bombastic statements like “the whole hobby wants figures from some comic that few have read” and watched while Hasbro listened, but we’ve kept the displeasure to ourselves. We’ve watched while otherwise worthy EU candidates get treated to inexplicable Marvel paint schemes, but we’ve kept the displeasure to ourselves.
Maybe it’s because we’re a little too busy to spend hours creating sock accounts to rig online polls. Maybe it’s because we tend to be a little older that we don’t bombard message boards with the passion that gets Hasbro’s attention. Well no more. One thing the older quieter crowd does do is run web sites. It’s time we stop watching our beloved hobby deteriorate into a state of endless repaints. It’s time we stop watching our brethren retire from the hobby. It’s time that Bantha Skull Strikes Back.
Each week, a staff member or guest contributer will highlight a particular area of concern regarding the hobby. The intent is to be honest, but fair and offer Hasbro constructive criticism on the state of the hobby as seen from the eyes of the adult collector. Sometimes this will come in the form of positive feedback. Together with our viewing public, which grows each day, we hope to help right this ship before it goes the way of Topps baseball cards.
Bantha Skull Strikes Back kicks off tomorrow with staff member Sean’s hard hitting analysis of the repeated failed attempts at a decent Episode 6 Emperor Palpatine. Please check back.
Discuss this figure in the corresponding THREAD in our forums.
Check out various reviews of this figure below!
Reference
Pictures and clips from the deleted sandstorm scene
Wookieepedia article on Luke Skywalker
StarWars.com Databank Entry on Luke Skywalker
Major Variants
*First Day of Issue foil stickers were added to assortments of The Legacy Collection Wave 1 and The Clone Wars Wave 1 figures. Each figure exists with and without the sticker. Also, the “Star Wars” logo on the front of the FDOI cards has a metallic finish.
*The artwork on the cards was altered soon after the initial release. At first, the stormtrooper lenses were black. Shortly after, it was changed to blue.
*Yakface.com first reports that this figure has been “corrected”. Found: A new version where Luke’s belt is NOT upside down, as is pictured in the sample above. This way, the peg hole for the lightsaber hilt is correctly positioned on Luke’s left side. According to Yakface, both of these versions were found with the “First Day of Issue” sticker. However, as you can see above, the blue eye lens cardback update does not have this corrected belt.
Notes
*This figure comes from a deleted ROTJ scene in which the heroes are shown enduring a sandstorm on their way to their ships after leaving the Pit of Carkoon.
*Luke’s gloved hand is controversial because in the movie, he did not put the glove on until he had already left Tatooine.
*Although Han Solo and Chewbacca were produced as part of this wave, Leia, Lando, R2-D2, and C-3PO were also part of this deleted scene.
*The “BD” numbering system is the abbreviation for “Build-a-droid”. This figure comes with the right leg of R4-D6.
Roundtable Reviews!
nomadscout
7/10 Bantha Skulls
A figure from a little known ROTJ deleted scene, I find this an odd choice by Hasbro.
Articulation includes the now basically standard 14 points, so there’s nothing that makes it stand out in this aspect, but Hasbro didn’t short change us.
Painting is simple. The figure is basically black with a couple of touches on the belt. The eyes came out well, otherwise the face is plain.
The sculpting as a whole is very good. The joints are pretty well hidden, and don’t look unnaturally bulky. He’s a little shorter than the Han figure, so that’s cool too. There’s a neat hook sculpted on the left side of the belt for the saber hilt, but it doesn’t actually function. For this, there is the standard peg hole, but it is located on the right side of the belt. The face sculpt is decent. I’m pretty forgiving in this aspect, as I suspect getting facial accuracy at this scale is a huge challenge. Using a little imagination, it can pass as an older, beat up Mark Hamill. The hair looks sufficiently wind-whipped. There is a nice bit of texture on the clothing.
The accessories are good. I like the lit and unlit lightsabers. The goggles are little goofy, and the lenses are not as clear as Han’s, so it’s harder to see Luke’s eyes through them.
Had Hasbro included his Jedi robes, the pistol he force pulls from a nearby guard, and two additional right hands (clean and battle-damaged) would make this a pretty definitive ROTJ Tatooine Luke.
Originally I wasn’t thrilled about the idea of the sandstorm figures, but after seeing them in person, I think they’re pretty nicely done after all. It falls short in my book because like many fans, I’d rather have been able to purchase a proper Death Star II Luke. Some retooling to this figure (torso, head) would probably do the trick.
*******
Ruadh
8/10 Bantha Skulls
I got this figure only because it’s the closest thing I feel Hasbro has done (and may possibly ever do) for a Death Star 2 Luke. I know it’s not exact, and it’s not great, but it’s close enough for me, as a non-Luke enthusiast. I just wanted a simple Luke for a Vader duel, and this serves that purpose.
Articulation is cool, as he can do some action poses, and also hold his saber with two hands. always a nice option with Jedi figures.
Paint is pretty straight forward. Sculpting is very good, and he passes as Mark Hamill for sure. Definitely WAY better than my last DS Luke, which was in the Cinema Scene set with the Emperor and his throne. His hair is kinda crazy, since he’s supposed to be Sandstorm Luke, but I can deal with it. The sculpt actually, to me, looks more like Mark Hamill of today than the younger Hamill from 25 years ago.
Accessories are cool. I’m saving the hood for a custom perhaps, and same with the goggles.
I too wasn’t excited about the Sandstorm figures, but I don’t mind them too much. I considered, for a brief moment, getting all of them for the droid parts, and felt I wouldn’t mind owning any of them really...but nah, I’ve got nice Hans and Chewies. So, Luke to fight my Vader was enough. Apparently many people feel the same, since this figure isn’t nearly as abundant on the pegs as Han and Chewie.
For you folks that are actually interested in the Clone Wars movie coming in August, Yahoo movies has almost four minutes of a nice battle scene up for your viewing pleasure. Click through to see it.
You can discuss this figure in the corresponding THREAD in our forums.
Check out various reviews of this figure below!
Reference
Pictures and clips from the deleted sandstorm scene
Wookieepedia article on Han Solo
StarWars.com Databank Entry on Han Solo
Major Variants
*First Day of Issue foil stickers were added to assortments of The Legacy Collection Wave 1 and The Clone Wars Wave 1 figures. Each figure exists with and without the sticker. Also, the “Star Wars” logo on the front of the FDOI cards has a metallic finish.
*The artwork on the cards was altered soon after the initial release. At first, the stormtrooper lenses were black. Shortly after, it was changed to blue.
Notes
*This figure comes from a deleted ROTJ scene in which the heroes are shown enduring a sandstorm on their way to their ships after leaving the Pit of Carkoon.
*Han’s stolen weapon fits snugly into his belt.
*Although Luke Skywalker and Chewbacca were produced as part of this wave, Leia, Lando, R2-D2, and C-3PO were also part of this deleted scene.
*The “BD” numbering system is the abbreviation for “Build-a-droid”. This figure comes with the left leg of R4-D6.
Roundtable Reviews!
nomadscout
7/10 Bantha Skulls
A figure from a little known ROTJ deleted scene, I find this an odd choice by Hasbro.
Articulation includes the now basically standard 14 points, but with a bit extra. The waist/chest joint is not just a swivel, but is actually ball jointed. This allows for a little more versatility and realism in posing.
Painting is simple. The figure has the correct brown pants, black boots, and white shirt from the Carkoon scene. There are a couple of nice details on the belt, as well as the stripes along the pant legs. The eyes came out well on my sample.
The sculpting as a whole is pretty good. The joints are pretty well hidden, but I think the shoulders are a bit bulky. Han has a belt that is glued onto his waist, but there is room on his left side to keep his blaster secure. The face sculpt is very good, and I think this is the strength of this figure. I think the likeness to Harrison Ford is extremely well done, especially for this scale. The hair looks sufficiently wind-whipped, which may make it odd in another setting on your shelf. There is a nice bit of texture on the clothing. His chest, due to the ball joint, almost makes him look like he’s wearing an armored vest, but I don’t find this too distracting.
The accessories are good. The goggles look better on Han than the ones that come with Luke. The lenses are clear, allowing you to see Han’s eyes through them, which is good. He comes with a standard blaster, which he stole from one of the Skiff guards. His protective scarf is fine for what it is. Soft good were probably not a viable option.
For what it’s meant to be, this figure turned out pretty well. Originally I wasn’t thrilled about the idea of the sandstorm figures, but after seeing them in person, I think they’re pretty nicely done after all. For me, the fact that he’s from a random deleted scene makes me wish Hasbro had gone in a different direction, but I’m happy with this version of Han.
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Blue Knight - (8/11/08)
8/10 Bantha Skulls
I also think this was an odd choice of figure from Hasbro. Maybe this was some attempt to reach out to the OT collector base, in an EU fashion, maybe not. Still I think it is a well deserved A for effort to make collectors happy.
The ball joint torso makes the figures chest look huge and puffy compared to previous Solo figures that are based on the same mold. The added articulation is nice, but in this instance it compromises the sculpt integrity, and I would rather have a nice sculpt vs. the added articulation.
The paint applications are nice and authentic looking, so there isn’t much to say about this area. Though a little weathering would have been nice to see, especially since the last version of this type of Han from the ’06 Saga Collection had a brown splotch on his shirt.
The sculpting is nice, but we have seen this before so there is nothing new here. The new torso causes the ball jointed shoulders to protrude out a little too far, and is also oversized for the legs that have been rehashed from the older VOTC versions of Han. The legs in general are slightly narrow, and could have used a re-sculpt. The belt and scarf are excellent additions to the figure and help make up for the oversized torso. Actually, the scarf helps hide some of the bulk from the torso, and this makes the figure more likable overall. This figure also comes with a set of goggles, and they somewhat hide the face which has a better likeness to Harrison Ford. The hair has been sculpted with a wind blown look, and makes the grade in that area.
As stated, the figure does come with a few accessories that help make up for some of the shortcomings in the sculpting. The first is the scarf. It is sculpted to look wind blown, and in general is one of the better plastic clothing accessories I have seen. The goggles fit well on the head, and are painted nicely to allow you to see the figures eyes through them. They are slightly bulky, but that is easily overlooked. And last, a large blaster pistol is included with the figure. I believe this is the same blaster that came with the McQuarrie Chewbacca. This time is its black, and can be fitted into the figure’s belt for easy carry. Nice touch.
I originally was not going top purchase the deleted scene figures, but upon viewing them at Midnight Madness, I couldn’t pass them up. This figure would fit great into a fanfic diorama of the deleted scene, or another diorama concerning the Pit of Carkoon/Sarlacc. Since Hasbro just released the BMF, and is going to release a Sarlacc Battle Pack, this figure should be on your list to get if you are an OT as I am. Overall, the figure is nice, and has a lot of potential. I am pleased.
I give it 8 out of 10 Bantha Skulls
If you’re interested in this SDCC exclusive, HST.com has it now. Click the thumb and order away....
