Editor’s Note:  This review has been updated with our second look at TVC…

Credit:  Carded sample from the collection of Mike Richard.

Original Review:  Chris - 02/23/11 03:03 AM

You’ve seen it before.  The holes are gone.  The color appears to match the screen a little better.  8 out of 10.

Updated Review:  Bret - 7/14/2018 07:05 AM

This is a strange release.  It was a nice addition to the Vintage Collection as part of the Attack of the Clones-themed wave, but for whatever reason, Hasbro did not go for the best mold.  As you can see from the comparison pic, after years of making minor tweaks to the character, Hasbro released a version in the TLC line that had ball jointed ankles.  BALL JOINTED ANKLES!  And yet this was eschewed in favor of a mold with no ankles.  The chest holes from the TAC release (to accommodate the oily flames gifted by that rascal, R2-D2) had already been filled in, but the ankles were left alone.  It’s too bad.  Otherwise, this figure is the best Super Battle Droid out there.  It’s an impressively imposing member of the Separatist droid army, but ankles would have been a logical move here. 

The coloring is outstanding, with a metallic-looking body covered with battle marks and dirt.  It’s by far the most appealing SBD we have so far.  But if the ankle debacle (henceforth known as The Debankle) wasn’t enough, an even more bizarre (but less offensive) decision was made for this release.  The droid comes with a blaster.  It’s a rather small pistol which has several issues.  First, it looks ridiculous in the hands of the massive walking death machine.  Second, the droid holds it in the hand which already accommodates the powerful double-barreled wrist blasters.  Thirdly, and most importantly, AT WHAT POINT WAS THIS CHARACTER EVER HOLDING A BLASTER?  Please, let us know if there is any visual evidence of a SBD wielding a hand-held blaster pistol like this one.  It’s a nonsensical accessory, and just taunts my OCD because I fear losing it.

So it’s a beautiful figure, mostly because of the particularly exquisite paint deco.  But otherwise, it’s odd.  A mind-numbing passing on the mold that has the ball-jointed ankles, along with the comical inclusion of a pistol, make it a disappointing release, and a rare instance where Hasbro presented an inferior mold in TVC.  This is not the definitive SBD.  If they took the TLC version and painted it just like this, it would basically be perfect - although I would prefer sturdier plastic for the legs, thank you. 

The Great Debankle of 2011 shall not be forgotten! 

Verdict: Re-sculpt (very low priority - but the right mold exists!) 

Ebay prices are low to moderate - below average for TVC figures we’ve looked at so far.  Obviously priority is super-low, but Hasbro should be ashamed of themselves for skipping an existing superior mold.  Someday, time and slot permitting, Hasbro should correct their transgression, and give us the ball-jointed TLC version, painted to perfection, with sturdier plastic.  (But they should give us almost everything else first.) 

Verdict Guide:
Re-sculpt = The figure is not definitive, and a new version should be developed.
Re-issue = This version is definitive (or close enough), and shows sufficient secondary market demand to warrant a straight repack.
No Action = This release does not require new attention.