Questions for July 8, 2005
Q&A Archive

Before getting started here I just wanted to take this opportunity to express my sorrow over yesterday’s bombings in London. I have only visited the city once in my life, but it is a wonderful town, filled with wonderful people. I was both shocked and saddened when I heard of the attacks and my thoughts are with the injured and those who lost loved ones. History has shown us that the Spirit of England is resilient; I do hope recovery from these attacks is speedy and lasting.

On with the show:

1
Any idea when the Playskool Boga will hit the shelves? Every time I go in a store my son has me look for it. It seems like every other toy that was shown at last year’s Toyfair is or was available. -John

I don’t recall a release date being given on this set, but I did notice the other day that Target has marked the price down on the Playskool Speeder Bike set. In light of that, and the new Luke and Mace Windu figures finally showing up, I’d guess they’re clearing the shelves for the Boga. Odds are the set will probably start to show up within the next month or so. Stay tuned; as soon as they do show up we’ll be sure to get it on the front page.


2
In question mark #167, you mentioned one of the original Stormtroopers you'd like to see made articulated in a multi-pack is an atmosphere trooper from ANH. I was just curious exactly what an atmosphere trooper is cause I looked through the movie and can't really see anything that could look like a trooper I missed. Could you let me know what scene it's in and what it looks like? It sounds interesting. Also I am a fan of the miniatures game and you mentioned a few days ago you had some news on the next set which is called universe. Do you know any more news on the set or where I can find some? I'm interested in those huge miniatures. -Gene

Two Zero Atmosphere Stormtroopers can be seen at the bottom of the screen as the Falcon is being pulled into the Death Star hanger bay. It’s a quick shot, you can’t make out much detail, but it looks like two standard troopers with a breathing apparatus on their backs. I know it’s a stretch, but it just sounds like a cool thing for Hasbro to do with the otherwise plain ol’ Stormtrooper mold. Now that the movies are over, it would be nice to see Hasbro work a little more imagination back into the line; this seems like reasonable place to start.

Dan actually has been keeping track of the Star Wars Miniatures, aside from what was shown at Celebration III I’m not aware of much more. The set should be shipping within the next few months, and should be available where ever the current Revenge of the Sith set is being offered now. If for some reason it’s not picked up by some of the major retailers, be sure to check out your local comic/toy/gaming shop.


3
How does Hasbro decide what figures to include stands with? I ask because I opened up an OTC R2 figure for my nephew the other day and it had a stand with it! For R2-D2! Yet there are figures that can't stand on their own at all that don't include stands. I don't get it. -Jason

While Hasbro played around with stand previously, it wasn’t until 2004 that they included them as a standard accessory. For 2005 we’re seeing Collection 2 figures released with stands, but not Collection 1. To date, the inclusion of a figure stand is not really something that's determined by the figure; rather it's determined by how Hasbro decides to approach the overall line. No word yet whether stands will be included as accessories in 2006, but we may find that out next week at Comic Con.


4
I'm a Star Wars collector, but my collection focuses mainly on Yoda (much to my wife's chagrin - there's a whole wall full of stuff!) For lack of a similar saber, my wife got me the Mace Windu Force FX from Master Replicas for Christmas. You know, to tide me over till the Yoda master replica got here a couple of weeks ago. (Yeah, she loves me.) Well, I'm thrilled with the Yoda saber I just got. However, in hindsight, the Windu Force FX was a lot cooler than I was expecting. My question is this, any chance of Master Replicas issuing a Force FX version of Yoda's saber? I noticed they did it with almost every other edition, and it would make an excellent edition to my shrine. -Big Bad Yoda Daddy

If Master Replicas can find a way to include the electronic package in the smaller hilt, I’m sure there is a very good chance they will release a Yoda F/X version. As far as I know nothing has been confirmed yet though.


5
I have a question regarding a recent answer you gave in Question Mark #166: it was an answer regarding if Mace was really dead and you spoke of Boba Fett and Darth Maul returning from the dead. I am guessing that Fett’s "return" was the story of him escaping the sarlacc, however I have no idea how or where Darth Maul "returns". Could you please give me book titles or any info of his "return"? -Paul

Fett’s official “return” came when he rather unceremoniously appeared in the Dark Empire (issue #4) comic series. It wasn’t until later that a back-story was written to explain how he survived. Maul has appeared as a vision in one comic series, but it wasn’t until the Star Wars Visionaries graphic novel that a flesh and blood Maul hit the scene, again... Basically Maul returns as a half man half droid, bent on settling the score with Obi-Wan. It’s actually a pretty good read, although I’ve heard from a number of readers that this is an infinity tale not indented as part of the Star Wars continuity.


6
My question is in regards to the Entertainment Earth Clone packs. I thought I read in a previous QM that the reason LEGO doesn’t release sets of figures has something to do with Hasbro having the exclusive rights to produce SW figures. LEGO finds a loophole by releasing figures with construction sets and vehicles instead. If my memory is correct, then how did EE get to do their sets? -David Wood

The Entertainment Earth Clone Trooper sets are a licensed exclusive produced for EE by Hasbro, no different than what Hasbro has done for other retailers like Target, Toys ‘R’ Us, and Wal*Mart. As long as Hasbro is the manufacturer there’s no issue.


7
I am very excited about the exclusive clone 3 packs (501st, Utapuan, Kashykk) but I have a nagging fear that they will be the static deluxe versions. Why do you think Hasbro would go that route instead of Super posable Clones (which I think more people want) or even the Quick Draw one? I really hope I am wrong but if Hasbro takes the deluxe route I believe quite a few people will feel pretty bitter.

A lot of what I see in forums and eBay are custom clone commanders. Is Hasbro aware the demand for Gree, Cody, Appo, etc? I really would hate to resort to eBay.

Will we see a Sidious role play lightsaber?

If Hasbro is talking 3-packs, it’s almost a sure thing they’re talking Deluxe repaints. I can’t see them busting out sets of the Super Articulated Clones in that many color combinations. What I can see, and am a little surprised we haven’t seen already, are running changes to the basic carded figures. I think the 3-packs are fine, not my favorite but they’ll do in a pinch, but there’s no good reason that I can think of keeping Hasbro from releasing figures #6 and #41 with alternate decos. Let them throw the 3-packs out there, they are good for building armies, but along side them they really should offer the basic figures in the different color schemes. As you say, that’s what collectors really want; I guess we’ll just have to see if Hasbro is really listening…

We haven’t really had a chance to ask Hasbro if they are aware or not, but you have to think they are. After all, they did release the red Commander figure and Bacara; they knew these would be hot figures. Expecting them to have all the commander figures out at one time would be a little much. I’m sure as the line progresses, Hasbro will look at the Clone Commanders with great interest; in fact I’d be surprised if we didn’t see a Cody figure next week at Comic Con. If I were you, unless there was a custom you were dying to have, I’d give Hasbro a little more time to do the job right.

Sidious role-play saber: That’s looking like a big fat no. The best chance that we’ll ever have to see one is this year, and it doesn’t look like that will happen. As we get farther away from the movie, the chances get slimmer and slimmer that Hasbro would invest in the toy. The reason we’re not seeing one likely goes back to the fact that it was a late addition to the movie (remember, originally Sidious used Anakin’s saber to attack the Jedi). In the end I suppose anything is possible, but at this point I wouldn’t want to bet on it.


8
Today I went to see Sith for the fourth time, and something is bothering me. Palpatine sends Anakin to kill the Seperatists. They are expecting Anakin and greet him as Darth Vader. Shouldn't this make it clear that Palpatine is behind the whole war by connecting him with Gunray and his gang? Wouldn't Anakin clue in at this point to the fact that he has been duped? Yet during his battle with Obi Wan, he's still talking about the Jedi being corrupt.

I also wonder about other stuff. Did Dooku know that Palpatine and Sidious were one and the same? He tells Obi Wan in Clones that a Sith is controlling the Senate, but does he know how directly? I think he doesn't know, otherwise the whole kidnapping bit doesn't make sense. Before I assumed that the abduction was a fake one, but to what end? Dooku's stunned silence when Palpatine tells Anakin to kill him, makes more sense to me if Dooku doesn't know Palpatine's other identity.

Maybe reading the novel will explain some of this stuff.

I suppose if Anakin had stopped long enough to think it through he would have realized he had been taken. Then again, if he’d done that the Original Trilogy would have ceased to exist and we’d have no idea what ewoks were… (Sorry, little time travel humor there – won’t happen again) If you look hard enough, you’re bound to find all kinds of little disconnects like this in the Star Wars movies. In this case Sidious does tell the Separatist leaders that he is sending his apprentice ‘Darth Vader’ to “take care of them,” but how does Nute Gunray receive assurance from Lord Sidious that there would be peace…? That’s where things get a little fishy, but Anakin doesn’t give Nute much chance to explain. You also have to think at that point Anakin is likely too far gone to care.

I firmly believe Dooku knew that Palpatine and Sidious were one and the same. What Dooku told Obi-Wan in AOTC was designed to create mistrust between the Jedi and the Senate, but not give away the fact that Palpatine was the Sith Lord. The kidnapping makes sense, in two ways in fact. On the one hand you create more sympathy for Palpatine in the Senate (much as what happened in TPM to get him elected). Let’s face it the Senate has no clue what’s really going on here; the Separatists march right into the capitol and kidnap their leader. If that doesn’t make them dangerous and justify a continuation of the war I don’t know what else would. On the other hand, as Obi-Wan says after crash landing on the ship, the kidnapping is a trap. Whether Palpatine is a willing participant or not, the ploy is designed to draw Anakin and Obi-Wan into danger. Clearly Palpatine/Sidious is using the trap to push Anakin over to the Darkside, what Dooku knows or thinks he knows about the ploy is irrelevant. I don’t know if it was outlined in the book (I do recall mention that Dooku says something like “you promised me a pardon” either in the book or original script), but I took Dooku’s silence as if Sidious was exerting some kind of Darkside influence keeping him from speaking. Really, at that point what else would keep Dooku from spilling the beans? I think the surprised look Dooku shoot Palpatine after he tells Anakin to kill him pretty much tells the story; Dooku knew all along, he was just another pawn in the game.

Yeah, reading the novel may help, I hope to get around to it eventually, but oftentimes the explanations you create using your own imagination can be far more rewarding.


9
I was just wondering if there has ever been a star case made to fit the Unleashed figures and if so, where can I get some?

I have yet to see Star Cases or star type cases offered for these figures, and considering the line may be undergoing a pretty drastic change in 2006, I doubt anyone will take the time or effort to offer them. You might want to check out your local Container store and see if they have some thing that will work. Unless someone sends in more information on this, I’m at a loss to point you in any other direction. Best of luck!

10
I love the new Titanium Series, but I missed out one series 1 (X-Wing, TIE Fighter, Millennium Falcon and Slave I). My local Wal-Mart has not carried any Titanium ships in months. What is my best choice for picking some of these up? Any word as to whether any of these ships will show up again next year when the Titanium Series loses its 'exclusive' status, or in one of the upcoming five packs? -Vallis

I’m pretty much in the same boat as you, for as cool as this line is, it has been a huge pain to track down. While I did manage to get three of the four wave 1 vehicles, I had to have a buddy send them all the way from Las Vegas. At this point the best place to track them down would be on eBay. A quick search shows that most if not all can be found. So far there’s been no word whether any of the wave 1 vehicles will be re-released when the line goes into open distribution next year. I have a feeling they will, perhaps in new packaging, but I definitely plan on asking Hasbro this exact question next week. As for the five packs: the one Hasbro showed at C3 contained some standard vehicles and some repaints – all repackaged from the current assortments. I assume the second set will be shown at Comic Con, and I expect it will follow the same format. At this point there’s no telling if it will be a Trilogy set or Prequel set, but some of the wave 1 ships might be in there – we’ll see.


Until next time...


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