Saturday, July 24, 2010

Greedo (SW 1978-79)




If it's seventies retro-chic and a blaster in its hand, then it must be Greedo. Ah, much maligned "G," as his friends call him. It's fairly obvious that Han shot you first, not like Star Wars: the Special Edition showed. You shooting first and missing? I don't think so. You guys were sitting right across the table from each other! A blind Turkalian Grag Beast of Goopos IV couldn't have missed that shot. Heck, even on the set of the upcoming Indiana Jones IV movie George Lucas was seen wearing a "Han Shot First" t-shirt.

Greedo came out during the entire run of the figures, first on a Star Wars card, then ESB, and ROTJ. Taking a look at his outfit screams 70's today, or someone from the Scissors Sisters. Apparently someone from Kenner must have gotten the outfit of another cantina alien mixed up and put it on Greedo, instead of the jacket with yellow stripes and vest that he had in the film. Why they never changed the figure in all its years of production we'll never know. At least the head is pretty good.

Why should you get this figure? Five reasons:

1. Proceeds from every sale go to the "Han Shot First" restoration project.

2. You will never get a chance to own another figure that screams "Yes, I am wearing a tacky green jumpsuit, but I'm okay with it."

3. Cantina scene - classic. You need to get every figure you can from it and play that funky music.

4. How else are you going to act out the scene between Han and Greedo for your drama class without this figure?

5. He comes with a blaster. Hey, it's the same one the Han figure comes with. Do you suppose...okay: Greedo threatens Han. They wrestle for the gun. It goes off, killing Greedo. Han mourns this tragic loss of life, takes the gun, and vows to do good in Greedo's name. This is how it will happen in Star Wars: a Very Special Edition.

Backstory:

Greedo's family fled their homeworld after persecution by a warlord. Eventually hooking up with some bounty hunters that taught him the essentials, Greedo had dreams of one day becoming the best" bounty hunter there ever was. He was maneuvered into going after Han because of a grudge he had against him (Han once caught him stealing power coupling from the Falcon), even though the bounty hunters who arranged this knew Greedo would be no match for Solo.

In the novel Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina, it was revealed that the bartender took Greedo's body after his death, and, except for the head, used it to make a fine liquer. Whether his partons knew this or not is debatable. Greedos' head was eventually claimed by a friend and given a proper burial. Sheesh, what a way to go.

Want more? His Wookieepedia article

63rd in alphabetical order

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