Wednesday, July 20, 2011

CAP-2 Captivator (ESB)




The CAP-2 "captivator" was another mini-rig not found in the movies, but put out to give kids a cheap one-figure vehicle to play with, extending the original line. The CAP-2 was another unique design (they weren't all that way). Suction-cup legs for climbing on...windows? A pivoting front blaster; a bubble-cockpit; two front pincer arms; and a rear capturing device that could hold a captured figure. This was operated by a little knob on top.

Like many mini-rigs, if you didn't have the box, or didn't hear about it previously, there is probably no way you'd know this was a Star Wars vehicle. It does have some Imperial-type design reminiscent of maybe a probe droid, but nothing that strikes it as definitely Star Wars-ish. For a long time as a child, I thought it was used for window washing around Cloud City.

Why should you get this vehicle? Five reasons:

1. Unique. Suction-cups: what the f--- is up with that?

2. That shade of gun-metal grey. Cool.

3. The picture on the box is another example of Kenner ambiguity. So the Hoth rebel is captured on Cloud City by Bossk and turned over to the Empire? What?

4. I always assumed (having not had the box) that it was a maintenance vehicle for Cloud City. It always amused me that they would have made a mundane window washer vehicle.

5. Perfect for dentists - one of the pincer claws looks just like a tooth scraper.

Backstory:
The CAP-2 is one of those rare mini-rigs that was not glimpsed in the movies, even in some other function, and does not have a larger, equivalent, vehicle. It is said that this ship was used by Bossk, but this is based only on the box picture. It could easily be a vehicle used in the Star Wars universe, but has not shown in any works considered canon.

29th in alphabetical order

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