Death Star Space Station (SW)

You thought getting an AT-AT was cool (okay, technically that came after this one)? Well IN-YOUR-FACE! I’ve got a Death Star! Can I tell you how cool this is? I can, but you really have to experience it for the coolness to settle into your pores and take hold. Tell me Ben, what does this marvelous (dare I say, rad?) playset have to offer us? Let us count the ways, from the bottom to the top:

1. The bottom level has a trash compacter that really compacts with:

1a. “Garbage” (collapsible foam squares)

1b. A dianoga (one-eyed trash compacter monster)!

2. The second level has a trap door into the trash compactor and…

2a. Monitors and control panels.

3. Third level has a walkway and collapsible bridge for Luke and Leia to swing across with a rope!

4. Fourth level: a turbolaser to blast those pesky rebel fighters out of the sky!

5. Last, but not least, a working elevator to all floors – with a tractor beam control tower at the top! The elevator door even works! Okay, okay, must breathe. Too…much…excitement.

If you were in England, Europe, or Australia, you could suck it because your Death Star playsets were entirely different and made of cardboard. USA! USA! Seriously, though, I always feel bad when I hear about things like this. Why not give them the same quality product I had? I’ve seen those cardboard Death Stars – they are not pretty.

Why should you own this set? I just gave you a TON of frickin’ reasons!

Backstory:

The concept for the Death Star began with an idea for an expeditionary moon, but when told to Tarkin, it eventually formed into a weapons platform. Plans for it were seen as far back as Episode II, when they were moved to prevent the Jedi from getting them. The final design work was done in the Maw Installation, an isolated Imperial laboratory, by a brain trust. The first Death Star was 160 km in diameter, and had countless turbolasers and tractor beams for defense, as well as its main weapon, the super laser. When Luke blew it up, there were an estimated 1,000,000 Imperials crewing it. Heavy.

Want more? Wookieepedia article on the first Death Star

Wookieepedia article on the dianoga

43rd in alphabetical order

Death Star Droid (SW 1978-79)

Seen in the first movie in both the Jawa Sandcrawler and the Death Star (the Death Star one is black), this droid is one of the more listless figures of the original line. At least the one from the 1990’s line had a mouse droid with it.

It came with no accessories, and had a shiny metallic finish and a bug-like head. It was released on cards from all three movies.

Why should you own this figure? Five reasons:

1. If you own the Sandcrawler you need to fill it with as much useless junk as possible, including this figure.

2. A more bureaucratic droid I have never seen.

3. If you have a headless one, and a bodiless C-3PO, they pretty much match.

4. The shiny metallic finish is kind of cool, until you play with it too much and you see the original plastic.

5. Oh, I give up. This figure was booooooring.

Backstory:

This droid’s official designation is the RA-7 protocol droid. They were fairly useless droids, but the Imperial Security Bureau used them to spy on other Imperials. Their limited use, however, caused many an RA-7 to be disposed of or “lost” by many an Imperial Commander – which is probably why one was in a Jawa Sandcrawler. There were so many aboard the first Death Star that they earned the nickname “Death Star Droid.” The similarity in body to C-3PO probably relates back to the first film’s limited budget.

Want more? Wookieepedia article

42nd in alphabetical order

Death Squad / Star Destroyer Commander (SW 1978-79); X-mas!

Going back again to the original "line of 12" today, we take a look at the Death Squad Commander. This fig came out on cardbacks for all three movies. Soon after being released on the ESB card, his name was changed to Star Destroyer Commander, mainly due to comparions with Nazi Germany "death squads." However, this did not stop Kenner or George Lucas from ever changing the name of the "stormtroopers."

The person on the cardback has a gray uniform, but most of these type of characters in the film had black uniforms. This fact was changed for the re-release of this character in the 1990's line. He includes a standard blaster (must be Imperial issue since the stormtroopers came with it, of course Hammerhead came with it too. Hmm.)

Why should you get this figure? My five reasons:

1. Two words: army builder. You know, one of those characters there were a lot of in the film. Get 20 and line them down the halls of your custom-bult Death Star interior (built in your mom's basement) or the Kenner Death Star Playset.

2. That helmet. If you look in the photos, the helmet slopes down like one of those fancy bike helmets. However, the figure seems to have a half-sphere on his head. Perfect for creating your Spaceballs army.

3. That uniform. Chicks dig uniforms. You could also modify this figure to be in most any situation that calls for someone with a uniform.

4. He has a blaster - a common one. If you ever lose it on another figure, you can easily replace it with this one or take one from another figure. Sorry, Hammerhead.

5. How else are you going to observe the chain of command on your Star Destroyer or Death Star Playset? Death Star gunners aren't going to order themselves to fire that turbolaser.

Backstory:

Not much backstory to this guy, just another cog in the Imperial machine. Just one in a million Imperials. Literally. Since that is about how many died in the first Death Star explosion.

Want more? Wookieepedia article on Star Wars Commanders

41st in alphabetical order

Darth Vader's Star Destroyer Action Playset (ESB)

Yes, it’s not just a playset, it’s an “Action Playset!” And it’s not just a star destroyer, it’s “Darth Vader’s Star Destroyer!” Representing the command bridge/meditation chamber/gunnery station portion of a Star Destroyer comes this playset. It includes Darth Vader’s meditation chamber (where we see him from the back with his helmet off), a command bridge where his subordinates are down in the trenches flipping switches and where he can talk to the bounty hunters, a laser cannon (presumably one of many on a Star Destroyer), a round dais where Vader can stand (well, the figure can’t kneel now, can he?) and talk to the Emperor on a pink translucent “holographic” screen that can be lowered. The chamber has a light that makes the interior glow, and you can, inexplicably, hang figures by their feet from the ceiling. I don’t know if this is Vader’s alternative to Force-choking or what. The backside also has a decal showing some gripping arms, I assume to latch onto ships. It only came out in an ESB box.

Why should you get this playset? Five reasons:

1. Holding out hope for that Vader with removable helmet (that never materialized in the original line).

2. Hang figures from the ceiling? What is this, a wampa cave? That’s so ridiculous you’ve got to get it.

3. This can fit right into that full-scale Super Star Destroyer replica you made. You know, the reason your parents have to park in the driveway?

4. Have Vader communicate with the Emperor! What did you say? The Emperor figure isn’t coming out until the next movie? Screw this.

5. You can shoot at the Millennium Falcon, if it ever comes in range of your gun (and that frickin' George from Accounting doesn't get it with his tractor beam).

Backstory:

In The Empire Strikes Back, we are introduced to Vader’s command ship, the Super Star Destroyer, the Executor. The Executor was 19 kilometers long, and sported over 5,000 turbolasers and ion cannons, 250 concussion missile tubes, and 40 tractor beam projectors. It was crewed by 279,144 Imperials, and contained a meditation chamber where Vader could breath without his mask. The ship was built in secret in Kuat Drive Yards and Fondor Shipyards, along with its sister ship, the Lusankya. Building was completed shortly after the Battle of Yavin.

Want more? Wookiepedia article on the Executor

40th in alphabetical order