PDT-8 Personnel Deployment Transport (ESB)

The PDT, or Personnel Deployment Transport, was one of the five mini-rigs made during ESB (there were more during ROTJ). These were smaller vehicles that could be purchased more easily than most of the larger vehicles that were actually in the movies. A way to give kids more play without gouging their piggy banks.

The PDT had a couple swiveling small lasers, two open figure compartments that had opening doors anyway, and two swiveling side engines. The engines actually seem pretty oversized for the vehicle, but I’m no designer.

Why should you own this mini-rig? Five reasons:
1. Small, white, sporty – like a VW Bug without the payments.

2. The picture on the package – what, are they going to put the droids in and blow the thing up? What are they watching? What's the big deal? Is it FX-7's driving test?

3. Looks much like that alien assassin’s ship from “The Last Starfighter.” Given that that movie came out in 1984, I would suspect they got a little inspiration from this toy. I smell laaaaawsuit!

4. The ridiculousness of an open-cockpit ship on Hoth? C’mon, get it just for that!

5. A sweet ride.

Backstory:

Since it is white and pictured with Hoth figures, presumably this was used by the Rebellion at Echo Base. This is still conceivable since there is much of the base never shown on film, and the galaxy is a big place. It could, theoretically exist in the Star Wars universe, even if we've never seen it used.

Wookieepedia article (not much else here)

119th in alphabetical order
 

Patrol Dewback (SW)

Green and with attitude - no, I'm not talking about the Incredible Hulk, I'm talking about the Patrol Dewback! This iguana-like creature was seen in the first movie while the stormtroopers were looking for the droids on Tatooine. Do you think riding the Dewback was the preferable job, or being on foot?

The dewback came with a removable saddle and harness. To put the figure in the "saddle" was really to put it in a collapsible panel on its back. The harness made it look like there were legs straddling the beast. Move the tail back and forth and the head would do the same.

The Dewback only came in a Star Wars logo box, but also came out with a "Collector Series" emblem in 1983. The box is hilarious, like a keystone cops caper. Luke and the gang are conspicuously hiding out, and peeking, behind a sand dune. All the stormtroopers are looking in the same direction - directly away from the gang.

After the Special Editions of the original films, where a CG Dewback was inserted in the original, the figure was re-released with a Sandtrooper with bendable knees, and the Dewback had a more lithe physique.

Why should you own this figure? Five reasons:

1. Basically, it's like having your own iguana, without having to worry about it pooping on your shoulder. Or moving.

2. Freak out your own iguana. If you have an iguana. You freak.

3. How many riding animals can you get for your original figures? It was pretty much a tauntaun and this.

4. Humiliate your stormtroopers - "Who gets to march behind the Dewback today?"

5. Give the dewback the respect it deserves - let it languish in your trunk for 20 years until your forget what in the hell it is.

Backstory:

Dewbacks, native to Tatooine, got their names from the dew that would accumulate on their backs overnight. In packs of 2-5 they would lick each others' back in the morning. Many Tatooine inhabitants used these animals as packs animals and as food sources. They usually came in green, but could also have shades of red , brown, gray, and blue. Dewbacks were cold blooded, and thus very sluggish if still active at night. Their use as domesticated animals was often because of their ability to rebel sand fleas, unlike the hairy Tatooine bantha.

Want more? Its Wookieepedia article

118th in alphabetical order
 

Paploo (ROTJ 1983-84)

Yes, eventually I had to post another Ewok. Like I’ve mentioned in previous posts, and I’ll reiterate here, small figures like this cheesed kids like me. I just felt like it was less bang for the buck, you know? At least give us a large accessory to make up for the figures, um, shortcomings. A spear, a bow – no. Paploo comes with a ‘battle staff’ which looks suspiciously like a walking stick or a crutch.

Paploo came on either an ROTJ card with Anakin offer (the ghost-of-Anakin figure was a mail-away before he was carded) or a POTF card. The photo on the card was actually of another Ewok, Romba. In the Ewoks animated series the characters Teebo and Paploo got mixed around, so they had each others names. When will people ever learn that all Ewoks do not look alike – this is an urban myth!

Why should you get this furry figure? Five reasons:

1. Recreate the scene where he steals the speederbike (yes, it was this Ewok), except this time he tragically runs into a tree.

2. That Ewok Village playset needs all the Ewoks you can get, or else it might as well be a Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves playset, and we wouldn’t want that.

3. The fur was more realistic than that slicked-down Chewbacca figure.

4. With only 8 Ewok figures in the original line, you have to get them all for the playset, the Glider, the Catapult, and the Ewok Battle Wagon. Crap, they had a lot of vehicles!

5. Paploo vs. Jawa. Two little guys enter, only one makes it out alive.

Backstory:

As mentioned in my top 5 list, Paploo was the Ewok that stole the speederbike and distracted the Imperials. How such a primitive creature figured out how to start, let alone drive a speederbike is beyond me. I don’t think I could even drive Harley-Davidson and I have a clue! Paploo also temporarily replaced Chief Chirpa when they thought the village was cursed because of the arrival of the Imperials.

In ROTJ Paploo was played by Kenny Baker, who played R2-D2, and was scheduled to play Wicket. However, he was sick the first days of shooting, so Warwick Davis took his place. You may have also seen Kenny Baker as Fidget in the movie Time Bandits.

Want more? His Wookieepedia article

117th in alphabetical order
 

Patrol Dewback (SW)

Green and with attitude - no, I'm not talking about the Incredible Hulk, I'm talking about the Patrol Dewback! This iguana-like creature was seen in the first movie while the stormtroopers were looking for the droids on Tatooine. Do you think riding the Dewback was the preferable job, or being on foot?

The dewback came with a removable saddle and harness. To put the figure in the "saddle" was really to put it in a collapsible panel on its back. The harness made it look like there were legs straddling the beast. Move the tail back and forth and the head would do the same.

The Dewback only came in a Star Wars logo box, but also came out with a "Collector Series" emblem in 1983. The box is hilarious, like a keystone cops caper. Luke and the gang are conspicuously hiding out, and peeking, behind a sand dune. All the stormtroopers are looking in the same direction - directly away from the gang.

After the Special Editions of the original films, where a CG Dewback was inserted in the original, the figure was re-released with a Sandtrooper with bendable knees, and the Dewback had a more lithe physique.

Why should you own this figure? Five reasons:

1. Basically, it's like having your own iguana, without having to worry about it pooping on your shoulder. Or moving.

2. Freak out your own iguana. If you have an iguana. You freak.

3. How many riding animals can you get for your original figures? It was pretty much a tauntaun and this.

4. Humiliate your stormtroopers - "Who gets to march behind the Dewback today?"

5. Give the dewback the respect it deserves - let it languish in your trunk for 20 years until your forget what in the hell it is.

Backstory:

Dewbacks, native to Tatooine, got their names from the dew that would accumulate on their backs overnight. In packs of 2-5 they would lick each others' back in the morning. Many Tatooine inhabitants used these animals as packs animals and as food sources. They usually came in green, but could also have shades of red , brown, gray, and blue. Dewbacks were cold blooded, and thus very sluggish if still active at night. Their use as domesticated animals was often because of their ability to rebel sand fleas, unlike the hairy Tatooine bantha.

Want more? Its Wookieepedia article

118th in alphabetical order