Updating POTF2: Expanded Universe

We've covered the OT, so now let's see if there are any additional POTF2 figures that we need to keep around...

Aside from relaunching 3.75" Star Wars action figures after a 10 year hiatus, The POTF2 line also delved into what used to be called The Expanded Universe, which is now referred to as "Legends" following the Great Disney Purge of 2014. Figures and toys were released from several sources, including the Heir to the Empire trilogy of "books", (a thing that used to exist consisting of printed words on a collection of papers bound together so that you would read the author's vision and simultaneously imagine the appearance of the characters, places, and actions), comics, video games, and concept art. This opened up a whole new world for the modern collector, and while its heyday was during the Golden Age from about 2007-2010 when comic packs were a thing, EU figures have been part of the line since POTF2, and continue even today, with the recent announcement of the TVC Heir to the Empire 3-pack. Good times.

I read the Thrawn Trilogy and Shadows of the Empire, and maybe 5 or 6 other books. I also played a bunch of video games. However, I never ever picked up a comic book (what do I look like, some kind of nerd?). As such, most of the EU sources were foreign to me, and I had no connection to them. Nevertheless, I did find the figure designs interesting, which is good, considering I had to buy them according to the rules set forth by me as a completist.

Anyway, the POTF2 line supplied us with the aforementioned EU figures (and a few toys that I will discuss separately in a later article). The question posed by this hard-hitting literary series is: Do we still need to display them according to, yes, the rules set forth by me?



1. Chewbacca (Bounty Hunter Disguise) - To protect the secret, I will only say that this character is a bounty hunter, but is actually a disguise worn by a character whose name rhymes with Shmewbacca. Wait, what? It says it right in the name of the figure? OK then. Snoova has never been redone in the line, but with a new Chewbacca sculpt on the horizon, it's certainly possible that Hasbro might allow for this figure to be yeeted into MAKMCSWF's backyard.

2. Dash Rendar - Here's a character that seems to have a little bit of traction in the community for an update. Not me personally, but if there's enough support out there, I'm all for it. He's an interesting figure. Despite maintaining the He-Man aesthetic of the early POTF2 figures, he's got a well-sculpted outfit and kind of an automated/mech-arm over-the-shoulder rifle. Dash was a cool character if you were into the the Shadows of the Empire thing (I had the "soundtrack"!) According to the EU via Wookieepedia, Rendar ended up flying in the Battle of Hoth, as a mercenary. So I guess you could stick him in the back of Echo Base somewhere. But that was the old EU, so it's nonsense. And Rendar was probably wearing something more appropriate for the frigid temperatures.

3. Luke Skywalker (Imperial Guard Disguise) - To protect the secret, I will only say...wait, what? Man, Hasbro is really bad at keeping secrets. In the future, they should really team up with Lucasfilm to generate more interest in the line by holding back reveals until years after the media is released in order to safely preserve these secrets, otherwise this funless hobby will die on the vine. This is another figure that has never been redone in 3.75, but just the other day was revealed as an upcoming release for the Filthy Sixers^TM©®, you know, because they deserve it.

4. Swoop Trooper - I had forgotten that this was sourced to Shadows of the Empire. I had kind of thought it was from the Special Edition. I use it as the out of control speeder bike that sets the Ronto into a tizzy in the streets of Mos Eisley. Anyway, we have nothing like this as an update. It's truly a random scum and villainy backgrounder, and he comes with a bike, no less! But we'll discuss the vehicles later. In the meantime, he's kind of a nonsense character, but you can stick him somewhere in the background of a lot of dioramas, and he'd just be a faceless goon. Or maybe he's a sweetheart? This figure sports hinged knees (one of the first), and also a hinged neck so he can look up and down. He's telling you, "yes, please keep me."

5. Air Speeder Pilot - This pilot is based on a Ralph McQuarrie drawing, as is the speeder, but we'll get to the vehicles later so stop harassing me about it! The guy is like 7 feet tall for some reason, he's like Lurch compared to other human figures. Someone was discussing relative heights of figures the other day, well look at this guy compared to Leia. He's a monster. We obviously don't have any updated version of this pilot. He's wearing a pretty distinctive bright white suit, so if you chose to stick him in your Echo Base diorama, you probably need to hide him behind the Falcon or something. If you put him almost anywhere else, he'd be a little too conspicuous.

6. Cloud Car Pilot - Like the above, this pilot is also based on a concept art sketch by Ralph McQuarrie. The drawing was apparently of a "citizen" of Cloud City, repurposed to pilot this concept of the Cloud Car. This is probably as close as we'll ever get to a Schmool Flemington figure. But seriously, if the line were ever healthy enough, we really just need some nameless citizens of places like Tatooine, Bespin, etc. to help fill out our dioramas. Extras are people, too, you know. Anyway, we don't have any character like this, as the final Cloud Car pilots were completely different. So you can stick this guy in any diorama. Just don't look directly at him, and he'll be great.

7. Rebel Speeder Bike Pilot - Unlike the previous 2 figures above, this pilot is based on a Joe Johnston sketch, as is the speeder. This guy could probably pass as a generic citizen in the background somewhere. He's either a mechanic, or a skydiver, or...a speeder bike pilot. He's got the headgear and airman goggles, stealing a look popularized by Flick, and later re-used by Aphra.

8. Princess Leia - This version of Leia is based on her appearance in some comic books. It's never been redone, not even in the Sixer line. I've seen a few people ask for an update, but I don't know how significant that request may be. Personally, I have no attachment to the character, beyond its existence in POTF2 as a figure. This one may have to stick around for a while.

9. Imperial Sentinel - You probably know about this guy. Originally a concept sketch for the ROTJ royal guards, it was later modified and repurposed by Kenner designers. After the OT was complete, the line was fading, and Kenner had designed their own EU characters and vehicles so that they could continue generating business. It was not to be, but this guy, who was named Atha Prime and was the main villain in the Kenner continuation story, experienced a Filoni-esque rebirth in the Dark Empire comics. But the story doesn't end there. As Chris recently wrote about, Atha Prime is set to make his canon debut in 2025. So that means that there may actually be a chance this figure is modernized in TVC. Wild!

I think that covers the EU figures that have no update. For the record, there are a bunch of figures, like Xizor, Dark Luke, Clone Emperor, Thrawn, Mara Jade, Kyle Katarn, Space Trooper, and Dark Trooper that have all seen new releases. Dark Trooper, is notable because the original trooper, from the Dark Forces video game, was updated as a Build-a-Droid figure a decade later, but was then completely overhauled when it was re-designed for recanonization in The Mandalorian.

Thoughts? Appreciate all the feedback on the previous two articles, as it will help me update my own collection.

---

comments powered by Disqus