I like Captain Tarpals.  He was competent.  He had a raspy Clint Eastwood voice.  Tarpals SHOULD have held the role of Jar Jar.  Imagine if Tarpals were the exiled Gungan upon whom the Jedi stumbled.  Imagine if the reason for his banishment was not that he was a klutz, but rather because of a capacity for violence in his role as a security captain.  We would be uncertain about his character and motivations, and unsure why Qui-Gon had taken him into the traveling party.  Then instead of spilling Sebulba’s drink in a moment of slapstick hilarity on Mos Espa, Tarpals would come to Anakin’s aid and stand Sebulba down.  Slowly we would learn that despite his apparent lack of compunction for his overzealous methods, his motivations were honorable.  He’s the rough man who stands ready in the night to visit violence on those who would harm his friends.  The heroic monster.  And it’s actually a character type kids can accept.  Kids don’t need to be pandered to with a Goofy wannabe. 

Before I move on with my fan fiction, consider the intentional rhyming scheme of the first two trilogies and the character counterparts (either direct or amalgamated), specifically the menagerie of characters who undertake the main “journey” in Episodes I and IV.  Jar Jar was the alien side kick who had a life debt to one of the main heroes.  Who does that describe in Episode IV?  None other than:

It’s no so much of what Jar Jar was as what he wasn’t.  The Captain Tarpals I described would have been a much better rhyming counterpart to the mighty Chewbacca.  Anyone preparing a defense of Jar Jar Binks in the coming days is a FOOL!  A fool, I tell you.  Finally, please spare me all the nonsense that “Jar Jar is the other side of the Chewbacca coin” and that there is something poetic about that.  It’s not purposeful art.  You’re just reading meaning into meaningless fart and poop jokes. 

Okay, okay, I’m done now.  Unless of course some fool writes a defense of Jar Jar.  Then it starts all over again.  Okay, about the figure.  In many ways, it’s a quintessential representation of the Episode I line.  Decent looks / primitive articulation.  The detailing is on par with, or even better than, figures we receive today.  The intricate patterns on Tarpal’s arms, neck, and ears are commendable.  This design element was omitted from some later Gungan figures such as the TLC Gungan Warrior. Elements of the armor are separate pieces which provide the realistic depth we all love.

As far as the articulation…what articulation?  Even though extra points of articulation were starting to creep into the line at this point, Tarpals is saddled with 6POA status.  It’s a shame because something as simple as forearm swivels would have allowed better interaction with the included electropole.  Another problem endemic to the era is that the lack of dynamism in the articulation was compensated for with dynamism in the sculpt.  The figure is sculpted so that it appears to be taking a step forward.  This is perfect for posing the figure threatening that putz Jar Jar with the electopole, but prevents any more neutral pose.  Of course, in the movie when Tarpals zaps Jar Jar, he does so while mounted on a Kaadu, so the fact that this figure recreates that while planted on the ground is a truly toyetic “story telling” moment.  That’s not a bad thing.  It’s a reminder that we collect toys.  Well, we collect what were once toys.  Now we grouse when play decisions encroach on our miniature collectible replicas.  Because the figure looks good, and can be posed to do one thing well, I’m giving it a 4 out of 10.