We have to take a break from TVC reviews because, you know, we’ve got nuthin’ to review.  So here is something out of left field, the Celebration III Exclusive Talking Darth Vader.

My wife (girlfriend at the time) and I travelled from NJ to Indianapolis for this event in 2005.  Part of me was excited that we were going, and that she was so supportive of this nonsense habit.  But I was terrified that it was going to be terrible and ridiculous, and that she would hate me for it. Turns out, it was a lot of fun.  I was truly surprised at how nice everyone was, and the spirit of comraderie that was present throughout.  We attended a bunch of panels, especially Hasbro.  We watched all 5 films in the theater with a rowdy crowd that reminded me of seeing ROTJ on opening night when I was a kid.  The most memorable moment was when we attended some random panel which was hijacked by Rick McCallum, who burst into the theater with a never-before-seen Revenge of the Sith sizzle reel.  The next day, we tried to see it again, but missed the cutoff and were locked outside.  Some very nice staff member came out and led us into the theater, and allowed us to sit on the projector platform, where we got to watch the sizzle reel again. 

But, of course, the main event for me was trying to get this exclusive Vader.  It was offered every day of the event, but the lines were insane, and we kept putting it off until the last day.  Finally, we got up a 3am on that Sunday, and waited on line in the snow in order to get into the store.  It was ridiculous.  I think it took until about noon before I got to the register.  I purchased my max allotment of 8 Talking Vaders (4 each for myself and my wife), which I knew would one day command a hefty premium and give me down payment for a house.  I AM THE ONE WHO MAKES IT RAIN!

The figure, at the time, wasn’t terrible.  It is essentially a repack (although the datestamp is updated) from the POTJ line a few years earlier.  It’s obviously pretty terrible by today’s standards.  But the draw wasn’t the figure itself; it was the exclusive base.  You could activate the speech lines via a button that was exposed through the plastic bubble on the unique packaging, if you didn’t want to open it.  In fact, you could even access the battery compartment via a cutout on the back of the card!  But for normal people who open their toys, this isn’t an issue.

The base is a neat display item.  It’s labeled as being from Celebration III, and it has a large backdrop in the shape of the 6-spoked cog of the Imperial emblem.  The button activates a few lines which were specially recorded for this release by the one and only James Earl Jones:

“Welcome to Star Wars Celebration III.  Never will you find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.”
“Prepare to experience Revenge fo the Sith.  It is your destiny.”
“Your journey to the Dark Side is now complete.”
“The Dark Side of the Force is strong with you.”
[Vader breathing.]

It’s a neat moment from the event that celebrated the release of what was supposed to be the final film in the Star Wars saga, and is a worthy addition to your shelf of non-canon figures.

Oh, and I am still patiently waiting for someone to buy these from me in order to finance my retirement.  If interested, let me know before I reach out to Sotheby’s.