Think about the Vintage Collection VC149 R2-D2 that we just reviewed.  There’s just about nothing to complain about regarding the figure itself.  It might very well be the best grimy R2-D2 available.  The problem is the utter lack of value.  Other than satisfying (or not) carded collectors, it’s the same figure that was released in the 5POA line twice for $7.50-$7.99.  Sealed onto a TVC cardback, it now costs $12.99 without the rocket attachments.  That’s a serious value problem.  More on this later.

The R2-D2 figure is a repaint of the version that was included with the Saga Collection Early Bird Figure set. It’s a bit of an odd choice, because that figure is based on the VOTC R2-D2 from 2004, which would have been a better choice.  But before I get to that, a few more notes on this figure.  It’s a repaint insofar as some dirt and grass is painted on the lower portions.  It’s got a removable third leg.  All the feet have rolling wheels.  The head turns and the sensor pops up.  I’m not a fan of this gimmick, as it limits the ability to turn the head without the sensor deploying.  Furthermore, the sensor would have been specific to ESB, and this is obviously an ROTJ-sourced R2-D2.  The body panel that was removable on the VOTC figure is glued down just as it was with the Early Bird figure.  Finally, the dome is vac-metallized.  It’s not screen accurate, but Hasbro was really into this special paint application on R2 domes for a while.  Thankfully, they’ve moved on from this and saved the pennies for something else. 

Sourced to Endor, this R2 (or at least the accessories) is perfect for two different scenes.  The cargo net accessory is awesome.  It’s large enough to accommodate R2, Threepio, Luke, Han, and Chewbacca.  It’s got loops at all four corners, although you’ll need your own thing to tie it up. I used a paperclip for the purposes of the shot in the gallery, and hooked it to the platform on one of my Space Trees.  A piece of twine would probably be more realistic for a more permanent diorama.  One of the corners can be let loose to open the net and release the captives onto the ground below.

Also included is the makeshift carrier used by the Ewoks to transport R2 as a prisoner to the village.  It’s one piece, and may seem a bit too soft or flimsy, but it gets the job done.  Two “ropes” are able to wrap around R2 (one at the neck and one at the ankles) and clasp onto the other side of the device, holding R2 in place.  It can be carried on the shoulders of a pair of Ewoks, or leaned back against a Space Tree as it was in the film.

The major bummer here is that this should have been a repack of the R2 figure from VOTC.  That figure had the removable panel, and included the circular saw extension and a second extension that could be used as the taser.  The saw saw action (see what I did there?) in cutting through the net, while the taser was used as revenge against Teebo’s rear end as soon as R2 was cut free from the carrier.  Use of that figure essentially would have made this a perfect set in 2007 (although as mentioned, time hasn’t been kind to that figure). 

This brings us back to the value problem of VC149.  Go back to 2007.  Sure, money was different back then.  We traded in roundish shaped gold doubloons with the image of some monarch on it.  But those doubloons were valued at $6.99 in 2007.  That $6.99 got you this astromech with a vac-metalized head (granted, this isn’t desirable, but it presumably added value), a pop up sensor, a large net accessory capable of holding all the heroes from the Ewok trap scene, and the carrying splint used by the Ewoks to bring R2 back to the village.  All of this for $6.99.  And today, because we have better R2-D2’s, you could pay twice that for this figure, throw away the R2, and it would be worth it for the accessories alone.  Whatever man.  2019 is rough.

The accessories are awesome, and are worth the price of admission.  The R2-D2 has seen better days, although the figure could have been salvaged if it had the tool attachments I described.  Anyway, ditch the droid and use the VOTC version with the tools, or one of the modern build-a-droid versions, including VC149.  This figure gets a 7, but know that it is totally carried to that score by the outstanding accessories.  The figure itself is more or less worthless.