The Saga Collection
Garindan
This is my second favorite figure from The Saga Collection. When I was a wee pup, I was perplexed by the absence of exactly two Episode IV characters from the vintage Kenner line up. The first was Grand Moff Tarkin. The second was Garindan. Don’t get me wrong. I wanted many many more, but those were to two figures whose omission from the line baffled me. Prior to POTF ‘85, only 20 figures on planet Earth were supposedly sourced to Episode IV. In reality, it was 19 figures as the vintage Snaggletooth figure is actually based on the character Zutmore from the Star Wars Holiday Special, and that was the basis of my perplexity. With so few figures, we had a figure that, while i was thrilled to have it, I had no idea where it appeared in the movie because it didn’t. Meanwhile, I didn’t have the prominent ant-eater-looking tattletale with the weird voice. It didn’t seem right to me at the time. Incidentally, I only recently learned that the weird voice is actually a processed version of John Wayne’s voice, according to Wookieepedia.
The first ever Garindan was released in 1997 in the POTF2 line. It was 18 years in the making, counting from Kenner’s first expansion to 20 figures in 1979. It should have been reason for celebration, but it was as dull as dishwater. It is ensconced in a massive plastic cape which hinders the already minimal articulation. Garindan’s comlink was crudely sculpted as part of his right hand, but due to the aforementioned plastic straight jacket, it couldn’t really be raised it close to Garindan’s mouth. The cape actually had a slight bump-out sculpted into it so the arm could raise somewhat. Talk about leaning into a terrible situation. It was one of those figures that I bought, opened, and started almost immediately forgetting. That 1997 release is so underwhelming and forgettable, that it feels like we can save that “first time ever” celebration for this 2006 update, and it would be well deserved. I often say that, every once in a while, Hasbro shows fans that they love them, and by 2006 standards, this figure qualifies.
The articulation is a far cry from what we expect today, but for the time, it was above standard for the mainline. Sure, the swivel elbows are a drag, but in terms of the number of points of articulation in the arms, it’s the equivalent of what we get today. Two of those three points of arm articulation are the less desirable swivel joints at the elbow and forearms. Sub-optimal by today’s standards for sure, but still enough to pose Garindan in his iconic look of raising the comlink to his snout. That’s pretty all right if you ask me. The legs have only two points of articulation, and that’s where a modern figure would allow for much more dynamism. Furthermore, one of those articulation points is, once again, effectively useless. There is a swivel joint at the top of the boots, but rotating it more than a few degrees results in the toe of the foot tipping up. It offers only a smidge of increased posability.
Where this figure really distinguishes itself is with the detailing. Both the included blaster and separate comlink can be stowed on the holster belt. Being able to stow the comlink is pretty danged awesome. That holster belt is a separate piece with silver paint applications for the front and back buckles, and snaps on the ammo pouch. The entire thing gets a light silver dry brushing to add age and wear. That same silver dry brushing provides the same affect on the boots. Even the snaps on the cargo pockets on the pants get a paint application. Where the detailing goes to the insane level is with the googles. Despite the fact that seemingly everyone is going to display this figure with the hooded cape obscuring most of the head, Hasbro not only sculpted the clasp of the back of the googles, they also include two paint applications. Clearly they were taking their one best swing at Garindan, probably thinking they might never get to come back to this source. Unfortunately they’ve been proven right. This all culminates in another respectable 6 out of 10 Saga Colleciton figure.
For the same reasons I felt as a chubby little idiot in 1979, Garindan needs to be brought into the modern Vintage Collection, but this 2006 figure is too far below the TVC standard to be repacked. We need a new Garindan figure. I only hope that if we do get one, the soft goods cape is retained. The re-emergences of plastic capes in TVC is a scourge. I often say that I am much more excited by Vintage Collection figures that should have been in the vintage Kenner line-up than I am with the updates to the original 96 (though I like those too). So I would be thrilled to see this happen (but I won’t hold me breath):
