Here’s another (near) repack in The Saga Collection.  Sure there have been a few decent figures that we’ve seen so far during our retrospective of this 2006 line, but those have been weighed down heavily by the many repacks, retools, and repaints.

Emperor Palpatine was essentially released already in the Saga line in 2003.  This version has a repainted head. It’s probably better this time around, but it’s really up to each individual’s preference.  The only other “meaningful” difference is that there is now a hole in the right hand to accommodate the slightly retooled cane, which has a peg in the handle.  Sure it helps the figure maintain a grip on the cane, but the effort just wasn’t worth it.  This Emperor Palpatine should have been left to history, particularly since Hasbro had issued a much better Palpatine (Darth Sidious, actually) in the ROTS Evolutions set. That one should have gotten the green light for a re-release, but I suppose at the time the evolutions figure was considered “premium’, and therefore to expensive for the main line.

So this is just a disappointment.  I mean, look at it.  I SAID LOOK AT IT!  There’s nothing aesthetically pleasing about it, and that’s a shame because if it was an awesome looking figure, it might make up for the fact that the articulation is woefully inadequate.  It’s a salt shaker, and that’s just not okay for the leader of the First Galactic Empire. 

The arms, with the sculpted robes, convert into wing-like appendages when the ball jointed shoulders are engaged.  The wrists and waist are swivel, and that leaves the severely limited ball jointed neck to round out the limited articulation. 

In addition to the cane, Palpatine also comes with two small bursts of Sith lightning.  They fit fairly well on/in the hands, but they’re not very threatening.  It’s almost like he hasn’t quite learned the skill, similar to Zod’s pal, Non, not being able to use his eye lasers.  Also included is the standard TSC name stand.

It’s not a good figure.  It wasn’t that good when it debuted in the Saga line, it didn’t get any better 3 years later in The Saga Collection, and it’s essentially trash today.  You’d probably want to go with the Legacy Collection version, which is actually the pre-McDiarmid look, until Hasbro finally does the right thing and gives us a definitive Emperor Palpatine.  C’mon already!