Darth Vader is a pretty popular dude.  Hasbro will figure out some way to keep a Vader on the pegs whenever possible.  This figure, along with the Leektar and Nippet two pack, are the only figures in the Legacy Collection launch wave not based on the Jabba act.  Similar to the Riot Act, the Jabba Act is something dads read to their kids who sit around on the couch and gain too much weight.  Hasbro often pumped out Vader after Vader with little regard for the details that would be worthy of one of the most legendary characters in history.  Figures are often kitbashed, have some glaring flaw in the sculpt, or are from a mishmash of scenes rendering the figure screen inaccurate.  All of these apply to this particular figure.  While it was probably assumed that this was intended to be an ROTJ-based figure, it really is more accurate to ESB.  And if you read the text on the back of the card, you’ll see this:

As has been the custom of the Jedi and Sith for many centuries, Vader uses a meditation chamber to enhance his powers.Within this specially pressurized, hyperbaric enclosure, the Sith lord is able to remove his mask briefly and still be able to breathe.

The figure is a decent enough looking Vader, but doesn’t hold up to scrutiny.  The figure has a passable basic Vader sculpt at first glance, with stitching, creases, and folds detailing the uniform.  The chest box is painted to represent the Episode V/VI outfit, as is the stitch pattern on the gloves.  This Vader has a soft goods outer cape as well as the inner vest and skirt.  The “vest” is tucked underneath the shoulder armor, which is screen accurate, but gives vader a little bit of a strange look. In my sample, the chest looks a bit caved in, although it’s hard to see in the imagery.  I’d be fine if they had left it as a molded vest.  The paint is a bit erratic, specifically the black shoulder joints ruining the aesthetic of the shoulder armor.  The articulation was acceptable for the time, but at this point, we should be expecting proper “Jedi Level Articulation”, so he should have ball jointed wrists and rocker ankles. 

The real draw of this figure is the two part removable helmet.  The dome is removable, and is separate from the face mask, which is also removable.  This is a pretty excellent feature, but isn’t perfectly executed (tricky to do at this scale).  When assembled on the head, the helmet is very loose, and wobbles off center very easily.  It was frustrating taking pictures of this figure, having to adjust the helmet every time I moved the figure.  The facemask doesn’t sit perfectly on top of the breathing apparatus.  You can see the seam fairly easily, unless you really work at getting a snug fit, which isn’t too easy.  When assembled properly it looks decent enough.  The head underneath, fortunately, is that of Sebastian Shaw.  His face has deep scars, but is otherwise pale.  So many figures of Darth Vader from around this time were ROTS versions, as it was in the aftermath of the film’s release.  It was nice to get an OT sculpt, instead of another Hayden.

Besides the helmet pieces not fitting perfectly, we have some glaring errors with this figure.  Most notable, the right hand is sculpted open, so he cannot grip his lightsaber with both hands, only his left.  This renders the figure almost useless in a dueling pose.  The 2 part removable helmet seems as if it would be accurate to Vader’s death scene at the end of ROTJ.  The problem there is that Vader had already lost his right hand, so he should have a wiry stump instead a gloved hand.  Of course, as I mentioned, the card text indicates this is really an ESB Vader.  Upon watching the meditation chamber scene in ESB, it seems that as Vader’s dome is lowered onto his head, at the last possible moment, you can catch a tiny glimpse of what appears to be the dome and facemask as one single piece.  So the two-part helmet has no place in this ESB figure.  It’s a minor thing, but still.

Many years later, Hasbro would reuse this base figure (which itself dates to 2005) for The Vintage Collection and change the head a bit.  In VC08, there is a little bit of a change to the helmet, as the chin/breather piece is removable.  It’d debatable whether or not that constitutes and improvement, since that piece was never removed on screen, and makes the pieces of helmet even more wonky looking when put together.

I’ll give this figure a 6.  The helmet pieces are decent, but the sculpt and articulation are dated.

Credit: Carded sample provided by Randy S.

Build-A-Droid 

Darth Vader (First Release) contains the head and third leg for the astromech R7-ZO.  R7 astromech series droids were introduced after the Battle of Endor in the Expanded Universe, although one prototype droid with the name R7-A7 existed during the Clone Wars.  R7-Z0 never appeared in any stories.  It was merely mentioned as existing in The New Essential Guides To Droids book Source:  Legends.

OR

Darth Vader (carry forward 1) contains the right leg for 5D6-RA-7, who could be seen walking by the disguised Luke and Han as they escorted their Wookiee prisoner to the detention level aboard the Death Star.  Source:  A New Hope.

OR

Darth Vader (carry forward 2) contains the head for MB-RA-7.  The droid seems to have been inspired by the original Kenner Death Star droid (actually 3B6-RA-7), but the name indicates that it is a specific Expanded Universe droid that served as an instructor during the final days of the Republic.  Source:  Legends.

OR

Darth Vader (carry forward 3) contains the head and third leg for the astromech R2-L3, who could be seen rolling in the background in Mos Espa when Anakin and Padmé are looking to meet with Watto in an attempt to find Shmi Skywalker.  Source:  Attack of the Clones.

Verdict: Re-sculpt (Medium Priority) 

It’s not a terrible figure.  The head and helmet feature is decent, if not perfect.  The rest of the sculpt leaves something to be desired.  While it was pretty excellent in 2005, and still very good in 2008, figures such as VC93 (Episode IV) and TBS P1 #06 (Episode III) show just how far Hasbro has come.  In Chris’s review of #06, he urges Hasbro to tweak that figure to make it an Episode V/VI version that isn’t so specific to scenes such as the helmet coming off, the hand getting lopped off, or getting electrocuted with Sith lightning.  Until then, this figure and VC08 are barely hanging on as the “best” Episode V/VI Vaders available.  It’s time Hasbro gave us the 10/10 that they are capable of.

Verdict Guide:
Re-sculpt = The figure is not definitive, and a new version should be developed.
Re-issue = This version is definitive (or close enough), and shows sufficient secondary market demand to warrant a straight repack.
No Action = This release does not require new attention.