Editor’s Note:  This review has been updated with our second look at TVC…

Original Review:  Chris - 8/04/2012 5:28 PM

This Vintage Collection release is very nostalgic for those of use that remember the actual vintage Empire Strikes Back figures.  The Bespin gown Leia was one of the figures from the first wave for the Empire Strikes Back.  So this was one of the first figures from the first new Star Wars movie ever.  Exciting stuff.  For some of us, that prominent role of the figure in the vintage line might have indelibly etched a false sense of prominence for this particular costume in Episode V.  I don’t know about you, but when I think Leia + Empire, my mind immediately lands on Bespin gown Leia.  In reality, Carrie Fisher dons this particular wardrobe change for scarcely more than three minutes of elapsed movie time from just before 1:26 to just after 1:29 with Chewie recovering 3PO bits in between.  Most of the time, Leia appears in the movie as Hoth Leia or Bespin Escape Leia.  This Sunday Best Leia makes only a brief appearance. 

Having said that, this is clearly the most interesting Leia costume in the movie and I feel this figure delivers it pretty well.  The robe and collar on the figure continue the recent trend of combining soft goods with plastic components.  This is the best implementation of blending the two mediums to date.  The robe itself includes the intricate design pattern, but does not capture the colors and shading from the actual garment.  As such, it’s not truly faithful to its on-screen counterpart, but at this scale, that’s more than to be expected.  For some reason, Hasbro insists on including an E-11 Stormtrooper blaster with modern versions of this figure.  I would think that if Hasbro were going to gratuitously include a weapon with this figure, it would be Leia’s sporting blaster, but that’s neither here nor there.  Enjoy your extra E-11 blaster.  As far as detailing it’s hard to compliment or complain because the actual costume is pretty simple absent of the robe.  All I can say is that it seems right to me.

I’m honestly tired of describing the articulation on post 2008 figures.  There’s not too much variation other than maybe the occasional deletion of ankle joints or upgrades to ball joints at the hips, torso or wrists.  So this figure has the now standard 14 points of articulation (ball jointed neck, shoulders, elbows, knees and ankles with swivel wrists, torso and hips).  The soft goods skirt allows you to take advantage of that articulation.  So no complaints there.  Hasbro easily could have taken the salt shaker route as seen with some recent Padmé figures, but thankfully they went for the fully articulated figure with soft goods approach to allow movement.  Good deal.

Some people think the figure is tiny and frail.  Those people are clearly jerks.  Carrie Fisher was tiny and frail in the early eighties.  I don’t really see any glaring area where this figure disappoints for what it represents.  The only minor complaints can come from the head sculpt which doesn’t bear a terrific likeness to the young Ms. Fisher and the exposed maroon plastic in the ankle joints.  Those aspects and the fact that this figure, while I love it, doesn’t awe me like recent “10 out of 10” figures like Bom Vimdin result in a 9 out of 10 score.

Updated Review:  Bret - 10/09/2018 07:05 AM

Pretty much what Chris said.  Leia in this outfit didn’t get the most screen time, but it was definitely worthy of receiving the TVC treatment.  It was one of the 6 figures that were part of the “Lost Line” alternate packaging look.  It was also included in the SDCC Carbon Chamber set, which is kind of interesting because Leia wasn’t wearing this outfit during the carbon freezing scene.  But whatever.  It was good that Hasbro upgraded the existing version of this outfit because it wasn’t very good, especially by 2012 standards.  But the question is whether or not it’s still good by 2018 standards.  Yes.  Yes it is.

Simply sculpted and painted, the figure sports standard super-articulation and a clean paint job.  The figure stands out because of the soft goods gown, and the headsculpt.  For the gown, Hasbro made a fairly screen accurate piece, including the printed pattern. It’s superior to previous releases.  It’s light and airy.  It drapes well down the figure, and also has no impact on the range of motion of the limbs.  The face may not be a tremendous likeness to Carrie Fisher, but it still looks nice.  The hair and the bun are done very well.  The figure is of small stature, but doesn’t lose the ability to stand up unassisted, despite the dainty feet.  She comes with the stormtrooper blaster.  At no point in the film did she wield a weapon (other than her sharp wit, ha!) while wearing this outfit.  I guess it’s better than no accessories.  Maybe she could have come a plate of penne all’arrabbiata, or whatever Vader served at their dinner off screen on Bespin.

This figure goes for a nice hefty price on ebay, mostly because it was hard to find at the end of the line.  It’s a really good figure, but something tells me it wouldn’t be a huge seller if it were released again.  Maybe Hasbro would find a reason to sneak one out in some kind of multi-pack, or as part of an ESB 40th anniversary commemoration in 2020. There’s not really enough that is needed to improve this figure, although FACE! technology (or whatever Hasbro calls it) could kick it up a notch.