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

Original Review:  Bret - 9/6/10 02:54 PM

At first glance, I was digging this figure, then upon a bit closer inspection, I didn’t like it.  But then, I spent more time analyzing it and now I’m hooked.  I think this is a solid figure.

First off, it’s got basic superarticulation, so that’s good.  The paint on the body of the figure is simple but effective.  He can stand, sit, run, whatever.

Now, he’s got two major features, his head sculpt, and the fur coat.  The head, I think, is terrific.  It’s a very scene-specific sculpt, but I think Hasbro did a great job of making Palpatine a maniacally Sithy.  The neck post is sculpted with wrinkles, so that’s an unexpected detail that Hasbro threw in there.  The paint in pretty good, with his Sith Eyes and teeth.  I really like it, but I can see this as being a personal choice by each collector.

The fur coat threw me for a loop.  I actually had to take a closer look at the ROTS scene to make a judgement.  It’s definitely thicker and more pronounced at this scale than it should be, but it’s not poorly done.  Instead of the material chosen, perhaps a thinner velvet would have been a better option.  Nevertheless, it fits well, and doesn’t look as odd when you look in person.  It could have been better, but it could have been much much worse.  (On a side note, the early prototype photos of the Gammorrean Guard fur skirt look funky, so I think using this same material for that would work.  Time will tell.)

The hood is plastic and removeable.  It doesn’t look bad at all, and you can pose/aim it down in a way to shade his eyes to make him look pretty sinister.  Good stuff.

He comes with his red lightsaber and some force lighting.  It took me a minute or two to figure out how he’s supposed to use it, but he actually holds it in his hand.  I had thought it clipped on his wrist or through his fingers, but he pretty much just grabs it,  He can hold his lightsaber and the lightning tightly in each hand, so good job.

So, yeah.  I really am surprised how much I like it.  Get one.

Updated Review

If you read my original review, you’ll see that this figure didn’t wow me at first sight, but it grew on me very quickly.  Not only was the character long overdue, but Hasbro really nailed it.  The most striking feature is the cackling, maniacal face.  The sculpt and the depth of paint operations are amazing, making it one of the more striking visages in the entire history of the line.  It’s perfect for Sidious’s duel with Yoda in the Senate.  The figure has excellent articulation all around. My one complaint would be that the bulky plastic sculpt of the arms of the shirt make a two-handed saber grip difficult, if not impossible. 

Besides the face, the most attention-grabbing aspect of the figure is the choice of materials for the robe.  The hood is a soft plastic, which can easily be removed to reveal Sidious’s entire scarred head.  He’s even creepier this way.  The lower robe (or skirt) is made of a traditional soft goods, similar to common Jedi robes.  The upper robe is made of a fur-like material.  The movie costume seems to have a velvety texture to the upper part.  Hasbro attempted for some realIsm here, and I believe they succeeded.  Sidious looks quite comfortable in his man-fur shawl.  It’s definitely no shmata.  While the choice of material may be a little on the thick side, it still works very well.  Amazingly, the plastic hood, fur top, and cloth bottom somehow blend well together to make a cohesive outfit for Sidious.

Sidious comes with an ignited saber, which he holds tightly (again, no THWG is happening here).  He also comes with a Force Lightning effect.  It’s not that easy to attach to Sidious’ hands, but with a little patience, I found that his left hand will grip the accessory.  Typically, the lightning would clip to the figure’s wrist, but this figure was designed differently.  For accessories, I could have gone for an unlit hilt (although that might be more appropriate for a Chancellor’s Office Showdown figure).  Also, a second bolt of lightning could be included so he could use both hands to try and fry Yoda.  And while Hasbro is at it, they should make the lightning easier to attach.

Overall, I’m liking this more than an 8.  Even 8 years later, this is one of my favorite figures and I reallly don’t think Hasbro could do much better.  Maybe the man-fur could be a smidge less wild, and a THWG would be nice, along with more accessories.  But all that is a stretch for an improvement to an already awesome figure.

Verdict:  No Action 

Great figure, much needed character choice.  Not much to improve upon, although it isn’t truly perfect.  eBay prices aren’t that high for loose figures at this time.  If you don’t have this figure, consider picking one up on eBay. There really shouldn’t be a need for this to be re-issued for a while, and a re-sculpt is unnecessary.  This is pretty much the definitive version of a Senate Battle Sidious.

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.