Editor’s Notes:
This figure was not reviewed at the time of its release
This review is a slightly edited version of the one which was written for the TBS figure.

Review by Chris, Photography by Bret

I don’t know any of the movie insider jargon, so I’m just going to spam a bunch of movie phrases I’ve heard over the years, and hope I hit somewhere close to the mark. Between principal photography, pickups, reshoots, ADR, and other reshoots, the cantina scene was shot over the course of 38 months and in 8 different countries.  While I just completely made up those numbers, the production of that iconic scene was a protracted one.  Trying to maintain continuity throughoot that process was nearly impossible, and we’re not just talking about a character with a cup in the wrong hand.  Ponda Baba undergoes changes to his basic anatomy, for crying out loud.  To put it another way:

Number 1:  Continuity error?  I am the continuity error.

In the continuity mishmash, Ponda Baba’s hands change from flippers to humanoid hands.  In addition to that gaff, the character also suffers one of those fashionable Star Wars amputations all the kids go crazy for.  Despite this myriad of configurations, Hasbro managed to capture everything in one figure.  Almost.  There’s just a smidgeon more that needed to be done for this to be the one Baba to rule them all, but we’ll get to that a little later. 

The first appearance of Ponda Baba in the movie.

The ways the figure doesn’t fully capture Ponda Baba are finite.  The head is either much too small or a little too small depending on your perspective.  I’ve looked at dozens of photos and watched the cantina scene several times, and I can’t tell.  I think I lean toward “a little too small”.  The head of the character also appears to be slightly two tone as opposed the solid color on the figure.  As with the size issue, a slick-talking lawyer could probably convince me that I’m seeing things when I say the color is off.  Regardless, these issues with the head are enough to draw your attention when comparing the figure to its onscreen counterpart, and this results in the only thing keeping this figure form a perfect score of 10.

See an example of this figure with the better proportioned and more accurately painted POTF2 head from commenter DarrenHERE.

There are some other minor quibbles.  Ponda Baba wears a white scarf.  You can see the flash of white in the inset to the left.  You can also see the scarf clearly in this shot. It is usually under his jacket, so its omission is hardly a problem.  I said “hardly”, so I’m still mentioning it.  Another matter is that the figure is packed with the SE-14C “Dr. Evazan” blaster.  This is because that is the weapon we clearly see with the dismembered arm on the cantina floor.  This is one of those famous continuity errors, as that shot was completed long after the initial filming of the scene at Elstree Studios. There was confusion over whose arm had been amputated and even if you watch that scene today, it’s confusing.  On the Elstree Studios set, Ponda Baba was actually carrying a DL-21 blaster pistol which is the sidearm carried by the Hoth Rebel Troopers, but the actual prop was missing the finished grip.  Instead Ponda Baba’s blaster had an unfinished red grip seen here in a replica.  Amazingly, Hasbro made that red-gripped DL-21 with 2005’s Saga Collection Hem Dazon figure.  You can see it in the figure’s holster in this image on Jedi Temple Archives. Hasbro could have blown us out of the water if they included both blasters with the figure.

To be perfectly clear, that would have been a nice extra, and not a requirement.  Hasbro certainly didn’t skimp with the extras.  You can interchange the figure’s flipper-like hands from the Elstree footage with the humanoid hands from the later pick-up shots at Hollywood Studios.  Hasbro could have given us a figure with a single arm that had a detachable lower arm.  This would distract from the aesthetic of the figure and perhaps impact the articulation. Instead, Hasbro gives us two sets of arms.  One that is separable to mimic the damage inflicted from Kenobi’s saber slash, and one fully articulated intact arm that can be used for the scenes prior to Ponda Baba getting his what for.  Honestly, it’s amazing Hasbro did this.  It pains me that I have to deduct a point from this figure due to the aforementioned head sculpt issues because this is a hall of fame figure.  9 out of 10.

Verdict: No Action 

Other than the minor tweaks mentioned above, this figure is definitive.  Carded samples go for a fairly high price on eBay, but since the figure was already re-released in the Walmart Black Series line, loose samples (as well as boxed TBS samples) go for about the same as it cost to produce the theatrical The Clone Wars film (next to nothing).  That means you should take your chances on carded TVC auctions if that is your bag.  The figure itself, while outstanding, can be had for a song.  If you don’t already own it, get one immediately. Hasbro can leave this figure alone.

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.