Editor’s Note:  This review has been updated with our second look at TVC, and an update for the 2021 Photo Real release.  The Photo Real review follows the original review and the updated review.

Original Review:  Chris - 2/09/2013 10:38 AM

Okay, after looking at the pics what more do you need to know.  This figure is largely fantastic.  It’s one of the rare Hasbro two-fers.  With this one figure, you get to recreate the classic Emperor’s Royal Guard as well as a Crimson Empire-esque / Kir Kanos-esque Royal Guard. What’s not to love?

What really strikes me is that Hasbro could have taken the easy way out and reissued the Senate Guard figure from the Attack of the Clone wave in red.  That figure does not have ankle articulation and is a retool of the Royal Guard figure(s) from the Revenge of the Sith line.  If they had done that, we all would have been satisfied.  Instead Hasbro pulled out all the stops and gave us this amazing new figure (at least I think it’s all new).  The accessory count on this figure is off the charts as you might expect when two distinct character can be recreated with one figure. 

I do have on point deduction worthy complaint about the figure.  The Toy Fair pictures show this figure with a vibrant red robe.  The final version has a more muted and rose tinted red.  It’s a minor disappointment, but enough to knock down another would be ten out of ten figure one point.  9 out of 10.

Updated Review:  Bret - 10/01/2018 07:05 AM

Editor’s Note:  This review is an edited version of the one recently written for the Walmart TBS Emperor’s Royal Guard figure.

The figure is excellent, but you probably already know that.  You get the opportunity to display this figure in two completely different ways, or even create some hybrids if you desired. The main draw here is that this is a great Emperor’s Royal Guard.  The figure looks fantastic standing at attention holding his staff, ready to do whatever it is that the royal guards are supposed to do when called upon.  Yoda certainly had no problem with them in ROTS, so maybe they’re all talk.  At least the next generation of Praetorians did more than just crumple to the ground like punks. 

The figure is well articulated, and as Chris mentioned, Hasbro could have cheaped out with a repack of an earlier, less articulated figure.  The range of motion an posability is solid.  Perhaps this figure would have benefited from ball jointed hips, since the ERG robes cover any unsightly engineering, but since we don’t see this character do anything other than stand at attention, it’s not any kind of deal breaker.  The ERG helmet looks great, even though it was designed to be (*gasp*) removable, although it does fit a bit loosely, and will fall off pretty easily.  Just don’t hold the figure upside down and you should be fine.  The soft goods cape works well.  It is made of a relatively thick material.  It holds its shape, but can look a bit like a circus tent if you’re not careful. 

This figure comes with a biker scout pistol, which fits snugly (backward?) in the hip holster.  Unfortunately, the guard’s hand is sculpted a bit to open in order to grip the pistol meaningfully.  He can hold it gingerly, but it’s not a great fit by any measure.  The electro staff can be held any number of ways, either aggressively, or at rest.  This brings me to a key issue:  the right hand grip needed to hold the staff at the figure’s side like in the film only works if you twist the arm unnaturally into a position that must be painful for the poor guy.  You really need some serious discipline to be an ERG.  The robe can be positioned to conceal the weirdly positioned arm, and the end result is a very satisfying looking figure. 

Alternatively, you can create a Kir Kanos-ish Crimson Empire dude.  The figure comes with a second helmet, a removable shoulder guard, and a double bladed staff.  The cape is removable, revealing a well sculpted figure with a simple but effective paint scheme.  The Imperial insignia on the shoulder, helmet and back are a nice touch.  And, by the way, the figure can also be displayed with no helmet, as a bearded head sculpt is also part of the base figure.  Mixing and matching the equipment can give a variety of different looks.  It’s a versatile figure, with a lot of articulation and accessories.  It’s an outstanding example of what the collector line can offer.  You should get this figure.  Get several, and make a full compliment of guards to escort Palpatine off his shuttle.

Chris gave the figure a 9.  We conferred and both agreed to drop it to an 8.  The robe is too thick, articulation could be upgraded, and the helmet could stay on better.  The figure also has a problem holding the pistol in his hand, and to a lesser degree, the electro-staff at his side.  Chris also hated the coloring, as it is not a screen accurate crimson color, or so he tells me.  He makes fun of me because of my differently abled color vision.  These are all relatively minor, and together are enough to knock down an otherwise outstanding figure to an 8. 

Editor’s Note:  The “Emperor’s Arrival” diorama shots at the end of the gallery were taken by Chris.

This figure is bizarre on eBay.  Carded TVC samples go for absurd amounts.  But we’ve seen this before with TVC figures that were repacked in TBS - that the TBS versions, and loose samples, were much lower priced.  But in this case, there is a difference between the figures - the material used for the robes (not a cape, apparently), is very different.  TVC has a thicker material that holds a shape that may be undesirable, and is difficult to manipulate.  For TBS, Hasbro went with a thinner material that drapes very well, and can be manipulated for a better look when on display.  Essentially, the TBS version is superior to TVC, even though for all intents and purposes, it was meant as a repack.  I consulted with my colleague, Chris, on this, and he told me the reason that there is such a difference in prices for loose TVC and TBS figures is because, and I quote directly: “Michael Schumacher is the greatest sportsman in the world.”  I’m not sure what that means, but I think he’s trying to insinuate that a sizeable chunk of collectors are ignorant to the differences, and are spending inordinate amounts of money on ebay for the TVC version, when they can use that money to buy a superior TBS version and still have money left over to buy a solid gold suit from the nonsense store.

Updated Review (For Photo Real release) Chris - 06/07/2021 07:05 AM

This is perhaps the first Fan Channel release that actually appealed to the long term collectors.  The original 2012 release wasn’t highly accessible as an online exclusive.  The second release in 2016 was exclusive to Walmart which means you either saw one thousand or negative ten of them.  This release offers the promise for many collectors to finally get their hands on this figure, or build a modest army of them. It has merit whether or not it was updated, but updated it has been.

The important update is to the outer robes which have been steadily evolving since 2012.  The robes on the first figure were made out of an odd felt-like material.  If you owned enough of them, you could re-cover a pool table.  The second release in 2016 had robes made out of a more silken material which appeared much more screen-accurate.  This 2021 Royal Guard uses the better material from 2016, but improves the cut.  The shoulder seams come right at the edges of the helmet, as opposed to the wider set seams from its predecessor.  If you look at the card photo, this is entirely screen accurate.  It also offers a better drape.  It’s enough of a change for me to buy another squad of six.

The other change is the Photo Real paint applications on the head sculpt, which hardly matters.  Only a psychopath would display this figure without its helmet.  This is the equivalent of staining wall studs.

This release was important to me personally for another reason.  I vividly remember getting the vintage Kenner figure in 1983, and I can even tell you from exactly where. It was at the Zayer’s in Lincoln Plaza, Worcester, MA.  Since the original 2012 release was online only, I didn’t get to relive that childhood moment.  I was lucky enough to find the carded sample above at Target.  Yay!