GOLDENROD:  The Case For A New C-3PO In The Vintage Collection

Editor's Note: Quick note before we get into James L's article. If you have e-mailed here and didn't get a reply, check your spam/junk folders. I most likely replied, and it's gone into your sin bin. - Chris



Shiny things attracted me as a kid. Coins. Chromies (valve stem caps on mag wheels). Zippo lighters. Punk rock spikes. And most importantly, See-Threepio, vac-metallized & so bright you have to wear shades.

Never mind what you think or thought of the character himself. C-3PO was shiny. Just like in the movie. Twin suns glinting off his coverings. Squinting at him you’d swear he might be real.

The Retro version came out. Even though I don’t collect Retro, my first instinct was to reach for him. That’s what the shine does for us. It’s the reflection. The world cast back at me in glorious, trophy-glow goodness. We need our Threepio in vac metal gold. Like the stuff of pirate treasures. Of fancy jewelry. Dental fillings. False idols.


There’s a reason Ewoks bow to him.

Not only will a golden droid sell. It will sell out. Below is a list of the different versions of the golden covered C-3PO we need to fill our collection rooms & dioramas:

• Shiny head on a battle droid body

• Fully gold version (no silver leg)

• Attacked by Sand People w/removable arm & sand-gritty exterior
• Captured by Jawas w/restraining bolt & oil streaks
• Regular version on classic Kenner card

• Removable limbs w/cargo net for Chewie to carry him

• Green gunk from Jabba’s Palace
• Deluxe pack w/Salacious Crumb, pillows & eye-port popped out
• Deluxe pack w/Ewok throne

• Red arm version

• Deluxe w/crystal critter

• Light-up red eyes

The point here is that Hasbro has an easy way to reuse the mold for nearly every kind of anniversary or focus – if the mold is a winner. 

Just think of the reuses of multiple shiny protocol droids:

• TC-14 (Episode 1)
• U-3PO (Tantive IV)
• E-3PO (Silver Cloud City)
• Greef Karga’s copper droid (Mandalorian Season 3: Episodes 1 & 4)
• Blue version from droid cantina (Mandalorian Season 3: Episode 6)

I’m sure I’m forgetting dozens of other iterations. 

Can you imagine how he’d light up a room?

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