What’s Next for TVC After the Landspeeder?

Hasbro recently announced a new landspeeder, which is an update to an existing vehicle. To be exact, we've had the POTF2 sculpt (which was adapted straight from the Kenner sculpt) as well as the "blue Saga" sculpt. The latter was then repainted for TVC 1.0. So it's been over 20 years since the last attempt at this iconic vehicle. As I mentioned, I wasn't initially interested in such an update, but after recently setting up the Saga version, I realized it was indeed time for a new landspeeder.

For TVC 2.0, Hasbro has also provided us with an update to the Skiff (which was amazing), as well as the Imperial Speeder Bike. That last one is nice, but is debatable whether it's a slam dunk upgrade from the 2012 version. (More frustrating was the lack of an all new Biker Scout, but here we are.)

So it got me thinking, of the existing small ("Class I") vehicles we currently have in the line, is there anything else that could use an update? My first thought was regard to the OT (because that's where my head's at), but there isn't much to do that wouldn't be a debut (like the Ubrikkian 9000 or the Lars family speeder). I thought about the T-16, but I really wouldn't be excited in the least bit for an update to that. It's an example of it being amazing that we have one at all, and let's just leave it at that.


not reviewed at this time

The one ship I can think of that might fit the category is the A-Wing. It seems compact enough that it could work and still fall within the $60 price range, even with a pilot. The last true OT A-Wing that we got was from the 2008 TLC [Blue] line, which sported a new cockpit interior, but was otherwise essentially the same as the 1997 POTF2 release (complete with 1997 date stamp). Since 2008, Hasbro released a cartoon-inspired Hera Syndualla A-Wing from the 2017 Rogue One line look, and then an ST-inspired A-Wing from the TLJ line, which was offered in two different color schemes. The latter has a nice, sleek look to it, but has some play features that contradict realism. So it's been 17 years since the TLC release. It's time for a TVC-level update and paint job.


TLC Scramble at Yavin

The only other small OT vehicle I considered is the Yavin transport. It isn't "exciting", but was tough to acquire, even though it was offered twice before in TLC and SOTDS. The Rebel Technician is almost more desirable than the vehicle itself. I'm not really advocating for a new sculpt to this vehicle, but a repaint with some new kind of Alliance Everyman would be nice, or maybe it would provide an opportunity for some Yavin officer like Bob Hudsol. But in the spirit of this article, an updated sculpt would fit the bill.


Chris's Concept for TVC Eta-2 Jedi Starfighter

I then perused my collection for other small vehicles that I would like to see redone. I first looked through the PT vehicles, and couldn't find a single one that I'd want redone. That's not a knock on the PT at all, and I know there's a lot of support (myself included) for much more representation in TVC. But in my opinion, Hasbro did a really nice job with the vehicles they put out from the PT and TCW, and very few of them are crying out for a redo. Some folks want a new Jedi Starfighter, which is something Chris wrote about HERE. In this case, I would agree with Chris that a new Eta-2 Straighter would be a nice upgrade, I'm not sure I'm looking for one. He does make the point that its design goes back to 2005 and it's decidedly a toy, and not a collector's item like TVC vehicles have become. An update would be welcome, but since I have been collecting that long, I have enough Jedi Starfighter variants to fill a small warehouse. So I can't truly say I want one. But I wouldn't fault Hasbro if they went this route, and I'd be happy to support it if other collectors really want this to happen. It's also worth pointing out that, like the A-Wing, this may be a stretch to be considered a Class I "small" vehicle. It would like push into "Class II" territory, like a TIE Fighter or X-Wing. But if we make that allowance for the Jedi Starfighter, other PT and TCW vehicles were well covered back in the day, and I feel are still up to the task of blending in with today's aesthetic. And those that might benefit from an update would likely have very limited appeal.

I looked at the ST, and found nothing. Again, it's not an indictment of the ST, but the vehicles that exist are fine for what they are, even though the first few are now 10 years old (which is kind of amazing, when you think about it). Looking at other Disney media, I did like the AT-DT from Solo, and it seemed to be pretty popular among collectors, while being fairly difficult to find. But Solo isn't exactly a source that is begging to be mined, so it would be risky for Hasbro to go this route. Interestingly, Rogue One was the source that essentially launched the "collector-grade" TVC vehicle concept, when Hasbro gave us the incredible (and under-appreciated) Imperial Combat Assault Tank.


Ezra Bridger's Speeder

So now I'm digging deeper into the source material options, and I settled on 3 - yes, 3 - items from Rebels. The first one I think would be a great (and relatively inexpensive) addition to the line, which is an update to the speeder type driven by Ezra Bridger and seen throughout the series, a version of which was then used by Sabine in Ahsoka - which of course would provide another opportunity to give us more Sabine. The existing vehicle dates back to the Rogue One line (I don't believe it was part of the original Rebels line), and was repainted and re-released once or twice. If Hasbro opted to keep the source as Rebels instead of Ahsoka, it could provide an opportunity for a young Ezra figure.


The Phantom Attack Shuttle


Phantom II [included with Haslab Ghost]

The other two are a bit controversial - at least to me. One is the original Phantom I, which was offered in the 2014 Rebels line. It's fine for what it is, and I'm not looking for a redo of that vehicle per se, but I think a scaled down version that fits into the Ghost would be nice. As a standalone, it would be silly - as is the Phantom II that did come with the Ghost. But it would offer a way for fans to complete the Ghost's look through its 4 seasons of the show. And that brings me to my last pick, which turns the tables on the aforementioned Phantom II. In this case, I would love for Hasbro to "upscale" the Phantom II, so that it becomes usable outside of the Ghost. Not only could it provide for a better scaled Rebels vehicle, but it could be repainted to, at a minimum, serve as Nute Gunray's Sheathipede class vehicle. It's probably my most wanted PT/TCW vehicle. It fits into the spirit of this article, since Hasbro has created it now - even though it's severely undersized. So while it's less than a year old, it's already ripe for a re-do.

I'm sure I'm missing something, so if anyone has any suggestions for TVC, let us know in the comments.

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