World-Building:  A New Hope

[Editor's Note: Based on reader feedback, we updated the scoring methodology to better reflect the dual nature of the world-building potential vs. what is currently available to display]

We at BanthaSkull love world building. It's the main reason why we collect - so that we can immerse ourselves in recreating displays that depict so many of the scenes from across the saga. As I wrote the other day, Hasbro has their work cut out for them when it comes to pleasing all the collectors, especially given that we live in a time precious few figure slots available and so many new media sources on the way. So we're going to take a deep dive into 3.75" world-building, by looking at each film, one at a time. This will be a recurring feature, but we can't promise that this will be regularly scheduled like clockwork. We'll get to the next installment as soon as time permits. I am very busy!

The idea here is to break down each source by each of its significant scenes, and then give it a Banthaskull World Building score that gives it a current rating out of the total potential (max 10) which would vary by the awesomeness of a hypothetical complete display.

For example, a complete Cantina Scene would likely be the crown jewel of almost any collection, and would have a potential display value of 10, but maybe we can only get 70% there based on what's currently available. This would score a 7/10. Another example might be the Tatooine Deserts. We have a bunch of figures, beasts, and vehicles that comprise the scenes from the Tatooine deserts, but its not likely Hasbro would be inclined to give us a bunch of rocks and mountains to complete a proper display. So the potential for awesomeness might be limited to just a 6, but since we have almost everything else that we would need to recreate the majority of the scenes, it could score a 6/6. The scores are obviously subjective, and probably not 100% consistent when compared across all the sources in the Saga.

We'll start with A New Hope. Obviously, all three films from the Original Trilogy pre-date the Hasbro license, which began in 1995, and continue to garner relatively significant attention when compared to other sources. While there is a ton of product available, there are still a few gaps that collectors may like to see addressed in the coming years. Let's look at the major scenes from the film, and give them a world building score.





Tantive IV

Fans finally got something close to what many have wanted for so many years. With the recent arrival of the modular Tantive IV playset, we can reasonably recreate the hallway and "back alley" scenes on board the ship with the first ship interior we had ever scene. Prior to this year, we had to either imaging the iconic white hallway walls existing behind our figures, or we had to do some kind of custom background. But this release elevated the already pretty high world-building aspect of this scene. We have most of the figures necessary, with the biggest needs being the named Imperial Officers (Jir and Praji) and an escape pod docking bay for the pod we already have - which seems highly unlikely.

World Building Score: 6/7

If you use the generic black-clad officers we already have as substitutes for Jir and Praji, then we're pretty much done here. Hasbro could easily bring this to a completion if they released a new officer body (Krennic? Tarkin? Rampart?) and gave us both of these guys. If you have several of the Tantive modular playsets, and all the figures, it would make for a really nice display. Not quite at the top of the list as far as awe-inspiring, but still pretty nice.

---

Tatooine deserts / Jundland Waste

We have Tuskens, Jawas, the sandcrawler, and the landspeeder, along with Luke, Obi-Wan, and the droids, as well as sandtroopers and dewbacks (Edit: ...and Banthas - thank you, Agustin!). Some people want an updated sandcrawler to replace the fairly simple 2004 version, but at least we have it. As for environments, it seems unlikely that Hasbro would make desert landscapes as Kenner did with the Land of the Jawas. So it's likely we're left with no official environments.

World Building Score: 6/7

We're pretty much done here, with almost no potential of significant additions. A new sancrawler would up the score a bit. Otherwise the lack of an environmental piece isn't too worrisome, given how bland it would likely be. Perhaps Hasbro could craft a simple plastic backdrop of a rocky cliff face with a sandy base complete with a Krayt dragon skeleton. Doesn't seem particularly exciting, but I'd buy it. As it is, a simple desert landscape image printed behind your figures should suffice.

---

Lars Homestead

We have most of the figures needed here (perhaps a random background droid would be nice), although clearly we are in need of a new Owen and Beru. Oh yeah, and there's that issue of Farmboy Luke that is egregiously absent from TVC. We also have a (sub-par) Lars homestead dome. Perhaps you've seen us use it randomly in so many figure galleries' photography of desert towns across the galaxy. While the dome is a nice environmental piece, we don't have Luke's childhood home as a true interior playset. Not sure what the viability is here, although the fact that the interior was also used for AOTC (and TROS) helps it a bit.

World Building Score: 3/5

Right now we just have a bunch of figures against the backdrop of a pretty lame dome. Upgrades to some of the figures (especially Luke) seem possible, or even probable. Some day Hasbro might consider a homestead playset, with a garage complete with the V-35 landspeeder. Potential for improvement here is fairly low.

---

Kenobi Homestead

We've got the figures (some needing upgrades) and Luke's landspeeder, but no homestead for Mr. Kenobi. We even have the little table accessory that the group sat around while R2-D2 played Leia's holo message. It was a fairly iconic location, but Hasbro has shown no interest in this as an environment. That could change dramatically, however, if it is prominently featured in the upcoming Kenobi TV series.

World Building Score: 1/3

We can recreate the scene with figures and the table, but the interior of the home would be necessary to really make this an appealing shelf display. Even still, it's generally not going to blow anyone away.

---

Mos Eisley Streets

I bet you didn't realize that the backside of the POTF2 Cardboard Cantina at Mos Eisley is actually meant to be the exterior of the cantina as seen from the streets. Open exterior environments seem to be well outside of Hasbro's plans. But I think collectors would totally dig small, modular generic townscapes with shops and accessories that could be modified easily with different color / shape soft goods awnings. If about the size of the Tantive playset, they could have as many as 4 small shops (2 in front, and 2 in back) that could be arranged in a number of ways to add variety. With specific regard to Mos Eisley, we have loads of existing figures, droids, and beasts that can serve in the background. However, unless you make your own backdrop, they are kind of left to just wander around your shelf.

World Building Score: 6/8

The aforementioned street vendor playsets would be pretty awesome, and could also be used for places like Mos Espa, Jedha, Jakku, or several towns/planets from The Mandalorian. Nevertheless, there's a lot available to make a decent "streetscape" scene even without any real environmental playsets. A full scene would be pretty awesome.

---

Cantina

This is one of the most iconic scenes in the entire saga, which also happens to be one of the best examples of 3.75" world-building. We have a ton of figures from this scene, and while a few could stand an upgrade, there is still some important work for Hasbro to do as far as giving us all the patrons we see on screen. We also have the bar pieces (but not the distillery), along with a table. But unless you do a custom piece, you're left with the cardboard playset mentioned above. There's plenty of room for a major upgrade to your display if Hasbro were to go all in on an actual Cantina Playset. This one has HasLab written all over it.

World Building Score: 7/10

If you have all of the cantina figures and accessories on display, it's already pretty awesome, and might be among the very best to show off in your collection. But a true cantina playset, along with about a dozen more deep backgrounders, would complete your display and bring it to an entirely new level.

---

Millennium Falcon

With the arrival of the BMF in 2008, we have just about everything we would need as far as displayability for this set piece. We have all the figures (again, maybe needing some upgrading), and the ability to have figures in the cockpit, the lounge, the smugglers' hatches, and the gunner stations. The exterior of the ship is almost it's own environment, worthy as a backdrop to any number of vignettes.

World Building Score: 7/7

The ship itself is huge and an amazing centerpiece of one's collection. I can't think of much that we need beyond what we already have. The only knock here is that relatively few figure interact with the ship on screen, so it's not like the Sail Barge where you're going to load it up with a dazzling array of figures. Oh yeah, there would be absolutely no chance the Millennium Falcon could be done in that other scale. That alone makes it awesome.

---

Death Star

This is the big one. Kenner gave it a shot, and if you were lucky enough to have it as a kid, you've probably been pining for an modern upgrade since 1995. We do have a few Hasbro pieces, such as the POTF2-era chasm swing and detention block, as well as the 2002 Trash Compactor set (with the only modern Dionoga). But those sets are not interactive with each other, and definitely leave something to be desired. We have possibly just about every figure you'd need to accurately depict every scene in all the rooms and hallways shown in A New Hope. While many figures could use updates, we do have tons of officers, stormtroopers, pilots, gunners, and droids, along with Vader and all the heroes. We are simply left with no viable Hasbro playset in which to display everything.

World Building Score: 6/10

We have officers (that can't sit), but no briefing room. We have stormtroopers, but no hallways or landing platform. We have gunners, but no guns. We have no hallway for Vader to duel his former master, no headquarters from where Tarkin can order the destruction of Alderaan, nor do we have the command room where Luke and Han hatch their rescue plan. We have neither the elevator, nor the detention block center where everyone was just fine, thank you. Our many figures remain homeless. It's very sad. A proper HasLab Death Star can be a truly massive dream project that puts the Sail Barge to shame. Such a product would jump this score to an instant 10.

---

Yavin

We need Bob Freakin' Hudsol. Otherwise, we've got tons of figures: Heroes, pilots, officers, guards, mechanics, and droids. We've got more X-Wings and Y-Wings than we know what to do with, and even have the little transport to shuttle people around the hangar. We are, however, missing any background playsets. We could really use a briefing room, a command center, and a ceremony dais (I have a nice cardboard backdrop, in the meantime). Something for a hanger would be great as well, like some kind of overhead crane, or even just the little floor lights.

World Building Score: 6/9

"Briefing Room" certainly doesn't rank very high on a list of terms that gets people to jump for joy, but Star Wars is rife with them, and Hasbro has made exactly zero. Large numbers of action figures that need briefing rooms dominate our collections. Yavin (for Rogue One, as well) and the Death Star are two from ANH alone, but there are also Home One, the Jedi Temple, and Geonisis, to name a few. We need a place for General Dodonna to show off the Death Star plans. We also need a command center for the Alliance officials to track the battle. And we need the dais for the celebration. Many fans will also never cease asking for missing pilots and their astromechs from Red and Gold squadron, even if some of them have changed in the new canon. These things would easily elevate an already awesome display of figures to a swoon-worthy museum set of world-building greatness.

---

Overall, ANH is pretty well represented, but a massive Death Star and a few playset-sized environments would almost complete the world-building possibilities. Just a few more cantina aliens, the occasional backgrounder, and a handful of hero upgrades might put this part of our collections in the books.

---

comments powered by Disqus