Emperor Palpatine - POTF2 [FF/TKC] - New Millennium Minted Coin Collection

The Star Wars Mint is officially re-instituted with this limited edition series! New gold-colored coins feature character images from the classic silver-colored coin release – all with brand new reverse-side stampings specially designed for this exclusive commemorative offering.

Kenner/Hasbro picked a nice range of characters for The New Millennium Minted Coin Collection. While some figures in this range have little to no changes aside from paint operations differences, others, like Emperor Palpatine are more aggressive in approach. Emperor Palpatine is based on the design of the Power F/X Emperor Palpatine but is still an all-new figure despite this. Shorter in stature, different in details, and removed from electronics, this time around Emperor Palpatine comes with some of the similar features of the Power F/X version, yet doesn’t share any similar parts from what we can tell, up to and including the head sculpt. The best part about the New Millennium Minted Coin Collection is the pack-in coin. Kenner/Hasbro re-struck the coins in gold this time and created an all-new coin back to keep it fresh, new and different from the classic Kenner silver aluminum coins. Emperor Palpatine’s coin is nice, but it isn’t one of the rare mail-away coins of yesteryear, and we would have preferred to see some of the harder to find coins added to this exclusive line instead.

Collectors are always looking for the latest and greatest modern update to Emperor Palpatine, but we don’t think this new version is going to cut it either. In the case of Emperor Palpatine, we’re struggling to tell if it's good or awful. That is about the perfect assessment we can give this figure. As you know the “original” version of this figure came with electronics. And there are holes in the palms of the figure’s hands so that Force lightning can be attached. The same approach is carried forward here but without the electronics. So, if you don’t pose Emperor Palpatine with his Force lightning accessories, the figure is going to display massive holes in his palms. So, you’re stuck with one type of pose for this action figure. Emperor Palpatine possesses an almost perfect silhouette, and this is thanks to a great molded outer robe paired with a decent likeness that captures the gray-faced villain quite well. Ironically, the figure feels like it has just as much going against it. It might be safest to say that Emperor Palpatine is a paradox.

We also find it curious that the 1984 vintage Kenner The Emperor figure comes with more articulation than this release. And the vintage Kenner figure also has a better likeness too. It's not that the modern release looks terrible, but the sculptors in 1984 managed to secure a better look to the evil Sith Master years ago. Technology should have allowed them to master his likeness today. Emperor Palpatine comes with four points of articulation. There isn't any articulation below the shoulders, so this means that his entire body is one solid piece of plastic. The figure is posed in a rather generic posture. There isn’t anything too exciting about his sculpting. We’re seeing quite a few Emperor Palpatine figure released in such a short period. This version of Emperor Palpatine might be of the better ones released. But it has quite a bit going against it. For example, this version of his comes without his signature cane. But we do like the pack-in premium here: the coin. And the display base is attractive as well. With so few figures in this line possessing new tooling, it’s nice to see one that is all-new.