JTA Presents: Evolutions - 2-1B

Welcome to another one of our JTA Presents: Evolutions features! Let’s check out how close or far we are from having an ideal Hasbro 3.75″ 2-1B action figure. Have we arrived at definitive status yet? Weigh in and let us know what conclusion you’ll come to by clicking through and adding your two cents in the comments!

2-1B is a character to whom young Star Wars fans attached themselves quickly. Who doesn’t remember going to the doctor, and the anxiety we encountered as he or she made us better? Well, when watching The Empire Strikes Back, all of us felt the tension when Luke Skywalker was healing in the bacta tank, and then once again when given a prosthetic hand by this medical droid. The blue color and the see-through abdomen made 2-1B a standout character. But Hasbro has not visited the droid often enough in the modern line.

2-1B from 1981’s The Empire Strikes Back line

The vintage Kenner 2-1B is one of the more memorable action figures of the classic era. Who doesn’t remember utilizing this action figure for countless surgeries and the like to help Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Princess Leia Organa moved ahead with their day? The action figure is faithful to the onscreen character. And the removable mouthpiece and medical tool the droid came with set it apart from other characters in Episode V. By the time the modern line came around, 2-1B was on many collectors’ wish lists for an update.

2-1B Medic Droid from 1997’s The Power Of The Force “2” [Green/Freeze Frame] line.

We got the one and only modern update of 2-1B Medic Droid in Kenner’s/Hasbro’s The Power Of The Force “2” [Green/Freeze Frame] line. This figure was a tremendous update when compared to the vintage Kenner figure, but it is enormous and out of scale with other figures in the line. Still, the coloring, textures and features of the modern 2-1B Medic Droid are difficult to discount. Sadly, Hasbro used this figure for The Vintage Collection Special Action Figure Set, and it’s time for them to give us an all-new sculpt. And no, we hope they don’t use the 30 (77-07) version because it’s too small and also Episode III specific.

2-1B Group Shot

Questions for discussion:

1. In your opinion, do we have a definitive version of this figure?

2. If we don’t have a definitive version of this figure, should Hasbro tool a new figure from the ground up again, or should they tweak a current sculpt to perfect it instead?

3. If the figure ranks as definitive for you, do you want to see it repackaged in vintage Kenner packaging (The Vintage Collection) if it isn’t already?

4. Add any other points of note or interest in the comments about any of these versions of 2-1B action figures.

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