Grand Moff Tarkin - Mini Busts

Gentle Giant Ltd. took an all-new approach to their Mini Busts when they decided to add Grand Moff Tarkin to the line. Instead of developing a “simple” Mini Bust from the waist up, they added a diorama like quality to him instead. Not only do we get Grand Moff Tarkin in a brilliantly pensive mood, but we get a portion of the chair he was sitting in during the Death Star briefing scene in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. While they have broken new ground here, it’s still wonderful to know that Grand Moff Tarkin feels seamless in the Mini Bust line and does not stand out like a sore thumb when compared to the others already made. Grand Moff Tarkin is experimental, but more importantly it’s successful and truly is one of the finer Mini Busts created by Gentle Giant Ltd. This genuinely looks like Grand Moff Tarkin and while we may have been concerned with the relaxed pose of they gave him, it undoubtedly works with this collectible Mini Bust.

The Grand Moff Tarkin Mini Bust has been designed with great care. It’s all one piece, but there it has been created with multiple parts. The back of the chair and the arm rests are designed from a pliable plastic material, but its been excellently decorated to mimic the texture of the rest of piece, most notable Grand Moff Tarkin himself. Grand Moff Tarkin has been sculpted very well. His chin is resting on his left hand in a with a look on his face that seems to be recollecting the details of the conversation at hand. At the same time Grand Moff Tarkin is rather emotionless, just as he appeared in the film. Cold as ice and a seeker of answers without any patience for responses, all of these traits have been frozen in time thanks to this very good sculpt. The likeness is made very accurate thanks to his frail and thin frame, especially his signature facial structure and his hairline.

Limited to 6000 pieces, Grand Moff Tarkin should remain a fairly easy Mini Bust to find for your collection. But whether a low or generous edition size, Grand Moff Tarkin is a core character from Episode IV and one you should have in your collection regardless. Not many licensees attempt Tarkin as part of their respective lineups, so when he is done (and replicated so well), collectors should definitely take note. There are so many other details we should itemize to help sell this piece to you as well. Gentle Giant Ltd. has researched details that sometimes other licensees overlook. For example, they got his pale skin color exactly right without making his look like a ghost. And they, in our opinion, nailed the green/gray color of his uniform without issue. Grand Moff Tarkin is truly a welcomed addition to the Mini Bust line. We hope that Gentle Giant continues to bring the bland Imperial commanders and such into the line. They may not be as colorful or interesting as an alien, but they are necessary for the line.