Chewbacca [Version 1] - LC - Saga Legends (SL15)

The fierce Wookiee is Han Solo's smuggling partner and copilot of the Millennium Falcon. He uses a breath mask while repairing the malfunctioning Falcon inside an asteroid that provides a convenient location to hide from pursuing Imperial fighters.

Chewbacca has seen quite a metamorphosis throughout the years with his action figure presence in the basic line ever since his first modern version was released in 1995. But when the fabulous VOTC version was released, it put the old sculpts into retirement and this version has remained constant and steadfast (and most importantly, true to scale) going forward. Hasbro quickly realized that they struck gold with this marvelous VOTC sculpt and have reinvented it many times (whether a different paint application or a new head sculpt), making nearly every Chewbacca film or EU specific possibility out there and we don’t think there is anything more they can do to perfect this figure. So far, this VOTC Chewbacca has been refreshed and included in 2005’s TSC Early Bird Figures set, 2006’s TAC Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (5 of 6) Commemorative Tin Collection set , 2007’s TAC Betrayal On Bespin Battle Packs set, 2008’s TLC Hoth Recon Patrol Battle Packs set, 2008’s TLC Millennium Falcon (as a pack-in figure) and 2008’s TLC Chewbacca (BD 3) basic figure. The latter figure was even released in error for THIS particular Saga Legends release too. As you can see, this particular Chewbacca sculpt gets around! And this is warranted!

This time, for the Legacy Collection (red phase) Saga Legends version, Hasbro has opted to use the Chewbacca from the TAC 2007 Betrayal On Bespin Battle Packs set (nearly identical to the 2004 VOTC Chewbacca, but with the slightest shinier and darker paint application) and now includes a gas mask to replicate his appearance from the Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back mynock hunt scene. But the first couple batches of cases produced were filled with the error figure instead: 2008's TLC Chewbacca (BD 3) instead. That's the figure here. Chewbacca is hyper-articulated and sports fifteen points of articulation. A second torso joint pushes him over the edge of just plainly being super-articulated. We have obviously seen this figure released a whole bunch of times, but it never ceases to amaze us just how well-constructed this figure indeed is. Evidently, the sculptor painstaking and patiently ensured this figure’s beauty by including wonderful texture, authentic draping fur, stunning height and a likeness to the film character that we believe will be impossible for Hasbro to improve upon – it is truly this good! His fur is lighter and it's also more fly-away than his other action figure counterparts, but we like it nonetheless. As a result, it has become a necessary purchase for us.

Chewbacca’s crossbow is nothing new either, but we will make it a point to express that it too is constructed very, very well. It looks just like the one in the film and can be posed in his hands very well. The strap is sculpted a little too stiffly and may look awkward with some poses but overall it is fantastic! We are excited to have this phenomenal figure readily available in the line again, even if it’s simply a repacked figure with a "new" accessory. Many collectors ask about the relative scarcity of this particular version of Chewbacca. Packages with the 2008 TLC Chewbacca (BD 3) figure are definitely rare, but the news didn't get out there too far about it, and not many collectors seem to care about these errors much anymore. But if you are interested in such variations, you should know that this error was quickly changed. Over time this may be a very hard variation to track down. In the past we have received the 2005 Revenge Of The Sith version of Chewbacca. It would be nice to see Hasbro update him with this newer sculpt. We'd even like to see a revisit the Cloud City scene where he carried C-3PO on his back/ This would be another cool addition to the line. Whatever version Hasbro decides, this Chewbacca should remain a mainstay at all times.