Imperial Forces (Bossk/IG-88/Snowtrooper) - TVC - Special Action Figure Sets

These two bounty hunters and a snowtrooper present ominous threats against the Rebel Alliance.

Deciding what multipacks to purchase from the second wave of the Target-exclusive Special Action Figure Sets should be an easy choice for all collectors. If you love everything “Kenner,” then sets like the Imperial Forces pack is a no-brainer. If you don’t like repurchasing figures with slight paint variances or even no notable differences at all again and again, then this is a set to skip. Admittedly, the Imperial Forces set is the most interesting to us, but the root of that affection is directly related to the bounty hunters. All three Star Wars characters included here were excellent when Hasbro first released them in the second wave of “Vintage” The Saga Collection vintage Kenner-styled figures (also known as VTSC). However, just like another Special Action Figure Set, this one also has one character out of place, the Snowtrooper. Or the bounty hunters are both out of place since it’s an Imperial Forces set. (Does “Imperial Forces” mean “affiliates of the Empire”? Whatever the reason, we have a hodgepodge of characters here. Typically, most Star Wars fans love bounty hunters, and this set has both bounty hunters and a popular troop builder. What else is there to love? While we love this Special Action Figure Set, we hope that Hasbro gets to the rest before we wamnt a full modern collection of these multipacks.

Bossk is a straight repack of 2010’s Star Wars [Shadow Of The Dark Side] Bossk (SL01) figure, which itself is a slight repaint of the original 2007 VTSC Bossk (Bounty Hunter) figure. Bossk has the same coloring, shading, accessories, and articulation and holds up flawlessly for a 2007 figure. Hasbro significantly raised their action figure standards in 2006 and beyond, so it makes sense why figures from this time and after still hold up remarkably well today. The only noticeable difference we can see on the Special Action Figure Set version of Bossk is that the eyes look brighter orange. But this difference is negligible. Bossk is a fantastic action figure whose “character” truly represents why The Empire Strikes Back is an engaging and dedicated film. IG-88 is also a straight repack of the 2010 Star Wars [Shadow Of The Dark Side] IG-88 (SL02) figure, which, just like Bossk, is a slight repaint of 2007’s VTSC IG-88 (Bounty Hunter) figure. Another gorgeously perfect figure, this assassin droid is the ideal complement to any collection and sets a precedent with a stunning 26 points of articulation. (The question you need to ask yourself is if you need to repurchase this bounty hunter, and that’s a question only you can answer. Another exciting aspect of the Imperial Forces set is the Snowtrooper, and hopefully, you’re not rolling your eyes.

This character has more variations than we can count, but the version in this set looks identical to the 2010 Star Wars [Shadow Of The Dark Side] Snowtrooper (SL23) figure. (Hasbro went through at least three unique paint jobs for this figure in the 2010 Saga Legends line alone. But there is also a bit of homage paying here as well. Hasbro has included a secondary DLT-20A blaster with the Snowtrooper. Why is this special? Well, it may seem like it’s just another weapon. Still, you may recall that the 1980 ESB Imperial Stormtrooper (Hoth Battle Gear) figure came with a long rifle, similar to the one included with the 1980 IG-88 (Bounty Hunter) action figure. The modern iteration of the Snowtrooper figure in this set comes with a similar “long rifle” again but in a contemporary take. They weren’t identical weapons in the vintage line but similar enough. So we have the super-articulated Snowtrooper packed with a “long rifle” for the first time. We thought that was an extraordinary way to pay homage or add nostalgia to make collectors smile. The Imperial Forces set is a fine addition to The Vintage Collection, but it isn’t something you need if you already have these figures. After all, a critical portion of the experience collecting this line is all about the packaging.