Yoda & R2-D2 (Star Wars Animated) - Maquettes

Gentle Giant Ltd.’s line of Star Wars Animated Maquettes can be hit or miss. Just like any other collection of high-end statues, there are going to be some that grasp your attention while others can fall by the wayside because they just aren’t engaging enough. The 2007 World Tour Exclusive Yoda & R2-D2 Maquette is absolutely one of Gentle Giant Ltd.’s highpoints. There is no way any Star Wars fan can’t find something to enjoy about this piece irrespective if they collect anything from the Maquettes line or not. The bittersweet thing about this piece is that is was an exclusive And even though a fair 2500 pieces were manufactured, it’s exclusivity at variations conventions (worldwide no less) worked in its favor to sell out before many collectors even had a chance to purchase one. As a result, it started catching above MSRP process almost instantly. (Editor’s Note: The Yoda & R2-D2 Maquette catches upwards of four times its original price on the aftermarket today. That is simply unbelievable for a piece that has an edition size of this “magnitude”.)

This piece is truly stellar and it will put a smile on your face. Both Yoda and R2-D2 are at a tug-of-war with Luke Skywalker’s lamp and Yoda has his gimer stick at the ready to defend himself, which we all know he eventually does. They both favor their appearances in Tartakovsky’s Clone Wars and that’s perhaps what makes this Maquette even more special for us. It helps connect the dots (in a reverse animated way) and makes the Expanded Universe timeline of Tartakovsky’s Clone Wars even more meaningful. It’s a brilliantly colorful piece. There are a few pieces to help give the scenery a bit more texture. There are sticks on the ground, and our favorite additional character, Yoda’s orange snake, is a powerful reminder of the 1981 vintage Kenner action figure we all owned as kids back in the day. Interestingly, we’re stuck with that the snake included here is a doppelganger for Oscar the Grouch’s pet, Slimey the Worm. (Hey, he even went on a space mission on Sesame Street. Maybe he ended up on Dagobah also?) But it’s these little accents that add so much more depth to an already exciting collectible.

Stunningly sculpted and beautifully hand-painted, the Yoda & R2-D2 Maquette is a truly visually pleasing piece for your collection. Yoda and R2-D2 are in perfect proportion to eat other and the piece is a perfect animated take on the scene we all found amusing in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. The Yoda & R2-D2 Maquette is one solid piece, so if you break something off of it God forbid, you’re going to have to dig out the Krazy Glue to fix it. (Or if you’re OCD you’ll have to purchase an entirely new piece. Yes, we have been guilty of doing that ourselves.) The Star Wars Animated Maquettes line isn’t for everyone. They are a bit overpriced quite honestly and we think that if the price point was under $60 that they’d be much more successful than they already are. But as with any Star Wars collectible, availability really dictates how popular a piece will be. Part of the 2007 World Tour Exclusive program, the Yoda & R2-D2 Maquette made its debut at Star Wars Celebration IV, but it has been available at a few other American conventions as well. We do think it is one of the best pieces in the line to date. Hopefully you have secured one for yours.