Teemto Pagalies (Pod Racer) - SW [S - P1] - Basic (’02 #46)

Nearly all Star Wars collectors agree that Hasbro didn't produce enough Podracer pilots in the basic figure line. They probably shied away from making them because they wouldn't mean much without their vehicle counterparts. Still, many collectors loved the unique alien designs of the podracers and hoped that Hasbro would continue to produce them after the Episode I line had come and gone. And Hasbro has. The addition to the Star Wars "Saga" line is Teemto Pagalies (Pod Racer). Hasbro misspelled the word "Podracer" on the figure's packaging, but they produced what might be considered the most intricate multipack based on the Boonta Eve Classic. Teemto Pagalies (Pod Racer) will be a fast seller, but most likely because of the large "accessories" packed alongside it. Not only do we get a detailed action figure of Teemto Pagalies, but we also get a piece of podracer engine debris and a "Maintenance Spider Droid" whose official name is a P-100 Salvage Droid. What makes the droid's inclusion here so perplexing is that it is from deleted scenes, from the axed and extended cut of the podracing sequence in The Phantom Menace. Interestingly, Hasbro decided to include a character from the cutting room floor to pair with the podracing pilot, Teemto Pagalies. Hasbro filled the Star Wars "Saga" line with elaborate accessories, and many of the action figures come with extras that include more plastic than themselves.

Teemto Pagalies (Pod Racer) is no different. The inclusion of this extra plastic makes the less-than-five-dollar purchase more than worth it for collectors. And in actuality, Teemto Pagalies (Pod Racer) isn't the worst action figure we've seen in the line to date, even if it looks a little cartoonish. It's far from perfect, and you'll wish Hasbro did more for its articulation. Teemto Pagalies (Pod Racer) comes with six points of articulation. There is "enough" articulation here for any action figure, generally speaking, but the comes with legs that aren't ideal. They don't provide a stable center of gravity for the figure. The sculpt of Teemto Pagalies (Pod Racer) is decent. As we've mentioned, the figure looks like something out of a cartoon. Still, most of the contenders in this race are computer-generated and have exaggerated "barely" humanoid designs. Many characters from across the film have an "animated" appearance to them. The paint job is fair, and aside from a pouch that looks like a bull's scrotum hanging from the waist, we can't find much to complain about here, save for the limited articulation. Teemto comes with removable goggles that fit well, but it feels like the figure should have a gun. Hasbro added what we're considering a second figure in the set. A complete Maintenance Spider Droid is also part of this release. Its technical name is a P-100 Salvage Droid, and the character is only found in the deleted scenes of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.

Not only does it have a fantastic and realistic sculpt, but it also has articulation and an action feature. The action feature works well in this instance, interestingly. If you press the top of the droid's head, the legs spread out to recreate a walking "motion," and it looks great. But the legs' motion is to pick up podracer debris from the many crashes during the race. This droid possesses the ability to wrap its legs around the piece of podracer debris included here. All four legs on the maintenance spider droid are removable, but be careful as we've received breakage reports through force. The other fantastic accessory is the podracer engine debris section we just referenced. It is well-designed and impressed with its detail. It's one of the finest diorama additions we can think of, and that's saying quite a bit. Teemto Pagalies (Pod Racer) isn't an award-winning action figure by any means, but we need to make it clear that the money you spend on a basic figure goes beyond the action figure. Sometimes accessories are worth your money as well. The "stuff" that comes with Teemto Pagalies (Pod Racer) is of real value here. Now, all we need is this character's podracer. And that would be a fabulous addition to the Hasbro Star Wars line too. If collectors are honest with themselves, they will acknowledge how progressive the Star Wars "Saga" line is. We're are getting some amazing things with our figures now.