Dutch Vander (Gold Leader) (Battle Of Yavin) - SW [S - P3] - Basic (’04 #13)

Gold Leader was the comm unit designation for Rebel pilot Jon Vander's Y-wing during the Battle of Yavin. Nicknamed "Dutch," Vander was the leader of the squadron during the attack on the first Death Star. He previously had led a squadron at Renforra base, and he proudly wore the emblem of Specter Squadron on his helmet. He was killed during the Battle of Yavin.

After a long run of action figures based on Star Wars Episode II: Attack Of The Clones, Hasbro decided to return to its roots and release a healthy dose of characters from the Original Trilogy. The 2004 phase of the Star Wars “Saga” line started off with some action figures from Hoth, but as the year progressed, fans of A New Hope and Return Of The Jedi were treated to some new gems as well. With a change in the way Star Wars action figures had been released up to this point, Hasbro begun releasing waves of figures as best as they could by themes. The Battle of Yavin was one of these themes and for the first time ever, Hasbro produced characters from this history changing scene in Star Wars much to the elation of collectors. Dutch Vander (Gold Leader) (Battle Of Yavin) not only gave drooling fans the first time offering of this character, it also introduced an all-new sculpt base figure so that Hasbro could continue bringing us new pilots with this updated body. Dutch Vander (Gold Leader) (Battle Of Yavin) isn’t a perfect figure, but you’ll definitely favor with it and see why it’s a history-making action figure in Hasbro’s Star Wars line. It’s not revolutionary as its sculpt needs some work, but it definitely sets the bar higher

What sets Dutch Vander (Gold Leader) (Battle Of Yavin) apart from all previously released X-wing pilot action figures is the inclusion of premium articulation. The upper body is a little to stiff, but you’ll be more concerned with the awesome ball-jointed knees. Because of these joints, you’re able to attain a marvelous amount of movement out of this figure. It’s not flawless mind you, but it’s a huge improvement over older releases. When all is said and done, Dutch Vander (Gold Leader) (Battle Of Yavin) comes with nine points of articulation. These points include a swivel head, two swivel shoulders (the most disappointing aspect of the figure), a swivel right bicep, a swivel left glove, two swivel hips and two ball-jointed knees. While not perfect, this figure is a huge step in the right direction for a super-articulated version. On top of decent articulation, the sculpt has been done very well too. The likeness is excellent to the onscreen character and he is the perfect height as he was a tall pilot in the film. This also raises the point that this new body style will not work for all of the pilots at the Battle of Yavin, especially Luke Skywalker who is also a bit short for a Rebel Pilot too.

Dutch Vander (Gold Leader) (Battle Of Yavin) also comes with two accessories. He comes with a blaster and a removable helmet. The helmet is decorated quite impressively. There is a ton of detail that has been added to it and it looks like no other helmet we have see to date. When fully assembled, Dutch Vander (Gold Leader) (Battle Of Yavin) really does look pretty good. As one of the main players in the Battle of Yavin, this is one action figure we feel is a must-have for your own collection. It definitely appears as if the Star Wars “Saga” line has headed in a completely new direction. Most of the run was heavy with Episode II action figures laden with action features. But in the later phases of the line, the action figures are more collector based and appeal to the “older crowd” for lack of a better word. It’s nice to see a return to characters based on the very first Star Wars film, and it’s nice to see an all-new sculpt made for a Rebel pilot and to see Hasbro get a little more creative with the tooling. You can expect to see this mold again, but you can also expect the design to be revisited again and again. Dutch Vander (Gold Leader) (Battle Of Yavin) also comes with a generic action figure stand like all of the other figures in the line do as well.