Obi-Wan Kenobi (Kamino Showdown) - SW [S - P2] - Deluxe

Ten years after the fight to save Naboo from invasion, the galaxy is on the brink of civil war. Under the leadership of a renegade Jedi, thousands of solar systems threaten to secede from the Galactic Republic. A courageous Jedi Knight, his impulsive and headstrong apprentice, and a queen-turned-senator are drawn into the heart of the conflict... and the beginning of war.

As his confrontation with the mysterious Jango Fett escalates into an explosive battle on a rain-battered landing platform on the planet Kamino, Obi-Wan Kenobi uses the power of the Force to fend off the savage attacks of the bounty hunter.

Star Wars Episode II: Attack Of The Clones had a few too many slow spots in the film that really affected the pace of the film. Thankfully, scenes like the skirmish between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Jango Fett brought needed action to the film. Hasbro also felt that the confrontation between a suited up Jango Fett and the Jedi Knight version of Obi-Wan Kenobi would make for some cool action figures, so they developed an interactive duo which included miniature environmental portions of the scene with some scene-specific action features for the Star Wars “Saga” line. As the Star Wars “Saga” line transitioned into its second phase, Hasbro planned, developed and ultimately released only four Deluxe figure sets. They were extremely difficult to locate at the retail level. We were only beginning to see the beginnings of distribution issues at this time. But Obi-Wan Kenobi (Kamino Showdown) was one of the four Deluxe sets released in 2003 and we have to admit that it came out interestingly well. More of a kids’ toys than anything else, it was made with the purpose to function alongside Jango Fett (Kamino Showdown) (another cool Deluxe figure) seamlessly. Obi-Wan Kenobi is far from a collector’s dream, but this very scene specific version of him (rain-soaked hair) was unique and served its purpose in this Deluxe set quite well.

Obi-Wan Kenobi is an all-new figure. He is very limited in articulation, but the important aspect of this figure is the action feature. The Kamino column serves as an air pump and a clear plastic tube jets out from its base and can plug into the Obi-Wan Kenobi action figure. Every time you pump the column, puffs of air shoot out from this left hand. Included in the set is an “invisible” column and some “debris”. If you place the debris on the column and place the Obi-Wan Kenobi figure in front of it while pumping the Kamino column, the air will make the debris go flying. OK, so that is a lot of engineering and drama for an action feature, but in our opinion is works. This isn’t a Deluxe set we would recommend for collectors obviously, but there is certainly enough play value here for the kids and sometimes things just have to be made with their consideration in mid. Admittedly, we find it refreshing to get, even if only small, portions of the Kamino platform where we witnessed Obi-Wan Kenobi and Jango Fett battling it out. The column may not be completely screen accurate, but there has been enough included here to give you an idea of what is trying to be represented. In short, we get enough of the scene for this toy to be poignant.

With so many of the same characters getting made in the Star Wars “Saga” line, collectors probably won’t want to consider another Obi-Wan Kenobi purchase. But at least this is a unique take on Obi-Wan Kenobi. It’s how he appeared on the rain planet of Kamino. Besides, when the two Deluxe sets are displayed together the set up is pretty nice. It’s like we now have the opportunity to purchase a little cross-section of Kamino. The Star Wars “Saga” line was in flux during the 2003 products year. As we have mentioned earlier, these sets were nearly impossible t find at the retail level. Many collectors had to rely on online to get these figures. But with the enhanced play features, it’s a good bet that there weren’t a ton of collector who were interested in acquiring these Deluxe action figures. (Editor’s Note: Obi-Wan Kenobi (Kamino Showdown) and Jango Fett (Kamino Showdown) were repackaged and re-released in the 2004 Star Wars “Saga” Ultra line as Obi-Wan Kenobi (Kamino Confrontation) and Jango Fett (Kamino Confrontation) respectively.) Obi-Wan Kenobi (Kamino Showdown) may not completely be your cup of tea, but we see its merit in the Star Wars “Saga” line. Besides, you need this Deluxe figure to complement the Jango Fett (Kamino Showdown) release which is a lot more interesting.