Ponda Baba - POTF2 [R/G] - Basic

Height: 1.85 Meters
Status: Smuggler and Pirate
Classification: Aqualish
Affiliation: None
Weapon of Choice: Blaster Pistol

If there is one thing that ranks as one of the top benefits of The Power Of The Force “2” line it is that collectors were for the first time going to get extremely accurate versions of the vintage Kenner figures we had as much younger fans. case in point would be Ponda Baba from the green phase of POTF2. What were those 1970 Kenner employees smoking back in the day that gave Walrus Man flipper feet and a bright orange shell? We kid of course, but reference materials were nothing like they are today and sculptors back then had very little to work with to bring these character to action figure life. A timeless 1979 vintage Kenner action figure, Walrus Man was equally mysterious as he was awesome. Too bad he didn’t come with a “removable limb” feature like the future See-Threepio (C-3PO) (With Removable Limbs) did only a few short years later. We digress. It took until the inverse of ‘79 for Kenner Hasbro to update the Aqualish in the modern era and for the first time the character looked like the actual character in the cantina in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. It was a distinct pleasure when this figure started hitting shelves. So this is what he is supposed to look like!

Of course, when change begins, it is hard to make change stop. Much to the chagrin of many collectors, Kenner/Hasbro opted to update his name which originated from Expanded Universe sources. It’s not that Walrus Man is any more accurate, but the character’s name had been upgraded to Ponda Baba with any reference to Walrus Man completely removed. But it’s okay. The new (and correct) modern version of Ponda Baba is quite impressive and frankly it’s nice to see his feet in boots instead of bare flipper feet. Ponda Baba now sports a completely orange jacket (which looks almost exactly like the yellow from Luke Skywalker (In Ceremonial Outfit)) as well an a tan undershirt and tan pants. He also comes with black boots. His head sculpt, which many refer to as “butt face”, is pretty excellent. It’s large (which recreates the aesthetic of a mask on a human head which is just perfect) and the detail is very, very nice. The paint operations on Ponda Baba are equally nice, albeit simple, and add as much character into the portrait and the sculpting has done. He has a nice stand and a great center of gravity too. Overall, we bet most collectors will find Ponda Baba to be a very nice modern update of the character.

Ponda Baba comes with two weapon accessories: one screen accurate and one a Hasbro convention. The blaster is modeled after the prop from A New Hope. But the blaster rifle (the larger weapon) is just a Hasbro concept (or perhaps from some other reference material that we just don’t know about). Both weapons fit nicely in his hands and they really accent the character is a lovely way. It would have been wonderful is Kenner/Hasbro tooled a removable arm here as that is Ponda Baba’s signature feature, but hopefully future updates will contain this detail instead. Although he isn’t posed in a slouched position like he is at the bar in Chalmun’s cantina, this is a wonderful action figure that doesn’t have too bulky features or any other potentially screen inaccurate features that would affect how much collectors appreciate this character. In summation, Ponda Baba is a very nice addition to The Power Of The Force “2” line. For trivia lovers, Ponda Baba was intended to be carried forward into the Freeze Frame phase of the line. In the Freeze Frame action slide holder you will even see his name in the list under Collection 3. He was briskly rpelaced by Princess Leia Organa (In Hoth Gear). We’re not sure what happened for this change to occur, but this fact still remains.