Klaatu (Skiff Guard) - TVC - Basic (VC135)

Celebrate the legacy of Star Wars, the action-and-adventure-packed space saga from a galaxy far, far away, with this collection of premium, highly-detailed 3.75-inch scale figures and vehicles. (Each sold separately. Subject to availability.)

Wow. If only Wave 4 (Wave 20) were Wave 1 (Wave 17), things would be quite different for The Vintage Collection right now. From a heavily influenced Return Of The Jedi wave, Klaatu (Skiff Guard) is a long-awaited update to the 1984 classic vintage Kenner Klaatu (In Skiff Guard Outfit) figure. This release isn’t the first time Hasbro attempted to provide the Star Wars collecting community with a modern counterpart. No, the first version of Klaatu came in 1999’s POTF2 [FB/CT] Jabba’s Skiff Guards Cinema Scenes set. At the time, that Klaatu figure was a fantastic release, but it’s since aged a little too much. And collectors have been waiting for an update for much too long. Thankfully, Klaatu (Skiff Guard) is here, and collectors are going to rejoice because Hasbro made another excellent action figure that is faithful to the onscreen character, comes loaded with articulation, and has a better than you’d expect paint job that ties of all his wonderful characteristics together beautifully. Klaatu (Skiff Guard) isn’t perfect, but you’re not going to care. It’s so refreshing to see such love for Return Of The Jedi manifested with a fantastic wave of figures. Klaatu (Skiff Guard) brings freshness to the line while stoking that vintage Kenner nostalgia. And with Jabba’s Sail Barge (The Khetanna) around the corner, he’s an essential release to help populate the huge vehicle.

Klaatu (Skiff Guard) is an all-new figure and comes loaded with 29 points of articulation. Klaatu (Skiff Guard) can do thing previous action figures couldn’t ever achieve. And with incredible and finely-tuned articulation systems, the latest figures in The Vintage Collection have flexibility like never before. The smoothness of the joint movement is like butter. And cleverly cut parts allow for the widest range of movement possible. Klaatu (Skiff Guard) possesses the incredible motion we’re talking about here, and yet the joints remain tightened so the figure can hold its poses. The sculpt is beautiful and dynamic. Klaatu (Skiff Guard) looks very much like the onscreen character. We have to wonder why Lucasfilm didn’t work with Hasbro to finally give this character an official name. But instead, he remains generic with the Klaatu (Skiff Guard) moniker. Overall, we’re quite thrilled what Hasbro achieved with the sculpting of Klaatu (Skiff Guard). We noticed right about his head is VERY rounded when compared to past characters of the Kadas'sa'Nikto species Hasbro made in the line in previous years. The latter is more oblong whereas the former has a head that is almost perfectly spherical by comparison. The detail in this figure’s face isn’t crisp like the portraits we saw with 2010’s TVC Wooof (VC24) figure or 2009’s LC Giran (BD21) figure. It’s not inferior exactly, but the previous versions are exceptional.

Many collectors are disappointed that Klaatu (Skiff Guard) doesn’t come with a removable helmet, but we couldn’t be happier. Helmets not fixed onto the figures’ heads cause more problem than needed. Having a permanently secured helmet that will always stay in place and shows the character the only way we saw them in the film is something we can support Hasbro with in their decision to do this. We’re thoroughly impressed with the pint job Hasbro gave Klaatu (Skiff Guard). His coloring is right on the mark and Hasbro finished him off with a stunning dirty wash which highlights the texture of his costume. Klaatu (Skiff Guard) only comes with one accessory, a force pike, and it’s a fantastic replica of the weapon used by many skiff guards during the Battle of Carkoon. He holds it very well in one hand or both hands and looks amazing doing so. We’re thrilled to see this character updated. Please don’t mistake that for a moment. But we would have liked to see other vintage characters updated before this one. Again, that doesn’t mean we’re not thrilled to see this figure. We are. We believe other figures would have benefitted greater by getting added to The Vintage Collection before this character. Klaatu (Skiff Guard)’s packaging needs work, but it’s so refreshing to see Star Wars action figures back in this line, that we’re going to complain about it moderately. It won’t be a focus of disdain or anything.