Speeder Bike (With Scout Trooper) - POTF2 [FB/CT] - Action Collection (Exclusive)

"A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...."

Deep within the forests of Endor, the Rebels advance to destroy the shield-generator base which powers the Death Star's protective shield. With minimal time before the Death Star comes within range of the Rebel assault fleet, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Princess Leia lead a Rebel commando unit against the base, but are ambushed by Imperial forces on Endor.

Following a botched reconnaissance mission, Luke and Leia are forced to pursue Imperial scout troopers on speeder bikes. Dodging near hits from blaster fire, the racers weave in between the trees at top speed, in a dangerous game of cat and mouse.

Sleekly styled for exceptional maneuverability and powered by a turbine repulsorlift engine, the speeder bike is an excellent vehicle for patrol and reconnaissance missions, especially on such Imperial outposts as the forest planet of Endor.

In 2000, Hasbro changed The Power Of The Force “2” Action Collection line for the better. After releasing a diverse array of characters in one-sixth scale, they decided to think “big” in ways not done beforehand. Sure, they produced the fantastic Luke Skywalker Vs. Wampa and Han Solo & Tauntaun sets, each of which included a “larger” beast. But nothing came close to 2000’s POTF2 [FB/CT] Speeder Bike (With Scout Trooper) Action Collection set. Do you believe that Hasbro produced a Speeder Bike for the 12 Inch Figures line? While it was refreshing to receive 1999’s EI Darth Maul & Sith Speeder Walmart exclusive set, the Speeder Bike (With Scout Trooper) TARGET exclusive set took things to a higher level. It’s massively bigger and comes with a level of authenticity that we have not seen in this line to date. Both the Speeder Bike and the Scout Trooper are two of Hasbro’s most significant achievements in the Action Collection line, and that isn’t an exaggeration in the slightest. The packaging is humongous, and the Speeder Bike inside of it is gigantic. And the Scout Trooper pack-in figure, a first for the Action Collection line mind you, features an all-new buck with an unprecedented amount of articulation. The articulation system of the Scout Trooper allows the figure to sit naturally and believably on the Speeder Bike. The figure can do it all: hold onto the handlebars, crouch down to avoid Rebel Alliance fire, and balance itself no matter the way you position the Speeder Bike on the stands.

Hasbro added in a fantastic amount of features into the Speeder Bike vehicle. In addition to the aforementioned pivoting handlebars, Hasbro also installed a removable Endor poncho for a rainy day. Behind where the Endor poncho sits in the back of the Speeder Bike, and you’ll find two articulated exhaust flaps that flip up in the same fashion, we see them move in Star Wars Episode VI: Return Of The Jedi. When you place the Scout Trooper rider on the Speeder Bike, collectors can take advantage of the positionable foot pedals, which generously move in a wide range of motion. The Scout Trooper’s feet can rest on them if you pose them as such. It’s a beautiful feature of this exclusive Action Collection release. Also included with the Speeder Bike, are two three-position poseable “action” stands cast in clear plastic to remain “invisible” while displaying this item in a collection. And lastly, Hasbro added a swiveling, front-mounted, blaster cannon that we see in use during the Battle of Endor. The detail of the Speeder Bike is unprecedented. Although it’s not too heavy, the Speeder Bike has some decent weight to it. The plastic doesn’t feel cheap or chintzy. The details of the Speeder Bike, from the handlebars to the exhaust flaps, are stunning. Hasbro didn’t hold back any of the detail at all. And the paint operations, although quite simple in execution, are beautifully applied. You’ll find exhaust collection, carbon-scoring, and other scratched and scrapes to give the Speeder Bike a “used” look in the Star Wars universe.

As much as we’re in love with the Speeder Bike, we probably appreciate the included Scout Trooper a bit more. The figure can obtain so many scene-accurate positions. Sure, the armor looks bulky in spots. But between the overall screen-accurate silhouette and the finely etched details, the Scout Trooper is a stunning replica of the character we saw on-screen. The figure comes with armor plating that matches the Scout Troopers seen in the Battle of Endor. And Hasbro remembered to include the character’s signature blaster pistol. They also tooled a removable boot holster for the gun, and the weapon fits in it like a glove. It’s not too often when we rank an Action Collection figure as perfect, but the Scout Trooper comes dangerously close to that, in our opinion. Also removable is the chest armor and belt. These are all wonderful features for the Scout Trooper figure to have. Generally speaking, we’re enthralled with the Scout Trooper figures, as well as the Speeder Bike vehicle. We’re thrilled that Hasbro decided to make this for collectors of the Action Collection line. It’s the biggest thing they’ve produced, and it likely will be the last. This project was a huge undertaking, and we’re not sure if the Action Collection has that much life left in it to tackle other large vehicles as the like. Reserved as a TARGET exclusive with an MSRP of $49.99, the Speeder Bike (With Scout Trooper) Action Collection set came with an August 6, 2000 street date. Despite its huge size, it became one of the most difficult Hasbro exclusives to find at retail.