Darth Vader (Carbonized) - TBS [P3] - Six Inch Figures (Exclusive)

Once a heroic Jedi Knight, Darth Vader was seduced by the dark side of the Force, became a Sith Lord, and led the Empire's eradication of the Jedi Order.

The Darth Vader (Carbonized) and the Darth Vader The Empire Strikes Back 40th Anniversary figures fall under the which came first, the chick or egg category. Hasbro redesigned the previously existing 6” Darth Vader sculpt to make the character-specific to The Empire Strikes Back. But it’s a little more challenging to determine which they produced first; the Darth Vader (Carbonized) figure or the 40th Anniversary version. Ultimately it doesn’t matter. We’re calling 2020’s TBS [TESB40] Darth Vader, the first base figure, and 2020’s TBS [P3] Darth Vader (Carbonized) figure the second version or a repaint of the former. The most important thing to note is how incredible this new Darth Vader action figure is. You should all have appreciated the 40th Anniversary one tremendously, but now you can also enjoy a metallic version of the small, yet collectible, “carbonized” collection of 6” figures that celebrate landmark events in the 6” line. The Empire Strikes Back 40th Anniversary line is already getting more love than the four-decade celebration of the first Star Wars movie as far as the Hasbro Star Wars line is concerned. But it’s a wise decision. Episode V is a beloved film for all Star Wars fans. It’s smart to celebrate what’s popular. While we haven’t received too many “carbonized” figures in the line thus far, we compile a decently sized collection with the few they have released.

In case you’re not aware, Hasbro needed to redesign the Darth Vader figure to make it specific to The Empire Strikes Back. The character’s costume changed significantly from Episode IV to Episode V. And Hasbro brought those changes forward for this upgraded Darth Vader 6” release. What’s more, Hasbro incorporated the popular “butterfly” joints into the shoulders to give Darth Vader (Carbonized) ultimate mobility. The new Darth Vader for 2020 is based on the character’s appearance in both Episode V and Episode VI. This version of the character means that Hasbro had to give Darth Vader an all-new head sculpt. As you compare the two figures, you’ll notice that the 2020 Darth Vader has a narrower helmet, whereas the 2017 version is significantly more full. Also new is the retooled torso. We mentioned the “butterfly” shoulder joints, but the soft-goods tabards are no longer over the shoulder armor. They now stay underneath the shoulder plating. Also, the coloring of the shoulder plating is different than the version from A New Hope, and you do notice some tooling differences as well. All of these changes ad updates are easy to see in the “carbonized’ version of Darth Vader too. Hasbro also downsized the chest box. It’s a detail we haven’t noticed before as a noted difference. Also, The Empire Strikes Back version of Darth Vader comes with differently-colored switches on the chest box, but that’s a moot point on the “carbonized” version.

Darth Vader (Carbonized) comes loaded with 30 points of articulation. As you know very well by now, a figure with this many points of articulation can pretty much do anything. And with the previously mentioned “butterfly” shoulder joints, you get a little more movement than previously. Darth Vader (Carbonized)’s joints possess fluidity and ease of motion, so you don’t have to struggle with the figure when positioning it. Darth Vader (Carbonized) comes with a lightsaber that breaks down into a hilt and blade. The hilt is painted in the “carbonized” finish as well. The grip has a hook that’s designed to hang from a hook on the belt. This detail was overlooked continuously in the 3.75” scaled line, so 6” collectors should count themselves fortunate with this added feature. We love the “carbonized” line of 6” figures because they look and feel like authentic collectibles. And they look great inside their shiny boxes as well as outside of them. We wonder how many other characters Hasbro will consider for the “carbonized” updates next. It feels like Hasbro has only scratched the surface with this line, and we should expect more to come down the pike. Released as an Amazon exclusive, the Darth Vader (Carbonized) figure is set with an MSRP of $24.99. It sold out immediately, but came back in stock a couple more times, but eventually sold out like the others. If you want this figure, don’t wait too long.