Imperial Hovertank Driver - TBSA - Six Inch Figures

Imperial combat drivers operate the Empire's arsenal of armored repulsor vehicles, relying on the thick skin of their vehicles to protect them in battle.

Many of the figures released in The Black Series Archive line receive minor deco adjustments, while others receive significant updates. The Imperial Hovertank Driver is a figure that received major changes. When you compare the original version of this figure (when it was called an Imperial Hovertank Driver) to the new The Black Series Archive version, it nearly feels like you’re looking at two different figures. The original looks “white” while the new version looks “yellow.” Admittedly, “yellow” is a bit of an exaggeration, but one is bright white, while the latest version is off-white. Hasbro revisited the figure’s deco and made some screen-accurate updates to get the character as close to perfect as possible. We believe Hasbro succeeded here. The base color of the figure different, and the approach to apply the dirt and battle-damaged deco is entirely changed as well. At worst, it feels like collectors can genuinely army-build this figure now, which is always a blessing when it comes to Star Wars collectors. Some think that The Black Series Archive line takes shortcuts on many of the older re-released figures, but more often than not, we believe most receive significant upgrades. Your mileage will vary.

Barely seen in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, we don’t see much beyond the Imperial Hovertank Driver’s head while piloting the tank in the film. The design of the various Galactic Empire members in Rogue One is excellent. They’re all-natural progressions of what we see in the Original Trilogy, and the filmmakers did a fantastic job maintain the “lived in” look of their uniforms and armor. Hasbro translated all of these essential details into the action figure. You’ll find imperfections in the armored plates, and you’ll also find collections of dirt throughout the figure to show that they’re in the frontlines of battle. The figure’s silhouette is beautiful and captures the style and design of a few of the troopers in the film. Many characters share the same or similar uniform parts, and Hasbro keenly paid attention to this to make the most of the figures in The Black Series 6” line. Hasbro has been guilty of going cheap on a few figures in The Black Series 6” line. But we don’t see any shortcuts taken here. Collectors will be glad to purchase this figure again, especially since it comes with a starkly different paint job. And we’re not afraid to state that we prefer this figure in The Black Series Archive packaging. It’s classier.

Originally a Toys R Us exclusive and called an Imperial Hovertank Pilot, the figure appeared to meet demand. But as the years marched forward, it began commanding a premium on the aftermarket, so it makes sense that it’s a candidate for The Black Series Archive lineup. The Imperial Hovertank Driver has an excellent sculpt. There is no doubt in our minds that some of the brightest modelers and artists are tooling these figures. The softer “fabrics” in the uniform recreate an effect like how pants bunch up in all the right places. For accessories, the figure comes outfitted with a blaster. And thanks to excellent articulation, the Imperial Hovertank Driver withstands gravity and stays placed in an array of configurations. As with all/most 6” figures, the Imperial Hovertank Driver will feel a little left out in the cold (in the line). There will never be an accompanying vehicle. And there likely won’t be too many similar characters to make it feel part of a group. So many The Black Series 6” figures tend to be “one-off” figures, and then it ends there. It will probably remain this way, as Hasbro won’t produce large 6” vehicles anymore, not unless it will be a HasLab project.