Mandalorian Speeder With Mandalorian Warrior - TCW [SOTDS] - Deluxe

Mandalorian commandos in the Death Watch splinter group ride security speeders for quick-strike attacks. Like all Mandalorians, they are highly skilled warriors who have perfected the art of battle. Their repulsorlift speeders are customized with binders to capture enemies during raids. The design of their helmets pays homage to battle helmets worn by Mandalorian warriors in the past.

The Deluxe/Class I "vehicle and/with figure" program seems to be grabbing Star Wars collectors' attention. They're really like the modern day Mini Rig vehicles that we adored as kids. Now a new generation of Star Wars fans can become interested in a smaller scale of vehicle while getting introduced to new and favorite character in The Clone Wars universe. The Clone Wars [Shadow Of The Dark Side] phase of the line has taken this format to new heights. Instead of rehashing older "Deluxe" vehicles from past years, Hasbro is creating all-new ones and it is doing wonders for the format. The Class I sub-line has been responsible for bringing better and more enhanced versions of the basic carded figures into collections too and it would be great one day to see if Hasbro will release them on a basic card one day. A Deluxe/Class I set like the Mandalorian Speeder With Mandalorian Warrior gives kids and collectors an all-new vehicle and a refreshed version of the character, making both pieces essentially "new". This trend continues as the Deluxe/Class I assortment has brought us updated (and better versions of) figures like Count Dooku, Plo Koon and Obi-Wan Kenobi. These are just some examples. Sometimes we also get first-time character offerings as well. One thing is for sure, this sub-line requires a more articulated action figure, so fans of articulation are likely going to find the best versions of their action figures here, providing they don't give similar treatment to the basic figures.

There is no doubt that the Mandalorian Warrior is a real treat in the Deluxe/Class I line. It may be the first figure this year in this format that may interest those that don't normally collect this line. It's a slightly new take on the character we have seen in the basic figure line as it has been repainted in a unique way. (A basic figure version of this character is also part of the line and is a repaint of this figure too.) This Mandalorian Warrior figure borrows most of the parts from the totally awesome 2010 TCW [SOTDS] Pre Vizsla (CW08) figure, makes it completely anonymous by not giving him a removable helmet (we love this) and this is particularly refreshing because we feel Mandalorians are one species of people that work much better without removable helmets. (Well, Jango Fett is pretty cool with a removable helmet, but we digress). The awesome thing about the Mandalorian Warrior is his incredible body design and beautifully dark paint job. He is super-articulated with ball-jointed hips and this choice alone makes this figure too awesome for words. He is very darkly colored from head to toe and has white on his helmet that really breaks up the overall theme of the uniform. He comes with two blaster pistols that he can house in his holsters, one on each hip and can hold them when needed to fight any foe. This is streamlined action figure making at its best, yet it is loaded with features too. Collectors and kids are going to love this figure and vehicle set.

The Mandalorian Warrior interacts excellently with the included Mandalorian Speeder. Initially, we did fight with the interaction in an effort to find a pose that looked natural and realistic. It's not impossible, but depending upon your skill you may need some time to make it just right. One of our biggest bones of contention with Hasbro is their inability to make action figures work well with the vehicles that are designed for them. So collectors have very little to worry about here. Because the Mandalorian Warrior has ball-jointed hips, it assists the figure by allowing it to straddle the bike as well as keep his feet on the pedals. We're impressed with how well Hasbro made this functional. With a little patience, you can prevent the figure from looking like he is standing up while riding it. What's more, Hasbro gave the Mandalorian Speeder Bike so many cool features and details. It's going to provide a wealth of play for kids and collectors. The bike has a retractable cord that gets stored underneath the hood which lifts up to reveal some compartments. As two separate items, both the vehicle and the figure look so cool next to each other. The Deluxe/Class I line has lots of hits and lots of misses. Mandalorian Speeder With Mandalorian Warrior is one of Hasbro's hits. And for us it is totally worth the price just to get the figure. (Of course there is 2010's TCW [SOTDS] Mandalorian Warriors Battle Packs set which will contain repaints of four of these beauties.