Chewbacca [Version 2] - LC - Saga Legends (SL15)

The fierce Wookiee is Han Solo's smuggling partner and copilot of the Millennium Falcon. He uses a breath mask while repairing the malfunctioning Falcon inside an asteroid that provides a convenient location to hide from pursuing Imperial fighters.

Chewbacca has seen quite a metamorphosis throughout the years with his action figure presence in the basic line ever since his first modern version was released in 1995. But when the fabulous VOTC version was released, it put the old sculpts into retirement and this version has remained constant and steadfast (and most importantly, true to scale) going forward. Hasbro quickly realized that they struck gold with this marvelous VOTC sculpt and have reinvented it many times (whether a different paint application or a new head sculpt), making nearly every Chewbacca film or EU specific possibility out there and we don’t think there is anything more they can do to perfect this figure. So far, this VOTC Chewbacca has been refreshed and included in 2005’s Early Bird figure set, 2006’s Commemorative Tin set (Episode V), 2007’s TAC Betrayal On Bespin Battle Packs set, 2008’s TLC Hoth Recon Patrol Battle Packs set, 2008’s TLC Millennium Falcon (as a pack-in figure), 2008’s TLC K-mart exclusive Commemorative Tin set (Episode V), and 2008’s TLC Chewbacca (BD 3) basic figure. As you can see, this particular Chewbacca sculpt gets around! And this is warranted!

This time, for the Legacy Collection (red phase) Saga Legends version, Hasbro has opted to use the Chewbacca from the TAC 2007 Betrayal On Bespin Battle Packs set (nearly identical to the 2004 VOTC Chewbacca, but with the slightest shinier and darker paint application) and now includes a gas mask to replicate his appearance from the Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back mynock hunt scene. Chewbacca is hyper-articulated and sports fifteen points of articulation. A second torso joints pushes him over the edge of just plainly being super-articulated. We have obviously seen this figure released a whole bunch of times, but it never ceases to amaze us just how well-constructed this figure indeed is. Evidently, the sculptor painstaking and patiently ensured this figure’s beauty by including wonderful texture, authentic draping fur, stunning height and a likeness to the film character that we believe will be impossible for Hasbro to improve upon – it is truly this good! This Saga Legends Chewbacca goes down in our books as “new enough” so it has become a necessary purchase for us. It will round out the Episode V wave that is coming to us the end of 2009 nicely. This loveable furry favorite is a must for any collection!

Chewbacca’s crossbow is nothing new either, but we will make it a point to express that it too is constructed very, very well. It looks just like the one in the film and can be posed in his hands very well. The strap is sculpted a little too stiffly and may look awkward with some poses but overall it is fantastic! We are excited to have this phenomenal figure readily available in the line again, even if it’s simply a repacked figure with a ‘new’ accessory. Collectors may be interested in knowing that erroneous carded samples of this figure have been found at the retails level with the 2008 TLC Chewbacca (BD 3) figure. This was quickly changed so these variations should be quite rare. Hasbro could have given us the "pretty bad" 2005 ROTS Chewbacca (III 5) in the Saga Legends line again, but they didn’t. We hope that Hasbro will revisit the Star Wars Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith Chewbacca using this mold. A little more tweaking may be required, but we think it will be well worth it! And perhaps even a revisit the Cloud City scene where he carried C-3PO on his back would be another cool addition to the line. Whatever version Hasbro decides, this Chewbacca should remain a mainstay at all times. We can’t rave about him enough!