Barada - TSC - Basic (SAGA 004)

Added: January 9th 2011
Category: Saga Collection, The
Reviewer: Paul Harrison
Score:

Name: Barada
Collection: The Saga Collection
Number: SAGA 004
Source: Return Of The Jedi
Availability: December 2005
License: Hasbro

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Barada

Battle of Carkoon

species: klatooinian

objective: execute luke skywalker

becomes: lunch for sarlacc

When Jabba the Hutt needs a goon to push his prisoners into the Pit of Carkoon, the remorseless Barada is the perfect creature for the job. Armed with a staff and trained to serve and protect Jabba, Barada is usually regarded as a formidable opponent in hand to hand combat. That is until he becomes quick work for the expert lightsaber skills of Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight. Luke knocks Barada into the Pit of Carkoon and Sarlacc makes a quick meal of him!

We are amazed time and again when Hasbro takes the initiative to repaint some of their older figures to improve them. Many disagree, but we will always remain steadfast in the opinion that an incredible paint job will make or break a figure. While Hasbro resurrected the old 1999 POTF2 Barada from the Skiff Guards Cinema Scene, many were concerned on why they would include a figure this old in the new line. But Hasbro got really clever by the time The Saga Collection came around. They needed to reduce tooling costs by included older sculpts into the line, but all of the figures that they did “repack” were made “new” thanks to new and beautiful paint jobs, extra accessories or slight retools or ingenious kit-bashes. Barada simply benefits from a brand new paint job, but it’s a paint job that for the first time allows us to appreciate the great original sculpt this figure had in 1999. The new and improved paint job is really something to get very excited about for sure! Barada lacks in articulation only. We aren’t thrilled with his bent arm and his overall limited movement, but this version of Barada is now the best. Until Hasbro makes a super-articulated version of him, this one is the definitive for now.

In case you’re not aware of the long backstory on Barada in the action figure line, we’ll try to recap it all for you here. The 1985 The Power Of The Force Barada was not Barada. This figure was misnamed by Kenner as Barada. While the card back art showed a nice big picture of the actual Barada character, the figure was painted to have red pants and a yellow shirt and a red headband. This character is Kithaba and yet to be made in the modern line. In summary, the 1999 Barada was the first action figure version of Barada (which has been repainted twice, once in the 2004 Star Wars "Saga" TRU exclusive four-pack called Skirmish At Carkoon, and again in the first basic figure wave of The Saga Collection at the end of 2005). Both the 1999 and the 2004 versions of Barada were painted too darkly and their yellow headband was painted with a dark green wash that almost seamlessly blended in with his skin. Interestingly, the same gun has been included with every incarnation or take on the figure! (This makes sense of course, but the chances that the weapons would have been switched up was pretty high.)

Hasbro nailed the skin color perfectly with The Saga Collection version of Barada. As we have already raved, this is the best paint job Barada has ever seen. And while it wouldn’t be proper to distinguish him as definitive due to his lack of articulation (a figure that absolutely needs more than six points), but we couldn’t have asked for a better paint job and he remarkably fits in with the rest of the figures in wave 1 very nicely. Besides his signature gun, Barada also comes with a personalized action figure stand that reads “Barada – Skiff Guard” on it. The stands are such a nice touch in The Saga Collection. And you already know about the very obnoxious and random miniature hologram figures the basic line comes with in The Saga Collection. (Is this really happening to us?) If Hasbro is must include old sculpts like Barada in The Saga Collection, then Barada is the way to do it. We’re not trying to claim that Barada is a figure that should make you do cartwheels, but he is great for what he is and we are thankful for the extra attention Hasbro gave it to make it “fit in” for now in the modern basic figure line.

Collector Notes

Barada

Status: Barada is a repaint (and slight retool as evidenced by the new date stamp) of Barada from 1999's POTF2 Jabba's Skiff Guards Cinema Scenes set. This figure is named "Barada – Skiff Guard" on the included display stand.

Articulation Count: 6 points (6 areas of articulation)

Articulation Details: swivel head (1), swivel left shoulder (1), swivel right shoulder (1), swivel waist (1), swivel left hip (1), swivel right hip (1)

Accessory Count: 1

Accessory Details: skiff guard blaster

Date Stamp: 2005

Assortment Number: 85804/85770

UPC: 653569085904

Retail: $5.99 USD

Market Value: Click here to check the latest prices based on Click here to check the market value on eBay! listings.

The Saga Collection Wave 1
Princess Leia (Boushh Disguise) (SAGA 001)
Han Solo (SAGA 002)
Bib Fortuna (SAGA 003)
Barada (SAGA 004)
Chewbacca (SAGA 005)
Boba Fett (SAGA 006)



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