HK-50 - LC - Build A Droid

HK-50 is a bittersweet release. This droid is the second to the last Build A Droid figure that we are going to receive. The Legacy Collection is calling it quits after the Expanded Universe wave gets released and we are actually a bit devastated by this news, but we hope that Hasbro has another great pack-in gimmick like this up their sleeves for the future of the line. (We honestly don't know what would make the line better, so we hope it impresses us whatever it is.) Hasbro seems to be going out with a bang however with the last of these droids because HK-50, although not entirely authentic to what is seen in the video game, is an excellent BAD and an even better complement to its predecessor, HK-47. While they look like very similar, HK-47 and HK-50 droids actually possess opposing programming characteristics. Per multiple sources and from what video game shows, the HK-47 droids appear to fight with more finesse and "thought" while the HK-50 are much rawer fighters that do so without inhibition or restraint, almost in a civilized versus uncivilized manner. But if you're a Star Wars Build A Droid collector, you would think this was the other way around simply based on looks alone. Not to take away from the awesome sculpt of the HK frame, HK-50 looks a little too "holiday-ish" and shiny and pretty. For a droid that is supposed to have more aggression and hostility, the action figure color choice makes it appear a tad bit too friendly and cheerful. He also has some incorrect paint applications like on his thighs for example. Unless there are other versions that we have not come across yet, Hasbro took some artistic license when choosing the paint operations for this figure.

HK-50 is supposed to be a light green version of HK-47, but the action figure looks more like its colored in a metallic baby blue, which is very pleasing to the eye, but makes it harder to believe this droid is so tough. The first adjective that comes to us is "bright." We should never judge books by their covers, but we can't help how peaceful the droid comes across to us. If Hasbro were to add a lot more scratch marks as seen in many stills (like the one below or as they did on the HK-47 Build A Droid action figure), it may be easier for us to swallow that HK-50 is indeed a battle droid. Don't get us wrong, there are indeed some marks on this droid, but the because of the very pale or light color used, these signs of battle-damage look very muted and almost as if they aren't even there. But we do have to credit HK-50's gun as giving it a lot more attitude that if it was packed without it. If you have HK-47, you really know what to expect with this droid. But pleasing to the eye doesn't do much for a terminating droid. HK-50 is super-articulated and due to the nature of his design, he comes without ball-jointed shoulders. That is just fine with us though. HK-50, just like HK-47 has a beautiful posture and stands perfectly as is and can be posed in plenty of ways with the current convention of articulation. And the figure is just as "weighty" too! In short, HK-50 is definitive and is in no need of an upgrade. We would boldly say "never" but it is rare for an action figure to be timeless (although we believe more and more are reaching this impressive status ever since Hasbro has recommitted to higher standards with the basic figure line). We may not get ball-joints on all of our action figures, it's just not the way focus of the Star Wars line, and this really is OK. When the figures do come with ball-jointed hips, it's a treat!

Following the same protocol (no pun intended) as all of the different Build A Droid styles, Hasbro once again became good stewards of their current action figure molds by utilizing each specific droid sculpt type twice. To date, we have received the following: two R2 units (R2-L3 and R4-P44), two R3 units (R3-M3 and R3-A2), two R4 units (R4-D6 and R4-J1), two R5 units (R5-A2 and R5-C7), two R7 units (R7-Z0 and R7-T1), two RA-7 droids (5D6-RA7 and MB-RA-7) and now two HK droids. The only droids utilizing a sculpt only once are U-3PO, L8-L9 and YVH-1. (But we imagine the possibility exists for these styles to be revisited at another time in the future.) Clearly, Hasbro has made the most out of the Build A Droid sculpts and we as collectors don't mind. We love our droids and the whole Droid Factory concept and it has knocked many names off of our diverse wish lists. Now that these pack-in figures are heading into retirement we can expect to get more protocol and astromech droids to joins the ranks of the basic figure line. We honestly don't care which way we receive them, we just hope they will always get some love in one way or another. HK-50, if for no other reason, will look great in your collections as a very distinct Build A Droid. Wookieepedia describes HK-50 as possessing "cruelty, extreme bloodlust, misanthropy, a fair amount of (somewhat justified) arrogance, remarkable proficiency in assassination and mass-slaughter, a rather deceptive, devious, opportunistic method of causing deaths (indirectly or otherwise), a habit of saying what they were going to say before they actually said it, and were quite sociopathic." These are some strong and harsh words for a droid that looks so pretty. But if anything, it warns us never to judge the cover of that book!