Fett Legacy, The - TLC - Evolutions

The Mandalorians are proud people whose lives are based on war. For thousands of years, these skilled fighters have crisscrossed the galaxy on crusades of conquest. They are feared and respected for their unparalleled battle skills and have left a blazing mark upon history. Mandalore the Indomitable is a legendary leader from long ago; Jango Fett “fathers” the clone trooper army; and his “son” Boba Fett uses his Mandalorian skill to become the greatest bounty hunter in the galaxy.

Hasbro abruptly canceled the 30 (77-07) line. And although they never really explained why they stopped it, collectors assumed that because the line technically began in 2006 and ran through the first quarter of 2008 (with even more exclusives later that summer) that it was time to call it quits and begin preparing for a whole new legacy of Star Wars collectors. Many others assume that they needed to have a corresponding line to help focus on the new The Clone Wars [Blue] line too. So that’s exactly what Hasbro did. In July 2008 they launched the extremely collector-friendly The Legacy Collection. While the packaging was lackluster in more than just one way, the line was the first truly super-articulated focused basic figure line. To sweeten the deal, Hasbro added the Droid Factory/Build A Droid pack-in premium which really made so many collectors happy. But because of the 30 (77-07)’s sudden cancellation, there were quite a few products released towards the end of the line that just didn’t get a fair enough time at retail: one subset of figures being the Evolutions line. So for the official The Legacy Collection product launch they added no less than four sets that were first offered in the 30 (77-07) line and worked them into three case assortments with the three brand new three-packs now part of The Legacy Collection line. Collectors didn’t mind. The Fett Legacy was on the top of Hasbro’s re-release list. One major reason to get this set out again was because of the universal love for Mandalorians and bounty hunters.

Hasbro left off the insignia from Boba Fett’s chest armor and was able to correct it for The Legacy Collection re-release. The scratchy battle-damage accents make his armor look even lighter this time. And Hasbro had to fix his sourcing by placing a sticker over “Return Of The Jedi” on the packaging. They also edited the deco on his helmet. These reasons were enough to buy this set again. Boba Fett still looks a little too light in coloring, but overall collectors have been satisfied by this figure. This three-pack of Mandalorians was honestly a long overdue release if you ask us. But although a little bit late, Hasbro paid attention to collectors’ desires and produced a nice set of characters that make up The Fett Legacy. These figures are all made extremely well (plus or minus a few niggling issues with how they were approached), so there is something great to look forward to if Hasbro decides to update these figures in the future to bring us more Mandalorian inspired characters. All three figures are super-articulated and have wonderful all-new sculpts. We personally aren't thrilled with Boba Fett’s removable helmet, but it serves some purpose in the Expanded Universe we suppose and some fans out there are going to prefer it (not OT fans we surmise). It also sets a precedent as the first Boba Fett non-metal action figure with a removable helmet. Boba Fett looks quite a bit different from his father Jango Fett (aren't they clones of each?). Apparently Hasbro wanted to show some disparity between the two and they each have their unique traits. It seems to work. Aside from the helmet we don’t like the super-long cape. But that’s pretty much where the issues stop with Boba Fett.

Jango Fett also comes with a flesh painted face. This makes for a very "plastic/porcelain" appearance and we don't think it is the best method for approaching deco for action figures. Another issue plaguing him is that his holsters sit too far away from his body. The spacing that is created between them and his legs is very peculiar and we think Hasbro needed to fine tune this "accessory" before including it with the action figure. He is also missing straps on his legs which is how his holster appeared in the film. Despite his issues, Jango Fett has something to offer collectors. He looks stunning when he is completely assembled and his dual blaster pistols look natural and lifelike in his hands. His helmet fits even tighter to his head than Boba Fett's does. It's a snug fit that isn’t too tight. It has a better shape to as it is in perfect scale to Jango Fett’s head. There have been many of heated dissensions and arguments over the proper color of Jango's uniform. Reminiscent of the Han Solo (Hoth Outfit) brown coat versus blue coat perpetual debate, it appears that the correct color of Jango's uniform lies somewhere between the blue and purple we have received in action figure form so far. If you look at the scenes from Star Wars Episode II: Attack Of The Clones when Jango Fett is on Geonosis, it’s impossible to argue that his uniform didn’t have a purple hue to it. Jango Fett also comes with headgear for when he is piloting the Slave I. We would have loved to have seen his other jetpack included here, or even perhaps a flame attachment, but this wasn’t in the plans for this release.

The Mandalore figure is the surprise figure in The Fett Legacy Evolutions set. The packaging incorrectly identifies the Mandalore as appearing in Knights Of The Old Republic. This character made his first appearance in Tales Of The Jedi, a very popular comic collection which featured events in Star Wars way before the Prequel Trilogy and Original Trilogy. The confusion exists because there are two different Mandalores: Mandalore the Indomitable (from Tales Of The Jedi) and Mandalore the Ultimate (from Knights Of The Old Republic). Hasbro got their sourcing incorrect here and as a result the packaging is incorrect. This very ancient looking “creature” is awesomely colored and looks perhaps more like a Marvel superhero than anything else. What is neat about him however is that he retains his Mandalorian look and feel remarkably well. You can see this especially in the face plate. He comes with what we’d consider many old and/or antiquated accessories like a shield, spear and battle axe. Even his shoulder armor is reminiscent of an old knight than a ferocious bounty hunter as we see portrayed in Boba Fett and Jango Fett. Mandalore encapsulates the rich history of the Mandalorians into one action figure and we couldn’t be more thrilled that he is part of the action figure line. The paint job on Mandalore is especially impressive. With premium articulation on all three figures, this set offers collectors quite a bit of newness for their collections. It’s a fun set no matter its issues or problems. And there is more going for it than against it.