STAP And Battle Droid - POTF2 [FB/CT] - Episode I Sneak Preview

A totally new Star Wars movie with new characters, vehicles, weapons and worlds will premier in movie theaters next Summer. It is Episode I of the Star Wars saga and the first movie in a new Star Wars trilogy. The original Star Wars trilogy told the story of Luke Skywalker, a young farm boy who became a hero in the struggle to overthrow the evil Empire and had to confront one of the Empire's staunchest henchmen, his own father, Darth Vader. The new Star Wars trilogy will go back in time a full generation to reveal the origins of Darth Vader. In Episode I Darth Vader is a hopeful, nine-year-old boy named Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi is a brash, young Jedi Knight. This first chapter in the Star Wars saga follows Anakin's journey as he pursues his dreams and confronts his deepest fears in the midst of a galaxy in turmoil.

The STAP is a small, one-pilot, repulsorlift vehicle outfitted with two laser cannons. It is extremely maneuverable, making perfect for patrol, reconnaissance and battle. STAPs are operated by battle droids who function as the infantry of the Trade Federation army.

Sometimes it’s out of sight, out of mind when it comes to the reality that The Power Of The Force “2” line introduced us to our first action figure based on Episode I. The “FlashBack/CommTech” phase of the line especially focused on linking the Original Trilogy to the new film. And it helps us associate who is who easily in the new chapter of the Star Wars saga. To help introduce us to this new world, Kenner/Hasbro worked up two Episode I Sneak Preview releases. One, a Mace Windu mail-away offer, was well-received by the collecting community. The second, the STAP With Battle Droid figure and vehicle set, was a general marketplace item with readily available stock. Each was featured in The Power Of The Force “2” [FlashBack/CommTech] line look and provided an overview of the character’s (and vehicle’s) role in the Episode I film.

The STAP With Battle Droid is a nice set. It possesses a sleek design and comes with action features that don’t interfere at all with the aesthetics of its design. Paired with the STAP is a nicely articulated Battle Droid, who seemingly appears to be the new “stormtrooper” of the Prequel Trilogy. To allow for its proper placement on the STAP, the Battle Droid comes with an impressive ten points of articulation to allow it to slouch, crouch, steer and pivot the STAP with relative ease. The inclusion of multiple hinge-jointed points of articulation give the figure the free movement it needs to maneuver such a vehicle. Off of the STAP, the Battle Droid looks a little wonky. Its legs are widespread, and the figure leans heavily to its right, but it is a well-sculpted action figure and gives us great hope that Kenner/Hasbro is taking the Episode I line into an unprecedented “realistic” direction this time.

The STAP vehicle is nice too, although based on the image provided on the back of the packaging, it looks out of scale to what is shown in the reference materials provided by Doug Chiang (too large). The toy itself is nicely detailed and colored and has some discrete action figures to make playtime a little more interesting for fans of all ages. It comes with firing laser missile projectile and shoot out via manipulation of the footpad. And the stand it comes with functions as a handgrip so you can simulate it hovering and flying. Articulated handlebars also provide some additional play value and make it feel like a realistic Star Wars vehicle. For trivia lovers, STAP is an acronym for “single trooper aerial platform” which speaks for itself. The STAP With Battle Droid is a nice-looking set. We don’t know how long it will have longevity in the Star Wars line, but we appreciate the efforts brought forth to make it the toy it is.