Imperial Probe Droid - TBS [P3] - Six Inch Figures (D3)

Commemorate the 40th Anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back with the Imperial Probe Droid figure. Tenacious hunters, probe droids are armed with powerful blasters.

Every time we see a new character released in The Black Series 6” line, we’re constantly reminded of how desperately Hasbro is trying to play catch-up with the line. Take, for instance, the release of the Imperial Probe Droid Deluxe figure. After seven years, how did we not have this character until now? The 40th Anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back made the release of the Imperial Probe Droid possible. If we didn’t have such a landmark for the beloved film, we probably wouldn’t have seen this character this year. No matter their reasons, Hasbro’s The Black Series [Phase III] The Empire Strikes Back 40th Anniversary 6” Imperial Probe Droid is a better-than-average release. However, with that said, we have to ask if this item is priced right, and perhaps it should have come with a few extra “things” to give collectors more value for their dollars. An all-new tool, the Imperial Probe Droid looks a little too dark when compared to some scene still of The Empire Strikes Back. Then again, Hasbro colored the figure from 2017’s SW [TLJ] Imperial Probe Droid/Darth Vader set too darkly too. Then again, they look this dark on the Death Star in Return Of The Jedi, so who knows?

The Imperial Probe Droid is articulated decently. But it feels like Hasbro could have done more. The Imperial Probe Droid has five arms. And each arm is articulated in multiple spots. On average, each arm has three additional joints. This articulation design allows you to configure the Imperial Probe Droid into many, many ways. Whether scrunched up on a ball or will all five arms in a different direction, you can make the Imperial Probe Droid look different, and the options are endless. The tooling and design are flawless. You need quite a bit of time to appreciate what Hasbro worked into this figure’s sculpting. They pull out all the stops when it comes to the finest of details. From the various photoreceptors to the weathered effects worked into the paint operations, it’s obvious that Hasbro did everything they could to design a quality Imperial Probe Droid action figure for the 6” line. The figure comes loaded with movement, including a swivel head, movable antennae, which including upward and downward directions. From head to legs, the Imperial Probe Droid shines beautifully. It’s a work of art, but it isn’t free of criticism. We feel it has some issues too.

Firstly, the cost of the Imperial Probe Droid is too much. It’s a part of the Deluxe line, so that means that collectors will pay a minimum of $30 for it. Some may feel that’s a fair price for a figure of a larger stature, but we feel it is much too expensive. The Imperial Probe Droid has a frame unlike any humanoid character from Star Wars. So we understand that Hasbro needed to develop an all-new approach to create this character for the line. The Imperial Probe Droid comes with a clear display post and a Hoth terrain base. The setup feels very flimsy. The Imperial Probe Droid rocks aback and forth because the clear post isn’t strong enough to prevent swaying. The littlest bump will send the Imperial Probe Droid rocking back and forth, and it’s annoying. If there were a Star Wars character in need of lights and sound effects, it would probably be the Imperial Probe Droid. But this figure doesn’t come with any. The Imperial Probe Droid is a fantastic release to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back. Still, we don’t have a ton of other characters currently in the line to interact with this figure. It’s a one-off type of release, and that’s odd for a Star Wars line. People like their figures to interact with one another.