Android Set (See-Threepio (C-3PO)/Artoo-Detoo (R2-D2)/Chewbacca) - TVC - Special Action Figure Sets

This team of comrades battles side by side with the Rebel forces in their struggle against the Galactic Empire. R2-D2 carries Princess Leia's plea for help to Ben Kenobi. C-3PO, R2-D2's sidekick, is a human-robot relations specialist. Chewbacca, the hundred-year-old giant Wookiee, copilots the Millennium Falcon starship.

Target is going nuts over Hasbro’s Special Action Figure Sets, taking them on as exclusives as Hasbro offers them. And you know what? Collectors are digging them, too. Hasbro designed the Special Action Figure Sets to be an “in package” collectible because, for the most part, they don’t contain any new figures. Some of these sets have added “hard to find” figures, but Hasbro clarified that this is a line of existing material. They also confirmed that future sets will contain a good amount of newness. We will have to wait and see. Suppose you are a collector who drools over every little detail or variance. In that case, you may find some use in opening these up for your loose collection because some differences exist. Take, for example, the Android Set. Destined to be one of the most popular sets in the lineup, all three main characters are “newish” because they have different paint jobs from their original releases. Some are more subtle than others, but they exist. We’ll get to these differences in greater detail in just a moment. Hasbro is modernizing the vintage Kenner Special Action Figure Sets to give collectors a replica of scarce and hard-to-find multipacks from long ago. It would be extraordinary to get all-new figures in these sets, but we now have a broad catalog of action figures brought up to modern standards where Hasbro doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel each time. You can blame technology for that.

See-Threepio (C-3PO) is a repaint of the C-3PO figure in 2009’s LC Resurgence Of The Jedi Battle Packs set. What exactly is different about it? Hasbro painted the “new” Special Action Figure Set version in a richer golden yellow. In our opinion, the figure in the Battle Packs set was very pale or faded (or just too chrome). We don’t think we have seen a more golden C-3PO (that utilizes this sculpt) in a long time. Hasbro used the same black paint to give the figure dirty spots throughout the plating, and for some reason, the right leg looks extra silvery. We are not thrilled with how silly the dirt collections look, but it is what it is. The rest of the updated paint job does wonders for the figure and provides collectors a reason to repurchase these figures should you have them multiple times already. C-3PO has the most visible paint job changes of the three figures in this set. But changes exist with Artoo-Detoo (R2-D2) as well. R2-D2 is the exact figure in 2009’s LC Resurgence Of The Jedi Battle Packs set regarding tooling. But Hasbro made one improvement that makes Artoo-Detoo (R2-D2) more screen-accurate. When facing R2, there are two small parallel panels to the left of the main eye-port. These have been painted in a light or teal blue to represent the glistening quality of whatever these buttons function. It’s immediately noticeable and makes the Battle Packs figure look inferior. The sad thing is that the blue paint used to paint the figure is no longer metallic blue but just flat blue. So, the sparkly finish of that blue paint is no longer present.

Chewbacca also has similar differences. The blue paint used for the eyes is much darker (and more precise) than the 2005 TSC Early Bird Figures Chewbacca figure. Also, and this is quite interesting, the bandolier has the speckled “snow” patterns that we saw on the 2010 SW [SOTDS] Chewbacca (SL18) Saga Legends figure. Another interesting thing we noticed is that the updated paint job of the body seen on 2007’s TAC Betrayal On Bespin Chewbacca figure and 2009’s LC Chewbacca (SL15) Saga Legends figure has been used here on this figure, too. And if you don’t know what’s different about them, we will tell you. There are golden streaks on the fur that are brighter and more pronounced than weren’t on the 2005 TSC Early Bird Figures version. And the brown paint is overall much shinier. If you still don’t know what we mean, hold the Android Set Chewbacca alongside the 2005 TSC Early Bird Figures version, and you’ll see just how many differences there are. The Android Set from the Special Action Figure Set collection is fantastic, and we love that Hasbro included enough updates to warrant a purchase from us. Not all sets have many differences, but it’s great when the figures get slightly refreshed. We hope that Hasbro has long-term plans for this exclusive program. Some tremendous vintage Special Action Figure Sets from the vintage era would present an opportunity to give us all-new figures (or significantly retooled ones). We’ll have to wait and see where these exclusives go!