Watto (Mos Espa Junk Dealer) - SW [S - P1] - Basic (’02 #50)

Star Wars Episode II: Attack Of The Clones introduced us to many new alien species and unique Star Wars characters that we hadn’t seen before, but the film brought back some familiar faces. Watto makes a return appearance in the movie, for example. After one premonition after another of his mother’s pain and suffering, Anakin Skywalker returns to Tatooine to seek out Watto so he can follow the next breadcrumb to locate his mother’s whereabouts. Watto informs that he sold her to Cliegg Lars, a moisture farmer outside of Mos Eisley, and Anakin Skywalker begins his trek to find her and help her before it’s too late. Sadly he is too late, and Shmi suffers an unfortunate and untimely fate. At first, Watto didn’t recognize the matured Anakin Skywalker, but once he did, you could sense that Watto had a slightly new outlook on the Skywalker family. He appeared to have empathy for him, and he willingly cooperated with Anakin to help him find his long-lost mother. Hasbro created an all-new Watto action figure to help collectors recreate this scene. The figure ranks around the average mark, but Hasbro could have made a more concerted effort to offer collectors more. It’s not a bad figure, but it isn’t earth-shattering either.

It may not be a surprising move to all, but we found it odd that Hasbro developed an all-new sculpt for the Watto (Mos Espa Junk Dealer) action figure for the Star Wars “Saga” line. Hasbro wanted to approach this version of the Toydarian differently. Since the Episode I Watto version was designed without the character in mid-air, Hasbro wanted to change the approach this time and produce a Watto action figure with it fluttering in the air. The action figure works in many ways. Hasbro worked the “flying effect” into the figure via an “invisible” display stand (which comes in two parts). While the post isn’t strong enough to prevent bowing, it does hold Watto (Mos Espa Junk Dealer) up in the air as needed to recreate this “hovering” effect. The sculpt is good. Watto is similar in color to the Episode I counterpart. Still, other differences prevent them from being identical from head to toe (aside from the sculpting differences, of course). The fully extended wings help to recreate the “flapping wings” action, and Hasbro incorporated the character’s signature hat we saw in Episode II. However, it may have been wiser if they sculpted an all-new portrait and added it to the Episode I body, but that’s a discussion for another time.

Watto (Mos Espa Junk Dealer) comes with five points of articulation. A swivel head, two swivel shoulders, and two swivel hips make up the figure’s articulation system. It isn’t a lot, but you probably won’t care as this is an action figure that you pose suspended in “mid air” since the character is always hovering or flying. And we have to hand it to Hasbro that they did a fine job of working this feature into the action figure because it looks remarkable. Interestingly, if you’re patient, Watto can stand on a flat surface without any assistance. The balance is precarious and doesn’t have a great center of gravity, so it may take some time to execute this, but it is possible. The minimal articulation included here makes posing the figure more difficult. Watto (Mos Espa Junk Dealer) is undoubtedly an exciting choice for an action figure. We are a bit surprised that Hasbro decided to give this character an all-new sculpt in the Star Wars “Saga” line. Hasbro must have felt that the character’s hat required an all-new sculpt, but they probably could have just as easily tweaked the Episode I sculpt and called it a day. Regardless, any new sculpt is a welcomed addition to us, so we are delighted they took that route instead.