Dengar (Executor Meeting) - SW [S - P3] - Basic (’04 #17)

Dengar was one of the elite bounty hunters hired by Darth Vader to capture the Millennium Falcon and her crew. The grizzled hunter Dengar was called "Payback" because personal vendettas fueled much of his career. He was once a daring swoop racer until a competitive rival, Han Solo, ended his career when their swoops crashed. Although Dengar was to blame for the accident, he held Solo responsible and leaped at the chance for revenge.

When Hasbro nails an action figure, collectors get happy. This sentiment is felt with Dengar (Executor Meeting) from the Star Wars “Saga” line. It won’t necessarily appeal to those who prefer articulation to anything else, but Hasbro did knock this one out of the park, if you can accept it for what it is. If you recall, Dengar was one of the earliest modern figures attempted in The Power Of The Force “2” line and was released as 1997's POTF2 [FF/TKC] Dengar figure. And he was special for one reason in particular. This figure was based on his appearance from Return Of The Jedi, and not The Empire Strikes Back (as noted by his missing backpack). With a much too happy demeanor on his face and a lack of articulation engineered in the figure, collectors were content but wanted more from Hasbro as far as this bounty hunter was concerned. A peg-warmer back in the 1980s, Dengar followed suit once again in 1997 but he nevertheless remains a favorite amongst Original Trilogy purists. Perhaps many Star Wars collectors were surprised when he was announced for another update in one of the final waves of the Star Wars “Saga” line. But the surprise should have been pleasant as Hasbro delivered a truly wonderful version of him. (That doesn’t mean he doesn’t have room to grow.)

Dengar (Executor Meeting) comes with nine points of articulation. A swivel head is jointed by two ball-jointed shoulders, a swivel left wrist, a swivel waist and two swivel hips. It’s an admirable amount of articulation, but only about half of what articulation junkies would like to see on any Star Wars action figure. Although he is indeed limited in articulation, Dengar (Executor Meeting) shines mostly because of his sculpt. And what an impressive sculpt it is. Just like the 1997 version, this one appears too content and almost too smiley for one reason or another, but ultimately more realistic this time around. Hasbro went to work to ensure that he now has a more rugged and scarred appearance. The sculpt showcases some of Hasbro’s finest sculpting efforts. And a stunning paint job accents all the heart and soul that went into the sculpt. You’ll find details that you never knew existed until now and the attention given to his backpack is nothing short of enthralling. When you realize just how faithful Hasbro was to the actual prop in the film (should you own the appropriate reference books), you probably won’t even care any longer that the figure has minimal articulation. This is an action figure to appreciate with artful eyes. Take time to smell the roses here. You’re absolutely going to be impressed.

Dengar (Executor Meeting) comes with two accessories. Includes are the aforementioned removable backpack and he also comes with a BlasTech LJ-90 concussion rifle. Both accessories look great and interact with Dengar quite well. The hands have been molded perfectly to accept the gun and the backpack firmly plugs into his back. What’s more, he doesn’t look have bad with the backpack removed. Sure there is a hole in his back, but Hasbro gave the back of him plenty of detail to distract you from it. Dengar (Executor Meeting) has a solid center of gravity and can stand unassisted without issue. He also comes with a generic display stand which is rendered unnecessary since he can stand so well on his own. The Star Wars “Saga” line is really delivering some gorgeous action figures to collectors. Dengar (Executor Meeting) is an action figure that fits this bill nicely. Between the beautiful paint operations, nice sculpt and ample articulation, Dengar (Executor Meeting) is a nice upgrade from the previous modern version and 1981 vintage Kenner version we already own. Articulation should be the next area Hasbro should focus on with future version, because they have nearly mastered the other areas of what makes a good action figure. This one will hold up well.