TIE-Fighter Pilot (Black 3 "Backstabber") - Real Action Heroes

DS-61-3, known as "Backstabber", is a TIE Fighter Pilot who is the right wingman of Darth Vader.

The Corellian pilot is known for his excellent skills and brutality in combat. He flew Black 3 during the Battle of Yavin and was shot down by the Millennium Falcon at the end of the battle.

Medicom has had an illustrious career with their Star Wars one-sixth scale Real Action Heroes line. Always providing collectors with topnotch high-end Star Wars collectibles, it’s been more often than not that they’ve released figures that have made the collecting community just drool uncontrollably. No one can really claim that all of the releases under this one-sixth line have been perfect, but it’s been the rule rather than the exception that most have impressed the most discriminating collectors. Medicom has taken risks on releasing characters that don’t immediately make collectors’ top ten lists, and they think outside of the box for many others. With a high price point, but with meticulous details to soften the blow to the wallet, the figures in this line have raised the bar for other licensees and generally have provided the collecting community with a line of large-sized figures that they are proud to own in their collections. Sideshow Collectibles has partnered with Medicom Toys to bring these Japanese collectibles to the American marketplace. And to date they have been a hit with Sideshow Collectibles as well as they quickly sell out before most have the opportunity to save up for and purchase.

The oddly spelled TIE-Fighter Pilot (Black 3 “Backstabber”) figure may look like a simple repaint of the 2010 Real Action Heroes TIE Fighter Pilot released earlier, but it’s more than that. Sure, many of the parts have been reused here and others repainted, but this figure sports the upgraded RAH 301 Kai buck body type. With an astounding 38 points of articulation, it’s one of the most articulated body types available today. Fans of Sideshow Collectibles’ 1:6 Scale Figures line find the Real Action Heroes line a slight disappointment. While many collectors have desired to supplement Sideshow’s prolific 1:6 Scale Figures line with the Real Action Heroes line, it’s very difficult because RAH are created at a slightly smaller scale, which sadly is noticeable on a display shelf. If it’s something you can overlook, or if you just keep your Medicom Toys figures separate, you will enjoy an incredibly produced line of high-end of one-sixth scale figures. At first glance, the TIE-Fighter Pilot (Black 3 “Backstabber”) figure is beautiful. Some have criticized that the helmet is too small, but we take some exception with that. Whether math proves us wrong or not, we think the sculpt of the helmet looks fantastic and it doesn’t look too small for the figure. We have to say it’s something we’re willing to overlook here.

It’s very true that the RAH 301 Kai buck provides an inordinate amount of articulation as well and a range of endless dynamic and static poses. You may not need all of this movement for a character that just pilots an Imperial TIE Fighter, but we know that when it comes to action figures in the one-sixth scale range that articulation is everything. You have been well cared for here if that is your sentiment also. The costume looks screen accurate. All of the uniform parts are in place. And the silver details added to the helmet have been flawlessly added with care and precision to recreate the character from Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. Surprisingly, this figure comes without and Imperial blaster. In fact, no gun has been included at all. We find that slightly disappointing. These figures are already expensive. Would the inclusion of a gun have killed Medicom Toys to provide here? You do however get a set of interchangeable hands here that are essentially useless. Two fisted hands and two open hands are the only interchangeability you get here. Oh, and you also get a clear plastic display stand to assist you when posing him. Aside from one or two human form inadequacies of the RAH 301 Kai (this guy has no butt for example), the TIE-Fighter Pilot (Black 3 “Backstabber”) is a wonderful release and we’re thrilled to have it.

This sample has been provided to us by Sideshow Collectibles.