Boba Fett/Stormtrooper - R - Mission Series (MS05)

Boba Fett and Stormtroopers capture the Rebels on Bespin. Fett finally has a bounty he's been after for a long time: Han Solo. Under the command of Darth Vader, the Stormtroopers put Cloud City under Imperial control.

Well, we really have to give Hasbro credit for putting together a Mission Series set that is probably the most sensible one in recent memory. They took two of the hardest Saga Legends figures to find from 2013 and put them together to form a “new” Mission Series set. It is based on a very memorable scene from Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. What more could you possibly want? We know super-articulation. In all honesty, the Boba Fett/Stormtrooper Mission Series set brings more of the same to the Star Wars brand that we have already seen. But with so many collectors missing out on the single-carded Saga Legends versions of these figures, this may have been one of their wisest moves for the 2014 product year. Love them or hate them, five points of articulation figures are here front and center to stay and are a clear priority for Hasbro. And admittedly this two-pack looks pretty cool. The sculpts are alright, and the paint operations look better than ever. So taking two of their best sculpts from this format is indeed a brilliant thing to do. Both Boba Fett and the Stormtrooper are figures that critical fans are slowly warming up to, but we don’t think that no matter how long they are on the market that there will be a universal embracing of them. But stranger things have happened.

Boba Fett is a straight repack of 2013’s SW [DV/ROTS] Boba Fett (SL09) figure. Overall, the sculpt isn’t a nightmare by any means, but keep in mind that it isn’t perfect either. The helmet is too small and a bit too rounded. And the limited articulation essentially makes this more of a display piece, and not necessarily a “play” thing. Boba Fett comes with a removable jetpack and blaster rifle. Many aspects of the figure have good paint operations, but then Hasbro just left other parts completely unpainted which gives the overall impression of this figure a somewhat incomplete look. Bad paint application were a big issue last year and in early 2014, but paint operations are now looking up. It’s a bit tricky, but his blaster rifle can be placed in both his left and right hands. With a little patience, you should get both hands to function in this manner. Based on his appearance from The Empire Strikes Back, Boba Fett is a nice interpretation if you overlook its simplicity. Boba Fett can be placed inside of the cockpit of the 2013 SW [DV/ROTS] Boba Fett’s Slave I vehicle and for all intents and purposes he can sit. The ability of an action figure to sit often makes some notable collectors VERY happy. Sadly, he still looks much too big for the vehicle, and you’re limited with how you situate him in the cockpit.

You probably know by now that the Stormtrooper figure is the pick of the litter. Even those who are loathing five points of articulation are quickly finding that this Stormtrooper action figure has merit and can stand on its own. If five points of articulation are not your bag, and it’s not for many collectors, this action figure will be an easy pass for you, but even early in its shelf life, it has become the new chase figure. Stormtrooper comes with five points of articulation, one more point than the 1978 vintage Kenner figure had. A swivel head, two swivel shoulders, and two swivel hips make up this figure’s articulation. The figure is rigid, essentially unable to be posed in any real meaningful way, and really will just serve as background fodder in a diorama in your collection. Its re-release into the Mission Series format is warmly welcomed. He looks good, and that’s about all that you should note here. It’s a straight repack of the 2013 SW[DV/ROTS] Saga Legends Stormtrooper (SL11) figure, but a new bold date stamp has been added to the back of his leg. This pairing of two classic figures is a cool thing. And in general we hope this line is a success for Hasbro. Otherwise, they’re wasting a great deal of time and money if this new plan doesn’t pan out for them.